diff --git a/packages/core/src/StateMachine.ts b/packages/core/src/StateMachine.ts
index e5dfc6cdca..299bacb8da 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/StateMachine.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/StateMachine.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import isDevelopment from '#is-development';
 import { assign } from './actions.ts';
+import { executeCancel } from './actions/cancel.ts';
 import { executeRaise } from './actions/raise.ts';
 import { executeSendTo } from './actions/send.ts';
 import { createEmptyActor } from './actors/index.ts';
@@ -661,6 +662,9 @@ export class StateMachine<
     actorScope.defer = (fn) => fn();
     try {
       switch (action.type) {
+        case 'xstate.cancel':
+          executeCancel(actorScope, action.params as any);
+          return;
         case 'xstate.raise':
           if (typeof (action as any).params.delay !== 'number') {
             return;
diff --git a/packages/core/src/actions/cancel.ts b/packages/core/src/actions/cancel.ts
index 96d36993ad..d0bcc79cb5 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/actions/cancel.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/actions/cancel.ts
@@ -32,7 +32,10 @@ function resolveCancel(
   return [snapshot, resolvedSendId];
 }
 
-function executeCancel(actorScope: AnyActorScope, resolvedSendId: string) {
+export function executeCancel(
+  actorScope: AnyActorScope,
+  resolvedSendId: string
+) {
   actorScope.defer(() => {
     actorScope.system.scheduler.cancel(actorScope.self, resolvedSendId);
   });
diff --git a/packages/core/src/types.ts b/packages/core/src/types.ts
index f7433276d8..1c13e74dc0 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/types.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/types.ts
@@ -2634,6 +2634,7 @@ export interface ExecutableSpawnAction extends ExecutableActionObject {
   };
 }
 
+// TODO: cover all that can be actually returned
 export type SpecialExecutableAction =
   | ExecutableSpawnAction
   | ExecutableRaiseAction
diff --git a/packages/core/test/transition.test.ts b/packages/core/test/transition.test.ts
index 522b7ace68..72e775423e 100644
--- a/packages/core/test/transition.test.ts
+++ b/packages/core/test/transition.test.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import { sleep } from '@xstate-repo/jest-utils';
 import {
   assign,
+  cancel,
   createActor,
   createMachine,
   enqueueActions,
@@ -244,6 +245,37 @@ describe('transition function', () => {
     await waitFor(actor, (s) => s.matches('b'));
   });
 
+  it('cancel action should be returned and can be executed', async () => {
+    const machine = createMachine({
+      initial: 'a',
+      states: {
+        a: {
+          entry: raise({ type: 'NEXT' }, { delay: 10, id: 'myRaise' }),
+          on: {
+            NEXT: {
+              target: 'b',
+              actions: cancel('myRaise')
+            }
+          }
+        },
+        b: {}
+      }
+    });
+
+    const [state] = initialTransition(machine);
+
+    expect(state.value).toEqual('a');
+
+    const [, actions] = transition(machine, state, { type: 'NEXT' });
+
+    actions.forEach((action) => {
+      machine.executeAction(action);
+    });
+
+    // TODO: tweak the assertion
+    expect(actions.map((a) => a.type)).toEqual({});
+  });
+
   // Copied from getSnapshot.test.ts
 
   it('should calculate the next snapshot for transition logic', () => {