A computer-implemented method comprises detecting, by a processor of a first host of one or more hosts in a distributed computing environment, a distributed task waiting to be started, from a replicated configuration system, the distributed task being represented by a pending tasks key. The method comprises starting, by the processor, the distributed task by performing an atomic compare and swap operation to add a started key to the replicated configuration system. The method also comprises writing a specification of the distributed task to the replicated configuration system under a new version of a current tasks key. In addition, the method comprises removing, following the writing, the pending tasks key from the replicated configuration system.