diff --git a/generatetask b/generatetask
index 02939be..2dfe6cf 100644
--- a/generatetask
+++ b/generatetask
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ taskl() {
 }
 
 check_active_task() {
-	taskcount="$(taskl | wc -l)"
+	taskcount="$(taskl +ACTIVE | wc -l)"
 
 	if test "$taskcount" -eq 0; then
 		return 1
@@ -23,3 +23,17 @@ pick_random_task_id() {
 	task_id="$(taskl | shuf | head -n 1)"
 	echo "$task_id"
 }
+
+generate_task() {
+	check_active_task &&
+		echo "Cannot generate task. You have active tasks." 1>&2 &&
+		return 1
+
+	task_id="$(pick_random_task_id)"
+	task rc.verbose:nothing "$task_id" start
+}
+
+name="$(basename "$0")"
+if test "$name" = "generatetask"; then
+	generate_task
+fi
diff --git a/tests/test_generatetask.sh b/tests/test_generatetask.sh
index d118688..1c1f03f 100644
--- a/tests/test_generatetask.sh
+++ b/tests/test_generatetask.sh
@@ -58,3 +58,22 @@ test_pick_random_task_id_picks_random_id() {
 
 	assert_equals "$expected" "$result"
 }
+
+test_generate_task_exits_1_if_task_active() {
+	fake check_active_task 'return 0'
+
+	generate_task
+
+	assert_equals "1" "$?"
+}
+
+test_generate_task_starts_random_task_if_no_task_active() {
+	fake check_active_task 'return 1'
+	fake pick_random_task_id 'printf 28'
+	fake task 'echo "task ${FAKE_PARAMS[@]}"'
+	expected="task rc.verbose:nothing 28 start"
+
+	result="$(generate_task)"
+
+	assert_equals "$expected" "$result"
+}