diff --git a/examples/halt.rb b/examples/halt.rb
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..fa56a181
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/halt.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,71 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env ruby
+# frozen_string_literal: true
+
+require_relative 'example_helper'
+
+example_description = <<DESC
+
+  Halting example
+  ===================
+
+  This example shows, how halting works in Dynflow. It spawns a single action,
+  which in turn spawns a few evented actions and a single action which occupies
+  the executor for a long time.
+
+  Once the halt event is sent, the execution plan is halted, suspended steps
+  stay suspended forever, running steps stay running until they actually finish
+  the current run and the execution state is flipped over to stopped state.
+
+  You can see the details at #{ExampleHelper::DYNFLOW_URL}
+
+DESC
+
+class EventedCounter < Dynflow::Action
+  def run(event = nil)
+    output[:counter] ||= 0
+    output[:counter] += 1
+    action_logger.info "Iteration #{output[:counter]}"
+
+    if output[:counter] < input[:count]
+      plan_event(:tick, 5)
+      suspend
+    end
+    action_logger.info "Done"
+  end
+end
+
+class Sleeper < Dynflow::Action
+  def run
+    sleep input[:time]
+  end
+end
+
+class Wrapper < Dynflow::Action
+  def plan
+    sequence do
+      concurrence do
+        5.times { |i| plan_action(EventedCounter, :count => i + 1) }
+        plan_action Sleeper, :time => 20
+      end
+      plan_self
+    end
+  end
+
+  def run
+    # Noop
+  end
+end
+
+if $PROGRAM_NAME == __FILE__
+  puts example_description
+
+  ExampleHelper.world.action_logger.level = Logger::DEBUG
+  ExampleHelper.world
+  t = ExampleHelper.world.trigger(Wrapper)
+  Thread.new do
+    sleep 8
+    ExampleHelper.world.halt(t.id)
+  end
+
+  ExampleHelper.run_web_console
+end
diff --git a/lib/dynflow/coordinator.rb b/lib/dynflow/coordinator.rb
index 74aa64ae..56422771 100644
--- a/lib/dynflow/coordinator.rb
+++ b/lib/dynflow/coordinator.rb
@@ -266,6 +266,19 @@ def self.valid_classes
       end
     end
 
+    class ExecutionInhibitionLock < Lock
+      def initialize(execution_plan_id)
+        super
+        @data[:owner_id] = "execution-plan:#{execution_plan_id}"
+        @data[:execution_plan_id] = execution_plan_id
+        @data[:id] = self.class.lock_id(execution_plan_id)
+      end
+
+      def self.lock_id(execution_plan_id)
+        "execution-plan:#{execution_plan_id}"
+      end
+    end
+
     class ExecutionLock < LockByWorld
       def initialize(world, execution_plan_id, client_world_id, request_id)
         super(world)
diff --git a/lib/dynflow/director.rb b/lib/dynflow/director.rb
index 2e5fde18..45b813cb 100644
--- a/lib/dynflow/director.rb
+++ b/lib/dynflow/director.rb
@@ -246,8 +246,28 @@ def terminate
       end
     end
 
+    def halt(event)
+      halt_execution(event.execution_plan_id)
+    end
+
     private
 
+    def halt_execution(execution_plan_id)
+      manager = @execution_plan_managers[execution_plan_id]
+      @logger.warn "Halting execution plan #{execution_plan_id}"
+      return halt_inactive(execution_plan_id) unless manager
+
+      manager.halt
+      finish_manager manager
+    end
+
+    def halt_inactive(execution_plan_id)
+      plan = @world.persistence.load_execution_plan(execution_plan_id)
+      plan.update_state(:stopped)
+    rescue => e
+      @logger.error e
+    end
+
     def unless_done(manager, work_items)
       return [] unless manager
       if manager.done?
@@ -310,6 +330,14 @@ def track_execution_plan(execution_plan_id, finished)
           "cannot execute execution_plan_id:#{execution_plan_id} it's stopped"
       end
 
+      lock_class = Coordinator::ExecutionInhibitionLock
+      filters = { class: lock_class.to_s, owner_id: lock_class.lock_id(execution_plan_id) }
+      if @world.coordinator.find_records(filters).any?
+        halt_execution(execution_plan_id)
+        raise Dynflow::Error,
+          "cannot execute execution_plan_id:#{execution_plan_id} it's execution is inhibited"
+      end
+
       @execution_plan_managers[execution_plan_id] =
         ExecutionPlanManager.new(@world, execution_plan, finished)
     rescue Dynflow::Error => e
diff --git a/lib/dynflow/director/execution_plan_manager.rb b/lib/dynflow/director/execution_plan_manager.rb
index e729dc62..7bc638ab 100644
--- a/lib/dynflow/director/execution_plan_manager.rb
+++ b/lib/dynflow/director/execution_plan_manager.rb
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ def initialize(world, execution_plan, future)
         @execution_plan        = Type! execution_plan, ExecutionPlan
         @future                = Type! future, Concurrent::Promises::ResolvableFuture
         @running_steps_manager = RunningStepsManager.new(world)
+        @halted                = false
 
         unless [:planned, :paused].include? execution_plan.state
           raise "execution_plan is not in pending or paused state, it's #{execution_plan.state}"
@@ -25,6 +26,11 @@ def start
         start_run or start_finalize or finish
       end
 
+      def halt
+        @halted = true
+        @running_steps_manager.terminate
+      end
+
       def restart
         @run_manager = nil
         @finalize_manager = nil
@@ -72,7 +78,7 @@ def event(event)
       end
 
       def done?
-        (!@run_manager || @run_manager.done?) && (!@finalize_manager || @finalize_manager.done?)
+        @halted || (!@run_manager || @run_manager.done?) && (!@finalize_manager || @finalize_manager.done?)
       end
 
       def terminate
@@ -88,6 +94,7 @@ def update_steps(steps)
       def compute_next_from_step(step)
         raise "run manager not set" unless @run_manager
         raise "run manager already done" if @run_manager.done?
+        return [] if @halted
 
         next_steps = @run_manager.what_is_next(step)
         if @run_manager.done?
diff --git a/lib/dynflow/director/running_steps_manager.rb b/lib/dynflow/director/running_steps_manager.rb
index 11639678..25ee3f31 100644
--- a/lib/dynflow/director/running_steps_manager.rb
+++ b/lib/dynflow/director/running_steps_manager.rb
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ def initialize(world)
         # to handle potential updates of the step object (that is part of the event)
         @events        = QueueHash.new(Integer, Director::Event)
         @events_by_request_id = {}
+        @halted = false
       end
 
       def terminate
@@ -27,6 +28,10 @@ def terminate
         end
       end
 
+      def halt
+        @halted = true
+      end
+
       def add(step, work)
         Type! step, ExecutionPlan::Steps::RunStep
         @running_steps[step.id] = step
@@ -84,6 +89,10 @@ def event(event)
           event.result.reject UnprocessableEvent.new('step is not suspended, it cannot process events')
           return []
         end
+        if @halted
+          event.result.reject UnprocessableEvent.new('execution plan is halted, it cannot receive events')
+          return []
+        end
 
         can_run_event = @work_items.empty?(step.id)
         @events_by_request_id[event.request_id] = event
diff --git a/lib/dynflow/dispatcher.rb b/lib/dynflow/dispatcher.rb
index ab839ee1..403f3662 100644
--- a/lib/dynflow/dispatcher.rb
+++ b/lib/dynflow/dispatcher.rb
@@ -29,7 +29,11 @@ module Dispatcher
                 execution_plan_id: type { variants String, NilClass }
       end
 
-      variants Event, Execution, Ping, Status, Planning
+      Halt = type do
+        fields! execution_plan_id: String, optional: Algebrick::Types::Boolean
+      end
+
+      variants Event, Execution, Ping, Status, Planning, Halt
     end
 
     Response = Algebrick.type do
diff --git a/lib/dynflow/dispatcher/client_dispatcher.rb b/lib/dynflow/dispatcher/client_dispatcher.rb
index 8e7d6830..8a31ec96 100644
--- a/lib/dynflow/dispatcher/client_dispatcher.rb
+++ b/lib/dynflow/dispatcher/client_dispatcher.rb
@@ -141,6 +141,10 @@ def dispatch_request(request, client_world_id, request_id)
              ignore_unknown = event.optional
              find_executor(event.execution_plan_id)
            end),
+          (on ~Halt do |event|
+             executor = find_executor(event.execution_plan_id)
+             executor == Dispatcher::UnknownWorld ? AnyExecutor : executor
+           end),
           (on Ping.(~any, ~any) | Status.(~any, ~any) do |receiver_id, _|
              receiver_id
            end)
@@ -236,7 +240,7 @@ def resolve_tracked_request(id, error = nil)
             (on Execution.(execution_plan_id: ~any) do |uuid|
                @world.persistence.load_execution_plan(uuid)
              end),
-            (on Event | Ping do
+            (on Event | Ping | Halt do
                true
              end)
           @tracked_requests.delete(id).success! resolve_to
diff --git a/lib/dynflow/dispatcher/executor_dispatcher.rb b/lib/dynflow/dispatcher/executor_dispatcher.rb
index 9de38547..7061f12f 100644
--- a/lib/dynflow/dispatcher/executor_dispatcher.rb
+++ b/lib/dynflow/dispatcher/executor_dispatcher.rb
@@ -13,7 +13,8 @@ def handle_request(envelope)
           on(Planning) { perform_planning(envelope, envelope.message) },
           on(Execution) { perform_execution(envelope, envelope.message) },
           on(Event)     { perform_event(envelope, envelope.message) },
-          on(Status)    { get_execution_status(envelope, envelope.message) })
+          on(Status)    { get_execution_status(envelope, envelope.message) },
+          on(Halt)      { halt_execution_plan(envelope, envelope.message) })
       end
 
       protected
@@ -52,6 +53,11 @@ def when_done(plan, envelope, execution, execution_lock)
         end
       end
 
+      def halt_execution_plan(envelope, execution_plan_id)
+        @world.executor.halt execution_plan_id
+        respond(envelope, Done)
+      end
+
       def perform_event(envelope, event_request)
         future = on_finish do |f|
           f.then do
diff --git a/lib/dynflow/execution_plan.rb b/lib/dynflow/execution_plan.rb
index 971ff3fc..e2dd2513 100644
--- a/lib/dynflow/execution_plan.rb
+++ b/lib/dynflow/execution_plan.rb
@@ -133,7 +133,9 @@ def update_state(state, history_notice: :auto)
             telemetry_common_options.merge(:result => key.to_s))
         end
         hooks_to_run << key
+        world.persistence.delete_delayed_plans(:execution_plan_uuid => id) if delay_record && original == :scheduled
         unlock_all_singleton_locks!
+        unlock_execution_inhibition_lock!
       when :paused
         unlock_all_singleton_locks!
       else
@@ -566,6 +568,14 @@ def unlock_all_singleton_locks!
       end
     end
 
+    def unlock_execution_inhibition_lock!
+      filter = { :owner_id => 'execution-plan:' + self.id,
+                 :class => Dynflow::Coordinator::ExecutionInhibitionLock.to_s }
+      world.coordinator.find_locks(filter).each do |lock|
+        world.coordinator.release(lock)
+      end
+    end
+
     def toggle_telemetry_state(original, new)
       return if original == new
       @label = root_plan_step.action_class if @label.nil?
diff --git a/lib/dynflow/executors/abstract/core.rb b/lib/dynflow/executors/abstract/core.rb
index 5669e362..ff3fa7b2 100644
--- a/lib/dynflow/executors/abstract/core.rb
+++ b/lib/dynflow/executors/abstract/core.rb
@@ -66,6 +66,10 @@ def handle_persistence_error(error, work = nil)
           end
         end
 
+        def halt(execution_plan_id)
+          @director.halt execution_plan_id
+        end
+
         def start_termination(*args)
           logger.info 'shutting down Core ...'
           super
diff --git a/lib/dynflow/executors/parallel.rb b/lib/dynflow/executors/parallel.rb
index c9c26fd4..ba735cbb 100644
--- a/lib/dynflow/executors/parallel.rb
+++ b/lib/dynflow/executors/parallel.rb
@@ -57,6 +57,10 @@ def execution_status(execution_plan_id = nil)
         @core.ask!([:execution_status, execution_plan_id])
       end
 
+      def halt(execution_plan_id)
+        @core.tell([:halt, execution_plan_id])
+      end
+
       def initialized
         @core_initialized
       end
diff --git a/lib/dynflow/world.rb b/lib/dynflow/world.rb
index a99670c7..0f3b5f07 100644
--- a/lib/dynflow/world.rb
+++ b/lib/dynflow/world.rb
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 require 'dynflow/world/invalidation'
 
 module Dynflow
+  # rubocop:disable Metrics/ClassLength
   class World
     include Algebrick::TypeCheck
     include Algebrick::Matching
@@ -252,6 +253,11 @@ def get_execution_status(world_id, execution_plan_id, timeout, done = Concurrent
       publish_request(Dispatcher::Status[world_id, execution_plan_id], done, false, timeout)
     end
 
+    def halt(execution_plan_id, accepted = Concurrent::Promises.resolvable_future)
+      coordinator.acquire(Coordinator::ExecutionInhibitionLock.new(execution_plan_id))
+      publish_request(Dispatcher::Halt[execution_plan_id], accepted, false)
+    end
+
     def publish_request(request, done, wait_for_accepted, timeout = nil)
       accepted = Concurrent::Promises.resolvable_future
       accepted.rescue do |reason|
@@ -390,4 +396,5 @@ def spawn_and_wait(klass, name, *args)
       return actor
     end
   end
+  # rubocop:enable Metrics/ClassLength
 end
diff --git a/lib/dynflow/world/invalidation.rb b/lib/dynflow/world/invalidation.rb
index 069ed25b..8f1fd87b 100644
--- a/lib/dynflow/world/invalidation.rb
+++ b/lib/dynflow/world/invalidation.rb
@@ -29,12 +29,27 @@ def invalidate(world)
             end
           end
 
+          prune_execution_inhibition_locks!
+
           pruned = persistence.prune_envelopes(world.id)
           logger.error("Pruned #{pruned} envelopes for invalidated world #{world.id}") unless pruned.zero?
           coordinator.delete_world(world)
         end
       end
 
+      # Prunes execution inhibition locks which got somehow left behind.
+      # Any execution inhibition locks, which have their corresponding execution
+      # plan in stopped state, will be removed.
+      def prune_execution_inhibition_locks!
+        locks = coordinator.find_locks(class: Coordinator::ExecutionInhibitionLock.name)
+        uuids = locks.map { |lock| lock.data[:execution_plan_id] }
+        plan_uuids = persistence.find_execution_plans(filters: { uuid: uuids, state: 'stopped' }).map(&:id)
+
+        locks.select { |lock| plan_uuids.include? lock.data[:execution_plan_id] }.each do |lock|
+          coordinator.release(lock)
+        end
+      end
+
       def invalidate_planning_lock(planning_lock)
         with_valid_execution_plan_for_lock(planning_lock) do |plan|
           plan.steps.values.each { |step| invalidate_step step }
diff --git a/test/executor_test.rb b/test/executor_test.rb
index a5b48e90..3ade6400 100644
--- a/test/executor_test.rb
+++ b/test/executor_test.rb
@@ -718,6 +718,99 @@ def assert_next_steps(expected_next_step_ids, finished_step_id = nil, success =
           assert [world.terminate, world.terminate].map(&:value).all?
         end
       end
+
+      describe 'halting' do
+        include TestHelpers
+        let(:world) { WorldFactory.create_world }
+
+        it 'halts an execution plan with a suspended step' do
+          triggered = world.trigger(Support::DummyExample::PlanEventsAction, ping_time: 1)
+          plan = world.persistence.load_execution_plan(triggered.id)
+          wait_for do
+            plan = world.persistence.load_execution_plan(triggered.id)
+            plan.state == :running
+          end
+          world.halt(triggered.id)
+          wait_for('the execution plan to halt') do
+            plan = world.persistence.load_execution_plan(triggered.id)
+            plan.state == :stopped
+          end
+          _(plan.steps[2].state).must_equal :suspended
+        end
+
+        it 'halts a paused execution plan' do
+          triggered = world.trigger(Support::DummyExample::FailingDummy)
+          plan = world.persistence.load_execution_plan(triggered.id)
+          wait_for do
+            plan = world.persistence.load_execution_plan(triggered.id)
+            plan.state == :paused
+          end
+          world.halt(plan.id)
+          wait_for('the execution plan to halt') do
+            plan = world.persistence.load_execution_plan(triggered.id)
+            plan.state == :stopped
+          end
+          _(plan.steps[2].state).must_equal :error
+        end
+
+        it 'halts a planned execution plan' do
+          plan = world.plan(Support::DummyExample::Dummy)
+          wait_for do
+            plan = world.persistence.load_execution_plan(plan.id)
+            plan.state == :planned
+          end
+          world.halt(plan.id)
+          wait_for('the execution plan to halt') do
+            plan = world.persistence.load_execution_plan(plan.id)
+            plan.state == :stopped
+          end
+          _(plan.steps[2].state).must_equal :pending
+        end
+
+        it 'halts a scheduled execution plan' do
+          plan = world.delay(Support::DummyExample::Dummy, { start_at: Time.now + 120 })
+          wait_for do
+            plan = world.persistence.load_execution_plan(plan.id)
+            plan.state == :scheduled
+          end
+          world.halt(plan.id)
+          wait_for('the execution plan to halt') do
+            plan = world.persistence.load_execution_plan(plan.id)
+            plan.state == :stopped
+          end
+          _(plan.delay_record).must_be :nil?
+          _(plan.steps[1].state).must_equal :pending
+        end
+
+        it 'halts a pending execution plan' do
+          plan = ExecutionPlan.new(world, nil)
+          plan.save
+          world.halt(plan.id)
+          wait_for('the execution plan to halt') do
+            plan = world.persistence.load_execution_plan(plan.id)
+            plan.state == :stopped
+          end
+        end
+      end
+
+      describe 'execution inhibition locks' do
+        include TestHelpers
+        let(:world) { WorldFactory.create_world }
+
+        it 'inhibits execution' do
+          plan = world.plan(Support::DummyExample::Dummy)
+          world.coordinator.acquire(Coordinator::ExecutionInhibitionLock.new(plan.id))
+          triggered = world.execute(plan.id)
+          triggered.wait
+          _(triggered).must_be :rejected?
+
+          plan = world.persistence.load_execution_plan(plan.id)
+          _(plan.state).must_equal :stopped
+
+          locks = world.coordinator.find_locks({ class: Coordinator::ExecutionInhibitionLock.to_s, owner_id: "execution-plan:#{plan.id}" })
+          _(locks).must_be :empty?
+        end
+      end
     end
   end
 end