diff --git a/src/main/api-server.ts b/src/main/api-server.ts
index 61c274f9..106d8a28 100644
--- a/src/main/api-server.ts
+++ b/src/main/api-server.ts
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import { canAssignTask, canControlAgent, canManageGoal, canManageOrganization, c
 import { resolveApprovalDecision, shouldAutoApproveApproval } from "./approval-policy";
 import type { AppDatabase } from "./database";
 import { inferTaskType } from "./connector-matching";
+import { validateTaskCreation } from "./task-quality-gates";
 import { dispatchAgentMessage } from "./message-dispatch";
 import type { DesktopEvent, SectionId } from "@shared/types";
 
@@ -561,6 +562,12 @@ export class AgentApiServer {
         this.json(res, 403, { error: "Current agent is not allowed to assign this task to the selected agent" });
         return;
       }
+      const isHeartbeat = input.title.startsWith("[Heartbeat]");
+      const taskValidation = validateTaskCreation({ title: input.title, description: input.description ?? "" }, isHeartbeat);
+      if (!taskValidation.valid) {
+        this.json(res, 422, { error: taskValidation.errors.join("; ") });
+        return;
+      }
 
       let id: string;
       try {
@@ -1582,6 +1589,14 @@ export class AgentApiServer {
       if (actionItems.length > 0) {
         for (const item of actionItems) {
           if (item.title && typeof item.title === "string") {
+            const meetingTaskValidation = validateTaskCreation(
+              { title: item.title, description: item.description ?? `Action item from meeting: ${data.title ?? existing.title}` },
+              false,
+            );
+            if (!meetingTaskValidation.valid) {
+              // Log but skip invalid meeting action items rather than failing the whole request
+              continue;
+            }
             const taskId = this.db.saveTask({
               companyId: token.companyId,
               title: item.title,
diff --git a/src/main/automation-service.ts b/src/main/automation-service.ts
index 1638e33b..97a8dd19 100644
--- a/src/main/automation-service.ts
+++ b/src/main/automation-service.ts
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import type {
   RunStatus,
 } from "@shared/types";
 import { dispatchAgentMessage } from "./message-dispatch";
+import { validateTaskCreation } from "./task-quality-gates";
 import type { NotificationOptions } from "./notification-service";
 
 /** Document types considered important enough to gate behind user review when reviewDeliverables is enabled. */
@@ -268,6 +269,12 @@ export function createAutomationService({
         const description = (config.description as string) ?? "";
         const priority = (config.priority as string) ?? "medium";
         const assigneeAgentId = (config.assigneeAgentId as string) ?? null;
+        const isHeartbeat = title.startsWith("[Heartbeat]");
+        const taskValidation = validateTaskCreation({ title, description }, isHeartbeat);
+        if (!taskValidation.valid) {
+          logger.warn(`[automation] Skipping create_task — validation failed: ${taskValidation.errors.join("; ")}`);
+          break;
+        }
         const taskId = db.saveTask({
           companyId: ctx.companyId,
           projectId: ctx.projectId ?? (config.projectId as string) ?? null,
diff --git a/src/main/ipc-core-work-graph-handlers.ts b/src/main/ipc-core-work-graph-handlers.ts
index 9ac2a941..1132e706 100644
--- a/src/main/ipc-core-work-graph-handlers.ts
+++ b/src/main/ipc-core-work-graph-handlers.ts
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import {
 import { getConnectorExecutionReadinessIssue } from "@shared/connector-policy";
 import { resolveApprovalDecision, shouldAutoApproveApproval } from "./approval-policy";
 import { fail, ok, type RegisterCoreHandlersDependencies } from "./ipc-core-common";
+import { validateTaskCreation, checkCapabilityMatch } from "./task-quality-gates";
 
 export function registerCoreWorkGraphHandlers({
   registerHandle,
@@ -314,6 +315,13 @@ export function registerCoreWorkGraphHandlers({
       return fail("INVALID_COMPANY_REFERENCE", `The selected ${invalidReference.label} does not belong to the current company.`);
     }
     const isNew = !parsed.id;
+    if (isNew) {
+      const isHeartbeat = parsed.title.startsWith("[Heartbeat]");
+      const validation = validateTaskCreation(parsed, isHeartbeat);
+      if (!validation.valid) {
+        return fail("TASK_VALIDATION_FAILED", validation.errors.join("; "));
+      }
+    }
     let previousStatus: string | null = null;
     let previousAssigneeAgentId: string | null = null;
     if (!isNew) {
@@ -355,8 +363,17 @@ export function registerCoreWorkGraphHandlers({
         wakeAgentIfPossible(parsed.assigneeAgentId, parsed.companyId, "assignment");
       }
     }
+    let capabilityWarning: string | undefined;
+    if (isNew && parsed.assigneeAgentId) {
+      try {
+        const match = checkCapabilityMatch(db, parsed.assigneeAgentId, parsed.description, parsed.companyId);
+        if (!match.matched) {
+          capabilityWarning = match.warning;
+        }
+      } catch { /* capability check is advisory — never block task creation */ }
+    }
     publishDomainChanged();
-    return ok(id);
+    return ok({ id, capabilityWarning });
   });
 
   registerHandle(IPC_CHANNELS.deleteAgent, async (_event, payload) => {
diff --git a/src/main/task-quality-gates.ts b/src/main/task-quality-gates.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..82bbc159
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/main/task-quality-gates.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,163 @@
+/**
+ * Task Quality Gates — pure validation functions for task creation.
+ *
+ * Called by IPC handlers, API server, and automation service to enforce
+ * minimum description quality, acceptance criteria, and capability matching.
+ */
+
+// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// Types
+// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+export interface TaskValidationResult {
+  valid: boolean;
+  errors: string[];
+  warnings: string[];
+}
+
+export interface CapabilityMatchResult {
+  matched: boolean;
+  warning?: string;
+}
+
+/** Minimal DB interface for capability matching — keeps the function testable with mocks.
+ *  Skill methods are optional since the skill system may not be implemented yet (graceful degradation per D-07). */
+export interface CapabilityMatchDb {
+  getAgent(id: string): { name: string; capabilities: string };
+  listAgentSkillAssignments?(id: string): string[];
+  getCompanySkill?(companyId: string, skillId: string): { name: string; description: string | null; slug: string } | null;
+}
+
+// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// Constants
+// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+const MIN_DESCRIPTION_LENGTH = 50;
+
+export const ACCEPTANCE_CRITERIA_KEYWORDS: readonly string[] = [
+  "acceptance criteria",
+  "done when",
+  "success criteria",
+  "definition of done",
+  "requirements:",
+  "must:",
+  "should:",
+  "- [ ]",
+  "- [x]",
+  "deliverable:",
+  "expected outcome",
+  "exit criteria",
+];
+
+// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// checkAcceptanceCriteria
+// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+export function checkAcceptanceCriteria(description: string): { hasCriteria: boolean; suggestion: string } {
+  const lower = description.toLowerCase();
+  const found = ACCEPTANCE_CRITERIA_KEYWORDS.some((kw) => lower.includes(kw));
+
+  if (found) {
+    return { hasCriteria: true, suggestion: "" };
+  }
+
+  return {
+    hasCriteria: false,
+    suggestion:
+      'Task description should include acceptance criteria. Add a "Done when:" or "Acceptance criteria:" section, or use checkbox items (- [ ]) to define success conditions.',
+  };
+}
+
+// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// validateTaskCreation
+// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+export function validateTaskCreation(
+  input: { title: string; description: string },
+  isHeartbeat: boolean,
+): TaskValidationResult {
+  // Heartbeat tasks bypass all validation
+  if (isHeartbeat) {
+    return { valid: true, errors: [], warnings: [] };
+  }
+
+  const errors: string[] = [];
+  const warnings: string[] = [];
+
+  // TASK-01: Minimum description length
+  if (input.description.length < MIN_DESCRIPTION_LENGTH) {
+    errors.push(
+      `Task description must be at least ${MIN_DESCRIPTION_LENGTH} characters (currently ${input.description.length}). Add details about what needs to be done, expected behavior, and any constraints.`,
+    );
+  }
+
+  // TASK-02: Acceptance criteria detection (only check if length passes)
+  if (input.description.length >= MIN_DESCRIPTION_LENGTH) {
+    const criteria = checkAcceptanceCriteria(input.description);
+    if (!criteria.hasCriteria) {
+      errors.push(criteria.suggestion);
+    }
+  }
+
+  return { valid: errors.length === 0, errors, warnings };
+}
+
+// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// checkCapabilityMatch
+// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+/** Tokenize text into words >3 chars, same pattern as database.ts autoAssignTask */
+function tokenize(text: string): string[] {
+  return text.toLowerCase().split(/\W+/).filter((w) => w.length > 3);
+}
+
+export function checkCapabilityMatch(
+  db: CapabilityMatchDb,
+  agentId: string,
+  taskDescription: string,
+  companyId: string,
+): CapabilityMatchResult {
+  const taskWords = tokenize(taskDescription);
+
+  // Nothing to match against — task description too short/vague
+  if (taskWords.length === 0) {
+    return { matched: true };
+  }
+
+  const agent = db.getAgent(agentId);
+  const capWords = tokenize(agent.capabilities);
+  const capabilityOverlap = taskWords.filter((w) => capWords.includes(w)).length;
+
+  // Check skill assignments for additional matching (graceful degradation)
+  let skillOverlap = 0;
+  try {
+    if (db.listAgentSkillAssignments && db.getCompanySkill) {
+      const skillIds = db.listAgentSkillAssignments(agentId);
+      for (const skillId of skillIds) {
+        const skill = db.getCompanySkill(companyId, skillId);
+        if (skill) {
+          const skillWords = tokenize(`${skill.name} ${skill.description ?? ""} ${skill.slug}`);
+          skillOverlap += taskWords.filter((w) => skillWords.includes(w)).length;
+        }
+      }
+    }
+  } catch {
+    // Skill system may not be available — graceful degradation per D-07
+  }
+
+  // Direct capability or skill overlap found
+  if (capabilityOverlap > 0 || skillOverlap > 0) {
+    return { matched: true };
+  }
+
+  // No capabilities defined at all — graceful degradation (Pitfall 4)
+  if (capWords.length === 0 && skillOverlap === 0) {
+    return { matched: true };
+  }
+
+  // Agent has capabilities but no overlap — warn
+  return {
+    matched: false,
+    warning: `Agent "${agent.name}" may lack skills for this task. Their capabilities (${agent.capabilities.slice(0, 80)}...) have no overlap with the task description. Consider reassigning.`,
+  };
+}
diff --git a/src/shared/contracts.ts b/src/shared/contracts.ts
index 5ff2552a..3be04d85 100644
--- a/src/shared/contracts.ts
+++ b/src/shared/contracts.ts
@@ -518,6 +518,11 @@ export type DesktopResult<T> =
   | { ok: true; data: T }
   | { ok: false; error: { code: string; message: string } };
 
+export interface SaveTaskResult {
+  id: string;
+  capabilityWarning?: string;
+}
+
 export type DesktopApi = {
   loadSnapshot: () => Promise<DesktopResult<ProfileSnapshot>>;
   pickDirectory: () => Promise<DesktopResult<string | null>>;
@@ -531,7 +536,7 @@ export type DesktopApi = {
   requestHire: (input: z.infer<typeof hireRequestSchema>) => Promise<DesktopResult<{ agentId: string; approvalId: string; autoApproved: boolean }>>;
   saveGoal: (input: z.infer<typeof goalInputSchema>) => Promise<DesktopResult<string>>;
   saveProject: (input: z.infer<typeof projectInputSchema>) => Promise<DesktopResult<string>>;
-  saveTask: (input: z.infer<typeof taskInputSchema>) => Promise<DesktopResult<string>>;
+  saveTask: (input: z.infer<typeof taskInputSchema>) => Promise<DesktopResult<SaveTaskResult>>;
   requestApproval: (input: z.infer<typeof approvalInputSchema>) => Promise<DesktopResult<string>>;
   decideApproval: (input: z.infer<typeof approvalDecisionSchema>) => Promise<DesktopResult<boolean>>;
   saveSecret: (input: z.infer<typeof secretInputSchema>) => Promise<DesktopResult<string>>;
diff --git a/tests/unit/task-quality-gates.test.ts b/tests/unit/task-quality-gates.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..da7787e9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/unit/task-quality-gates.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,203 @@
+import { describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
+import {
+  validateTaskCreation,
+  checkAcceptanceCriteria,
+  checkCapabilityMatch,
+  ACCEPTANCE_CRITERIA_KEYWORDS,
+} from "../../src/main/task-quality-gates";
+import type { TaskValidationResult } from "../../src/main/task-quality-gates";
+
+// --- TASK-01: validateTaskCreation tests ---
+
+describe("validateTaskCreation", () => {
+  it("rejects description with 5 chars when not heartbeat", () => {
+    const result = validateTaskCreation({ title: "Fix bug", description: "Short" }, false);
+    expect(result.valid).toBe(false);
+    expect(result.errors.some(e => e.includes("at least 50 characters"))).toBe(true);
+  });
+
+  it("rejects description with exactly 49 chars when not heartbeat", () => {
+    const desc = "A".repeat(49);
+    const result = validateTaskCreation({ title: "Fix bug", description: desc }, false);
+    expect(result.valid).toBe(false);
+    expect(result.errors.some(e => e.includes("at least 50 characters"))).toBe(true);
+  });
+
+  it("accepts description with exactly 50 chars and acceptance keyword when not heartbeat", () => {
+    const desc = "Done when: the login page renders correctly." + "......";
+    // Ensure exactly 50 chars
+    const padded = desc.slice(0, 50).padEnd(50, ".");
+    expect(padded.length).toBe(50);
+    // Must contain "done when"
+    const result = validateTaskCreation({ title: "Build login page", description: padded }, false);
+    expect(result.valid).toBe(true);
+    expect(result.errors).toHaveLength(0);
+  });
+
+  it("always returns valid for heartbeat tasks regardless of description", () => {
+    const result = validateTaskCreation({ title: "[Heartbeat] Check status", description: "Short" }, true);
+    expect(result.valid).toBe(true);
+    expect(result.errors).toHaveLength(0);
+    expect(result.warnings).toHaveLength(0);
+  });
+
+  it("rejects empty description when not heartbeat", () => {
+    const result = validateTaskCreation({ title: "Some task", description: "" }, false);
+    expect(result.valid).toBe(false);
+    expect(result.errors.some(e => e.includes("at least 50 characters"))).toBe(true);
+  });
+
+  it("rejects 60-char description without acceptance criteria keywords", () => {
+    const desc = "This is a description that is long enough to pass length check";
+    expect(desc.length).toBeGreaterThanOrEqual(50);
+    const result = validateTaskCreation({ title: "A task", description: desc }, false);
+    expect(result.valid).toBe(false);
+    expect(result.errors.some(e => e.toLowerCase().includes("acceptance criteria"))).toBe(true);
+  });
+
+  it("returns valid=true when description has both length and acceptance criteria", () => {
+    const desc = "Implement the authentication flow for the login page. Done when: all tests pass and the form submits.";
+    expect(desc.length).toBeGreaterThanOrEqual(50);
+    const result = validateTaskCreation({ title: "Auth flow", description: desc }, false);
+    expect(result.valid).toBe(true);
+    expect(result.errors).toHaveLength(0);
+  });
+
+  it("includes current character count in length error message", () => {
+    const result = validateTaskCreation({ title: "Fix", description: "Short" }, false);
+    expect(result.errors.some(e => e.includes("currently 5"))).toBe(true);
+  });
+});
+
+// --- TASK-02: checkAcceptanceCriteria tests ---
+
+describe("checkAcceptanceCriteria", () => {
+  it("detects 'done when' keyword", () => {
+    const result = checkAcceptanceCriteria("This task is done when all tests pass and deployment succeeds");
+    expect(result.hasCriteria).toBe(true);
+  });
+
+  it("detects 'Acceptance Criteria:' case insensitive", () => {
+    const result = checkAcceptanceCriteria("Acceptance Criteria: the form validates all fields correctly");
+    expect(result.hasCriteria).toBe(true);
+  });
+
+  it("detects '- [ ] first item' checkbox", () => {
+    const result = checkAcceptanceCriteria("Tasks to complete:\n- [ ] first item\n- [ ] second item");
+    expect(result.hasCriteria).toBe(true);
+  });
+
+  it("detects '- [x] completed item' checked checkbox", () => {
+    const result = checkAcceptanceCriteria("Progress:\n- [x] completed item\n- [ ] pending item");
+    expect(result.hasCriteria).toBe(true);
+  });
+
+  it("detects 'must:' keyword", () => {
+    const result = checkAcceptanceCriteria("The implementation must: handle all edge cases gracefully");
+    expect(result.hasCriteria).toBe(true);
+  });
+
+  it("detects 'requirements:' keyword", () => {
+    const result = checkAcceptanceCriteria("Technical requirements: use React 19 with TypeScript strict");
+    expect(result.hasCriteria).toBe(true);
+  });
+
+  it("detects 'success criteria' keyword", () => {
+    const result = checkAcceptanceCriteria("Success criteria for this task include passing all tests");
+    expect(result.hasCriteria).toBe(true);
+  });
+
+  it("detects 'deliverable:' keyword", () => {
+    const result = checkAcceptanceCriteria("Primary deliverable: a working API endpoint with docs");
+    expect(result.hasCriteria).toBe(true);
+  });
+
+  it("detects 'expected outcome' keyword", () => {
+    const result = checkAcceptanceCriteria("Expected outcome is a fully tested authentication module");
+    expect(result.hasCriteria).toBe(true);
+  });
+
+  it("detects 'exit criteria' keyword", () => {
+    const result = checkAcceptanceCriteria("Exit criteria for this sprint includes shipped feature");
+    expect(result.hasCriteria).toBe(true);
+  });
+
+  it("returns hasCriteria=false with suggestion for description with no keywords", () => {
+    const result = checkAcceptanceCriteria("Build a login page with email and password fields");
+    expect(result.hasCriteria).toBe(false);
+    expect(result.suggestion).toContain("Done when:");
+  });
+});
+
+// --- Verify ACCEPTANCE_CRITERIA_KEYWORDS constant ---
+
+describe("ACCEPTANCE_CRITERIA_KEYWORDS", () => {
+  it("contains all required keywords", () => {
+    const required = [
+      "acceptance criteria",
+      "done when",
+      "success criteria",
+      "definition of done",
+      "requirements:",
+      "must:",
+      "should:",
+      "- [ ]",
+      "- [x]",
+      "deliverable:",
+      "expected outcome",
+      "exit criteria",
+    ];
+    for (const kw of required) {
+      expect(ACCEPTANCE_CRITERIA_KEYWORDS).toContain(kw);
+    }
+  });
+});
+
+// --- TASK-03: checkCapabilityMatch tests ---
+
+describe("checkCapabilityMatch", () => {
+  function makeMockDb(agent: { name: string; capabilities: string }, skillAssignments: string[] = [], skills: Record<string, { name: string; description: string | null; slug: string }> = {}) {
+    return {
+      getAgent: (_id: string) => agent,
+      listAgentSkillAssignments: (_id: string) => skillAssignments,
+      getCompanySkill: (_companyId: string, skillId: string) => skills[skillId] ?? null,
+    };
+  }
+
+  it("returns matched=true when agent capabilities overlap with task", () => {
+    const db = makeMockDb({ name: "Frontend Dev", capabilities: "javascript react frontend" });
+    const result = checkCapabilityMatch(db, "agent-1", "Build React login form with validation", "company-1");
+    expect(result.matched).toBe(true);
+  });
+
+  it("returns matched=false with warning when capabilities do not overlap", () => {
+    const db = makeMockDb({ name: "Data Analyst", capabilities: "python data analysis" });
+    const result = checkCapabilityMatch(db, "agent-1", "Build React login form with validation", "company-1");
+    expect(result.matched).toBe(false);
+    expect(result.warning).toBeDefined();
+    expect(result.warning).toContain("Data Analyst");
+  });
+
+  it("returns matched=true when agent has empty capabilities and no skills (graceful degradation)", () => {
+    const db = makeMockDb({ name: "New Agent", capabilities: "" });
+    const result = checkCapabilityMatch(db, "agent-1", "Build React login form", "company-1");
+    expect(result.matched).toBe(true);
+  });
+
+  it("returns matched=true when agent has no capabilities but skill name overlaps with task", () => {
+    const db = makeMockDb(
+      { name: "Specialist", capabilities: "" },
+      ["skill-1"],
+      { "skill-1": { name: "react development", description: "Building React components", slug: "react-dev" } },
+    );
+    const result = checkCapabilityMatch(db, "agent-1", "Build React component with hooks", "company-1");
+    expect(result.matched).toBe(true);
+  });
+
+  it("returns matched=true when task description has no significant words", () => {
+    const db = makeMockDb({ name: "Agent", capabilities: "python" });
+    const result = checkCapabilityMatch(db, "agent-1", "Do it", "company-1");
+    // "do" and "it" are <= 3 chars, so taskWords is empty -> matched=true
+    expect(result.matched).toBe(true);
+  });
+});