diff --git a/quickstep/res/drawable/ic_empty_desktop.xml b/quickstep/res/drawable/ic_empty_desktop.xml
deleted file mode 100644
index cbf185658c..0000000000
--- a/quickstep/res/drawable/ic_empty_desktop.xml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,25 +0,0 @@
-<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?><!--
-  ~ Copyright (C) 2023 The Android Open Source Project
-  ~
-  ~ Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
-  ~ you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
-  ~ You may obtain a copy of the License at
-  ~
-  ~      http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
-  ~
-  ~ Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
-  ~ distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
-  ~ WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
-  ~ See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
-  ~ limitations under the License.
-  -->
-<vector xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
-    android:width="92dp"
-    android:height="80dp"
-    android:tint="?android:attr/textColorPrimary"
-    android:viewportHeight="80.0"
-    android:viewportWidth="92.0">
-    <path
-        android:fillColor="#AAFFFFFF"
-        android:pathData="M 14.365954,80 Q 10.981668,80 8.4908345,77.509166 6,75.018332 6,71.634046 V 36.193807 q 0,-3.384286 2.4908345,-5.87512 2.4908335,-2.493091 5.8751195,-2.493091 H 22.35738 V 8.365954 q 0,-3.3842855 2.538217,-5.8751198 Q 27.433811,0 30.723337,0 h 46.910711 q 3.479041,0 5.969878,2.4908342 2.490834,2.4908343 2.490834,5.8751198 v 35.442495 q 0,3.384286 -2.490834,5.87512 -2.490837,2.490835 -5.969878,2.490835 h -7.896671 v 19.459642 q 0,3.384286 -2.49083,5.87512 Q 64.755713,80 61.371423,80 Z m 0,-8.365954 h 47.005469 q 0,0 0,0 0,0 0,0 V 43.526426 H 14.365954 v 28.10762 q 0,0 0,0 0,0 0,0 z M 69.737377,43.808449 h 7.896671 q 0,0 0,0 0,0 0,0 V 15.698573 H 30.723337 v 12.127023 h 30.740592 q 3.479048,0 5.877376,2.445711 2.396072,2.443454 2.396072,5.82774 z" />
-</vector>
diff --git a/quickstep/res/layout/task_desktop.xml b/quickstep/res/layout/task_desktop.xml
index f4548358ec..2ec9d4ceee 100644
--- a/quickstep/res/layout/task_desktop.xml
+++ b/quickstep/res/layout/task_desktop.xml
@@ -32,19 +32,6 @@
         android:layout_width="match_parent"
         android:layout_height="match_parent" />
 
-    <TextView
-        android:id="@+id/empty_view"
-        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
-        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
-        android:layout_gravity="center"
-        android:layout_marginTop="@dimen/overview_task_margin"
-        android:drawablePadding="@dimen/recents_empty_message_text_padding"
-        android:text="@string/recents_empty_desktop_message"
-        android:textColor="?android:textColorPrimary"
-        android:textSize="@dimen/recents_empty_message_text_size"
-        android:drawableTop="@drawable/ic_empty_desktop"
-        android:drawableTint="?android:attr/textColorPrimary" />
-
     <!--
          TODO(b249371338): DesktopTaskView extends from TaskView. TaskView expects TaskThumbnailView
          and IconView with these ids to be present. Need to refactor RecentsView to accept child
diff --git a/quickstep/res/values/strings.xml b/quickstep/res/values/strings.xml
index 2b5975dd7b..01d92d1439 100644
--- a/quickstep/res/values/strings.xml
+++ b/quickstep/res/values/strings.xml
@@ -30,9 +30,6 @@
     <!-- Recents: The empty recents string. [CHAR LIMIT=NONE] -->
     <string name="recents_empty_message">No recent items</string>
 
-    <!-- Recents: The empty recents desktop tile string. [CHAR LIMIT=NONE] -->
-    <string name="recents_empty_desktop_message">No desktop items</string>
-
     <!-- Content description for the recent apps's accessibility option that opens its usage settings. [CHAR LIMIT=NONE] -->
     <string name="accessibility_app_usage_settings">App usage settings</string>
 
diff --git a/quickstep/src/com/android/quickstep/util/DesktopTask.java b/quickstep/src/com/android/quickstep/util/DesktopTask.java
index 433d23fa97..b3f5d82637 100644
--- a/quickstep/src/com/android/quickstep/util/DesktopTask.java
+++ b/quickstep/src/com/android/quickstep/util/DesktopTask.java
@@ -16,6 +16,8 @@
 
 package com.android.quickstep.util;
 
+import androidx.annotation.NonNull;
+
 import com.android.quickstep.views.TaskView;
 import com.android.systemui.shared.recents.model.Task;
 
@@ -27,9 +29,10 @@ import java.util.ArrayList;
  */
 public class DesktopTask extends GroupTask {
 
-    public ArrayList<Task> tasks;
+    @NonNull
+    public final ArrayList<Task> tasks;
 
-    public DesktopTask(ArrayList<Task> tasks) {
+    public DesktopTask(@NonNull ArrayList<Task> tasks) {
         super(tasks.get(0), null, null, TaskView.Type.DESKTOP);
         this.tasks = tasks;
     }
diff --git a/quickstep/src/com/android/quickstep/views/DesktopTaskView.java b/quickstep/src/com/android/quickstep/views/DesktopTaskView.java
index 14898b1007..5414068d84 100644
--- a/quickstep/src/com/android/quickstep/views/DesktopTaskView.java
+++ b/quickstep/src/com/android/quickstep/views/DesktopTaskView.java
@@ -92,7 +92,6 @@ public class DesktopTaskView extends TaskView {
     private final ArrayList<CancellableTask<?>> mPendingThumbnailRequests = new ArrayList<>();
 
     private View mBackgroundView;
-    private View mEmptyView;
 
     public DesktopTaskView(Context context) {
         this(context, null);
@@ -111,7 +110,6 @@ public class DesktopTaskView extends TaskView {
         super.onFinishInflate();
 
         mBackgroundView = findViewById(R.id.background);
-        mEmptyView = findViewById(R.id.empty_view);
 
         int topMarginPx =
                 mActivity.getDeviceProfile().overviewTaskThumbnailTopMarginPx;
@@ -187,8 +185,6 @@ public class DesktopTaskView extends TaskView {
             mSnapshotViewMap.put(task.key.id, snapshotView);
         }
 
-        mEmptyView.setVisibility(mTasks.isEmpty() ? View.VISIBLE : View.GONE);
-
         updateTaskIdContainer();
         updateTaskIdAttributeContainer();
 
diff --git a/quickstep/src/com/android/quickstep/views/RecentsView.java b/quickstep/src/com/android/quickstep/views/RecentsView.java
index ac59403216..e7cff092d7 100644
--- a/quickstep/src/com/android/quickstep/views/RecentsView.java
+++ b/quickstep/src/com/android/quickstep/views/RecentsView.java
@@ -1518,9 +1518,10 @@ public abstract class RecentsView<ACTIVITY_TYPE extends StatefulActivity<STATE_T
         mMovingTaskView = null;
         runningTaskView.resetPersistentViewTransforms();
         int frontTaskIndex = 0;
-        if (DesktopTaskView.DESKTOP_IS_PROTO2_ENABLED && !runningTaskView.isDesktopTask()) {
-            // If desktop mode is enabled, desktop task view is pinned at first position.
-            // Move running task to position 1
+        if (DesktopTaskView.DESKTOP_IS_PROTO2_ENABLED && mDesktopTaskView != null
+                && !runningTaskView.isDesktopTask()) {
+            // If desktop mode is enabled, desktop task view is pinned at first position if present.
+            // Move running task to position 1.
             frontTaskIndex = 1;
         }
         addView(runningTaskView, frontTaskIndex);
@@ -1653,14 +1654,18 @@ public abstract class RecentsView<ACTIVITY_TYPE extends StatefulActivity<STATE_T
 
         if (!taskGroups.isEmpty()) {
             addView(mClearAllButton);
-
-            if (DesktopTaskView.DESKTOP_IS_PROTO2_ENABLED
-                    && !getSplitSelectController().isSplitSelectActive()) {
-                mDesktopTaskView = (DesktopTaskView) getTaskViewFromPool(TaskView.Type.DESKTOP);
-                // Always add a desktop task to the first position. Even if it is empty
-                addView(mDesktopTaskView, 0);
-                ArrayList<Task> tasks = desktopTask != null ? desktopTask.tasks : new ArrayList<>();
-                mDesktopTaskView.bind(tasks, mOrientationState);
+            if (DesktopTaskView.DESKTOP_IS_PROTO2_ENABLED) {
+                // Check if we have apps on the desktop
+                if (desktopTask != null && !desktopTask.tasks.isEmpty()) {
+                    // If we are actively choosing apps for split, skip the desktop tile
+                    if (!getSplitSelectController().isSplitSelectActive()) {
+                        mDesktopTaskView = (DesktopTaskView) getTaskViewFromPool(
+                                TaskView.Type.DESKTOP);
+                        // Always add a desktop task to the first position
+                        addView(mDesktopTaskView, 0);
+                        mDesktopTaskView.bind(desktopTask.tasks, mOrientationState);
+                    }
+                }
             }
         }
 
@@ -5201,7 +5206,7 @@ public abstract class RecentsView<ACTIVITY_TYPE extends StatefulActivity<STATE_T
     }
 
     private int getFirstViewIndex() {
-        if (DesktopTaskView.DESKTOP_IS_PROTO2_ENABLED) {
+        if (DesktopTaskView.DESKTOP_IS_PROTO2_ENABLED && mDesktopTaskView != null) {
             // Desktop task is at position 0, that is the first view
             return 0;
         }