diff --git a/app/models/concerns/taskable.rb b/app/models/concerns/taskable.rb
index 68385dc47eb..25e2d8ea24e 100644
--- a/app/models/concerns/taskable.rb
+++ b/app/models/concerns/taskable.rb
@@ -11,10 +11,10 @@ module Taskable
   INCOMPLETE   = 'incomplete'.freeze
   ITEM_PATTERN = /
     ^
-    \s*(?:[-+*]|(?:\d+\.))? # optional list prefix
-    \s*                     # optional whitespace prefix
-    (\[\s\]|\[[xX]\])       # checkbox
-    (\s.+)                  # followed by whitespace and some text.
+    \s*(?:[-+*]|(?:\d+\.)) # list prefix required - task item has to be always in a list
+    \s+                       # whitespace prefix has to be always presented for a list item
+    (\[\s\]|\[[xX]\])         # checkbox
+    (\s.+)                    # followed by whitespace and some text.
   /x
 
   def self.get_tasks(content)
diff --git a/changelogs/unreleased/26068_tasklist_issue.yml b/changelogs/unreleased/26068_tasklist_issue.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..c938351b8a7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelogs/unreleased/26068_tasklist_issue.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+---
+title: Don’t count tasks that are not defined as list items correctly
+merge_request: 8526
+author:
diff --git a/spec/support/taskable_shared_examples.rb b/spec/support/taskable_shared_examples.rb
index 1b6c33248c9..4056ff06b84 100644
--- a/spec/support/taskable_shared_examples.rb
+++ b/spec/support/taskable_shared_examples.rb
@@ -72,6 +72,25 @@ shared_examples 'a Taskable' do
     end
   end
 
+  describe 'with tasks that are not formatted correctly' do
+    before do
+      subject.description = <<-EOT.strip_heredoc
+        [ ] task 1
+        [ ] task 2
+
+        - [ ]task 1
+        -[ ] task 2
+      EOT
+    end
+
+    it 'returns the correct task status' do
+      expect(subject.task_status).to match('0 of')
+      expect(subject.task_status).to match('0 tasks completed')
+      expect(subject.task_status_short).to match('0/')
+      expect(subject.task_status_short).to match('0 task')
+    end
+  end
+
   describe 'with a complete task' do
     before do
       subject.description = <<-EOT.strip_heredoc