diff --git a/src/pipecat/pipeline/base_task.py b/src/pipecat/pipeline/base_task.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..51971e8ce
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/pipecat/pipeline/base_task.py
@@ -0,0 +1,56 @@
+#
+# Copyright (c) 2024–2025, Daily
+#
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: BSD 2-Clause License
+#
+
+from abc import ABC, abstractmethod
+from typing import AsyncIterable, Iterable
+
+from pipecat.frames.frames import Frame
+
+
+class BaseTask(ABC):
+    @abstractmethod
+    def has_finished(self) -> bool:
+        """Indicates whether the tasks has finished. That is, all processors
+        have stopped.
+
+        """
+        pass
+
+    @abstractmethod
+    async def stop_when_done(self):
+        """This is a helper function that sends an EndFrame to the pipeline in
+        order to stop the task after everything in it has been processed.
+
+        """
+        pass
+
+    @abstractmethod
+    async def cancel(self):
+        """
+        Stops the running pipeline immediately.
+        """
+        pass
+
+    @abstractmethod
+    async def run(self):
+        """
+        Starts running the given pipeline.
+        """
+        pass
+
+    @abstractmethod
+    async def queue_frame(self, frame: Frame):
+        """
+        Queue a frame to be pushed down the pipeline.
+        """
+        pass
+
+    @abstractmethod
+    async def queue_frames(self, frames: Iterable[Frame] | AsyncIterable[Frame]):
+        """
+        Queues multiple frames to be pushed down the pipeline.
+        """
+        pass
diff --git a/src/pipecat/pipeline/task.py b/src/pipecat/pipeline/task.py
index b3cc1438e..82918c239 100644
--- a/src/pipecat/pipeline/task.py
+++ b/src/pipecat/pipeline/task.py
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ from pipecat.frames.frames import (
 from pipecat.metrics.metrics import ProcessingMetricsData, TTFBMetricsData
 from pipecat.observers.base_observer import BaseObserver
 from pipecat.pipeline.base_pipeline import BasePipeline
+from pipecat.pipeline.base_task import BaseTask
 from pipecat.pipeline.task_observer import TaskObserver
 from pipecat.processors.frame_processor import FrameDirection, FrameProcessor
 from pipecat.utils.utils import obj_count, obj_id
@@ -86,7 +87,7 @@ class Sink(FrameProcessor):
         await self._down_queue.put(frame)
 
 
-class PipelineTask:
+class PipelineTask(BaseTask):
     def __init__(
         self,
         pipeline: BasePipeline,
@@ -122,7 +123,7 @@ class PipelineTask:
 
         self._observer = TaskObserver(params.observers)
 
-    def has_finished(self):
+    def has_finished(self) -> bool:
         """Indicates whether the tasks has finished. That is, all processors
         have stopped.