diff --git a/dask_expr/_merge.py b/dask_expr/_merge.py
index 9e35673a..0ff2208b 100644
--- a/dask_expr/_merge.py
+++ b/dask_expr/_merge.py
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 import operator
 
 import numpy as np
+from dask._task_spec import Task, TaskRef
 from dask.dataframe.dispatch import make_meta, meta_nonempty
 from dask.dataframe.multi import (
     _concat_wrapper,
@@ -638,10 +639,10 @@ def _layer(self) -> dict:
         transfer_keys_right = list()
         func = create_assign_index_merge_transfer()
         for i in range(self.left.npartitions):
-            transfer_keys_left.append((transfer_name_left, i))
-            dsk[(transfer_name_left, i)] = (
+            t = Task(
+                (transfer_name_left, i),
                 func,
-                (self.left._name, i),
+                TaskRef((self.left._name, i)),
                 self.shuffle_left_on,
                 _HASH_COLUMN_NAME,
                 self.npartitions,
@@ -651,11 +652,14 @@ def _layer(self) -> dict:
                 self._partitions,
                 self.left_index,
             )
+            dsk[t.key] = t
+            transfer_keys_left.append(t.ref())
+
         for i in range(self.right.npartitions):
-            transfer_keys_right.append((transfer_name_right, i))
-            dsk[(transfer_name_right, i)] = (
+            t = Task(
+                (transfer_name_right, i),
                 func,
-                (self.right._name, i),
+                TaskRef((self.right._name, i)),
                 self.shuffle_right_on,
                 _HASH_COLUMN_NAME,
                 self.npartitions,
@@ -665,22 +669,28 @@ def _layer(self) -> dict:
                 self._partitions,
                 self.right_index,
             )
+            dsk[t.key] = t
+            transfer_keys_right.append(t.ref())
+
+        barrier_left = Task(
+            _barrier_key_left, p2p_barrier, token_left, transfer_keys_left
+        )
+        dsk[barrier_left.key] = barrier_left
 
-        dsk[_barrier_key_left] = (p2p_barrier, token_left, transfer_keys_left)
-        dsk[_barrier_key_right] = (
-            p2p_barrier,
-            token_right,
-            transfer_keys_right,
+        barrier_right = Task(
+            _barrier_key_right, p2p_barrier, token_right, transfer_keys_right
         )
+        dsk[barrier_right.key] = barrier_right
 
         for part_out in self._partitions:
-            dsk[(self._name, part_out)] = (
+            t = Task(
+                (self._name, part_out),
                 merge_unpack,
                 token_left,
                 token_right,
                 part_out,
-                _barrier_key_left,
-                _barrier_key_right,
+                barrier_left.ref(),
+                barrier_right.ref(),
                 self.how,
                 self.left_on,
                 self.right_on,
@@ -690,6 +700,7 @@ def _layer(self) -> dict:
                 self.right_index,
                 self.indicator,
             )
+            dsk[t.key] = t
         return dsk
 
     def _simplify_up(self, parent, dependents):
diff --git a/dask_expr/_shuffle.py b/dask_expr/_shuffle.py
index ca51f6ba..a5795710 100644
--- a/dask_expr/_shuffle.py
+++ b/dask_expr/_shuffle.py
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 import pandas as pd
 import tlz as toolz
 from dask import compute
+from dask._task_spec import Task, TaskRef
 from dask.dataframe.core import _concat, make_meta
 from dask.dataframe.dispatch import is_categorical_dtype
 from dask.dataframe.shuffle import (
@@ -575,7 +576,6 @@ def _layer(self):
         token = self._name.split("-")[-1]
         _barrier_key = barrier_key(ShuffleId(token))
         name = "shuffle-transfer-" + token
-        transfer_keys = list()
 
         parts_out = (
             self._partitions if self._filtered else list(range(self.npartitions_out))
@@ -585,11 +585,12 @@ def _layer(self):
             set(self._partitions) if self._filtered else self.npartitions_out
         )
 
+        transfer_keys = list()
         for i in range(self.frame.npartitions):
-            transfer_keys.append((name, i))
-            dsk[(name, i)] = (
+            t = Task(
+                (name, i),
                 _shuffle_transfer,
-                (self.frame._name, i),
+                TaskRef((self.frame._name, i)),
                 token,
                 i,
                 self.npartitions_out,
@@ -599,18 +600,23 @@ def _layer(self):
                 True,
                 True,
             )
+            dsk[t.key] = t
+            transfer_keys.append(t.ref())
 
-        dsk[_barrier_key] = (p2p_barrier, token, transfer_keys)
+        barrier = Task(_barrier_key, p2p_barrier, token, transfer_keys)
+        dsk[barrier.key] = barrier
 
         # TODO: Decompose p2p Into transfer/barrier + unpack
         name = self._name
         for i, part_out in enumerate(parts_out):
-            dsk[(name, i)] = (
+            t = Task(
+                (name, i),
                 shuffle_unpack,
                 token,
                 part_out,
-                _barrier_key,
+                barrier.ref(),
             )
+            dsk[t.key] = t
         return dsk