diff --git a/tubearchivist/api/README.md b/tubearchivist/api/README.md
index e2bed71..dada701 100644
--- a/tubearchivist/api/README.md
+++ b/tubearchivist/api/README.md
@@ -200,3 +200,16 @@ When valid returns message with user id:
     "user": 1
 }
 ```
+
+## Task View
+Start a background task
+POST /api/task/
+```json
+{
+    "run": "task_name"
+}
+```
+
+List of valid task names:
+- **download_pending**: Start the download queue
+- **rescan_pending**: Rescan your subscriptions
diff --git a/tubearchivist/api/src/task_processor.py b/tubearchivist/api/src/task_processor.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f13b953
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tubearchivist/api/src/task_processor.py
@@ -0,0 +1,54 @@
+"""
+Functionality:
+- process tasks from API
+- validate
+- handover to celery
+"""
+
+from home.src.ta.ta_redis import RedisArchivist
+from home.tasks import download_pending, update_subscribed
+
+
+class TaskHandler:
+    """handle tasks from api"""
+
+    def __init__(self, data):
+        self.data = data
+
+    def run_task(self):
+        """map data and run"""
+        task_name = self.data["run"]
+        try:
+            to_run = self.exec_map(task_name)
+        except KeyError as err:
+            print(f"invalid task name {task_name}")
+            raise ValueError from err
+
+        response = to_run()
+        response.update({"task": task_name})
+        return response
+
+    def exec_map(self, task_name):
+        """map dict key and return function to execute"""
+        exec_map = {
+            "download_pending": self._download_pending,
+            "rescan_pending": self._rescan_pending,
+        }
+
+        return exec_map[task_name]
+
+    @staticmethod
+    def _rescan_pending():
+        """look for new items in subscribed channels"""
+        print("rescan subscribed channels")
+        update_subscribed.delay()
+        return {"success": True}
+
+    @staticmethod
+    def _download_pending():
+        """start the download queue"""
+        print("download pending")
+        running = download_pending.delay()
+        print("set task id: " + running.id)
+        RedisArchivist().set_message("dl_queue_id", running.id, expire=False)
+        return {"success": True}
diff --git a/tubearchivist/api/urls.py b/tubearchivist/api/urls.py
index b19f5c7..e059f75 100644
--- a/tubearchivist/api/urls.py
+++ b/tubearchivist/api/urls.py
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ from api.views import (
     PlaylistApiListView,
     PlaylistApiVideoView,
     PlaylistApiView,
+    TaskApiView,
     VideoApiListView,
     VideoApiView,
     VideoProgressView,
@@ -81,4 +82,9 @@ urlpatterns = [
         DownloadApiView.as_view(),
         name="api-download",
     ),
+    path(
+        "task/",
+        TaskApiView.as_view(),
+        name="api-task",
+    ),
 ]
diff --git a/tubearchivist/api/views.py b/tubearchivist/api/views.py
index a92cf60..88b8a0e 100644
--- a/tubearchivist/api/views.py
+++ b/tubearchivist/api/views.py
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 """all API views"""
 
 from api.src.search_processor import SearchProcess
+from api.src.task_processor import TaskHandler
 from home.src.download.queue import PendingInteract
 from home.src.es.connect import ElasticWrap
 from home.src.index.generic import Pagination
@@ -446,3 +447,18 @@ class LoginApiView(ObtainAuthToken):
         print(f"returning token for user with id {user.pk}")
 
         return Response({"token": token.key, "user_id": user.pk})
+
+
+class TaskApiView(ApiBaseView):
+    """resolves to /api/task/
+    POST: start a new background task
+    """
+
+    def post(self, request):
+        """handle post request"""
+
+        data = request.data
+        print(data)
+        response = TaskHandler(data).run_task()
+
+        return Response(response)