Running 14.1.5 on a pixel with 7.1.1

Have set up various different desktops which are launched with tasker. Each desktop has its home key bound to return it to that desktop rather than the default. Most of the time though it seems to almost randomly decide that a desktop is the default (not reflected in the configure desktop settings) and home key will return it there instead of the one that the key is bound to. Is this some sort of 7.1.1 behaviour that cannot be overridden?

Have tried binding home key to a tasker task that then opens the correct desktop based on a variable but the home key still opens its randomly decided desktop first then a second press of the home key runs the tasker task.

Sometimes restarting the phone will reset the proper default desktop but not often.

It seems like 7.1.1 prioritises normal home key function first then secondarily whatever lightning launcher has assigned.

This setup had always worked flawlessly on older phones / versions.

Any help would be much appreciated. Thanks