diff --git a/quickstep/src/com/android/launcher3/taskbar/LauncherTaskbarUIController.java b/quickstep/src/com/android/launcher3/taskbar/LauncherTaskbarUIController.java
index 1e861d2fb5..58c616fbb3 100644
--- a/quickstep/src/com/android/launcher3/taskbar/LauncherTaskbarUIController.java
+++ b/quickstep/src/com/android/launcher3/taskbar/LauncherTaskbarUIController.java
@@ -312,6 +312,11 @@ public class LauncherTaskbarUIController extends TaskbarUIController {
         mControllers.taskbarEduTooltipController.maybeShowSwipeEdu();
     }
 
+    /** Will make the next onRecentsAnimationFinished() animation a no-op. */
+    public void setSkipNextRecentsAnimEnd() {
+        mTaskbarLauncherStateController.setSkipNextRecentsAnimEnd();
+    }
+
     /**
      * Returns {@code true} if a Taskbar education should be shown on application launch.
      */
diff --git a/quickstep/src/com/android/launcher3/taskbar/TaskbarActivityContext.java b/quickstep/src/com/android/launcher3/taskbar/TaskbarActivityContext.java
index 1047374a50..6dfba64710 100644
--- a/quickstep/src/com/android/launcher3/taskbar/TaskbarActivityContext.java
+++ b/quickstep/src/com/android/launcher3/taskbar/TaskbarActivityContext.java
@@ -1232,13 +1232,13 @@ public class TaskbarActivityContext extends BaseTaskbarContext {
             return;
         }
 
-        boolean findExactPairMatch = itemInfos.size() == 2;
+        boolean isLaunchingAppPair = itemInfos.size() == 2;
         // Convert the list of ItemInfo instances to a list of ComponentKeys
         List<ComponentKey> componentKeys =
                 itemInfos.stream().map(ItemInfo::getComponentKey).toList();
         recents.getSplitSelectController().findLastActiveTasksAndRunCallback(
                 componentKeys,
-                findExactPairMatch,
+                isLaunchingAppPair,
                 foundTasks -> {
                     @Nullable Task foundTask = foundTasks[0];
                     if (foundTask != null) {
@@ -1252,10 +1252,18 @@ public class TaskbarActivityContext extends BaseTaskbarContext {
                         }
                     }
 
-                    if (findExactPairMatch) {
-                        // We did not find the app pair we were looking for, so launch one.
-                        recents.getSplitSelectController().getAppPairsController().launchAppPair(
-                                (AppPairIcon) launchingIconView, -1 /*cuj*/);
+                    if (isLaunchingAppPair) {
+                        // Finish recents animation if it's running before launching to ensure
+                        // we get both leashes for the animation
+                        mControllers.uiController.setSkipNextRecentsAnimEnd();
+                        recents.switchToScreenshot(() ->
+                                recents.finishRecentsAnimation(true /*toRecents*/,
+                                        false /*shouldPip*/,
+                                        () -> recents
+                                                .getSplitSelectController()
+                                                .getAppPairsController()
+                                                .launchAppPair((AppPairIcon) launchingIconView,
+                                                        -1 /*cuj*/)));
                     } else {
                         startItemInfoActivity(itemInfos.get(0));
                     }
diff --git a/quickstep/src/com/android/launcher3/taskbar/TaskbarLauncherStateController.java b/quickstep/src/com/android/launcher3/taskbar/TaskbarLauncherStateController.java
index 259af1d53a..fb9a9761e7 100644
--- a/quickstep/src/com/android/launcher3/taskbar/TaskbarLauncherStateController.java
+++ b/quickstep/src/com/android/launcher3/taskbar/TaskbarLauncherStateController.java
@@ -148,6 +148,7 @@ public class TaskbarLauncherStateController {
     private Integer mPrevState;
     private int mState;
     private LauncherState mLauncherState = LauncherState.NORMAL;
+    private boolean mSkipNextRecentsAnimEnd;
 
     // Time when FLAG_TASKBAR_HIDDEN was last cleared, SystemClock.elapsedRealtime (milliseconds).
     private long mLastUnlockTimeMs = 0;
@@ -292,12 +293,12 @@ public class TaskbarLauncherStateController {
 
         if (mTaskBarRecentsAnimationListener != null) {
             mTaskBarRecentsAnimationListener.endGestureStateOverride(
-                    !mLauncher.isInState(LauncherState.OVERVIEW));
+                    !mLauncher.isInState(LauncherState.OVERVIEW), false /*canceled*/);
         }
         mTaskBarRecentsAnimationListener = new TaskBarRecentsAnimationListener(callbacks);
         callbacks.addListener(mTaskBarRecentsAnimationListener);
         ((RecentsView) mLauncher.getOverviewPanel()).setTaskLaunchListener(() ->
-                mTaskBarRecentsAnimationListener.endGestureStateOverride(true));
+                mTaskBarRecentsAnimationListener.endGestureStateOverride(true, false /*canceled*/));
 
         ((RecentsView) mLauncher.getOverviewPanel()).setTaskLaunchCancelledRunnable(() -> {
             updateStateForUserFinishedToApp(false /* finishedToApp */);
@@ -318,6 +319,11 @@ public class TaskbarLauncherStateController {
         mShouldDelayLauncherStateAnim = shouldDelayLauncherStateAnim;
     }
 
+    /** Will make the next onRecentsAnimationFinished() a no-op. */
+    public void setSkipNextRecentsAnimEnd() {
+        mSkipNextRecentsAnimEnd = true;
+    }
+
     /** SysUI flags updated, see QuickStepContract.SYSUI_STATE_* values. */
     public void updateStateForSysuiFlags(int systemUiStateFlags) {
         updateStateForSysuiFlags(systemUiStateFlags, /* applyState */ true);
@@ -770,19 +776,33 @@ public class TaskbarLauncherStateController {
         @Override
         public void onRecentsAnimationCanceled(HashMap<Integer, ThumbnailData> thumbnailDatas) {
             boolean isInOverview = mLauncher.isInState(LauncherState.OVERVIEW);
-            endGestureStateOverride(!isInOverview);
+            endGestureStateOverride(!isInOverview, true /*canceled*/);
         }
 
         @Override
         public void onRecentsAnimationFinished(RecentsAnimationController controller) {
-            endGestureStateOverride(!controller.getFinishTargetIsLauncher());
+            endGestureStateOverride(!controller.getFinishTargetIsLauncher(), false /*canceled*/);
         }
 
-        private void endGestureStateOverride(boolean finishedToApp) {
+        /**
+         * Handles whatever cleanup is needed after the recents animation is completed.
+         * NOTE: If {@link #mSkipNextRecentsAnimEnd} is set and we're coming from a non-cancelled
+         * path, this will not call {@link #updateStateForUserFinishedToApp(boolean)}
+         *
+         * @param finishedToApp {@code true} if the recents animation finished to showing an app and
+         *                      not workspace or overview
+         * @param canceled {@code true} if the recents animation was canceled instead of finishing
+         *                 to completion
+         */
+        private void endGestureStateOverride(boolean finishedToApp, boolean canceled) {
             mCallbacks.removeListener(this);
             mTaskBarRecentsAnimationListener = null;
             ((RecentsView) mLauncher.getOverviewPanel()).setTaskLaunchListener(null);
 
+            if (mSkipNextRecentsAnimEnd && !canceled) {
+                mSkipNextRecentsAnimEnd = false;
+                return;
+            }
             updateStateForUserFinishedToApp(finishedToApp);
         }
     }
diff --git a/quickstep/src/com/android/launcher3/taskbar/TaskbarUIController.java b/quickstep/src/com/android/launcher3/taskbar/TaskbarUIController.java
index efe1e39f97..c74fd83c48 100644
--- a/quickstep/src/com/android/launcher3/taskbar/TaskbarUIController.java
+++ b/quickstep/src/com/android/launcher3/taskbar/TaskbarUIController.java
@@ -394,4 +394,12 @@ public class TaskbarUIController {
         mControllers.taskbarStashController.updateStateForFlag(FLAG_IN_APP, !isVisible);
         mControllers.taskbarStashController.applyState();
     }
+
+    /**
+     * Request for UI controller to ignore animations for the next callback for the end of recents
+     * animation
+     */
+    public void setSkipNextRecentsAnimEnd() {
+        // Overridden
+    }
 }
diff --git a/quickstep/src/com/android/quickstep/views/RecentsView.java b/quickstep/src/com/android/quickstep/views/RecentsView.java
index 5fb936dfdb..22e62b763b 100644
--- a/quickstep/src/com/android/quickstep/views/RecentsView.java
+++ b/quickstep/src/com/android/quickstep/views/RecentsView.java
@@ -1255,16 +1255,23 @@ public abstract class RecentsView<ACTIVITY_TYPE extends StatefulActivity<STATE_T
             ValueAnimator appAnimator = ValueAnimator.ofFloat(0, 1);
             appAnimator.setDuration(RECENTS_LAUNCH_DURATION);
             appAnimator.setInterpolator(ACCELERATE_DECELERATE);
+            final Matrix matrix = new Matrix();
             appAnimator.addUpdateListener(valueAnimator -> {
                 float percent = valueAnimator.getAnimatedFraction();
                 SurfaceTransaction transaction = new SurfaceTransaction();
-                Matrix matrix = new Matrix();
-                matrix.postScale(percent, percent);
-                matrix.postTranslate(mActivity.getDeviceProfile().widthPx * (1 - percent) / 2,
-                        mActivity.getDeviceProfile().heightPx * (1 - percent) / 2);
-                transaction.forSurface(apps[apps.length - 1].leash)
-                        .setAlpha(percent)
-                        .setMatrix(matrix);
+                for (int i = apps.length - 1; i >= 0; --i) {
+                    RemoteAnimationTarget app = apps[i];
+
+                    float dx = mActivity.getDeviceProfile().widthPx * (1 - percent) / 2
+                            + app.screenSpaceBounds.left * percent;
+                    float dy = mActivity.getDeviceProfile().heightPx * (1 - percent) / 2
+                            + app.screenSpaceBounds.top * percent;
+                    matrix.setScale(percent, percent);
+                    matrix.postTranslate(dx, dy);
+                    transaction.forSurface(app.leash)
+                            .setAlpha(percent)
+                            .setMatrix(matrix);
+                }
                 surfaceApplier.scheduleApply(transaction);
             });
             appAnimator.addListener(new AnimatorListenerAdapter() {
@@ -5423,6 +5430,10 @@ public abstract class RecentsView<ACTIVITY_TYPE extends StatefulActivity<STATE_T
         finishRecentsAnimation(toRecents, true /* shouldPip */, onFinishComplete);
     }
 
+    /**
+     * NOTE: Whatever value gets passed through to the toRecents param may need to also be set on
+     * {@link #mRecentsAnimationController#setWillFinishToHome}.
+     */
     public void finishRecentsAnimation(boolean toRecents, boolean shouldPip,
             @Nullable Runnable onFinishComplete) {
         Log.d(TAG, "finishRecentsAnimation - mRecentsAnimationController: "