diff --git a/src/columns/ColProject.cpp b/src/columns/ColProject.cpp
index bef8ec723..a5890f1bb 100644
--- a/src/columns/ColProject.cpp
+++ b/src/columns/ColProject.cpp
@@ -36,8 +36,6 @@
 #include <utf8.h>
 #include <util.h>
 
-extern Task* contextTask;
-
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 ColumnProject::ColumnProject ()
 {
@@ -121,9 +119,6 @@ void ColumnProject::modify (Task& task, const std::string& value)
     {
       Eval e;
       e.addSource (domSource);
-      if (!task.is_empty ()) {
-        contextTask = &task;
-      }
 
       Variant v;
       e.evaluateInfixExpression (value, v);
diff --git a/src/columns/ColRecur.cpp b/src/columns/ColRecur.cpp
index 8168770ed..844dcb5a5 100644
--- a/src/columns/ColRecur.cpp
+++ b/src/columns/ColRecur.cpp
@@ -36,8 +36,6 @@
 #include <format.h>
 #include <utf8.h>
 
-extern Task* contextTask;
-
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 ColumnRecur::ColumnRecur ()
 {
@@ -108,9 +106,6 @@ void ColumnRecur::modify (Task& task, const std::string& value)
   {
     Eval e;
     e.addSource (domSource);
-    if (!task.is_empty ()) {
-      contextTask = &task;
-    }
     e.evaluateInfixExpression (value, evaluatedValue);
   }
 
diff --git a/src/columns/ColTags.cpp b/src/columns/ColTags.cpp
index 4680f4fed..e5d30ab57 100644
--- a/src/columns/ColTags.cpp
+++ b/src/columns/ColTags.cpp
@@ -36,8 +36,6 @@
 #include <utf8.h>
 #include <main.h>
 
-extern Task* contextTask;
-
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 ColumnTags::ColumnTags ()
 {
@@ -162,9 +160,6 @@ void ColumnTags::modify (Task& task, const std::string& value)
   {
     Eval e;
     e.addSource (domSource);
-    if (!task.is_empty ()) {
-      contextTask = &task;
-    }
 
     Variant v;
     e.evaluateInfixExpression (value, v);
diff --git a/src/columns/ColTypeDate.cpp b/src/columns/ColTypeDate.cpp
index fc63f4c66..2fb283ef3 100644
--- a/src/columns/ColTypeDate.cpp
+++ b/src/columns/ColTypeDate.cpp
@@ -34,8 +34,6 @@
 #include <Filter.h>
 #include <format.h>
 
-extern Task* contextTask;
-
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 ColumnTypeDate::ColumnTypeDate ()
 {
@@ -213,9 +211,6 @@ void ColumnTypeDate::modify (Task& task, const std::string& value)
   {
     Eval e;
     e.addSource (domSource);
-    if (!task.is_empty ()) {
-      contextTask = &task;
-    }
     e.evaluateInfixExpression (value, evaluatedValue);
   }
 
diff --git a/src/columns/ColTypeDuration.cpp b/src/columns/ColTypeDuration.cpp
index f305686e5..942d69b16 100644
--- a/src/columns/ColTypeDuration.cpp
+++ b/src/columns/ColTypeDuration.cpp
@@ -32,8 +32,6 @@
 #include <Filter.h>
 #include <format.h>
 
-extern Task* contextTask;
-
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 ColumnTypeDuration::ColumnTypeDuration ()
 {
@@ -55,9 +53,6 @@ void ColumnTypeDuration::modify (Task& task, const std::string& value)
   {
     Eval e;
     e.addSource (domSource);
-    if (!task.is_empty ()) {
-      contextTask = &task;
-    }
     e.evaluateInfixExpression (value, evaluatedValue);
   }
 
diff --git a/src/columns/ColTypeNumeric.cpp b/src/columns/ColTypeNumeric.cpp
index ea04891e7..737e991e8 100644
--- a/src/columns/ColTypeNumeric.cpp
+++ b/src/columns/ColTypeNumeric.cpp
@@ -32,8 +32,6 @@
 #include <Filter.h>
 #include <format.h>
 
-extern Task* contextTask;
-
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 ColumnTypeNumeric::ColumnTypeNumeric ()
 {
@@ -55,9 +53,6 @@ void ColumnTypeNumeric::modify (Task& task, const std::string& value)
   {
     Eval e;
     e.addSource (domSource);
-    if (!task.is_empty ()) {
-      contextTask = &task;
-    }
     e.evaluateInfixExpression (value, evaluatedValue);
   }
 
diff --git a/src/columns/ColTypeString.cpp b/src/columns/ColTypeString.cpp
index 8f46abb1f..2d93ca9fc 100644
--- a/src/columns/ColTypeString.cpp
+++ b/src/columns/ColTypeString.cpp
@@ -34,8 +34,6 @@
 
 #define STRING_INVALID_MOD           "The '{1}' attribute does not allow a value of '{2}'."
 
-extern Task* contextTask;
-
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 ColumnTypeString::ColumnTypeString ()
 {
@@ -67,9 +65,6 @@ void ColumnTypeString::modify (Task& task, const std::string& value)
   {
     Eval e;
     e.addSource (domSource);
-    if (!task.is_empty ()) {
-      contextTask = &task;
-    }
 
     Variant v;
     e.evaluateInfixExpression (value, v);
diff --git a/src/commands/CmdAdd.cpp b/src/commands/CmdAdd.cpp
index 08f1e34ba..dd3ba23b4 100644
--- a/src/commands/CmdAdd.cpp
+++ b/src/commands/CmdAdd.cpp
@@ -30,6 +30,8 @@
 #include <format.h>
 #include <main.h>
 
+extern Task* contextTask;
+
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 CmdAdd::CmdAdd ()
 {
@@ -51,6 +53,10 @@ int CmdAdd::execute (std::string& output)
 {
   // Apply the command line modifications to the new task.
   Task task;
+
+  // the task is empty, but DOM references can refer to earlier parts of the
+  // command line, e.g., `task add due:20110101 wait:due`.
+  contextTask = &task;
   task.modify (Task::modReplace, true);
   Context::getContext ().tdb2.add (task);
 
diff --git a/src/commands/CmdAnnotate.cpp b/src/commands/CmdAnnotate.cpp
index 4a3a17a83..9812874a2 100644
--- a/src/commands/CmdAnnotate.cpp
+++ b/src/commands/CmdAnnotate.cpp
@@ -33,6 +33,8 @@
 #include <shared.h>
 #include <format.h>
 
+extern Task* contextTask;
+
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 CmdAnnotate::CmdAnnotate ()
 {
@@ -82,6 +84,7 @@ int CmdAnnotate::execute (std::string&)
                                    task.identifier (true),
                                    task.get ("description"));
 
+    contextTask = &task;
     task.modify (Task::modAnnotate, true);
 
     if (permission (before.diff (task) + question, filtered.size ()))
@@ -102,6 +105,7 @@ int CmdAnnotate::execute (std::string&)
           auto siblings = Context::getContext ().tdb2.siblings (task);
           for (auto& sibling : siblings)
           {
+            contextTask = &sibling;
             sibling.modify (Task::modAnnotate, true);
             Context::getContext ().tdb2.modify (sibling);
             ++count;
@@ -111,6 +115,7 @@ int CmdAnnotate::execute (std::string&)
           // Annotate the parent
           Task parent;
           Context::getContext ().tdb2.get (task.get ("parent"), parent);
+          contextTask = &parent;
           parent.modify (Task::modAnnotate, true);
           Context::getContext ().tdb2.modify (parent);
         }
diff --git a/src/commands/CmdAppend.cpp b/src/commands/CmdAppend.cpp
index 1ce75447b..39906e789 100644
--- a/src/commands/CmdAppend.cpp
+++ b/src/commands/CmdAppend.cpp
@@ -33,6 +33,8 @@
 #include <format.h>
 #include <main.h>
 
+extern Task* contextTask;
+
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 CmdAppend::CmdAppend ()
 {
@@ -82,6 +84,7 @@ int CmdAppend::execute (std::string&)
                             task.identifier (true),
                             task.get ("description"));
 
+    contextTask = &task;
     task.modify (Task::modAppend, true);
 
     if (permission (before.diff (task) + question, filtered.size ()))
@@ -102,6 +105,7 @@ int CmdAppend::execute (std::string&)
           std::vector <Task> siblings = Context::getContext ().tdb2.siblings (task);
           for (auto& sibling : siblings)
           {
+            contextTask = &sibling;
             sibling.modify (Task::modAppend, true);
             Context::getContext ().tdb2.modify (sibling);
             ++count;
@@ -111,6 +115,7 @@ int CmdAppend::execute (std::string&)
           // Append to the parent
           Task parent;
           Context::getContext ().tdb2.get (task.get ("parent"), parent);
+          contextTask = &parent;
           parent.modify (Task::modAppend, true);
           Context::getContext ().tdb2.modify (parent);
         }
diff --git a/src/commands/CmdDelete.cpp b/src/commands/CmdDelete.cpp
index 8bedab285..4e4f78c29 100644
--- a/src/commands/CmdDelete.cpp
+++ b/src/commands/CmdDelete.cpp
@@ -36,6 +36,8 @@
 #define STRING_CMD_DELETE_TASK_R     "Deleting recurring task {1} '{2}'."
 #define STRING_CMD_DELETE_CONFIRM_R  "This is a recurring task.  Do you want to delete all pending recurrences of this same task?"
 
+extern Task* contextTask;
+
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 CmdDelete::CmdDelete ()
 {
@@ -87,6 +89,7 @@ int CmdDelete::execute (std::string&)
                          task.identifier (true),
                          task.get ("description"));
 
+      contextTask = &task;
       task.modify (Task::modAnnotate);
       task.setStatus (Task::deleted);
       if (! task.has ("end"))
@@ -113,6 +116,7 @@ int CmdDelete::execute (std::string&)
             std::vector <Task> siblings = Context::getContext ().tdb2.siblings (task);
             for (auto& sibling : siblings)
             {
+              contextTask = &sibling;
               sibling.modify (Task::modAnnotate);
               sibling.setStatus (Task::deleted);
               if (! sibling.has ("end"))
@@ -147,6 +151,7 @@ int CmdDelete::execute (std::string&)
           {
             for (auto& child : children)
             {
+              contextTask = &child;
               child.modify (Task::modAnnotate);
               child.setStatus (Task::deleted);
               if (! child.has ("end"))
diff --git a/src/commands/CmdDone.cpp b/src/commands/CmdDone.cpp
index f579364ac..dd2e64333 100644
--- a/src/commands/CmdDone.cpp
+++ b/src/commands/CmdDone.cpp
@@ -33,6 +33,8 @@
 #include <format.h>
 #include <main.h>
 
+extern Task* contextTask;
+
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 CmdDone::CmdDone ()
 {
@@ -85,6 +87,7 @@ int CmdDone::execute (std::string&)
                                      task.identifier (true),
                                      task.get ("description"));
 
+      contextTask = &task;
       task.modify (Task::modAnnotate);
       task.setStatus (Task::completed);
       if (! task.has ("end"))
diff --git a/src/commands/CmdDuplicate.cpp b/src/commands/CmdDuplicate.cpp
index 46f1070e3..8ed3aa5d5 100644
--- a/src/commands/CmdDuplicate.cpp
+++ b/src/commands/CmdDuplicate.cpp
@@ -33,6 +33,8 @@
 #include <util.h>
 #include <main.h>
 
+extern Task* contextTask;
+
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 CmdDuplicate::CmdDuplicate ()
 {
@@ -100,6 +102,7 @@ int CmdDuplicate::execute (std::string&)
     dup.setStatus (Task::pending); // Does not inherit status.
                                    // Must occur after Task::recurring check.
 
+    contextTask = &dup;
     dup.modify (Task::modAnnotate);
 
     if (permission (format ("Duplicate task {1} '{2}'?",
diff --git a/src/commands/CmdModify.cpp b/src/commands/CmdModify.cpp
index cb407367d..236b45fa8 100644
--- a/src/commands/CmdModify.cpp
+++ b/src/commands/CmdModify.cpp
@@ -36,6 +36,8 @@
 #define STRING_CMD_MODIFY_TASK_R     "Modifying recurring task {1} '{2}'."
 #define STRING_CMD_MODIFY_RECUR      "This is a recurring task.  Do you want to modify all pending recurrences of this same task?"
 
+extern Task* contextTask;
+
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 CmdModify::CmdModify ()
 {
@@ -77,6 +79,7 @@ int CmdModify::execute (std::string&)
   for (auto& task : filtered)
   {
     Task before (task);
+    contextTask = &task;
     task.modify (Task::modReplace);
 
     if (before != task)
@@ -174,6 +177,7 @@ int CmdModify::modifyRecurrenceSiblings (
     for (auto& sibling : siblings)
     {
       Task alternate (sibling);
+      contextTask = &sibling;
       sibling.modify (Task::modReplace);
       updateRecurrenceMask (sibling);
       ++count;
@@ -187,6 +191,7 @@ int CmdModify::modifyRecurrenceSiblings (
     // Modify the parent
     Task parent;
     Context::getContext ().tdb2.get (task.get ("parent"), parent);
+    contextTask = &parent;
     parent.modify (Task::modReplace);
     Context::getContext ().tdb2.modify (parent);
   }
@@ -210,6 +215,7 @@ int CmdModify::modifyRecurrenceParent (
     for (auto& child : children)
     {
       Task alternate (child);
+      contextTask = &child;
       child.modify (Task::modReplace);
       updateRecurrenceMask (child);
       Context::getContext ().tdb2.modify (child);
diff --git a/src/commands/CmdPrepend.cpp b/src/commands/CmdPrepend.cpp
index 0e59d5a30..847fef5d7 100644
--- a/src/commands/CmdPrepend.cpp
+++ b/src/commands/CmdPrepend.cpp
@@ -33,6 +33,8 @@
 #include <format.h>
 #include <main.h>
 
+extern Task* contextTask;
+
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 CmdPrepend::CmdPrepend ()
 {
@@ -82,6 +84,7 @@ int CmdPrepend::execute (std::string&)
                                    task.identifier (true),
                                    task.get ("description"));
 
+    contextTask = &task;
     task.modify (Task::modPrepend, true);
 
     if (permission (before.diff (task) + question, filtered.size ()))
@@ -102,6 +105,7 @@ int CmdPrepend::execute (std::string&)
           std::vector <Task> siblings = Context::getContext ().tdb2.siblings (task);
           for (auto& sibling : siblings)
           {
+            contextTask = &sibling;
             sibling.modify (Task::modPrepend, true);
             Context::getContext ().tdb2.modify (sibling);
             ++count;
@@ -111,6 +115,7 @@ int CmdPrepend::execute (std::string&)
           // Prepend to the parent
           Task parent;
           Context::getContext ().tdb2.get (task.get ("parent"), parent);
+          contextTask = &parent;
           parent.modify (Task::modPrepend, true);
           Context::getContext ().tdb2.modify (parent);
         }
diff --git a/src/commands/CmdStart.cpp b/src/commands/CmdStart.cpp
index 6329c8129..b6636dc50 100644
--- a/src/commands/CmdStart.cpp
+++ b/src/commands/CmdStart.cpp
@@ -33,6 +33,8 @@
 #include <format.h>
 #include <util.h>
 
+extern Task* contextTask;
+
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 CmdStart::CmdStart ()
 {
@@ -83,6 +85,7 @@ int CmdStart::execute (std::string&)
       std::string question = format ("Start task {1} '{2}'?",
                                      task.identifier (true),
                                      task.get ("description"));
+      contextTask = &task;
       task.modify (Task::modAnnotate);
       task.setAsNow ("start");
 
diff --git a/src/commands/CmdStop.cpp b/src/commands/CmdStop.cpp
index f9d1cec6d..020757230 100644
--- a/src/commands/CmdStop.cpp
+++ b/src/commands/CmdStop.cpp
@@ -32,6 +32,8 @@
 #include <main.h>
 #include <format.h>
 
+extern Task* contextTask;
+
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 CmdStop::CmdStop ()
 {
@@ -81,6 +83,7 @@ int CmdStop::execute (std::string&)
                                      task.identifier (true),
                                      task.get ("description"));
 
+      contextTask = &task;
       task.modify (Task::modAnnotate);
       task.remove ("start");