diff --git a/src/hipercow/root.py b/src/hipercow/root.py
index 4857a94..6cfb8c3 100644
--- a/src/hipercow/root.py
+++ b/src/hipercow/root.py
@@ -28,6 +28,18 @@ def __init__(self, path: str | Path) -> None:
             raise Exception(msg)
         self.path = path
 
+    def path_task(self, task_id: str) -> Path:
+        return self.path / "tasks" / task_id[:2] / task_id[2:]
+
+    def path_task_times(self, task_id: str) -> Path:
+        return self.path_task(task_id) / "times"
+
+    def path_task_data(self, task_id: str) -> Path:
+        return self.path_task(task_id) / "data"
+
+    def path_task_result(self, task_id: str) -> Path:
+        return self.path_task(task_id) / "result"
+
 
 def open_root(path: None | str | Path = None) -> Root:
     root = find_file_descend("hipercow", path or Path.cwd())
diff --git a/src/hipercow/task.py b/src/hipercow/task.py
index e6891cc..c281de0 100644
--- a/src/hipercow/task.py
+++ b/src/hipercow/task.py
@@ -44,13 +44,13 @@ class TaskTimes:
     finished: float
 
     def write(self, root: Root, task_id: str):
-        with open(root.path / "tasks" / task_id / "times", "wb") as f:
+        with root.path_task_times(task_id).open("wb") as f:
             pickle.dump(self, f)
 
 
 def task_status(root: Root, task_id: str) -> TaskStatus:
     # check_task_id(task_id)
-    path = root.path / "tasks" / task_id
+    path = root.path_task(task_id)
     if not path.exists():
         return TaskStatus.MISSING
     for v, p in STATUS_FILE_MAP.items():
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ def task_status(root: Root, task_id: str) -> TaskStatus:
 
 
 def set_task_status(root: Root, task_id: str, status: TaskStatus):
-    file_create(root.path / "tasks" / task_id / STATUS_FILE_MAP[status])
+    file_create(root.path_task(task_id) / STATUS_FILE_MAP[status])
 
 
 @dataclass
@@ -80,12 +80,13 @@ def read(root: Root, task_id: str):
 
 
 def task_data_write(root: Root, data: TaskData) -> None:
-    path_task_dir = root.path / "tasks" / data.task_id
+    task_id = data.task_id
+    path_task_dir = root.path_task(task_id)
     path_task_dir.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
-    with open(path_task_dir / "data", "wb") as f:
+    with root.path_task_data(task_id).open("wb") as f:
         pickle.dump(data, f)
 
 
 def task_data_read(root: Root, task_id: str) -> TaskData:
-    with open(root.path / "tasks" / task_id / "data", "rb") as f:
+    with root.path_task_data(task_id).open("rb") as f:
         return pickle.load(f)
diff --git a/src/hipercow/task_eval.py b/src/hipercow/task_eval.py
index e256175..047bb73 100644
--- a/src/hipercow/task_eval.py
+++ b/src/hipercow/task_eval.py
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ def task_eval_data(root: Root, data: TaskData) -> None:
         msg = f"Can't run '{task_id}', which has status '{status}'"
         raise Exception(msg)
 
-    t_created = (root.path / "tasks" / task_id / "data").stat().st_ctime
+    t_created = root.path_task_data(task_id).stat().st_ctime
     t_start = time.time()
 
     set_task_status(root, task_id, TaskStatus.RUNNING)
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ def task_eval_data(root: Root, data: TaskData) -> None:
     t_end = time.time()
 
     status = TaskStatus.SUCCESS if res.success else TaskStatus.FAILURE
-    with open(root.path / "tasks" / task_id / "result", "wb") as f:
+    with root.path_task_result(task_id).open("wb") as f:
         pickle.dump(res.data, f)
 
     times = TaskTimes(t_created, t_start, t_end)
diff --git a/tests/test_create.py b/tests/test_create.py
index d6b0e2b..779b021 100644
--- a/tests/test_create.py
+++ b/tests/test_create.py
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ def test_create_simple_task(tmp_path):
     with transient_working_directory(tmp_path):
         tid = tc.task_create_shell(["echo", "hello world"])
     assert re.match("^[0-9a-f]{32}$", tid)
-    assert (tmp_path / "tasks" / tid / "data").exists()
+    assert (tmp_path / "tasks" / tid[:2] / tid[2:] / "data").exists()
     d = TaskData.read(root.open_root(tmp_path), tid)
     assert isinstance(d, TaskData)
     assert d.task_id == tid