diff --git a/console-api/src/tasks.rs b/console-api/src/tasks.rs
index 3d62eb420..1955ba5a0 100644
--- a/console-api/src/tasks.rs
+++ b/console-api/src/tasks.rs
@@ -1 +1,17 @@
 tonic::include_proto!("rs.tokio.console.tasks");
+
+// === IDs ===
+
+impl From<u64> for TaskId {
+    fn from(id: u64) -> Self {
+        TaskId { id }
+    }
+}
+
+impl From<TaskId> for u64 {
+    fn from(id: TaskId) -> Self {
+        id.id
+    }
+}
+
+impl Copy for TaskId {}
diff --git a/console-subscriber/src/aggregator.rs b/console-subscriber/src/aggregator.rs
index 3ed0cf716..640963c24 100644
--- a/console-subscriber/src/aggregator.rs
+++ b/console-subscriber/src/aggregator.rs
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ use tokio::sync::{mpsc, Notify};
 
 use futures::FutureExt;
 use std::{
-    collections::HashMap,
+    collections::{hash_map::Entry, HashMap},
     convert::TryInto,
     ops::{Deref, DerefMut},
     sync::{
@@ -22,6 +22,8 @@ use hdrhistogram::{
     Histogram,
 };
 
+pub type TaskId = u64;
+
 pub(crate) struct Aggregator {
     /// Channel of incoming events emitted by `TaskLayer`s.
     events: mpsc::Receiver<Event>,
@@ -42,7 +44,7 @@ pub(crate) struct Aggregator {
     watchers: Vec<Watch<proto::tasks::TaskUpdate>>,
 
     /// Currently active RPCs streaming task details events, by task ID.
-    details_watchers: HashMap<span::Id, Vec<Watch<proto::tasks::TaskDetails>>>,
+    details_watchers: HashMap<TaskId, Vec<Watch<proto::tasks::TaskDetails>>>,
 
     /// *All* metadata for task spans and user-defined spans that we care about.
     ///
@@ -59,6 +61,12 @@ pub(crate) struct Aggregator {
 
     /// Map of task IDs to task stats.
     stats: TaskData<Stats>,
+
+    /// A counter for the pretty task IDs.
+    task_id_counter: TaskId,
+
+    /// A table that contains the span ID to pretty task ID mappings.
+    task_id_mappings: HashMap<span::Id, TaskId>,
 }
 
 #[derive(Debug)]
@@ -89,7 +97,7 @@ struct Stats {
 
 #[derive(Default)]
 struct TaskData<T> {
-    data: HashMap<span::Id, (T, bool)>,
+    data: HashMap<TaskId, (T, bool)>,
 }
 
 struct Task {
@@ -139,9 +147,11 @@ impl Aggregator {
             all_metadata: Vec::new(),
             new_metadata: Vec::new(),
             tasks: TaskData {
-                data: HashMap::<span::Id, (Task, bool)>::new(),
+                data: HashMap::<TaskId, (Task, bool)>::new(),
             },
             stats: TaskData::default(),
+            task_id_counter: 0,
+            task_id_mappings: HashMap::new(),
         }
     }
 
@@ -223,13 +233,13 @@ impl Aggregator {
         let new_tasks = self
             .tasks
             .all()
-            .map(|(id, task)| task.to_proto(id.clone()))
+            .map(|(&id, task)| task.to_proto(id))
             .collect();
         let now = SystemTime::now();
         let stats_update = self
             .stats
             .all()
-            .map(|(id, stats)| (id.into_u64(), stats.to_proto()))
+            .map(|(&id, stats)| (id, stats.to_proto()))
             .collect();
         // Send the initial state --- if this fails, the subscription is already dead
         if subscription.update(&proto::tasks::TaskUpdate {
@@ -256,8 +266,7 @@ impl Aggregator {
             buffer,
         } = watch_request;
         tracing::debug!(id = ?id, "new task details subscription");
-        let task_id: span::Id = id.into();
-        if let Some(stats) = self.stats.get(&task_id) {
+        if let Some(stats) = self.stats.get(&id) {
             let (tx, rx) = mpsc::channel(buffer);
             let subscription = Watch(tx);
             let now = SystemTime::now();
@@ -265,13 +274,13 @@ impl Aggregator {
             // Then send the initial state --- if this fails, the subscription is already dead.
             if stream_sender.send(rx).is_ok()
                 && subscription.update(&proto::tasks::TaskDetails {
-                    task_id: Some(task_id.clone().into()),
+                    task_id: Some(id.into()),
                     now: Some(now.into()),
                     poll_times_histogram: serialize_histogram(&stats.poll_times_histogram).ok(),
                 })
             {
                 self.details_watchers
-                    .entry(task_id)
+                    .entry(id)
                     .or_insert_with(Vec::new)
                     .push(subscription);
             }
@@ -294,13 +303,13 @@ impl Aggregator {
         let new_tasks = self
             .tasks
             .since_last_update()
-            .map(|(id, task)| task.to_proto(id.clone()))
+            .map(|(&id, task)| task.to_proto(id))
             .collect();
         let now = SystemTime::now();
         let stats_update = self
             .stats
             .since_last_update()
-            .map(|(id, stats)| (id.into_u64(), stats.to_proto()))
+            .map(|(&id, stats)| (id, stats.to_proto()))
             .collect();
 
         let update = proto::tasks::TaskUpdate {
@@ -315,10 +324,10 @@ impl Aggregator {
         let stats = &self.stats;
         // Assuming there are much fewer task details subscribers than there are
         // stats updates, iterate over `details_watchers` and compact the map.
-        self.details_watchers.retain(|id, watchers| {
-            if let Some(task_stats) = stats.get(id) {
+        self.details_watchers.retain(|&id, watchers| {
+            if let Some(task_stats) = stats.get(&id) {
                 let details = proto::tasks::TaskDetails {
-                    task_id: Some(id.clone().into()),
+                    task_id: Some(id.into()),
                     now: Some(now.into()),
                     poll_times_histogram: serialize_histogram(&task_stats.poll_times_histogram)
                         .ok(),
@@ -345,8 +354,9 @@ impl Aggregator {
                 at,
                 fields,
             } => {
+                let task_id = self.get_or_insert_task_id(id);
                 self.tasks.insert(
-                    id.clone(),
+                    task_id,
                     Task {
                         metadata,
                         fields,
@@ -354,7 +364,7 @@ impl Aggregator {
                     },
                 );
                 self.stats.insert(
-                    id,
+                    task_id,
                     Stats {
                         polls: 0,
                         created_at: Some(at),
@@ -363,7 +373,8 @@ impl Aggregator {
                 );
             }
             Event::Enter { id, at } => {
-                let mut stats = self.stats.update_or_default(id);
+                let task_id = self.get_or_insert_task_id(id);
+                let mut stats = self.stats.update_or_default(task_id);
                 if stats.current_polls == 0 {
                     stats.last_poll_started = Some(at);
                     if stats.first_poll == None {
@@ -375,7 +386,8 @@ impl Aggregator {
             }
 
             Event::Exit { id, at } => {
-                let mut stats = self.stats.update_or_default(id);
+                let task_id = self.get_or_insert_task_id(id);
+                let mut stats = self.stats.update_or_default(task_id);
                 stats.current_polls -= 1;
                 if stats.current_polls == 0 {
                     if let Some(last_poll_started) = stats.last_poll_started {
@@ -391,17 +403,19 @@ impl Aggregator {
             }
 
             Event::Close { id, at } => {
-                self.stats.update_or_default(id).closed_at = Some(at);
+                let task_id = self.get_or_insert_task_id(id);
+                self.stats.update_or_default(task_id).closed_at = Some(at);
             }
 
             Event::Waker { id, op, at } => {
+                let task_id = self.get_or_insert_task_id(id);
                 // It's possible for wakers to exist long after a task has
                 // finished. We don't want those cases to create a "new"
                 // task that isn't closed, just to insert some waker stats.
                 //
                 // It may be useful to eventually be able to report about
                 // "wasted" waker ops, but we'll leave that for another time.
-                if let Some(mut stats) = self.stats.update(&id) {
+                if let Some(mut stats) = self.stats.update(&task_id) {
                     match op {
                         WakeOp::Wake | WakeOp::WakeByRef => {
                             stats.wakes += 1;
@@ -431,6 +445,18 @@ impl Aggregator {
         }
     }
 
+    fn get_or_insert_task_id(&mut self, span_id: span::Id) -> TaskId {
+        match self.task_id_mappings.entry(span_id) {
+            Entry::Occupied(entry) => *entry.get(),
+            Entry::Vacant(entry) => {
+                let task_id = self.task_id_counter;
+                entry.insert(task_id);
+                self.task_id_counter = self.task_id_counter.wrapping_add(1);
+                task_id
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
     fn drop_closed_tasks(&mut self) {
         let tasks = &mut self.tasks;
         let stats = &mut self.stats;
@@ -510,22 +536,22 @@ impl Flush {
 }
 
 impl<T> TaskData<T> {
-    fn update_or_default(&mut self, id: span::Id) -> Updating<'_, T>
+    fn update_or_default(&mut self, id: TaskId) -> Updating<'_, T>
     where
         T: Default,
     {
         Updating(self.data.entry(id).or_default())
     }
 
-    fn update(&mut self, id: &span::Id) -> Option<Updating<'_, T>> {
+    fn update(&mut self, id: &TaskId) -> Option<Updating<'_, T>> {
         self.data.get_mut(id).map(Updating)
     }
 
-    fn insert(&mut self, id: span::Id, data: T) {
+    fn insert(&mut self, id: TaskId, data: T) {
         self.data.insert(id, (data, true));
     }
 
-    fn since_last_update(&mut self) -> impl Iterator<Item = (&span::Id, &mut T)> {
+    fn since_last_update(&mut self) -> impl Iterator<Item = (&TaskId, &mut T)> {
         self.data.iter_mut().filter_map(|(id, (data, dirty))| {
             if *dirty {
                 *dirty = false;
@@ -536,11 +562,11 @@ impl<T> TaskData<T> {
         })
     }
 
-    fn all(&self) -> impl Iterator<Item = (&span::Id, &T)> {
+    fn all(&self) -> impl Iterator<Item = (&TaskId, &T)> {
         self.data.iter().map(|(id, (data, _))| (id, data))
     }
 
-    fn get(&self, id: &span::Id) -> Option<&T> {
+    fn get(&self, id: &TaskId) -> Option<&T> {
         self.data.get(id).map(|(data, _)| data)
     }
 }
@@ -603,7 +629,7 @@ impl Stats {
 }
 
 impl Task {
-    fn to_proto(&self, id: span::Id) -> proto::tasks::Task {
+    fn to_proto(&self, id: u64) -> proto::tasks::Task {
         proto::tasks::Task {
             id: Some(id.into()),
             // TODO: more kinds of tasks...
diff --git a/console-subscriber/src/lib.rs b/console-subscriber/src/lib.rs
index 5bcce258a..c12ceaeb1 100644
--- a/console-subscriber/src/lib.rs
+++ b/console-subscriber/src/lib.rs
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 use console_api as proto;
-use proto::SpanId;
 use tokio::sync::{mpsc, oneshot};
 
 use std::{
@@ -26,6 +25,8 @@ use callsites::Callsites;
 
 pub use init::{build, init};
 
+use crate::aggregator::TaskId;
+
 pub struct TasksLayer {
     tx: mpsc::Sender<Event>,
     flush: Arc<aggregator::Flush>,
@@ -58,7 +59,7 @@ enum WatchKind {
 }
 
 struct WatchRequest<T> {
-    id: SpanId,
+    id: TaskId,
     stream_sender: oneshot::Sender<mpsc::Receiver<Result<T, tonic::Status>>>,
     buffer: usize,
 }
@@ -368,7 +369,7 @@ impl proto::tasks::tasks_server::Tasks for Server {
         // Check with the aggregator task to request a stream if the task exists.
         let (stream_sender, stream_recv) = oneshot::channel();
         permit.send(WatchKind::TaskDetail(WatchRequest {
-            id: task_id.clone(),
+            id: task_id.into(),
             stream_sender,
             buffer: self.client_buffer,
         }));
diff --git a/console/src/tasks.rs b/console/src/tasks.rs
index 0d357b955..8c689876b 100644
--- a/console/src/tasks.rs
+++ b/console/src/tasks.rs
@@ -38,7 +38,6 @@ pub(crate) type DetailsRef = Rc<RefCell<Option<Details>>>;
 #[derive(Debug)]
 pub(crate) struct Task {
     id: u64,
-    id_hex: String,
     fields: Vec<Field>,
     formatted_fields: Vec<Vec<Span<'static>>>,
     kind: &'static str,
@@ -191,7 +190,6 @@ impl State {
             let stats = stats_update.remove(&id)?.into();
             let mut task = Task {
                 id,
-                id_hex: format!("{:x}", id),
                 fields,
                 formatted_fields,
                 kind,
@@ -260,10 +258,6 @@ impl Task {
         self.id
     }
 
-    pub(crate) fn id_hex(&self) -> &str {
-        &self.id_hex
-    }
-
     pub(crate) fn target(&self) -> &str {
         &self.target
     }
diff --git a/console/src/view/task.rs b/console/src/view/task.rs
index 289f3723c..e37098b59 100644
--- a/console/src/view/task.rs
+++ b/console/src/view/task.rs
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ impl TaskView {
             Span::raw(" = quit"),
         ]);
 
-        let attrs = Spans::from(vec![bold("ID: "), Span::raw(task.id_hex())]);
+        let attrs = Spans::from(vec![bold("ID: "), Span::raw(task.id().to_string())]);
         let target = Spans::from(vec![bold("Target: "), Span::raw(task.target())]);
 
         let mut total = vec![bold("Total Time: "), dur(task.total(now))];
diff --git a/console/src/view/tasks.rs b/console/src/view/tasks.rs
index 185548af4..57f9e2c10 100644
--- a/console/src/view/tasks.rs
+++ b/console/src/view/tasks.rs
@@ -108,7 +108,7 @@ impl List {
                 let task = task.borrow();
 
                 let mut row = Row::new(vec![
-                    Cell::from(id_width.update_str(task.id_hex()).to_string()),
+                    Cell::from(id_width.update_str(task.id().to_string())),
                     // TODO(eliza): is there a way to write a `fmt::Debug` impl
                     // directly to tui without doing an allocation?
                     Cell::from(task.kind().to_string()),
diff --git a/proto/tasks.proto b/proto/tasks.proto
index d7e2acab5..47406f0ef 100644
--- a/proto/tasks.proto
+++ b/proto/tasks.proto
@@ -11,11 +11,15 @@ service Tasks {
     rpc WatchTaskDetails(DetailsRequest) returns (stream TaskDetails) {}
 }
 
+message TaskId {
+    uint64 id = 1;
+}
+
 message TasksRequest {
 }
 
 message DetailsRequest {
-    common.SpanId id = 1;
+    TaskId id = 1;
 }
 
 // A task state update.
@@ -52,7 +56,7 @@ message TaskUpdate {
 // A task details update
 message TaskDetails {
     // The task's ID which the details belong to.
-    common.SpanId task_id = 1;
+    TaskId task_id = 1;
 
     google.protobuf.Timestamp now = 2;
 
@@ -69,7 +73,7 @@ message Task {
     // identified by this ID; if the client requires additional information
     // included in the `Task` message, it should store that data and access it
     // by ID.
-    common.SpanId id = 1;
+    TaskId id = 1;
     // The numeric ID of the task's `Metadata`.
     //
     // This identifies the `Metadata` that describes the `tracing` span