diff --git a/api-daemon/pvcapid/flaskapi.py b/api-daemon/pvcapid/flaskapi.py
index a40dd73a..8a85d608 100755
--- a/api-daemon/pvcapid/flaskapi.py
+++ b/api-daemon/pvcapid/flaskapi.py
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ from flask_restful import Resource, Api, reqparse, abort
 from celery import Celery
 from kombu import Queue
 from lxml.objectify import fromstring as lxml_fromstring
+from uuid import uuid4
 
 from daemon_lib.common import getPrimaryNode
 from daemon_lib.zkhandler import ZKConnection
@@ -102,6 +103,19 @@ def route_task(name, args, kwargs, options, task=None, **kw):
 
 app.config["CELERY_ROUTES"] = (route_task,)
 
+
+# Set up Celery task ID generator
+# WHY? We don't want to use UUIDs; they're too long and cumbersome. Instead, use a shorter partial UUID.
+def run_celery_task(task_def, **kwargs):
+    task_id = str(uuid4()).split("-")[0]
+    task = task_def.apply_async(
+        (),
+        kwargs,
+        task_id=task_id,
+    )
+    return task
+
+
 # Set up SQLAlchemy backend
 app.config["SQLALCHEMY_TRACK_MODIFICATIONS"] = False
 app.config["SQLALCHEMY_DATABASE_URI"] = "postgresql://{}:{}@{}:{}/{}".format(
@@ -2441,7 +2455,7 @@ class API_VM_Locks(Resource):
         else:
             return vm_node_detail, retcode
 
-        task = vm_flush_locks.delay(domain=vm, run_on=vm_node)
+        task = run_celery_task(vm_flush_locks, domain=vm, run_on=vm_node)
 
         return (
             {"task_id": task.id, "run_on": vm_node},
@@ -2576,7 +2590,7 @@ class API_VM_Device(Resource):
         else:
             return vm_node_detail, retcode
 
-        task = vm_device_attach.delay(domain=vm, xml=xml, run_on=vm_node)
+        task = run_celery_task(vm_device_attach, domain=vm, xml=xml, run_on=vm_node)
 
         return (
             {"task_id": task.id, "run_on": vm_node},
@@ -2630,7 +2644,7 @@ class API_VM_Device(Resource):
         else:
             return vm_node_detail, retcode
 
-        task = vm_device_detach.delay(domain=vm, xml=xml, run_on=vm_node)
+        task = run_celery_task(vm_device_detach, domain=vm, xml=xml, run_on=vm_node)
 
         return (
             {"task_id": task.id, "run_on": vm_node},
@@ -4386,7 +4400,9 @@ class API_Storage_Ceph_Benchmark(Resource):
                 "message": 'Pool "{}" is not valid.'.format(reqargs.get("pool"))
             }, 400
 
-        task = run_benchmark.delay(pool=reqargs.get("pool", None), run_on="primary")
+        task = run_celery_task(
+            run_benchmark, pool=reqargs.get("pool", None), run_on="primary"
+        )
         return (
             {"task_id": task.id, "run_on": get_primary_node()},
             202,
@@ -4506,7 +4522,9 @@ class API_Storage_Ceph_OSDDB_Root(Resource):
         """
         node = reqargs.get("node", None)
 
-        task = osd_add_db_vg.delay(device=reqargs.get("device", None), run_on=node)
+        task = run_celery_task(
+            osd_add_db_vg, device=reqargs.get("device", None), run_on=node
+        )
 
         return (
             {"task_id": task.id, "run_on": node},
@@ -4703,7 +4721,8 @@ class API_Storage_Ceph_OSD_Root(Resource):
         """
         node = reqargs.get("node", None)
 
-        task = osd_add.delay(
+        task = run_celery_task(
+            osd_add,
             device=reqargs.get("device", None),
             weight=reqargs.get("weight", None),
             ext_db_ratio=reqargs.get("ext_db_ratio", None),
@@ -4821,7 +4840,8 @@ class API_Storage_Ceph_OSD_Element(Resource):
         else:
             return osd_node_detail, retcode
 
-        task = osd_replace.delay(
+        task = run_celery_task(
+            osd_replace,
             osd_id=osdid,
             new_device=reqargs.get("new_device"),
             old_device=reqargs.get("old_device", None),
@@ -4878,7 +4898,8 @@ class API_Storage_Ceph_OSD_Element(Resource):
         else:
             return osd_node_detail, retcode
 
-        task = osd_refresh.delay(
+        task = run_celery_task(
+            osd_refresh,
             osd_id=osdid,
             device=reqargs.get("device", None),
             ext_db_flag=False,
@@ -4948,7 +4969,8 @@ class API_Storage_Ceph_OSD_Element(Resource):
         else:
             return osd_node_detail, retcode
 
-        task = osd_remove.delay(
+        task = run_celery_task(
+            osd_remove,
             osd_id=osdid,
             force_flag=reqargs.get("force", False),
             run_on=node,
@@ -8476,7 +8498,8 @@ class API_Provisioner_Create_Root(Resource):
         else:
             start_vm = False
 
-        task = create_vm.delay(
+        task = run_celery_task(
+            create_vm,
             vm_name=reqargs.get("name", None),
             profile_name=reqargs.get("profile", None),
             define_vm=define_vm,