diff --git a/lib/harmony/harmonydb/sql/20231217-sdr-pipeline.sql b/lib/harmony/harmonydb/sql/20231217-sdr-pipeline.sql
index 3c4368d5c..3a75d8a96 100644
--- a/lib/harmony/harmonydb/sql/20231217-sdr-pipeline.sql
+++ b/lib/harmony/harmonydb/sql/20231217-sdr-pipeline.sql
@@ -75,6 +75,21 @@ create table sectors_sdr_pipeline (
     failed_reason varchar(20) not null default '',
     failed_reason_msg text not null default '',
 
+    -- foreign key
+    -- note: those foreign keys are a part of the retry mechanism. If a task
+    -- fails due to retry limit, it will drop the assigned task_id, and the
+    -- poller will reassign the task to a new node if it deems the task is
+    -- still valid to be retried.
+    foreign key (task_id_sdr) references harmony_task (id) on delete set null,
+    foreign key (task_id_tree_d) references harmony_task (id) on delete set null,
+    foreign key (task_id_tree_c) references harmony_task (id) on delete set null,
+    foreign key (task_id_tree_r) references harmony_task (id) on delete set null,
+    foreign key (task_id_precommit_msg) references harmony_task (id) on delete set null,
+    foreign key (task_id_porep) references harmony_task (id) on delete set null,
+    foreign key (task_id_finalize) references harmony_task (id) on delete set null,
+    foreign key (task_id_move_storage) references harmony_task (id) on delete set null,
+    foreign key (task_id_commit_msg) references harmony_task (id) on delete set null,
+
     -- constraints
     primary key (sp_id, sector_number)
 );
diff --git a/lib/harmony/harmonytask/task_type_handler.go b/lib/harmony/harmonytask/task_type_handler.go
index 93418ba28..5702b3142 100644
--- a/lib/harmony/harmonytask/task_type_handler.go
+++ b/lib/harmony/harmonytask/task_type_handler.go
@@ -29,15 +29,11 @@ func (h *taskTypeHandler) AddTask(extra func(TaskID, *harmonydb.Tx) (bool, error
 retryAddTask:
 	_, err := h.TaskEngine.db.BeginTransaction(h.TaskEngine.ctx, func(tx *harmonydb.Tx) (bool, error) {
 		// create taskID (from DB)
-		_, err := tx.Exec(`INSERT INTO harmony_task (name, added_by, posted_time) 
-			VALUES ($1, $2, CURRENT_TIMESTAMP) `, h.Name, h.TaskEngine.ownerID)
+		err := tx.QueryRow(`INSERT INTO harmony_task (name, added_by, posted_time) 
+          VALUES ($1, $2, CURRENT_TIMESTAMP) RETURNING id`, h.Name, h.TaskEngine.ownerID).Scan(&tID)
 		if err != nil {
 			return false, fmt.Errorf("could not insert into harmonyTask: %w", err)
 		}
-		err = tx.QueryRow("SELECT id FROM harmony_task ORDER BY update_time DESC LIMIT 1").Scan(&tID)
-		if err != nil {
-			return false, fmt.Errorf("Could not select ID: %w", err)
-		}
 		return extra(tID, tx)
 	})
 
diff --git a/provider/lpseal/poller.go b/provider/lpseal/poller.go
index 134a389fc..936b6b1b9 100644
--- a/provider/lpseal/poller.go
+++ b/provider/lpseal/poller.go
@@ -70,6 +70,15 @@ func (s *SealPoller) RunPoller(ctx context.Context) {
 	}
 }
 
+/*
+NOTE: TaskIDs are ONLY set while the tasks are executing or waiting to execute.
+      This means that there are ~4 states each task can be in:
+* Not run, and dependencies not solved (dependencies are 'After' fields of previous stages), task is null, After is false
+* Not run, and dependencies solved, task is null, After is false
+* Running or queued, task is set, After is false
+* Finished, task is null, After is true
+*/
+
 type pollTask struct {
 	SpID         int64 `db:"sp_id"`
 	SectorNumber int64 `db:"sector_number"`
@@ -158,7 +167,7 @@ func (s *SealPoller) poll(ctx context.Context) error {
 }
 
 func (s *SealPoller) pollStartSDR(ctx context.Context, task pollTask) {
-	if task.TaskSDR == nil && s.pollers[pollerSDR].IsSet() {
+	if !task.AfterSDR && task.TaskSDR == nil && s.pollers[pollerSDR].IsSet() {
 		s.pollers[pollerSDR].Val(ctx)(func(id harmonytask.TaskID, tx *harmonydb.Tx) (shouldCommit bool, seriousError error) {
 			n, err := tx.Exec(`UPDATE sectors_sdr_pipeline SET task_id_sdr = $1 WHERE sp_id = $2 AND sector_number = $3 and task_id_sdr is null`, id, task.SpID, task.SectorNumber)
 			if err != nil {
@@ -174,7 +183,10 @@ func (s *SealPoller) pollStartSDR(ctx context.Context, task pollTask) {
 }
 
 func (s *SealPoller) pollStartSDRTrees(ctx context.Context, task pollTask) {
-	if task.TaskTreeD == nil && task.TaskTreeC == nil && task.TaskTreeR == nil && s.pollers[pollerTrees].IsSet() && task.AfterSDR {
+	if !task.AfterTreeD && !task.AfterTreeC && !task.AfterTreeR &&
+		task.TaskTreeD == nil && task.TaskTreeC == nil && task.TaskTreeR == nil &&
+		s.pollers[pollerTrees].IsSet() && task.AfterSDR {
+
 		s.pollers[pollerTrees].Val(ctx)(func(id harmonytask.TaskID, tx *harmonydb.Tx) (shouldCommit bool, seriousError error) {
 			n, err := tx.Exec(`UPDATE sectors_sdr_pipeline SET task_id_tree_d = $1, task_id_tree_c = $1, task_id_tree_r = $1
                             WHERE sp_id = $2 AND sector_number = $3 and after_sdr = true and task_id_tree_d is null and task_id_tree_c is null and task_id_tree_r is null`, id, task.SpID, task.SectorNumber)
@@ -191,7 +203,10 @@ func (s *SealPoller) pollStartSDRTrees(ctx context.Context, task pollTask) {
 }
 
 func (s *SealPoller) pollStartPoRep(ctx context.Context, task pollTask, ts *types.TipSet) {
-	if s.pollers[pollerPoRep].IsSet() && task.AfterPrecommitMsgSuccess && task.SeedEpoch != nil && task.TaskPoRep == nil && ts.Height() >= abi.ChainEpoch(*task.SeedEpoch+seedEpochConfidence) {
+	if s.pollers[pollerPoRep].IsSet() && task.AfterPrecommitMsgSuccess && task.SeedEpoch != nil &&
+		task.TaskPoRep == nil && !task.AfterPoRep &&
+		ts.Height() >= abi.ChainEpoch(*task.SeedEpoch+seedEpochConfidence) {
+
 		s.pollers[pollerPoRep].Val(ctx)(func(id harmonytask.TaskID, tx *harmonydb.Tx) (shouldCommit bool, seriousError error) {
 			n, err := tx.Exec(`UPDATE sectors_sdr_pipeline SET task_id_porep = $1 WHERE sp_id = $2 AND sector_number = $3 and task_id_porep is null`, id, task.SpID, task.SectorNumber)
 			if err != nil {
@@ -207,7 +222,7 @@ func (s *SealPoller) pollStartPoRep(ctx context.Context, task pollTask, ts *type
 }
 
 func (s *SealPoller) pollStartFinalize(ctx context.Context, task pollTask, ts *types.TipSet) {
-	if s.pollers[pollerFinalize].IsSet() && task.AfterPoRep && task.TaskFinalize == nil {
+	if s.pollers[pollerFinalize].IsSet() && task.AfterPoRep && !task.AfterFinalize && task.TaskFinalize == nil {
 		s.pollers[pollerFinalize].Val(ctx)(func(id harmonytask.TaskID, tx *harmonydb.Tx) (shouldCommit bool, seriousError error) {
 			n, err := tx.Exec(`UPDATE sectors_sdr_pipeline SET task_id_finalize = $1 WHERE sp_id = $2 AND sector_number = $3 and task_id_finalize is null`, id, task.SpID, task.SectorNumber)
 			if err != nil {
@@ -223,7 +238,7 @@ func (s *SealPoller) pollStartFinalize(ctx context.Context, task pollTask, ts *t
 }
 
 func (s *SealPoller) pollStartMoveStorage(ctx context.Context, task pollTask) {
-	if s.pollers[pollerMoveStorage].IsSet() && task.AfterFinalize && task.TaskMoveStorage == nil {
+	if s.pollers[pollerMoveStorage].IsSet() && task.AfterFinalize && !task.AfterMoveStorage && task.TaskMoveStorage == nil {
 		s.pollers[pollerMoveStorage].Val(ctx)(func(id harmonytask.TaskID, tx *harmonydb.Tx) (shouldCommit bool, seriousError error) {
 			n, err := tx.Exec(`UPDATE sectors_sdr_pipeline SET task_id_move_storage = $1 WHERE sp_id = $2 AND sector_number = $3 and task_id_move_storage is null`, id, task.SpID, task.SectorNumber)
 			if err != nil {