diff --git a/app/modules/employees/service.py b/app/modules/employees/service.py
index b9b9c34..92661d6 100644
--- a/app/modules/employees/service.py
+++ b/app/modules/employees/service.py
@@ -2555,6 +2555,33 @@ def _task_priority_label(task: ClientServiceTaskInstance) -> str:
     return dict(TASK_PRIORITIES).get(getattr(task, "priority", ""), getattr(task, "priority", ""))
 
 
+def _employee_owned_task_condition(scope: EmployeeScope):
+    """Return the employee self-work ownership condition.
+
+    Existing explicit task assignments remain authoritative. For legacy/open
+    engagements created before a staff assignee was propagated to task rows, an
+    unassigned Staff/Employee task is also treated as belonging to the
+    engagement's assigned staff member. Tasks explicitly assigned to another
+    user are never taken over by this fallback.
+    """
+    role_name = func.lower(func.coalesce(ClientServiceTaskInstance.default_role_name, ""))
+    staff_role = or_(
+        role_name.contains("staff"),
+        role_name.contains("employee"),
+    )
+    assigned_via_engagement = (
+        ClientServiceTaskInstance.assigned_to_user_id.is_(None)
+        & staff_role
+        & ClientServiceTaskInstance.subscription.has(
+            ClientServiceSubscription.assigned_staff_user_id == scope.own_user_id
+        )
+    )
+    return or_(
+        ClientServiceTaskInstance.assigned_to_user_id == scope.own_user_id,
+        assigned_via_engagement,
+    )
+
+
 def list_employee_work_dashboard(
     db: Session,
     scope: EmployeeScope,
@@ -2587,7 +2614,7 @@ def list_employee_work_dashboard(
         )
         .where(
             ClientServiceTaskInstance.tenant_id == scope.tenant_id,
-            ClientServiceTaskInstance.assigned_to_user_id == scope.own_user_id,
+            _employee_owned_task_condition(scope),
             ClientServiceTaskInstance.is_active.is_(True),
         )
     )
@@ -2741,7 +2768,7 @@ def _employee_work_task_query(db: Session, scope: EmployeeScope, *, assigned_onl
         )
     )
     if assigned_only:
-        stmt = stmt.where(ClientServiceTaskInstance.assigned_to_user_id == scope.own_user_id)
+        stmt = stmt.where(_employee_owned_task_condition(scope))
     if scope.branch_id is not None:
         stmt = stmt.where(ClientServiceTaskInstance.branch_id == scope.branch_id)
     if financial_year:
@@ -3724,6 +3751,11 @@ def update_service_task_assignment(
         raise HTTPException(status_code=404, detail="Task not found")
     if getattr(task, "is_locked", False):
         raise HTTPException(status_code=400, detail="Locked task cannot be changed")
+    if task.assigned_to_user_id is None:
+        # Legacy engagement fallback: once the assigned staff member actually
+        # works the task, persist the normal explicit assignment. This never
+        # overwrites an existing/manual assignee.
+        task.assigned_to_user_id = scope.own_user_id
 
     if assigned_to_user_id:
         assignee = db.get(User, int(assigned_to_user_id))
@@ -3768,7 +3800,7 @@ def update_own_service_task_status(
     stmt = select(ClientServiceTaskInstance).where(
         ClientServiceTaskInstance.id == task_id,
         ClientServiceTaskInstance.tenant_id == scope.tenant_id,
-        ClientServiceTaskInstance.assigned_to_user_id == scope.own_user_id,
+        _employee_owned_task_condition(scope),
     )
     if scope.branch_id is not None:
         stmt = stmt.where(ClientServiceTaskInstance.branch_id == scope.branch_id)
@@ -3839,7 +3871,7 @@ def get_work_task_with_communications(
     if financial_year:
         stmt = stmt.where(ClientServiceTaskInstance.financial_year == financial_year.strip())
     if assigned_only:
-        stmt = stmt.where(ClientServiceTaskInstance.assigned_to_user_id == scope.own_user_id)
+        stmt = stmt.where(_employee_owned_task_condition(scope))
 
     task = db.execute(stmt).scalar_one_or_none()
     if not task: