fix(tasks): ensure list tasks triggers silent migration if necessary.

scripts/modules/commands.js

@@ -1249,7 +1249,14 @@ function registerCommands(programInstance) {
 				chalk.blue(`Setting status of task(s) ${taskId} to: ${status}`)
 			);
 
-			await setTaskStatus(tasksPath, taskId, status);
+			// Find project root for tag resolution
+			const projectRoot = findProjectRoot();
+			if (!projectRoot) {
+				console.error(chalk.red('Error: Could not find project root.'));
+				process.exit(1);
+			}
+
+			await setTaskStatus(tasksPath, taskId, status, { projectRoot });
 		});
 
 	// list command
@@ -1269,6 +1276,12 @@ function registerCommands(programInstance) {
 		.option('-s, --status <status>', 'Filter by status')
 		.option('--with-subtasks', 'Show subtasks for each task')
 		.action(async (options) => {
+			const projectRoot = findProjectRoot();
+			if (!projectRoot) {
+				console.error(chalk.red('Error: Could not find project root.'));
+				process.exit(1);
+			}
+
 			const tasksPath = options.file || TASKMASTER_TASKS_FILE;
 			const reportPath = options.report;
 			const statusFilter = options.status;
@@ -1282,7 +1295,15 @@ function registerCommands(programInstance) {
 				console.log(chalk.blue('Including subtasks in listing'));
 			}
 
-			await listTasks(tasksPath, statusFilter, reportPath, withSubtasks);
+			await listTasks(
+				tasksPath,
+				statusFilter,
+				reportPath,
+				withSubtasks,
+				'text',
+				null,
+				{ projectRoot }
+			);
 		});
 
 	// expand command

scripts/modules/task-manager/list-tasks.js

@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ import {
  * @param {boolean} withSubtasks - Whether to show subtasks
  * @param {string} outputFormat - Output format (text or json)
  * @param {string} tag - Optional tag to override current tag resolution
+ * @param {Object} context - Optional context object containing projectRoot and other options
  * @returns {Object} - Task list result for json format
  */
 function listTasks(
@@ -35,10 +36,13 @@ function listTasks(
 	reportPath = null,
 	withSubtasks = false,
 	outputFormat = 'text',
-	tag = null
+	tag = null,
+	context = {}
 ) {
 	try {
-		const data = readJSON(tasksPath, null, tag); // Pass tag to readJSON
+		// Extract projectRoot from context if provided
+		const projectRoot = context.projectRoot || null;
+		const data = readJSON(tasksPath, projectRoot, tag); // Pass projectRoot to readJSON
 		if (!data || !data.tasks) {
 			throw new Error(`No valid tasks found in ${tasksPath}`);
 		}

scripts/modules/task-manager/set-task-status.js

@@ -2,7 +2,14 @@ import path from 'path';
 import chalk from 'chalk';
 import boxen from 'boxen';
 
-import { log, readJSON, writeJSON, findTaskById } from '../utils.js';
+import {
+	log,
+	readJSON,
+	writeJSON,
+	findTaskById,
+	getCurrentTag,
+	ensureTagMetadata
+} from '../utils.js';
 import { displayBanner } from '../ui.js';
 import { validateTaskDependencies } from '../dependency-manager.js';
 import { getDebugFlag } from '../config-manager.js';
@@ -18,7 +25,7 @@ import {
  * @param {string} tasksPath - Path to the tasks.json file
  * @param {string} taskIdInput - Task ID(s) to update
  * @param {string} newStatus - New status
- * @param {Object} options - Additional options (mcpLog for MCP mode)
+ * @param {Object} options - Additional options (mcpLog for MCP mode, projectRoot for tag resolution)
  * @param {string} tag - Optional tag to override current tag resolution
  * @returns {Object|undefined} Result object in MCP mode, undefined in CLI mode
  */
@@ -50,7 +57,37 @@ async function setTaskStatus(
 		}
 
 		log('info', `Reading tasks from ${tasksPath}...`);
-		const data = readJSON(tasksPath, null, tag);
+
+		// Read the raw data without tag resolution to preserve tagged structure
+		let rawData = readJSON(tasksPath, options.projectRoot); // No tag parameter
+
+		// Handle the case where readJSON returns resolved data with _rawTaggedData
+		if (rawData && rawData._rawTaggedData) {
+			// Use the raw tagged data and discard the resolved view
+			rawData = rawData._rawTaggedData;
+		}
+
+		// Determine the current tag
+		const currentTag = tag || getCurrentTag(options.projectRoot) || 'master';
+
+		// Ensure the tag exists in the raw data
+		if (
+			!rawData ||
+			!rawData[currentTag] ||
+			!Array.isArray(rawData[currentTag].tasks)
+		) {
+			throw new Error(
+				`Invalid tasks file or tag "${currentTag}" not found at ${tasksPath}`
+			);
+		}
+
+		// Get the tasks for the current tag
+		const data = {
+			tasks: rawData[currentTag].tasks,
+			tag: currentTag,
+			_rawTaggedData: rawData
+		};
+
 		if (!data || !data.tasks) {
 			throw new Error(`No valid tasks found in ${tasksPath}`);
 		}
@@ -65,8 +102,17 @@ async function setTaskStatus(
 			updatedTasks.push(id);
 		}
 
-		// Write the updated tasks to the file
-		writeJSON(tasksPath, data);
+		// Update the raw data structure with the modified tasks
+		rawData[currentTag].tasks = data.tasks;
+
+		// Ensure the tag has proper metadata
+		ensureTagMetadata(rawData[currentTag], {
+			description: `Tasks for ${currentTag} context`
+		});
+
+		// Write the updated raw data back to the file
+		// The writeJSON function will automatically filter out _rawTaggedData
+		writeJSON(tasksPath, rawData);
 
 		// Validate dependencies after status update
 		log('info', 'Validating dependencies after status update...');

scripts/modules/utils.js

@@ -234,14 +234,55 @@ function readJSON(filepath, projectRoot = null, tag = null) {
 		return null;
 	}
 
-	// If it's not a tasks.json file or already in legacy format, return as-is
-	if (!filepath.includes('tasks.json') || !data || Array.isArray(data.tasks)) {
+	// If it's not a tasks.json file, return as-is
+	if (!filepath.includes('tasks.json') || !data) {
 		if (isDebug) {
-			console.log(`File is not tagged format or is legacy, returning as-is`);
+			console.log(`File is not tasks.json or data is null, returning as-is`);
 		}
 		return data;
 	}
 
+	// Check if this is legacy format that needs migration
+	if (Array.isArray(data.tasks)) {
+		if (isDebug) {
+			console.log(`File is in legacy format, performing migration...`);
+		}
+
+		// This is legacy format - migrate it to tagged format
+		const migratedData = {
+			master: {
+				tasks: data.tasks,
+				metadata: data.metadata || {
+					created: new Date().toISOString(),
+					updated: new Date().toISOString(),
+					description: 'Tasks for master context'
+				}
+			}
+		};
+
+		// Write the migrated data back to the file
+		try {
+			writeJSON(filepath, migratedData);
+			if (isDebug) {
+				console.log(`Successfully migrated legacy format to tagged format`);
+			}
+
+			// Perform complete migration (config.json, state.json)
+			performCompleteTagMigration(filepath);
+
+			// Mark for migration notice
+			markMigrationForNotice(filepath);
+		} catch (writeError) {
+			if (isDebug) {
+				console.log(`Error writing migrated data: ${writeError.message}`);
+			}
+			// If write fails, continue with the original data
+		}
+
+		// Continue processing with the migrated data structure
+		data = migratedData;
+	}
+
 	// If we have tagged data, we need to resolve which tag to use
 	if (typeof data === 'object' && !data.tasks) {
 		// This is tagged format