diff --git a/src/core/task/Task.ts b/src/core/task/Task.ts
index ebb362f7eb..99a7f38324 100644
--- a/src/core/task/Task.ts
+++ b/src/core/task/Task.ts
@@ -1380,22 +1380,15 @@ export class Task extends EventEmitter<TaskEvents> implements TaskLike {
 		this.blanketDeniedCommandThisTurn = true
 	}
 
+	/** When provided, historyItem overrides task and images in the startup metadata. */
 	static create(options: TaskOptions): [Task, Promise<void>] {
-		const instance = new Task({ ...options, startTask: false })
-		const { images, task, historyItem } = options
-		let promise
-
-		instance.startIdleTelemetryCheck()
-
-		if (images || task) {
-			promise = instance.startTask(task, images)
-		} else if (historyItem) {
-			promise = instance.resumeTaskFromHistory()
-		} else {
+		if (!options.task && !options.images && !options.historyItem) {
 			throw new Error("Either historyItem or task/images must be provided")
 		}
 
-		return [instance, promise]
+		const instance = new Task({ ...options, startTask: false })
+
+		return [instance, instance.run()]
 	}
 
 	// API Messages
diff --git a/src/core/task/__tests__/Task.spec.ts b/src/core/task/__tests__/Task.spec.ts
index 3066613263..ad07230204 100644
--- a/src/core/task/__tests__/Task.spec.ts
+++ b/src/core/task/__tests__/Task.spec.ts
@@ -1440,6 +1440,35 @@ describe("Cline", () => {
 		})
 	})
 
+	describe("create", () => {
+		it("rejects missing task inputs before constructing the task", () => {
+			const onCreated = vi.fn()
+
+			expect(() => Task.create({ provider: mockProvider, apiConfiguration: mockApiConfig, onCreated })).toThrow(
+				"Either historyItem or task/images must be provided",
+			)
+			expect(onCreated).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+		})
+
+		it("returns the cached run promise", async () => {
+			const startTaskSpy = vi.spyOn(getTaskTestAccess(Task.prototype), "startTask").mockResolvedValue(undefined)
+
+			try {
+				const [task, promise] = Task.create({
+					provider: mockProvider,
+					apiConfiguration: mockApiConfig,
+					task: "x",
+				})
+
+				expect(task.run()).toBe(promise)
+				expect(startTaskSpy).toHaveBeenCalledExactlyOnceWith("x", undefined)
+				await promise
+			} finally {
+				startTaskSpy.mockRestore()
+			}
+		})
+	})
+
 	describe("constructor", () => {
 		it.each([{ apiConfigName: "parent-local-profile" }, { apiConfigName: undefined }])(
 			"uses an explicit delegated-child context without shared state or startup persistence",