diff --git a/services/core/docker-compose.yml b/services/core/docker-compose.yml
index 1d84c24..806cda9 100644
--- a/services/core/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/services/core/docker-compose.yml
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ services:
       GITO_REMOTE_NAME: ${GITO_REMOTE_NAME:-origin}
       ROADMAP_CREATION_TODO_STATE_ID: ${ROADMAP_CREATION_TODO_STATE_ID:-}
       PLANE_TODO_STATE_ID: ${PLANE_TODO_STATE_ID:-}
+      PLANE_PROJECT_ID: ${PLANE_PROJECT_ID:-}
     ports:
       - "${NOMADCODE_CORE_HOST_PORT:-18010}:8080"
     volumes:
diff --git a/services/core/internal/scheduler/jobs_test.go b/services/core/internal/scheduler/jobs_test.go
index 16644ce..474a6f2 100644
--- a/services/core/internal/scheduler/jobs_test.go
+++ b/services/core/internal/scheduler/jobs_test.go
@@ -19,8 +19,10 @@ import (
 	"github.com/nomadcode/nomadcode-core/internal/notification"
 	"github.com/nomadcode/nomadcode-core/internal/projectsync"
 	"github.com/nomadcode/nomadcode-core/internal/roadmapsync"
+	"github.com/nomadcode/nomadcode-core/internal/roadmapsyncpipeline"
 	"github.com/nomadcode/nomadcode-core/internal/storage"
 	"github.com/nomadcode/nomadcode-core/internal/workflow"
+	"github.com/nomadcode/nomadcode-core/internal/workitem"
 )
 
 func TestRunAgentTaskCompletesFromMessage(t *testing.T) {
@@ -1522,3 +1524,68 @@ func TestRunTaskAuthoringFailsWhenIdentityWriterMissing(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Errorf("expected authoring_failure_category=identity_write_failed, got %q", fi.ExtraMetadata["authoring_failure_category"])
 	}
 }
+
+type fakeSyncRunner struct {
+	result roadmapsyncpipeline.SyncCreationResult
+	err    error
+}
+
+func (f fakeSyncRunner) SyncCreation(_ context.Context, _ roadmapsyncpipeline.SyncCreationInput) (roadmapsyncpipeline.SyncCreationResult, error) {
+	return f.result, f.err
+}
+
+type fakeCreationTaskFinalizer struct {
+	called bool
+	err    error
+}
+
+func (f *fakeCreationTaskFinalizer) CompleteTaskByExternalRef(_ context.Context, _, _ string, _ json.RawMessage) (storage.Task, bool, error) {
+	f.called = true
+	return storage.Task{}, false, f.err
+}
+
+func TestRoadmapCreationSyncWorkerSkipsFinalizerWhenRefIDEmpty(t *testing.T) {
+	// When SyncCreation returns SyncActionProjected but args.Ref.ID is empty
+	// (missing-create case), TaskFinalizer must NOT be called to avoid
+	// pgx.ErrNoRows causing an unintended River retry loop.
+	finalizer := &fakeCreationTaskFinalizer{}
+	worker := &RoadmapCreationSyncWorker{
+		Sync:          fakeSyncRunner{result: roadmapsyncpipeline.SyncCreationResult{Action: roadmapsyncpipeline.SyncActionProjected}},
+		TaskFinalizer: finalizer,
+	}
+	job := &river.Job[RoadmapCreationSyncJobArgs]{
+		Args: RoadmapCreationSyncJobArgs{
+			// Ref.ID is zero-value (empty) — missing-create case
+		},
+	}
+	if err := worker.Work(context.Background(), job); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Work returned error: %v", err)
+	}
+	if finalizer.called {
+		t.Error("TaskFinalizer.CompleteTaskByExternalRef must not be called when Ref.ID is empty (missing-create case)")
+	}
+}
+
+func TestRoadmapCreationSyncWorkerCallsFinalizerWhenRefIDSet(t *testing.T) {
+	// When SyncCreation returns SyncActionProjected and args.Ref.ID is non-empty
+	// (reconcile case), TaskFinalizer IS called so workflow tasks can be completed.
+	finalizer := &fakeCreationTaskFinalizer{}
+	worker := &RoadmapCreationSyncWorker{
+		Sync:          fakeSyncRunner{result: roadmapsyncpipeline.SyncCreationResult{Action: roadmapsyncpipeline.SyncActionProjected}},
+		TaskFinalizer: finalizer,
+	}
+	job := &river.Job[RoadmapCreationSyncJobArgs]{
+		Args: RoadmapCreationSyncJobArgs{
+			Ref: workitem.Ref{
+				Provider: "plane",
+				ID:       "6945a5e7-b2ef-4d48-a037-00fa2b6ab99b",
+			},
+		},
+	}
+	if err := worker.Work(context.Background(), job); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Work returned error: %v", err)
+	}
+	if !finalizer.called {
+		t.Error("TaskFinalizer.CompleteTaskByExternalRef must be called when Ref.ID is non-empty (reconcile case)")
+	}
+}
diff --git a/services/core/internal/scheduler/roadmap_sync_jobs.go b/services/core/internal/scheduler/roadmap_sync_jobs.go
index 9890b44..8263d0b 100644
--- a/services/core/internal/scheduler/roadmap_sync_jobs.go
+++ b/services/core/internal/scheduler/roadmap_sync_jobs.go
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ func (w *RoadmapCreationSyncWorker) Work(ctx context.Context, job *river.Job[Roa
 		return err
 	}
 
-	if (res.Action == roadmapsyncpipeline.SyncActionProjected || res.Action == roadmapsyncpipeline.SyncActionComplete) && w.TaskFinalizer != nil {
+	if (res.Action == roadmapsyncpipeline.SyncActionProjected || res.Action == roadmapsyncpipeline.SyncActionComplete) && w.TaskFinalizer != nil && args.Ref.ID != "" {
 		resultMap := map[string]any{
 			"action":                              string(res.Action),
 			"reason":                              res.Reason,
diff --git a/services/core/internal/workflow/service.go b/services/core/internal/workflow/service.go
index aecfc55..74cda58 100644
--- a/services/core/internal/workflow/service.go
+++ b/services/core/internal/workflow/service.go
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import (
 	"strings"
 	"sync"
 
+	"github.com/jackc/pgx/v5"
 	"github.com/nomadcode/nomadcode-core/internal/storage"
 )
 
@@ -241,6 +242,9 @@ func (s *Service) CompleteTaskByExternalRef(ctx context.Context, provider, id st
 	task, err := s.WithExternalRefLock(ctx, provider, id, func(ctx context.Context) (storage.Task, error) {
 		t, err := s.lifecycle.store.GetTaskByExternalRef(ctx, provider, id)
 		if err != nil {
+			if errors.Is(err, pgx.ErrNoRows) {
+				return storage.Task{}, nil
+			}
 			return storage.Task{}, err
 		}
 		if t.Status == string(StatusCompleted) {
diff --git a/services/core/internal/workflow/service_test.go b/services/core/internal/workflow/service_test.go
index a2fbe86..9737baa 100644
--- a/services/core/internal/workflow/service_test.go
+++ b/services/core/internal/workflow/service_test.go
@@ -828,3 +828,23 @@ func TestServiceCompleteTaskByExternalRefPromotesAuthoringMetadata(t *testing.T)
 		t.Errorf("expected status_reason 'completed via scan', got %v", meta[MetadataKeyStatusReason])
 	}
 }
+
+func TestCompleteTaskByExternalRefNoRowsIsGracefulNoOp(t *testing.T) {
+	// When GetTaskByExternalRef returns pgx.ErrNoRows (no workflow task registered
+	// for the given provider/id), CompleteTaskByExternalRef must return
+	// (zero, false, nil) so the caller does not treat missing tasks as errors.
+	store := newFakeTaskStore() // empty store → GetTaskByExternalRef returns pgx.ErrNoRows
+	svc := NewService(nil, nil, nil)
+	svc.lifecycle = &Lifecycle{store: store}
+
+	task, transitioned, err := svc.CompleteTaskByExternalRef(context.Background(), "plane", "6945a5e7-b2ef-4d48-a037-00fa2b6ab99b", nil)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("expected nil error for missing task, got: %v", err)
+	}
+	if transitioned {
+		t.Error("expected transitioned=false for missing task")
+	}
+	if task.ID != "" {
+		t.Errorf("expected zero task for missing task, got: %+v", task)
+	}
+}