diff --git a/src/export.php b/src/export.php
index 4ff7d04..091439f 100644
--- a/src/export.php
+++ b/src/export.php
@@ -24,22 +24,14 @@ if (!$listData) {
     die("No list found.");
 }
 
-$sqlSort = "ORDER BY compl ASC, ";
-if($listData['sorting'] == 1) $sqlSort .= "prio DESC, ddn ASC, duedate ASC, ow ASC";
-elseif($listData['sorting'] == 2) $sqlSort .= "ddn ASC, duedate ASC, prio DESC, ow ASC";
-else $sqlSort .= "ow ASC";
+$data = DBCore::defaultInstance()->getTasksByListId($listId, '', (int)$listData['sorting']);
 
-$data = array();
-$q = $db->dq("SELECT *, duedate IS NULL AS ddn FROM {$db->prefix}todolist WHERE list_id=$listId $sqlSort");
-while($r = $q->fetchAssoc())
-{
-    $data[] = $r;
+if (_get('format') == 'ical') {
+    printICal($listData, $data);
+}
+else {
+    printCSV($listData, $data);
 }
-
-$format = _get('format');
-
-if($format == 'ical') printICal($listData, $data);
-else printCSV($listData, $data);
 
 
 function printCSV(array $listData, array $data)
diff --git a/src/feed.php b/src/feed.php
index 0475fb1..ebe2d61 100644
--- a/src/feed.php
+++ b/src/feed.php
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ $feedType = _get('feed');
 
 if($feedType == 'completed') {
     $listData['_feed_descr'] = $lang->get('feed_completed_tasks');
-    fillData( $data, $listId, 'd_completed', 'AND compl=1' );
+    fillData( $data, $listId, 'd_completed', 'compl=1' );
 }
 elseif($feedType == 'modified') {
     $listData['_feed_descr'] = $lang->get('feed_modified_tasks');
@@ -40,13 +40,13 @@ elseif($feedType == 'modified') {
 }
 elseif($feedType == 'current') {
     $listData['_feed_descr'] = $lang->get('feed_new_tasks');
-    fillData( $data, $listId, 'd_created', 'AND compl=0' );
+    fillData( $data, $listId, 'd_created', 'compl=0' );
 }
 elseif($feedType == 'status') {
     $listData['_feed_descr'] = $lang->get('feed_tasks');
     fillData( $data, $listId, 'd_created', '' );
-    fillData( $data, $listId, 'd_edited', 'AND compl=0 AND d_edited > d_created' );
-    fillData( $data, $listId, 'd_completed', 'AND compl=1' );
+    fillData( $data, $listId, 'd_edited', 'compl=0 AND d_edited > d_created' );
+    fillData( $data, $listId, 'd_completed', 'compl=1' );
 }
 else {
     $listData['_feed_descr'] = $lang->get('feed_new_tasks');
@@ -64,15 +64,14 @@ printRss($data, $listData);
 
 function fillData(array &$data, int $listId, string $field, string $sqlWhere )
 {
+    $tasks = DBCore::defaultInstance()->getTasksByListId($listId, $sqlWhere, "$field DESC", 100);
     $lang = Lang::instance();
-    $db = DBConnection::instance();
-    $q = $db->dq("SELECT * FROM {$db->prefix}todolist WHERE list_id=$listId $sqlWhere ORDER BY $field DESC LIMIT 100");
-    while ($r = $q->fetchAssoc())
+    foreach ($tasks as $r)
     {
         if ($r['prio'] > 0) {
             $r['prio'] = '+'.$r['prio'];
         }
-        $a = array();
+        $a = array(); //for _descr
         $a[] = $lang->get('task'). ": ". $r['title'];
         if ($r['prio']) {
             $a[] = $lang->get('priority'). ": $r[prio]";
diff --git a/src/includes/api/TasksController.php b/src/includes/api/TasksController.php
index 0e726b9..9440e42 100644
--- a/src/includes/api/TasksController.php
+++ b/src/includes/api/TasksController.php
@@ -98,10 +98,14 @@ class TasksController extends ApiController {
         $t['total'] = 0;
         $t['list'] = array();
 
-        $q = $db->dq("SELECT todo.*, duedate IS NULL AS ddn
+        $q = $db->dq("
+            SELECT todo.*, todo.duedate IS NULL AS ddn, GROUP_CONCAT(tags.id) AS tags_ids, GROUP_CONCAT(tags.name) AS tags
             FROM {$db->prefix}todolist AS todo
+            LEFT JOIN {$db->prefix}tag2task AS t2t ON todo.id = t2t.task_id
+            LEFT JOIN {$db->prefix}tags AS tags ON t2t.tag_id = tags.id
             WHERE $sqlWhereListId $sqlWhere
-            GROUP BY todo.id $sqlSort");
+            GROUP BY todo.id $sqlSort
+        ");
 
         while ($r = $q->fetchAssoc())
         {
@@ -187,6 +191,11 @@ class TasksController extends ApiController {
         checkWriteAccess();
         $id = (int)$id;
 
+        if (!DBCore::defaultInstance()->taskExists($id)) {
+            $this->response->data = ['total' => 0];
+            return;
+        }
+
         $action = $this->req->jsonBody['action'] ?? '';
         switch ($action) {
             case 'edit':     $this->response->data = $this->editTask($id);     break;
@@ -258,14 +267,12 @@ class TasksController extends ApiController {
             $aTags = $this->prepareTags($tags);
             if ($aTags) {
                 $this->addTaskTags($id, $aTags['ids'], $listId);
-                $db->ex("UPDATE {$db->prefix}todolist SET tags=?,tags_ids=? WHERE id=$id", array(implode(',',$aTags['tags']), implode(',',$aTags['ids'])));
             }
         }
         $db->ex("COMMIT");
-        $r = $db->sqa("SELECT * FROM {$db->prefix}todolist WHERE id=$id");
-        $oo = $this->prepareTaskRow($r);
-        MTTNotificationCenter::postNotification(MTTNotification::didCreateTask, $oo);
-        $t['list'][] = $oo;
+        $task = $this->getTaskRowById($id);
+        MTTNotificationCenter::postNotification(MTTNotification::didCreateTask, $task);
+        $t['list'][] = $task;
         $t['total'] = 1;
         return $t;
     }
@@ -298,14 +305,12 @@ class TasksController extends ApiController {
             $aTags = $this->prepareTags($tags);
             if ($aTags) {
                 $this->addTaskTags($id, $aTags['ids'], $listId);
-                $db->ex("UPDATE {$db->prefix}todolist SET tags=?,tags_ids=? WHERE id=$id", array(implode(',',$aTags['tags']), implode(',',$aTags['ids'])));
             }
         }
         $db->ex("COMMIT");
-        $r = $db->sqa("SELECT * FROM {$db->prefix}todolist WHERE id=$id");
-        $oo = $this->prepareTaskRow($r);
-        MTTNotificationCenter::postNotification(MTTNotification::didCreateTask, $oo);
-        $t['list'][] = $oo;
+        $task = $this->getTaskRowById($id);
+        MTTNotificationCenter::postNotification(MTTNotification::didCreateTask, $task);
+        $t['list'][] = $task;
         $t['total'] = 1;
         return $t;
     }
@@ -329,31 +334,26 @@ class TasksController extends ApiController {
         $db->ex("BEGIN");
         $db->ex("DELETE FROM {$db->prefix}tag2task WHERE task_id=$id");
         $aTags = $this->prepareTags($tags);
-        if($aTags) {
-            $tags = implode(',', $aTags['tags']);
-            $tags_ids = implode(',',$aTags['ids']);
+        if ($aTags) {
             $this->addTaskTags($id, $aTags['ids'], $listId);
         }
-        $db->dq("UPDATE {$db->prefix}todolist SET title=?,note=?,prio=?,tags=?,tags_ids=?,duedate=?,d_edited=? WHERE id=$id",
-                array($title, $note, $prio, $tags, $tags_ids, $duedate, time()) );
+        $db->dq("UPDATE {$db->prefix}todolist SET title=?,note=?,prio=?,duedate=?,d_edited=? WHERE id=$id",
+                array($title, $note, $prio, $duedate, time()) );
         $db->ex("COMMIT");
-        $r = $db->sqa("SELECT * FROM {$db->prefix}todolist WHERE id=$id");
-        if ($r) {
-            $t['list'][] = $this->prepareTaskRow($r);
-            $t['total'] = 1;
-        }
+        $task = $this->getTaskRowById($id);
+        $t['list'][] = $task;
+        $t['total'] = 1;
         return $t;
     }
 
     private function moveTask(int $id): ?array
     {
-        $db = DBConnection::instance();
         $fromId = (int)($this->req->jsonBody['from'] ?? 0);
         $toId = (int)($this->req->jsonBody['to'] ?? 0);
         $result = $this->doMoveTask($id, $toId);
         $t = array('total' => $result ? 1 : 0);
-        if ($fromId == -1 && $result && $r = $db->sqa("SELECT * FROM {$db->prefix}todolist WHERE id=$id")) {
-            $t['list'][] = $this->prepareTaskRow($r);
+        if ($fromId == -1 && $result) {
+            $t['list'][] = $this->getTaskRowById($id);
         }
         return $t;
     }
@@ -392,8 +392,7 @@ class TasksController extends ApiController {
                     array($dateCompleted, $date) );
         $t = array();
         $t['total'] = 1;
-        $r = $db->sqa("SELECT * FROM {$db->prefix}todolist WHERE id=$id");
-        $t['list'][] = $this->prepareTaskRow($r);
+        $t['list'][] = $this->getTaskRowById($id);
         return $t;
     }
 
@@ -460,6 +459,15 @@ class TasksController extends ApiController {
         return $a;
     }
 
+    private function getTaskRowById(int $id): ?array
+    {
+        $r = DBCore::defaultInstance()->getTaskById($id);
+        if (!$r) {
+            throw new Exception("Failed to fetch task data");
+        }
+        return $this->prepareTaskRow($r);
+    }
+
     private function prepareTaskRow(array $r): array
     {
         $lang = Lang::instance();
@@ -487,7 +495,7 @@ class TasksController extends ApiController {
             'date' => htmlarray($dCreated),
             'dateInt' => (int)$r['d_created'],
             'dateFull' => htmlarray($dCreatedFull),
-            'dateInlineTitle' => htmlarray(sprintf($lang->get('taskdate_inline_created'), $dCreated)),
+            'dateInlineTitle' => htmlarray(sprintf($lang->get('taskdate_inline_created'), $dCreated)), //TODO: move preparing of *inlineTitle to js
             'dateEdited' => htmlarray($dEdited),
             'dateEditedInt' => (int)$r['d_edited'],
             'dateEditedFull' => htmlarray($dEditedFull),
@@ -501,8 +509,8 @@ class TasksController extends ApiController {
             'note' => noteMarkup($r['note']),
             'noteText' => (string)$r['note'],
             'ow' => (int)$r['ow'],
-            'tags' => htmlarray($r['tags']),
-            'tags_ids' => htmlarray($r['tags_ids']),
+            'tags' => htmlarray($r['tags'] ?? ''),
+            'tags_ids' => htmlarray($r['tags_ids'] ?? ''),
             'duedate' => htmlarray($dueA['formatted']),
             'dueClass' => $dueA['class'],
             'dueStr' => htmlarray($dueA['str']),
diff --git a/src/includes/class.dbcore.php b/src/includes/class.dbcore.php
index 8aaa47f..ef7581e 100644
--- a/src/includes/class.dbcore.php
+++ b/src/includes/class.dbcore.php
@@ -74,5 +74,84 @@ class DBCore
         return $listId;
     }
 
+
+    public function taskExists(int $id): bool
+    {
+        $db = $this->db;
+        $count = (int) $db->sq("SELECT COUNT(*) FROM {$db->prefix}todolist WHERE id = $id");
+        return ($count > 0) ? true : false;
+    }
+
+
+    public function getTaskById(int $id): ?array
+    {
+        $db = $this->db;
+        $r = $db->sqa("
+            SELECT todo.*, GROUP_CONCAT(tags.id) AS tags_ids, GROUP_CONCAT(tags.name) AS tags
+            FROM {$db->prefix}todolist AS todo
+            LEFT JOIN {$db->prefix}tag2task AS t2t ON todo.id = t2t.task_id
+            LEFT JOIN {$db->prefix}tags AS tags ON t2t.tag_id = tags.id
+            WHERE todo.id = $id
+        ");
+        return $r;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     *
+     * @param int $listId
+     * @param string $sqlWhere
+     * @param int|string $sort
+     * @param null|int $limit
+     * @return array
+     */
+    public function getTasksByListId(int $listId, string $sqlWhere, /* int|string */ $sort, ?int $limit = null): array
+    {
+        $db = $this->db;
+
+        if ($sqlWhere != '') {
+            $sqlWhere = "AND $sqlWhere";
+        }
+
+        $sqlSort = '';
+        if (is_int($sort)) {
+            $sqlSort = "ORDER BY compl ASC, ";
+            if ($sort == 1) $sqlSort .= "prio DESC, ddn ASC, duedate ASC, ow ASC";          // byPrio
+            elseif ($sort == 101) $sqlSort .= "prio ASC, ddn DESC, duedate DESC, ow DESC";  // byPrio (reverse)
+            elseif ($sort == 2) $sqlSort .= "ddn ASC, duedate ASC, prio DESC, ow ASC";      // byDueDate
+            elseif ($sort == 102) $sqlSort .= "ddn DESC, duedate DESC, prio ASC, ow DESC";  // byDueDate (reverse)
+            elseif ($sort == 3) $sqlSort .= "d_created ASC, prio DESC, ow ASC";             // byDateCreated
+            elseif ($sort == 103) $sqlSort .= "d_created DESC, prio ASC, ow DESC";          // byDateCreated (reverse)
+            elseif ($sort == 4) $sqlSort .= "d_edited ASC, prio DESC, ow ASC";              // byDateModified
+            elseif ($sort == 104) $sqlSort .= "d_edited DESC, prio ASC, ow DESC";           // byDateModified (reverse)
+            elseif ($sort == 5) $sqlSort .= "title ASC, prio DESC, ow ASC";                 // byTitle
+            elseif ($sort == 105) $sqlSort .= "title DESC, prio ASC, ow DESC";              // byTitle (reverse)
+            else $sqlSort .= "ow ASC";
+        }
+        else if ($sort != '') {
+            $sqlSort = "ORDER BY $sort";
+        }
+
+        $sqlLimit = '';
+        if (!is_null($limit)) {
+            $sqlLimit = "LIMIT $limit";
+        }
+
+        $q = $db->dq("
+            SELECT todo.*, todo.duedate IS NULL AS ddn, GROUP_CONCAT(tags.id) AS tags_ids, GROUP_CONCAT(tags.name) AS tags
+            FROM {$db->prefix}todolist AS todo
+            LEFT JOIN {$db->prefix}tag2task AS t2t ON todo.id = t2t.task_id
+            LEFT JOIN {$db->prefix}tags AS tags ON t2t.tag_id = tags.id
+            WHERE todo.list_id = $listId  $sqlWhere
+            GROUP BY todo.id
+            $sqlSort
+            $sqlLimit
+        ");
+
+        $data = array();
+        while ($r = $q->fetchAssoc()) {
+            $data[] = $r;
+        }
+        return $data;
+    }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/setup.php b/src/setup.php
index b7c72c9..51a854b 100644
--- a/src/setup.php
+++ b/src/setup.php
@@ -278,8 +278,6 @@ function createMysqlTables($db)
     `note` TEXT,
     `prio` TINYINT NOT NULL default 0,          /* priority -,0,+ */
     `ow` INT NOT NULL default 0,                /* order weight */
-    `tags` VARCHAR(600) NOT NULL default '',    /* for fast access to task tags */
-    `tags_ids` VARCHAR(250) NOT NULL default '', /* no more than 22 tags (x11 chars) */
     `duedate` DATE default NULL,
     PRIMARY KEY(`id`),
     KEY(`list_id`),
@@ -290,7 +288,7 @@ function createMysqlTables($db)
     $db->ex(
 "CREATE TABLE {$db->prefix}tags (
     `id` INT UNSIGNED NOT NULL auto_increment,
-    `name` VARCHAR(50) NOT NULL,
+    `name` VARCHAR(250) NOT NULL default '',
     PRIMARY KEY(`id`),
     UNIQUE KEY `name` (`name`)
 ) CHARSET=utf8mb4 COLLATE utf8mb4_unicode_ci ");
@@ -333,7 +331,7 @@ function createSqliteTables($db)
     id INTEGER PRIMARY KEY,
     uuid CHAR(36) NOT NULL,
     ow INTEGER NOT NULL default 0,
-    name VARCHAR(50) NOT NULL,
+    name VARCHAR(250) NOT NULL,
     d_created INTEGER UNSIGNED NOT NULL default 0,
     d_edited INTEGER UNSIGNED NOT NULL default 0,
     sorting TINYINT UNSIGNED NOT NULL default 0,
@@ -357,8 +355,6 @@ function createSqliteTables($db)
     note TEXT COLLATE UTF8CI default NULL,
     prio TINYINT NOT NULL default 0,
     ow INTEGER NOT NULL default 0,
-    tags VARCHAR(600) NOT NULL default '',
-    tags_ids VARCHAR(250) NOT NULL default '',
     duedate DATE default NULL
 ) ");
     $db->ex("CREATE INDEX todo_list_id ON {$db->prefix}todolist (list_id)");
@@ -422,6 +418,8 @@ function databaseVersion(Database_Abstract $db): string
     $v = '1.4';
     if ( !$db->tableExists($db->prefix.'settings') ) return $v;
     $v = '1.7';
+    if ( $db->tableFieldExists($db->prefix.'todolist', 'tags') ) return $v;
+    $v = '1.8';
     return $v;
 }
 
@@ -579,7 +577,7 @@ function update_14_17(Database_Abstract $db, $dbtype)
         $db->ex("ALTER TABLE {$db->prefix}lists ADD `extra` TEXT");
 
         # increase the length of list and tag name
-        # (not applicable to sqlite because it uses VARCHAR fields of eny length as TEXT)
+        # (not applicable to sqlite because it uses VARCHAR fields of any length as TEXT)
         $db->ex("ALTER TABLE {$db->prefix}todolist CHANGE `tags` `tags` VARCHAR(2000) NOT NULL default '' ");
         $db->ex("ALTER TABLE {$db->prefix}tags CHANGE `name` `name` VARCHAR(250) NOT NULL default '' ");
         $db->ex("ALTER TABLE {$db->prefix}lists CHANGE `name` `name` VARCHAR(250) NOT NULL default '' ");
@@ -653,7 +651,7 @@ function update_17_18(Database_Abstract $db, $dbtype)
 
     if ($dbtype == 'sqlite')
     {
-        // Use UTF8CI collate. Old sqlite does not support DROP COLUMN
+        // Use UTF8CI collate. Old sqlite does not support DROP COLUMN (before v3.35.0 2021-03-12)
         $db->ex("DROP INDEX todo_list_id");
         $db->ex("DROP INDEX todo_uuid");
         $db->ex("ALTER TABLE {$db->prefix}todolist RENAME TO {$db->prefix}todolist_old");
@@ -670,11 +668,9 @@ function update_17_18(Database_Abstract $db, $dbtype)
                 note TEXT COLLATE UTF8CI default NULL,
                 prio TINYINT NOT NULL default 0,
                 ow INTEGER NOT NULL default 0,
-                tags VARCHAR(600) NOT NULL default '',
-                tags_ids VARCHAR(250) NOT NULL default '',
                 duedate DATE default NULL )"
         );
-        $db->ex("INSERT INTO {$db->prefix}todolist SELECT * FROM {$db->prefix}todolist_old");
+        $db->ex("INSERT INTO {$db->prefix}todolist SELECT id,uuid,list_id,d_created,d_completed,d_edited,compl,title,note,prio,ow,duedate FROM {$db->prefix}todolist_old");
         $db->ex("CREATE INDEX todo_list_id ON {$db->prefix}todolist (list_id)");
         $db->ex("CREATE UNIQUE INDEX todo_uuid ON {$db->prefix}todolist (uuid)");
         $db->ex("DROP TABLE {$db->prefix}todolist_old");
@@ -684,12 +680,20 @@ function update_17_18(Database_Abstract $db, $dbtype)
         $db->ex(
             "CREATE TABLE {$db->prefix}tags (
                 id INTEGER PRIMARY KEY AUTOINCREMENT,
-                name VARCHAR(50) NOT NULL DEFAULT '' COLLATE UTF8CI )"
+                name VARCHAR(250) NOT NULL DEFAULT '' COLLATE UTF8CI )"
         );
         $db->ex("INSERT INTO {$db->prefix}tags SELECT * FROM {$db->prefix}tags_old");
         $db->ex("CREATE INDEX tags_name ON {$db->prefix}tags (name)");
         $db->ex("DROP TABLE {$db->prefix}tags_old");
     }
+    else // mysql
+    {
+        $db->ex("ALTER TABLE {$db->prefix}todolist DROP COLUMN tags");
+        $db->ex("ALTER TABLE {$db->prefix}todolist DROP COLUMN tags_ids");
+
+        // if mysql db was created in v1.7.x then tags.name field has length of 50 instead of 250
+        $db->ex("ALTER TABLE {$db->prefix}tags CHANGE `name` `name` VARCHAR(250) NOT NULL default '' ");
+    }
 
     $db->ex("COMMIT");