diff --git a/internal/model/backlog.go b/internal/model/backlog.go
index c19db36e..a53da31a 100644
--- a/internal/model/backlog.go
+++ b/internal/model/backlog.go
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import (
 	"io"
 	"io/ioutil"
 	"sort"
+	"sync"
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/rs/zerolog/log"
@@ -17,6 +18,7 @@ import (
 // to-do list.
 type Backlog struct {
 	Tasks []Task
+	Mtx   sync.RWMutex
 }
 
 // A Task remains to be done (or dropped) but is not yet scheduled.
diff --git a/internal/ui/panes/tasks_pane.go b/internal/ui/panes/tasks_pane.go
index 90ba818c..ba2924e6 100644
--- a/internal/ui/panes/tasks_pane.go
+++ b/internal/ui/panes/tasks_pane.go
@@ -86,6 +86,9 @@ func (p *TasksPane) Draw() {
 
 	// draw tasks
 	func() {
+		p.backlog.Mtx.RLock()
+		defer p.backlog.Mtx.RUnlock()
+
 		yIter := y + 1
 		for _, task := range p.backlog.Tasks {
 			yIter += 1