diff --git a/libs/WindowManager/Shell/src/com/android/wm/shell/desktopmode/DesktopModeController.java b/libs/WindowManager/Shell/src/com/android/wm/shell/desktopmode/DesktopModeController.java
index b96facf4c46e6..e4043e059cbc5 100644
--- a/libs/WindowManager/Shell/src/com/android/wm/shell/desktopmode/DesktopModeController.java
+++ b/libs/WindowManager/Shell/src/com/android/wm/shell/desktopmode/DesktopModeController.java
@@ -237,11 +237,23 @@ public class DesktopModeController implements RemoteCallable<DesktopModeControll
     @Override
     public WindowContainerTransaction handleRequest(@NonNull IBinder transition,
             @NonNull TransitionRequestInfo request) {
-
-        // Only do anything if we are in desktop mode and opening a task/app
-        if (!DesktopModeStatus.isActive(mContext) || request.getType() != TRANSIT_OPEN) {
+        // Only do anything if we are in desktop mode and opening a task/app in freeform
+        if (!DesktopModeStatus.isActive(mContext)) {
+            ProtoLog.d(WM_SHELL_DESKTOP_MODE,
+                    "skip shell transition request: desktop mode not active");
             return null;
         }
+        if (request.getType() != TRANSIT_OPEN) {
+            ProtoLog.d(WM_SHELL_DESKTOP_MODE,
+                    "skip shell transition request: only supports TRANSIT_OPEN");
+            return null;
+        }
+        if (request.getTriggerTask() == null
+                || request.getTriggerTask().getWindowingMode() != WINDOWING_MODE_FREEFORM) {
+            ProtoLog.d(WM_SHELL_DESKTOP_MODE, "skip shell transition request: not freeform task");
+            return null;
+        }
+        ProtoLog.d(WM_SHELL_DESKTOP_MODE, "handle shell transition request: %s", request);
 
         WindowContainerTransaction wct = mTransitions.dispatchRequest(transition, request, this);
         if (wct == null) {
diff --git a/libs/WindowManager/Shell/tests/unittest/src/com/android/wm/shell/desktopmode/DesktopModeControllerTest.java b/libs/WindowManager/Shell/tests/unittest/src/com/android/wm/shell/desktopmode/DesktopModeControllerTest.java
index c850a3b3b7803..79b520c734c84 100644
--- a/libs/WindowManager/Shell/tests/unittest/src/com/android/wm/shell/desktopmode/DesktopModeControllerTest.java
+++ b/libs/WindowManager/Shell/tests/unittest/src/com/android/wm/shell/desktopmode/DesktopModeControllerTest.java
@@ -20,6 +20,8 @@ import static android.app.WindowConfiguration.WINDOWING_MODE_FREEFORM;
 import static android.app.WindowConfiguration.WINDOWING_MODE_FULLSCREEN;
 import static android.app.WindowConfiguration.WINDOWING_MODE_UNDEFINED;
 import static android.app.WindowConfiguration.WINDOW_CONFIG_BOUNDS;
+import static android.view.WindowManager.TRANSIT_OPEN;
+import static android.view.WindowManager.TRANSIT_TO_FRONT;
 import static android.window.WindowContainerTransaction.HierarchyOp.HIERARCHY_OP_TYPE_REORDER;
 
 import static com.android.dx.mockito.inline.extended.ExtendedMockito.mockitoSession;
@@ -35,10 +37,12 @@ import static org.mockito.Mockito.verify;
 import static org.mockito.Mockito.when;
 
 import android.app.ActivityManager;
+import android.os.Binder;
 import android.os.Handler;
 import android.os.IBinder;
 import android.testing.AndroidTestingRunner;
 import android.window.DisplayAreaInfo;
+import android.window.TransitionRequestInfo;
 import android.window.WindowContainerToken;
 import android.window.WindowContainerTransaction;
 import android.window.WindowContainerTransaction.Change;
@@ -243,6 +247,44 @@ public class DesktopModeControllerTest extends ShellTestCase {
         assertThat(op2.getContainer()).isEqualTo(token2.binder());
     }
 
+    @Test
+    public void testHandleTransitionRequest_desktopModeNotActive_returnsNull() {
+        when(DesktopModeStatus.isActive(any())).thenReturn(false);
+        WindowContainerTransaction wct = mController.handleRequest(
+                new Binder(),
+                new TransitionRequestInfo(TRANSIT_OPEN, null /* trigger */, null /* remote */));
+        assertThat(wct).isNull();
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    public void testHandleTransitionRequest_notTransitOpen_returnsNull() {
+        WindowContainerTransaction wct = mController.handleRequest(
+                new Binder(),
+                new TransitionRequestInfo(TRANSIT_TO_FRONT, null /* trigger */, null /* remote */));
+        assertThat(wct).isNull();
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    public void testHandleTransitionRequest_notFreeform_returnsNull() {
+        ActivityManager.RunningTaskInfo trigger = new ActivityManager.RunningTaskInfo();
+        trigger.configuration.windowConfiguration.setWindowingMode(WINDOWING_MODE_FULLSCREEN);
+        WindowContainerTransaction wct = mController.handleRequest(
+                new Binder(),
+                new TransitionRequestInfo(TRANSIT_TO_FRONT, trigger, null /* remote */));
+        assertThat(wct).isNull();
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    public void testHandleTransitionRequest_returnsWct() {
+        ActivityManager.RunningTaskInfo trigger = new ActivityManager.RunningTaskInfo();
+        trigger.token = new MockToken().mToken;
+        trigger.configuration.windowConfiguration.setWindowingMode(WINDOWING_MODE_FREEFORM);
+        WindowContainerTransaction wct = mController.handleRequest(
+                mock(IBinder.class),
+                new TransitionRequestInfo(TRANSIT_OPEN, trigger, null /* remote */));
+        assertThat(wct).isNotNull();
+    }
+
     private static class MockToken {
         private final WindowContainerToken mToken;
         private final IBinder mBinder;