diff --git a/libs/WindowManager/Shell/src/com/android/wm/shell/windowdecor/CaptionWindowDecorViewModel.java b/libs/WindowManager/Shell/src/com/android/wm/shell/windowdecor/CaptionWindowDecorViewModel.java
index 476a7ec0fdc22..2981f5e160f6f 100644
--- a/libs/WindowManager/Shell/src/com/android/wm/shell/windowdecor/CaptionWindowDecorViewModel.java
+++ b/libs/WindowManager/Shell/src/com/android/wm/shell/windowdecor/CaptionWindowDecorViewModel.java
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ import com.android.wm.shell.ShellTaskOrganizer;
 import com.android.wm.shell.common.DisplayController;
 import com.android.wm.shell.common.SyncTransactionQueue;
 import com.android.wm.shell.freeform.FreeformTaskTransitionStarter;
+import com.android.wm.shell.transition.Transitions;
 
 /**
  * View model for the window decoration with a caption and shadows. Works with
@@ -65,6 +66,9 @@ public class CaptionWindowDecorViewModel implements WindowDecorViewModel {
         mTaskOrganizer = taskOrganizer;
         mDisplayController = displayController;
         mSyncQueue = syncQueue;
+        if (!Transitions.ENABLE_SHELL_TRANSITIONS) {
+            mTaskOperations = new TaskOperations(null, mContext, mSyncQueue);
+        }
     }
 
     @Override
diff --git a/libs/WindowManager/Shell/src/com/android/wm/shell/windowdecor/WindowDecorViewModel.java b/libs/WindowManager/Shell/src/com/android/wm/shell/windowdecor/WindowDecorViewModel.java
index 907977c661f8b..3734487e8f4b7 100644
--- a/libs/WindowManager/Shell/src/com/android/wm/shell/windowdecor/WindowDecorViewModel.java
+++ b/libs/WindowManager/Shell/src/com/android/wm/shell/windowdecor/WindowDecorViewModel.java
@@ -29,7 +29,8 @@ import com.android.wm.shell.freeform.FreeformTaskTransitionStarter;
  */
 public interface WindowDecorViewModel {
     /**
-     * Sets the transition starter that starts freeform task transitions.
+     * Sets the transition starter that starts freeform task transitions. Only called when
+     * {@link com.android.wm.shell.transition.Transitions#ENABLE_SHELL_TRANSITIONS} is {@code true}.
      *
      * @param transitionStarter the transition starter that starts freeform task transitions
      */