diff --git a/scripts/modules/utils.js b/scripts/modules/utils.js
index d8819a5a..47c7a117 100644
--- a/scripts/modules/utils.js
+++ b/scripts/modules/utils.js
@@ -349,9 +349,6 @@ function findTaskById(
 		return { task: null, originalSubtaskCount: null };
 	}
 
-	let taskResult = null;
-	let originalSubtaskCount = null;
-
 	// Check if it's a subtask ID (e.g., "1.2")
 	if (typeof taskId === 'string' && taskId.includes('.')) {
 		// If looking for a subtask, statusFilter doesn't apply directly here.
@@ -380,9 +377,12 @@ function findTaskById(
 			addComplexityToTask(subtask, complexityReport);
 		}
 
-		taskResult = subtask;
+		return { task: subtask || null, originalSubtaskCount: null };
 	}
 
+	let taskResult = null;
+	let originalSubtaskCount = null;
+
 	// Find the main task
 	const id = parseInt(taskId, 10);
 	const task = tasks.find((t) => t.id === id) || null;
diff --git a/tests/unit/task-finder.test.js b/tests/unit/task-finder.test.js
index a965ddd9..b480a2a2 100644
--- a/tests/unit/task-finder.test.js
+++ b/tests/unit/task-finder.test.js
@@ -58,11 +58,11 @@ describe('Task Finder', () => {
 		});
 		test('should work correctly when no complexity report is provided', () => {
 			// Pass null as the complexity report
-			const task = findTaskById(sampleTasks.tasks, 2, null);
+			const result = findTaskById(sampleTasks.tasks, 2, null);
 
-			expect(task).toBeDefined();
-			expect(task.id).toBe(2);
-			expect(task.complexityScore).toBeUndefined();
+			expect(result.task).toBeDefined();
+			expect(result.task.id).toBe(2);
+			expect(result.task.complexityScore).toBeUndefined();
 		});
 		test('should work correctly when task has no complexity data in the provided report', () => {
 			// Define a complexity report that doesn't include task 2
@@ -70,11 +70,11 @@ describe('Task Finder', () => {
 				complexityAnalysis: [{ taskId: 999, complexityScore: 5 }]
 			};
 
-			const task = findTaskById(sampleTasks.tasks, 2, complexityReport);
+			const result = findTaskById(sampleTasks.tasks, 2, complexityReport);
 
-			expect(task).toBeDefined();
-			expect(task.id).toBe(2);
-			expect(task.complexityScore).toBeUndefined();
+			expect(result.task).toBeDefined();
+			expect(result.task.id).toBe(2);
+			expect(result.task.complexityScore).toBeUndefined();
 		});
 
 		test('should include complexity score when report is provided', () => {
@@ -107,11 +107,11 @@ describe('Task Finder', () => {
 				]
 			};
 
-			const task = findTaskById(sampleTasks.tasks, 2, complexityReport);
+			const result = findTaskById(sampleTasks.tasks, 2, complexityReport);
 
-			expect(task).toBeDefined();
-			expect(task.id).toBe(2);
-			expect(task.complexityScore).toBe(8);
+			expect(result.task).toBeDefined();
+			expect(result.task.id).toBe(2);
+			expect(result.task.complexityScore).toBe(8);
 		});
 	});
 });