diff --git a/src/server/worker_task.rs b/src/server/worker_task.rs
index 73ce2bf5..797a7d0e 100644
--- a/src/server/worker_task.rs
+++ b/src/server/worker_task.rs
@@ -8,7 +8,6 @@ use futures::*;
 use std::sync::{Arc, Mutex};
 use std::collections::HashMap;
 use std::sync::atomic::{AtomicBool, AtomicUsize, Ordering, ATOMIC_USIZE_INIT};
-use serde_json::json;
 use std::io::{BufRead, BufReader};
 use std::fs::File;
 
@@ -101,41 +100,6 @@ impl std::fmt::Display for UPID {
     }
 }
 
-
-#[derive(Debug)]
-pub struct WorkerTaskInfo {
-    upid: UPID,
-    progress: f64, // 0..1
-    abort_requested: bool,
-}
-
-pub fn running_worker_tasks() -> Vec<WorkerTaskInfo> {
-
-    let mut list = vec![];
-
-    for (_task_id, worker) in WORKER_TASK_LIST.lock().unwrap().iter() {
-        let data = worker.data.lock().unwrap();
-        let info = WorkerTaskInfo {
-            upid: worker.upid.clone(),
-            progress: data.progress,
-            abort_requested: worker.abort_requested.load(Ordering::SeqCst),
-        };
-        list.push(info);
-    }
-
-    list
-}
-
-pub fn read_active_tasks() -> Result<(), Error> {
-
-    let data = tools::file_get_json(PROXMOX_BACKUP_ACTIVE_TASK_FN!(), Some(json!([])))?;
-
-    println!("GOT {:?}", data);
-
-
-    Ok(())
-}
-
 fn parse_worker_status_line(line: &str) -> Result<(String, UPID, Option<(i64, String)>), Error> {
 
     let data = line.splitn(3, ' ').collect::<Vec<&str>>();
@@ -152,6 +116,7 @@ fn parse_worker_status_line(line: &str) -> Result<(String, UPID, Option<(i64, St
     }
 }
 
+/// Returns the absolute path to the task log file
 pub fn upid_log_path(upid: &UPID) -> std::path::PathBuf {
     let mut path = std::path::PathBuf::from(PROXMOX_BACKUP_TASK_DIR!());
     path.push(format!("{:02X}", upid.pstart % 256));
@@ -187,7 +152,25 @@ fn upid_read_status(upid: &UPID) -> Result<String, Error> {
     Ok(status)
 }
 
-fn update_active_workers(new_upid: Option<&UPID>) -> Result<(), Error> {
+/// Task details including parsed UPID
+///
+/// If there is no `state`, the task is still running.
+#[derive(Debug)]
+pub struct TaskListInfo {
+    /// The parsed UPID
+    pub upid: UPID,
+    /// UPID string representation
+    pub upid_str: String,
+    /// Task `(endtime, status)` if already finished
+    ///
+    /// The `status` ise iether `unknown`, `OK`, or `ERROR: ...`
+    pub state: Option<(i64, String)>, // endtime, status
+}
+
+// atomically read/update the task list, update status of finished tasks
+// new_upid is added to the list when specified.
+// Returns a sorted list of known tasks,
+fn update_active_workers(new_upid: Option<&UPID>) -> Result<Vec<TaskListInfo>, Error> {
 
     let my_pid  = unsafe { libc::getpid() };
     let my_pid_stat = tools::procfs::read_proc_pid_stat(my_pid)?;
@@ -205,13 +188,6 @@ fn update_active_workers(new_upid: Option<&UPID>) -> Result<(), Error> {
         }
     };
 
-    #[derive(Debug)]
-    struct TaskListInfo {
-        upid: UPID,
-        upid_str: String,
-        state: Option<(i64, String)>, // endtime, status
-    };
-
     let mut active_list = vec![];
     let mut finish_list = vec![];
 
@@ -282,7 +258,9 @@ fn update_active_workers(new_upid: Option<&UPID>) -> Result<(), Error> {
         }
     }
 
-    let mut task_list: Vec<&TaskListInfo> = task_hash.values().collect();
+    let mut task_list: Vec<TaskListInfo> = vec![];
+    for (_, info) in task_hash { task_list.push(info); }
+
     task_list.sort_unstable_by(|a, b| {
         match (&a.state, &b.state) {
             (Some(s1), Some(s2)) => s1.0.cmp(&s2.0),
@@ -306,9 +284,15 @@ fn update_active_workers(new_upid: Option<&UPID>) -> Result<(), Error> {
 
     drop(lock);
 
-    Ok(())
+    Ok(task_list)
 }
 
+/// Returns a sorted list of known tasks
+///
+/// The list is sorted by `(starttime, endtime)` in ascending order
+pub fn read_task_list() -> Result<Vec<TaskListInfo>, Error> {
+    update_active_workers(None)
+}
 
 /// Launch long running worker tasks.
 ///