diff --git a/veans/internal/commands/claim.go b/veans/internal/commands/claim.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..312d366b7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/veans/internal/commands/claim.go
@@ -0,0 +1,79 @@
+package commands
+
+import (
+	"encoding/json"
+	"fmt"
+
+	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
+
+	"code.vikunja.io/veans/internal/client"
+	"code.vikunja.io/veans/internal/output"
+	"code.vikunja.io/veans/internal/status"
+)
+
+func newClaimCmd() *cobra.Command {
+	cmd := &cobra.Command{
+		Use:   "claim <id>",
+		Short: "Claim a task: assign the bot, move to In Progress, tag with branch",
+		Args:  cobra.ExactArgs(1),
+		RunE: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
+			rt, err := loadRuntime()
+			if err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
+			id, err := rt.resolveTaskID(cmd.Context(), args[0])
+			if err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
+
+			// Move to In Progress.
+			bid, err := status.BucketID(status.InProgress, rt.cfg.Buckets)
+			if err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
+			task, err := rt.client.UpdateTask(cmd.Context(), id, &client.Task{
+				ID:       id,
+				BucketID: bid,
+				Done:     false,
+			})
+			if err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
+
+			// Assign the bot. Idempotent on repeat — Vikunja returns 409 if
+			// already assigned, which we map to a soft-skip.
+			if err := rt.client.AddAssignee(cmd.Context(), id, rt.cfg.Bot.UserID); err != nil {
+				if oe, ok := err.(*output.Error); !ok || oe.Code != output.CodeConflict {
+					return err
+				}
+			}
+
+			// Tag with the current branch label, if there is one.
+			if branch := currentGitBranch(); branch != "" {
+				labelTitle := branchLabel(branch)
+				l, err := getOrCreateLabelByTitle(cmd.Context(), rt.client, labelTitle)
+				if err != nil {
+					return err
+				}
+				if err := rt.client.AddLabelToTask(cmd.Context(), id, l.ID); err != nil {
+					if oe, ok := err.(*output.Error); !ok || oe.Code != output.CodeConflict {
+						return err
+					}
+				}
+			}
+
+			fresh, err := rt.client.GetTask(cmd.Context(), id)
+			if err == nil {
+				task = fresh
+			}
+
+			if globals.JSON {
+				return json.NewEncoder(cmd.OutOrStdout()).Encode(task)
+			}
+			fmt.Fprintf(cmd.OutOrStdout(), "Claimed %s  %s\n",
+				rt.cfg.FormatTaskID(task.Index), task.Title)
+			return nil
+		},
+	}
+	return cmd
+}
diff --git a/veans/internal/commands/root.go b/veans/internal/commands/root.go
index ec3a2a225..29e603d7f 100644
--- a/veans/internal/commands/root.go
+++ b/veans/internal/commands/root.go
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ func Root(version string) *cobra.Command {
 	root.AddCommand(newShowCmd())
 	root.AddCommand(newCreateCmd())
 	root.AddCommand(newUpdateCmd())
+	root.AddCommand(newClaimCmd())
 
 	return root
 }