diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 62dca55..b1b1eb9 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ Task management extension for the [pi coding agent](https://github.com/badlogic/
 
 ## Task backends
 
-By default, the extension auto-detects the first applicable backend. If none are applicable, it falls back to `todo-md`. Projects with a `.tq` directory use the `tq` backend for that session; otherwise `sq` remains the recommended default.
+By default, the extension auto-detects the first applicable backend. If none are applicable, it falls back to `todo-md`. Projects with a `.tq` directory use the `tq` backend for that session, and projects with a `ws.toml` (Windshift) use the `windshift` backend; otherwise `sq` remains the recommended default.
 
 For most setups, `sq` is recommended as the default backend. It is lightweight, works well in brand new directories, and can create its local data on demand. Install it from the [`sq` installation guide](https://github.com/DerekStride/sq?tab=readme-ov-file#installation).
 
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ For most setups, `sq` is recommended as the default backend. It is lightweight,
 - `tq` - Uses the `tq` cli to manage tasks in a `.tq/tasks.jsonl` file. Automatically preferred when a `.tq` directory is detected.
 - [beads](https://github.com/steveyegge/beads) - Uses the `bd` cli to manage tasks into a `.beads` directory containing multiple files.
 - `todo-md` - Creates or reads a `TODO.md` file with different sections to emulate priority.
+- `windshift` - Uses the `ws` cli to manage Windshift work items in the workspace configured by a `ws.toml`. Run `ws init` to connect a project. Tasks are work items keyed like `WI-123`; status changes map to workflow transitions. Comments, links, milestones, and pages are available through the `ws` cli directly. Priority editing requires a `ws` build that supports `ws priority ls`; older builds show priority read-only.
 
 ## Optional env vars:
 
@@ -51,3 +52,4 @@ For most setups, `sq` is recommended as the default backend. It is lightweight,
   - `tq`
   - `beads`
   - `todo-md`
+  - `windshift`
diff --git a/src/backend/adapters/windshift.ts b/src/backend/adapters/windshift.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..232e4e3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/backend/adapters/windshift.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,346 @@
+import type { ExtensionAPI } from "@mariozechner/pi-coding-agent"
+import { spawnSync } from "node:child_process"
+import { existsSync } from "node:fs"
+import { resolve } from "node:path"
+import type { Task, TaskStatus } from "../../models/task.ts"
+import type {
+  CreateTaskInput,
+  TaskAdapter,
+  TaskAdapterInitializer,
+  TaskSessionContextMessage,
+  TaskStatusMap,
+  TaskUpdate,
+} from "../api.ts"
+
+// Windshift is driven through the `ws` CLI, which reads its workspace + token
+// from `ws.toml` (project) or the global config. Every command supports
+// `-o json`, so this adapter shells out exactly like the sq/tq adapters do.
+const COMMAND = "ws"
+const WS_CONFIG_FILE = "ws.toml"
+const MAX_LIST_RESULTS = 100
+const DEFAULT_TASK_TYPE = "Task"
+
+// pi-tasks statuses map onto the `ws task move` aliases, which resolve the
+// underlying workflow transition (by alias, name, or id) for us.
+const STATUS_MAP = {
+  open: "open",
+  inProgress: "progress",
+  closed: "done",
+} satisfies TaskStatusMap
+
+const SESSION_CONTEXT_MESSAGE: TaskSessionContextMessage = {
+  customType: "pi-tasks-backend-context-windshift-v1",
+  content: [
+    "The pi-tasks extension is using the Windshift backend for this project,",
+    "backed by the `ws` CLI against the workspace configured in `ws.toml`.",
+    "Tasks are Windshift work items keyed like `WI-123`.",
+    "For anything beyond list/show/create/edit/status — comments, links,",
+    "milestones, pages, sub-tasks — use the `ws` CLI directly (for example",
+    "`ws task get WI-123`, `ws comment add`, `ws link add`).",
+  ].join(" "),
+}
+
+interface WsRef {
+  id: number
+  name: string
+}
+
+interface WsItem {
+  id: number
+  key: string
+  title?: string
+  description?: string
+  status?: WsRef
+  priority?: { id: number; name: string }
+  item_type?: WsRef
+  due_date?: string | null
+  created_at?: string
+  updated_at?: string
+}
+
+interface WsItemType {
+  id: number
+  name: string
+}
+
+interface WsPriority {
+  id: number
+  name: string
+  sort_order?: number
+}
+
+interface WsStatus {
+  id: number
+  name: string
+  category_name?: string
+  is_completed?: boolean
+}
+
+function parseJson(out: string, context: string): unknown {
+  try {
+    return JSON.parse(out)
+  } catch (error) {
+    const message = error instanceof Error ? error.message : String(error)
+    throw new Error(`Failed to parse ws ${context} output: ${message}`)
+  }
+}
+
+// `ws` list commands print a bare JSON array; tolerate a `{ data: [...] }`
+// envelope as well so the adapter is robust to output-shape tweaks.
+function asArray<T>(out: string, context: string): T[] {
+  const parsed = parseJson(out, context)
+  if (Array.isArray(parsed)) return parsed as T[]
+  if (parsed && typeof parsed === "object" && Array.isArray((parsed as { data?: unknown }).data)) {
+    return (parsed as { data: T[] }).data
+  }
+  throw new Error(`Expected a JSON array from ws ${context}`)
+}
+
+function asObject<T>(out: string, context: string): T {
+  const parsed = parseJson(out, context)
+  if (parsed && typeof parsed === "object" && !Array.isArray(parsed)) return parsed as T
+  throw new Error(`Expected a JSON object from ws ${context}`)
+}
+
+const FALLBACK_TASK_TYPES = ["Task", "Bug", "Story", "Epic", "Sub-task", "Initiative"]
+// Windshift's default priority catalog, highest-first. Used for the edit-form
+// toggle when the running `ws` can't enumerate priorities; per-task priority is
+// still displayed from the work item itself either way.
+const FALLBACK_PRIORITIES = ["Critical", "High", "Medium", "Low"]
+
+function classifyStatus(status: WsStatus): TaskStatus {
+  if (status.is_completed) return "closed"
+  if ((status.category_name ?? "").toLowerCase() === "in progress") return "inProgress"
+  return "open"
+}
+
+// Used when the status catalog is unavailable (reduced-scope token) or a status
+// name isn't in the catalog: classify by the name itself.
+function classifyStatusByName(name: string): TaskStatus {
+  const lower = name.toLowerCase()
+  if (/(in[\s_-]?progress|doing|started|review)/.test(lower)) return "inProgress"
+  if (/(done|closed|resolved|complete|completed|cancell?ed|shipped)/.test(lower)) return "closed"
+  if (/(block)/.test(lower)) return "blocked"
+  return "open"
+}
+
+// Put the default task type first (pi-tasks treats taskTypes[0] as the default),
+// then keep the remaining workspace item types in their configured order.
+function orderTaskTypes(names: string[]): string[] {
+  const ordered: string[] = []
+  const seen = new Set<string>()
+
+  const preferred = names.find(name => name.toLowerCase() === DEFAULT_TASK_TYPE.toLowerCase())
+  if (preferred) {
+    ordered.push(preferred)
+    seen.add(preferred)
+  }
+  for (const name of names) {
+    if (!seen.has(name)) {
+      ordered.push(name)
+      seen.add(name)
+    }
+  }
+
+  return ordered.length > 0 ? ordered : [DEFAULT_TASK_TYPE]
+}
+
+function taskStatusSortRank(status: TaskStatus): number {
+  if (status === "inProgress") return 0
+  if (status === "open") return 1
+  if (status === "blocked") return 2
+  return 3
+}
+
+function execSyncWs(args: string[]): string {
+  const result = spawnSync(COMMAND, args, { encoding: "utf8" })
+  if (result.error) throw result.error
+  if (result.status !== 0) {
+    const details = (result.stderr || result.stdout || "").trim()
+    throw new Error(details.length > 0 ? details : `ws ${args.join(" ")} failed`)
+  }
+  return result.stdout
+}
+
+function isApplicable(): boolean {
+  // Only auto-detect inside a Windshift-connected project. PI_TASKS_BACKEND can
+  // still force this adapter even without a ws.toml in the working directory.
+  if (!existsSync(resolve(process.cwd(), WS_CONFIG_FILE))) return false
+  const result = spawnSync(COMMAND, ["version"], { stdio: "ignore" })
+  return !result.error && result.status === 0
+}
+
+function initialize(pi: ExtensionAPI): TaskAdapter {
+  // Resolve workspace metadata once, synchronously, so the readonly taskTypes /
+  // status mapping are ready before the UI renders. `ws` scopes both lookups to
+  // the workspace configured in ws.toml. Degrade gracefully if a reduced-scope
+  // token can't read the type/status catalogs — the read paths still work.
+  const itemTypeIdByName = new Map<string, number>()
+  let taskTypes = FALLBACK_TASK_TYPES
+  try {
+    const itemTypes = asArray<WsItemType>(execSyncWs(["item-type", "ls", "-o", "json"]), "item-type ls")
+    for (const type of itemTypes) itemTypeIdByName.set(type.name.toLowerCase(), type.id)
+    taskTypes = orderTaskTypes(itemTypes.map(type => type.name))
+  } catch {
+    // keep fallback task types; create/edit will omit --type and use the
+    // workspace default item type.
+  }
+
+  const statusKindByName = new Map<string, TaskStatus>()
+  try {
+    const statuses = asArray<WsStatus>(execSyncWs(["status", "ls", "-o", "json"]), "status ls")
+    for (const status of statuses) statusKindByName.set(status.name.toLowerCase(), classifyStatus(status))
+  } catch {
+    // fall back to name-based status classification below.
+  }
+
+  // Priorities power the edit-form toggle (the host requires 3-5). The `ws` CLI
+  // has no priority-list command yet, so fall back to the default catalog; once
+  // `ws priority ls` exists this lights up priority editing automatically.
+  const priorityIdByName = new Map<string, number>()
+  let priorities = FALLBACK_PRIORITIES
+  try {
+    const rows = asArray<WsPriority>(execSyncWs(["priority", "ls", "-o", "json"]), "priority ls")
+    if (rows.length >= 3) {
+      for (const row of rows) priorityIdByName.set(row.name.toLowerCase(), row.id)
+      priorities = [...rows]
+        .sort((left, right) => (left.sort_order ?? 0) - (right.sort_order ?? 0))
+        .map(row => row.name)
+        .slice(0, 5)
+    }
+  } catch {
+    // keep the fallback catalog; priority editing is a no-op (display only).
+  }
+
+  function statusKind(name: string | undefined): TaskStatus {
+    if (!name) return "open"
+    return statusKindByName.get(name.toLowerCase()) ?? classifyStatusByName(name)
+  }
+
+  function resolveTypeId(taskType: string | undefined): number | undefined {
+    return itemTypeIdByName.get((taskType || DEFAULT_TASK_TYPE).toLowerCase())
+  }
+
+  function resolvePriorityId(priority: string | undefined): number | undefined {
+    return priority ? priorityIdByName.get(priority.toLowerCase()) : undefined
+  }
+
+  function toTask(item: WsItem): Task {
+    return {
+      ref: item.key,
+      id: item.key,
+      title: item.title?.trim() || item.key,
+      description: item.description ?? "",
+      status: statusKind(item.status?.name),
+      priority: item.priority?.name,
+      taskType: item.item_type?.name,
+      createdAt: item.created_at,
+      updatedAt: item.updated_at,
+      dueAt: item.due_date ?? undefined,
+    }
+  }
+
+  async function exec(args: string[], timeout = 30_000): Promise<string> {
+    const result = await pi.exec(COMMAND, args, { timeout })
+    if (result.code !== 0) {
+      const details = (result.stderr || result.stdout || "").trim()
+      throw new Error(details.length > 0 ? details : `ws ${args.join(" ")} failed (code ${result.code})`)
+    }
+    return result.stdout
+  }
+
+  return {
+    id: "windshift",
+    statusMap: STATUS_MAP,
+    taskTypes,
+    priorities,
+    sessionContextMessage: SESSION_CONTEXT_MESSAGE,
+
+    async list(): Promise<Task[]> {
+      const out = await exec(["task", "ls", "-s", "~done", "-o", "json"])
+      const items = asArray<WsItem>(out, "task ls").map(toTask)
+
+      return items
+        .sort((left, right) => {
+          const byStatus = taskStatusSortRank(left.status) - taskStatusSortRank(right.status)
+          if (byStatus !== 0) return byStatus
+          return left.ref.localeCompare(right.ref)
+        })
+        .slice(0, MAX_LIST_RESULTS)
+    },
+
+    async show(ref: string): Promise<Task> {
+      return toTask(asObject<WsItem>(await exec(["task", "get", ref, "-o", "json"]), `task get ${ref}`))
+    },
+
+    async update(ref: string, update: TaskUpdate): Promise<void> {
+      const editArgs = ["task", "edit", ref]
+      let hasEdit = false
+
+      if (update.title !== undefined) {
+        editArgs.push("-t", update.title.trim())
+        hasEdit = true
+      }
+      if (update.description !== undefined) {
+        editArgs.push("-d", update.description)
+        hasEdit = true
+      }
+      if (update.taskType !== undefined) {
+        const typeId = resolveTypeId(update.taskType)
+        if (typeId !== undefined) {
+          editArgs.push("--type", String(typeId))
+          hasEdit = true
+        }
+      }
+      if (update.priority !== undefined) {
+        // Only settable when the priority catalog could be resolved (see init);
+        // otherwise the change is dropped and priority stays display-only.
+        const priorityId = resolvePriorityId(update.priority)
+        if (priorityId !== undefined) {
+          editArgs.push("--priority", String(priorityId))
+          hasEdit = true
+        }
+      }
+
+      if (hasEdit) {
+        editArgs.push("-o", "json")
+        await exec(editArgs)
+      }
+
+      if (update.status !== undefined) {
+        const target = STATUS_MAP[update.status]
+        if (target) await exec(["task", "move", ref, target, "-o", "json"])
+      }
+    },
+
+    async create(input: CreateTaskInput): Promise<Task> {
+      const args = ["task", "create", "-t", input.title.trim()]
+      if (input.description) args.push("-d", input.description)
+
+      const typeId = resolveTypeId(input.taskType)
+      if (typeId !== undefined) args.push("--type", String(typeId))
+
+      const priorityId = resolvePriorityId(input.priority)
+      if (priorityId !== undefined) args.push("--priority", String(priorityId))
+
+      args.push("-o", "json")
+      const created = asObject<WsItem>(await exec(args), "task create")
+
+      if (input.status && input.status !== "open") {
+        const target = STATUS_MAP[input.status]
+        if (target) {
+          await exec(["task", "move", created.key, target, "-o", "json"])
+          return toTask(asObject<WsItem>(await exec(["task", "get", created.key, "-o", "json"]), `task get ${created.key}`))
+        }
+      }
+
+      return toTask(created)
+    },
+  }
+}
+
+export default {
+  id: "windshift",
+  isApplicable,
+  initialize,
+} satisfies TaskAdapterInitializer
diff --git a/src/backend/resolver.ts b/src/backend/resolver.ts
index 11556e0..71d8eb6 100644
--- a/src/backend/resolver.ts
+++ b/src/backend/resolver.ts
@@ -79,6 +79,12 @@ function lookup(): TaskAdapterInitializer {
   const tqAdapter = findAdapter("tq")
   if (tqAdapter?.isApplicable()) return tqAdapter
 
+  // A ws.toml is an unambiguous Windshift-project marker, so prefer the
+  // windshift adapter over backends that are merely globally installed
+  // (e.g. sq), the same way tq wins when a .tq directory is present.
+  const windshiftAdapter = findAdapter("windshift")
+  if (windshiftAdapter?.isApplicable()) return windshiftAdapter
+
   const detected = ADAPTER_INITIALIZERS.find(adapter => adapter.isApplicable())
   if (detected) return detected