diff --git a/src/babashka/main.clj b/src/babashka/main.clj
index 5973a71d..55a25b84 100644
--- a/src/babashka/main.clj
+++ b/src/babashka/main.clj
@@ -85,7 +85,10 @@
   (atom nil))
 
 (defn decode-task [task]
-  (let [task-key (first task)
+  (let [task (if (map? task)
+               (:task task)
+               task)
+        task-key (first task)
         args (rest task)
         maybe-opts (first args)]
     (if (map? maybe-opts)
@@ -158,7 +161,7 @@ Use -- to separate script command line args from bb command line args.
       (if-let [task (get-in @bb-edn [:tasks k])]
         (let [{:keys [:args]
                task-key :task} (decode-task task)]
-          (if-let [help-text (:help (meta task))]
+          (if-let [help-text (:help task)]
             [(println help-text) 0]
             (if-let [main (when (= :main task-key)
                             (first args))]
@@ -184,7 +187,7 @@ Use -- to separate script command line args from bb command line args.
     (println)
     (doseq [[k v] tasks]
       (println (str (format fmt k)
-                    (when-let [d (:description (meta v))]
+                    (when-let [d (:description v)]
                       (str " " d)))))
     (println)
     (println "Run bb :help <task> to view help of a specific task.")
diff --git a/test/babashka/bb_edn_test.clj b/test/babashka/bb_edn_test.clj
index 4419df27..db4f7241 100644
--- a/test/babashka/bb_edn_test.clj
+++ b/test/babashka/bb_edn_test.clj
@@ -106,30 +106,30 @@
 
 (deftest help-task-test
   (with-config {:tasks {:cool-task
-                        ^{:help "Usage: bb :cool-task
+                        {:help "Usage: bb :cool-task
 
                           Addition is a pretty advanced topic.  Let us start with the identity element
-                          0. ..."}
-                        [:babashka "-e" "(+ 1 2 3)"]}}
+                          0. ..."
+                         :task [:babashka "-e" "(+ 1 2 3)"]}}}
     (is (str/includes? (apply test-utils/bb nil
                               (map str [:help :cool-task]))
                        "Usage: bb :cool-task"))))
 
 (deftest list-tasks-test
   (with-config {:tasks {:task-1
-                        ^{:description "Return the sum of 1, 2 and 3."
-                          :help "Usage: bb :cool-task
+                        {:description "Return the sum of 1, 2 and 3."
+                         :help "Usage: bb :cool-task
 
 Addition is a pretty advanced topic.  Let us start with the identity element
 0. ..."}
-                        [:babashka "-e" "(+ 1 2 3)"]
+                        :task [:babashka "-e" "(+ 1 2 3)"]
                         :cool-task-2
-                        ^{:description "Return the sum of 4, 5 and 6."
+                        {:description "Return the sum of 4, 5 and 6."
                           :help "Usage: bb :cool-task
 
 Addition is a pretty advanced topic.  Let us start with the identity element
-0. ..."}
-                        [:babashka "-e" "(+ 4 5 6)"]}}
+0. ..."
+                         :task [:babashka "-e" "(+ 4 5 6)"]}}}
     (let [res (apply test-utils/bb nil
                      (map str [:tasks]))]
       (is (str/includes? res "The following tasks are available:"))