diff --git a/apps/web/src/workbench/surfaces.test.ts b/apps/web/src/workbench/surfaces.test.ts
index 25b8bcdbb..b352ee78d 100644
--- a/apps/web/src/workbench/surfaces.test.ts
+++ b/apps/web/src/workbench/surfaces.test.ts
@@ -59,7 +59,11 @@ describe('surfaceTabId', () => {
     expect(surfaceTabId(surface('finance'))).toBe('finance:finance')
   })
 
-  it('is null for panels and non-tab routes', () => {
+  it('resolves the tab id for a panel surface with a companion route', () => {
+    expect(surfaceTabId(surface('tasks'))).toBe('tasks:tasks')
+  })
+
+  it('is null for routeless panels and non-tab routes', () => {
     expect(surfaceTabId(surface('explorer'))).toBeNull() // panel
     expect(surfaceTabId(surface('discover'))).toBeNull() // route, but untabbed
     expect(surfaceTabId(surface('analytics'))).toBeNull()
@@ -91,16 +95,28 @@ describe('activateSurface (VS Code preview tabs, 0288)', () => {
     expect(consumePreviewIntent()).toBe(false)
   })
 
-  it('drives the bottom island for panel surfaces without navigating or arming preview', () => {
+  it('drives the bottom island for routeless panel surfaces without navigating or arming preview', () => {
     const activated: string[] = []
     activateSurface(surface('explorer'), {
-      navigate: () => expect.unreachable('panel surfaces do not navigate'),
+      navigate: () => expect.unreachable('routeless panel surfaces do not navigate'),
       setActiveSurface: (id) => activated.push(id)
     })
     expect(activated).toEqual(['explorer'])
     expect(consumePreviewIntent()).toBe(false)
   })
 
+  it('drives the bottom island AND opens the board for the Tasks panel surface', () => {
+    const activated: string[] = []
+    const calls: Array<{ to: string }> = []
+    activateSurface(surface('tasks'), {
+      navigate: (opts) => calls.push(opts),
+      setActiveSurface: (id) => activated.push(id)
+    })
+    expect(activated).toEqual(['tasks'])
+    expect(calls).toEqual([{ to: '/tasks' }])
+    expect(consumePreviewIntent()).toBe(true) // /tasks is a singleton tab route
+  })
+
   it('leaves the latch clean afterwards', () => {
     setPreviewIntent()
     expect(consumePreviewIntent()).toBe(true)
diff --git a/apps/web/src/workbench/surfaces.ts b/apps/web/src/workbench/surfaces.ts
index 6818568f5..a871da113 100644
--- a/apps/web/src/workbench/surfaces.ts
+++ b/apps/web/src/workbench/surfaces.ts
@@ -38,7 +38,11 @@ export interface SurfaceDef {
   kind: 'panel' | 'route'
   /** Slot view id (panel surfaces). */
   viewId?: string
-  /** Route path (route surfaces). */
+  /**
+   * Route path. Required for route surfaces; a panel surface may also carry
+   * one, in which case activating it drives the bottom island *and* opens the
+   * route in the editor (Tasks → the task board).
+   */
   to?: string
   /** Live count source for the trailing badge. */
   badge?: 'requests'
@@ -58,7 +62,7 @@ export const SURFACES: SurfaceDef[] = [
     badge: 'requests',
     emphasis: true
   },
-  { id: 'tasks', label: 'Tasks', icon: CheckSquare2, kind: 'panel', viewId: 'tasks' },
+  { id: 'tasks', label: 'Tasks', icon: CheckSquare2, kind: 'panel', viewId: 'tasks', to: '/tasks' },
   { id: 'chats', label: 'Chats', icon: MessageSquare, kind: 'panel', viewId: 'chats' },
   { id: 'today', label: 'Today', icon: Sunrise, kind: 'panel', viewId: 'today' },
   { id: 'data', label: 'Data', icon: Database, kind: 'panel', viewId: 'data' },
@@ -85,33 +89,34 @@ export function pinnedSurfaces(navPinned: string[]): SurfaceDef[] {
 export const DEFAULT_SURFACE = 'explorer'
 
 /**
- * The tab a route surface opens/promotes, or null for panel surfaces and
+ * The tab a surface's route opens/promotes, or null for routeless panels and
  * non-tab routes (Discover, Analytics). Lets a surface row promote its tab on
  * double-click without knowing the node model.
  */
 export function surfaceTabId(surface: SurfaceDef): string | null {
-  if (surface.kind !== 'route' || !surface.to) return null
+  if (!surface.to) return null
   return tabIdForRoute(surface.to)
 }
 
 /**
  * Activating a surface: a **panel** drives the contextual bottom island
- * (`activeSurface`); a **route** opens in the editor as a VS Code-style preview
- * tab (0288) — a single click renders it italic and the next single-click open
- * replaces it; double-clicking the row (or editing) promotes it. Pure so the
- * decision is testable; the hook below wires the side-effecting deps.
+ * (`activeSurface`); a surface with a **route** opens it in the editor as a
+ * VS Code-style preview tab (0288) — a single click renders it italic and the
+ * next single-click open replaces it; double-clicking the row (or editing)
+ * promotes it. A panel surface that also carries a route (Tasks) does both.
+ * Pure so the decision is testable; the hook below wires the side-effecting
+ * deps.
  */
 export function activateSurface(
   surface: SurfaceDef,
   deps: { navigate: (opts: { to: string }) => void; setActiveSurface: (id: string) => void }
 ): void {
-  if (surface.kind === 'route' && surface.to) {
+  if (surface.kind === 'panel') deps.setActiveSurface(surface.id)
+  if (surface.to) {
     // Only tab routes honour the preview latch; arming it for a non-tab route
     // (Discover, Analytics, Inbox) would leave it set for the next navigation.
     if (tabIdForRoute(surface.to)) setPreviewIntent()
     deps.navigate({ to: surface.to })
-  } else {
-    deps.setActiveSurface(surface.id)
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/apps/web/src/workbench/views/left.tsx b/apps/web/src/workbench/views/left.tsx
index 563b36321..178c74c97 100644
--- a/apps/web/src/workbench/views/left.tsx
+++ b/apps/web/src/workbench/views/left.tsx
@@ -8,21 +8,11 @@ import { TasksDashboard } from './TasksPanel'
 import { useSavedViews } from './tray'
 
 export function TasksPanelView() {
+  // No board link here: activating the Tasks surface already opens the task
+  // board in the editor (see surfaces.ts).
   return (
-    <div className="flex h-full min-h-0 flex-col">
-      <div className="min-h-0 flex-1 overflow-y-auto p-2">
-        <TasksDashboard />
-      </div>
-      <div className="shrink-0 border-t border-hairline p-2">
-        <Link
-          to="/tasks"
-          search={{}}
-          className="flex items-center gap-1.5 px-1 text-xs text-ink-2 no-underline transition-colors hover:text-ink-1 hover:no-underline"
-        >
-          Open task board
-          <ArrowUpRight size={11} strokeWidth={1.5} />
-        </Link>
-      </div>
+    <div className="h-full min-h-0 overflow-y-auto p-2">
+      <TasksDashboard />
     </div>
   )
 }
diff --git a/site/src/data/changelog/2026-07-11-clicking-tasks-opens-the-task-board.json b/site/src/data/changelog/2026-07-11-clicking-tasks-opens-the-task-board.json
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..4917742ba
--- /dev/null
+++ b/site/src/data/changelog/2026-07-11-clicking-tasks-opens-the-task-board.json
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+{
+  "id": "2026-07-11-clicking-tasks-opens-the-task-board",
+  "date": "July 11, 2026",
+  "title": "Clicking Tasks opens the task board",
+  "summary": "Selecting Tasks in the sidebar now opens the task board directly alongside the panel, so the extra \"Open task board\" link is gone.",
+  "highlights": [],
+  "tags": ["app", "tasks"]
+}