diff --git a/controllers/task.php b/controllers/task.php
index b022f37c8..e42d1eec0 100644
--- a/controllers/task.php
+++ b/controllers/task.php
@@ -13,15 +13,23 @@ class Task extends Base
             $this->response->text('Not Authorized', 401);
         }
 
+        $projectModel = new \Model\Project;
+        $defaultProject = $projectModel->getFirst();
+
         $values = array(
             'title' => $this->request->getStringParam('title'),
             'description' => $this->request->getStringParam('description'),
-            'color_id' => $this->request->getStringParam('color_id'),
-            'project_id' => $this->request->getIntegerParam('project_id'),
+            'color_id' => $this->request->getStringParam('color_id', 'blue'),
+            'project_id' => $this->request->getIntegerParam('project_id', $defaultProject['id']),
             'owner_id' => $this->request->getIntegerParam('owner_id'),
             'column_id' => $this->request->getIntegerParam('column_id'),
         );
 
+        if ($values['column_id'] == 0) {
+            $boardModel = new \Model\Board;
+            $values['column_id'] = $boardModel->getFirstColumn($values['project_id']);
+        }
+
         list($valid,) = $this->task->validateCreation($values);
 
         if ($valid && $this->task->create($values)) {
diff --git a/models/board.php b/models/board.php
index 66e6998f9..3142a7cc2 100644
--- a/models/board.php
+++ b/models/board.php
@@ -88,6 +88,12 @@ class Board extends Base
         return $columns;
     }
 
+    // Get first column id for a given project
+    public function getFirstColumn($project_id)
+    {
+        return $this->db->table(self::TABLE)->eq('project_id', $project_id)->asc('position')->findOneColumn('id');
+    }
+
     // Get list of columns
     public function getColumnsList($project_id)
     {
diff --git a/models/project.php b/models/project.php
index 7a0fb2b1e..b0c2b2ca9 100644
--- a/models/project.php
+++ b/models/project.php
@@ -16,6 +16,11 @@ class Project extends Base
         return $this->db->table(self::TABLE)->eq('id', $project_id)->findOne();
     }
 
+    public function getFirst()
+    {
+        return $this->db->table(self::TABLE)->findOne();
+    }
+
     public function getAll($fetch_stats = false)
     {
         if (! $fetch_stats) {