diff --git a/extensions/dashboard.ts b/extensions/dashboard.ts
index d89f181..a72fd32 100644
--- a/extensions/dashboard.ts
+++ b/extensions/dashboard.ts
@@ -51,15 +51,46 @@ const AUTO_ZELLIJ_NAME = /^[a-z]+-[a-z]+$/;
 // pi-subagents names subagent sessions "<Base>#<8-hex>" (e.g. "Explore#fb073d02")
 const SUBAGENT_NAME = /^.+?#[0-9a-f]{8}$/i;
 
-// Project-local task file: lives in the pi project's .pi/ directory
-// Mirrors how pi sessions are organized by working directory
-function projectTasksDir(): string {
-  const dir = join(process.cwd(), ".pi", "dashboard", "tasks");
-  ensureDir(dir);
-  return dir;
+// Project task file: lives at the root of the pi project's working directory
+// so it is visible and discoverable. In git repos it is automatically added to
+// .gitignore so task churn never pollutes commits or Hunk reviews.
+function gitRoot(dir: string): string | null {
+  let cur = dir;
+  for (;;) {
+    if (existsSync(join(cur, ".git"))) return cur;
+    const parent = join(cur, "..");
+    if (parent === cur) return null;
+    cur = parent;
+  }
 }
+
+function ensureTodoGitignored() {
+  const root = gitRoot(cwd());
+  if (!root) return; // not a git repo — nothing to ignore
+  const gi = join(root, ".gitignore");
+  let content = "";
+  if (existsSync(gi)) {
+    try {
+      content = readFileSync(gi, "utf-8");
+    } catch {
+      return;
+    }
+  }
+  const lines = content.split("\n");
+  if (lines.some((l) => l.trim() === "todo.txt" || l.trim() === "/todo.txt")) {
+    return;
+  }
+  const line = content === "" || content.endsWith("\n") ? "todo.txt\n" : "\ntodo.txt\n";
+  try {
+    writeFileSync(gi, content + line, "utf-8");
+  } catch {
+    // read-only repo — ignore; tasks still work, they just may show in git
+  }
+}
+
 function projectTodotxt(): string {
-  return join(projectTasksDir(), "todo.txt");
+  ensureTodoGitignored();
+  return join(cwd(), "todo.txt");
 }
 
 // ── Types ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
@@ -168,7 +199,6 @@ function appendToTodo(
   priority?: string,
   agent?: string
 ) {
-  ensureDir(projectTasksDir());
   const pri = priority ? `(${priority.toUpperCase()}) ` : "";
   const proj = project ? ` +project:${project}` : "";
   const agentTag = agent ? ` +agent:${agent}` : "";
@@ -208,7 +238,6 @@ function readTodoList() {
 
 export default function (pi: ExtensionAPI) {
   ensureDir(DASHBOARD_DIR);
-  ensureDir(projectTasksDir());
 
   const machine = hostname();
   const inTmux = !!process.env.TMUX;