diff --git a/quickstep/src/com/android/launcher3/statehandlers/DesktopVisibilityController.java b/quickstep/src/com/android/launcher3/statehandlers/DesktopVisibilityController.java
index dc4441d6c4..ecf483caa4 100644
--- a/quickstep/src/com/android/launcher3/statehandlers/DesktopVisibilityController.java
+++ b/quickstep/src/com/android/launcher3/statehandlers/DesktopVisibilityController.java
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ import com.android.launcher3.Launcher;
 import com.android.launcher3.LauncherState;
 import com.android.launcher3.statemanager.StatefulActivity;
 import com.android.launcher3.uioverrides.QuickstepLauncher;
+import com.android.quickstep.GestureState;
 import com.android.quickstep.SystemUiProxy;
 import com.android.quickstep.views.DesktopAppSelectView;
 import com.android.wm.shell.desktopmode.IDesktopTaskListener;
@@ -170,20 +171,40 @@ public class DesktopVisibilityController {
     /**
      * Whether recents gesture is currently in progress.
      */
-    public boolean isGestureInProgress() {
+    public boolean isRecentsGestureInProgress() {
         return mGestureInProgress;
     }
 
     /**
-     * Sets whether recents gesture is in progress.
+     * Notify controller that recents gesture has started.
      */
-    public void setGestureInProgress(boolean gestureInProgress) {
-        if (DEBUG) {
-            Log.d(TAG, "setGestureInProgress: inProgress=" + gestureInProgress);
-        }
+    public void setRecentsGestureStart() {
         if (!isDesktopModeSupported()) {
             return;
         }
+        setRecentsGestureInProgress(true);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Notify controller that recents gesture finished with the given
+     * {@link com.android.quickstep.GestureState.GestureEndTarget}
+     */
+    public void setRecentsGestureEnd(@Nullable GestureState.GestureEndTarget endTarget) {
+        if (!isDesktopModeSupported()) {
+            return;
+        }
+        setRecentsGestureInProgress(false);
+
+        if (endTarget == null) {
+            // Gesture did not result in a new end target. Ensure launchers gets paused again.
+            markLauncherPaused();
+        }
+    }
+
+    private void setRecentsGestureInProgress(boolean gestureInProgress) {
+        if (DEBUG) {
+            Log.d(TAG, "setGestureInProgress: inProgress=" + gestureInProgress);
+        }
         if (gestureInProgress != mGestureInProgress) {
             mGestureInProgress = gestureInProgress;
         }
diff --git a/quickstep/src/com/android/launcher3/uioverrides/QuickstepLauncher.java b/quickstep/src/com/android/launcher3/uioverrides/QuickstepLauncher.java
index 1e1bff3340..20383f4971 100644
--- a/quickstep/src/com/android/launcher3/uioverrides/QuickstepLauncher.java
+++ b/quickstep/src/com/android/launcher3/uioverrides/QuickstepLauncher.java
@@ -867,7 +867,7 @@ public class QuickstepLauncher extends Launcher {
         if (DesktopTaskView.DESKTOP_MODE_SUPPORTED) {
             DesktopVisibilityController controller = mDesktopVisibilityController;
             if (controller != null && controller.areFreeformTasksVisible()
-                    && !controller.isGestureInProgress()) {
+                    && !controller.isRecentsGestureInProgress()) {
                 // Return early to skip setting activity to appear as resumed
                 // TODO(b/255649902): shouldn't be needed when we have a separate launcher state
                 //  for desktop that we can use to control other parts of launcher
diff --git a/quickstep/src/com/android/quickstep/views/LauncherRecentsView.java b/quickstep/src/com/android/quickstep/views/LauncherRecentsView.java
index 5e488cc66d..4f119c07bc 100644
--- a/quickstep/src/com/android/quickstep/views/LauncherRecentsView.java
+++ b/quickstep/src/com/android/quickstep/views/LauncherRecentsView.java
@@ -249,7 +249,7 @@ public class LauncherRecentsView extends RecentsView<QuickstepLauncher, Launcher
         DesktopVisibilityController desktopVisibilityController =
                 mActivity.getDesktopVisibilityController();
         if (desktopVisibilityController != null) {
-            desktopVisibilityController.setGestureInProgress(true);
+            desktopVisibilityController.setRecentsGestureStart();
         }
     }
 
@@ -257,9 +257,11 @@ public class LauncherRecentsView extends RecentsView<QuickstepLauncher, Launcher
     public void onGestureAnimationEnd() {
         DesktopVisibilityController desktopVisibilityController = null;
         boolean showDesktopApps = false;
+        GestureState.GestureEndTarget endTarget = null;
         if (DesktopTaskView.DESKTOP_MODE_SUPPORTED) {
             desktopVisibilityController = mActivity.getDesktopVisibilityController();
-            if (mCurrentGestureEndTarget == GestureState.GestureEndTarget.LAST_TASK
+            endTarget = mCurrentGestureEndTarget;
+            if (endTarget == GestureState.GestureEndTarget.LAST_TASK
                     && desktopVisibilityController.areFreeformTasksVisible()) {
                 // Recents gesture was cancelled and we are returning to the previous task.
                 // After super class has handled clean up, show desktop apps on top again
@@ -268,7 +270,7 @@ public class LauncherRecentsView extends RecentsView<QuickstepLauncher, Launcher
         }
         super.onGestureAnimationEnd();
         if (desktopVisibilityController != null) {
-            desktopVisibilityController.setGestureInProgress(false);
+            desktopVisibilityController.setRecentsGestureEnd(endTarget);
         }
         if (showDesktopApps) {
             SystemUiProxy.INSTANCE.get(mActivity).showDesktopApps(mActivity.getDisplayId());