diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index a70ce149fb..ff5a657655 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,5 +1,11 @@
 # Changelog
 
+## Unreleased
+
+- Allow calling a task of the root Taskfile from an included Taskfile
+  by prefixing it with `:`
+  ([#161](https://github.com/go-task/task/issues/161), [#172](https://github.com/go-task/task/issues/172)).
+
 ## v2.3.0 - 2019-01-02
 
 - On Windows, Task can now be installed using [Scoop](https://scoop.sh/)
diff --git a/docs/usage.md b/docs/usage.md
index 95483e1eba..2570c79105 100644
--- a/docs/usage.md
+++ b/docs/usage.md
@@ -298,6 +298,10 @@ tasks:
 
 The above syntax is also supported in `deps`.
 
+> NOTE: If you want to call a task declared in the root Taskfile from within an
+> [included Taskfile](#including-other-taskfiles), add a leading `:` like this:
+> `task: :task-name`.
+
 ## Prevent unnecessary work
 
 If a task generates something, you can inform Task the source and generated
diff --git a/internal/taskfile/task.go b/internal/taskfile/task.go
index 445d608a8d..e52d9a206b 100644
--- a/internal/taskfile/task.go
+++ b/internal/taskfile/task.go
@@ -49,14 +49,21 @@ func (t *Task) ApplyNamespace(taskName string, ns ...string) []*Task {
 	}
 	for _, cmd := range t.Cmds {
 		if cmd.Task != "" {
-			cmd.Task = strings.Join(append(ns, cmd.Task), NamespaceSeparator)
+			cmd.Task = taskWithNamespace(ns, cmd.Task)
 		}
 	}
 	for _, dep := range t.Deps {
 		if dep.Task != "" {
-			dep.Task = strings.Join(append(ns, dep.Task), NamespaceSeparator)
+			dep.Task = taskWithNamespace(ns, dep.Task)
 		}
 	}
-	t.Task = strings.Join(append(ns, taskName), NamespaceSeparator)
+	t.Task = taskWithNamespace(ns, taskName)
 	return append(tasks, t)
 }
+
+func taskWithNamespace(ns []string, taskName string) string {
+	if strings.HasPrefix(taskName, ":") {
+		return strings.TrimPrefix(taskName, ":")
+	}
+	return strings.Join(append(ns, taskName), NamespaceSeparator)
+}
diff --git a/task_test.go b/task_test.go
index 02f7b0ff86..76dcdb4685 100644
--- a/task_test.go
+++ b/task_test.go
@@ -511,3 +511,15 @@ func TestIncludesDependencies(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 	tt.Run(t)
 }
+
+func TestIncludesCallingRoot(t *testing.T) {
+	tt := fileContentTest{
+		Dir:       "testdata/includes_call_root_task",
+		Target:    "included:call-root",
+		TrimSpace: true,
+		Files: map[string]string{
+			"root_task.txt": "root task",
+		},
+	}
+	tt.Run(t)
+}
diff --git a/testdata/includes_call_root_task/.gitignore b/testdata/includes_call_root_task/.gitignore
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..2211df63dd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/testdata/includes_call_root_task/.gitignore
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+*.txt
diff --git a/testdata/includes_call_root_task/Taskfile.yml b/testdata/includes_call_root_task/Taskfile.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..41e60ad03e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/testdata/includes_call_root_task/Taskfile.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+version: '2'
+
+includes:
+  included: Taskfile2.yml
+
+tasks:
+  root-task:
+    cmds:
+      - echo "root task" > root_task.txt
diff --git a/testdata/includes_call_root_task/Taskfile2.yml b/testdata/includes_call_root_task/Taskfile2.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..99d5cb3a07
--- /dev/null
+++ b/testdata/includes_call_root_task/Taskfile2.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+version: '2'
+
+tasks:
+  call-root:
+    cmds:
+      - task: :root-task