diff --git a/rcljava/src/main/java/org/ros2/rcljava/action/ActionServerGoalHandle.java b/rcljava/src/main/java/org/ros2/rcljava/action/ActionServerGoalHandle.java
index aedf0dbe..11117437 100644
--- a/rcljava/src/main/java/org/ros2/rcljava/action/ActionServerGoalHandle.java
+++ b/rcljava/src/main/java/org/ros2/rcljava/action/ActionServerGoalHandle.java
@@ -40,6 +40,13 @@ public interface ActionServerGoalHandle<T extends ActionDefinition> extends Disp
    */
   public boolean isCanceling();
 
+  /**
+   * Transition the goal to the EXECUTING state.
+   *
+   * Pre-condition: the goal must be in the ACCEPTED state.
+   */
+  public void execute();
+
   /**
    * Transition the goal to the SUCCEEDED state.
    *
diff --git a/rcljava/src/main/java/org/ros2/rcljava/action/ActionServerImpl.java b/rcljava/src/main/java/org/ros2/rcljava/action/ActionServerImpl.java
index 8c883f25..b7e740c8 100644
--- a/rcljava/src/main/java/org/ros2/rcljava/action/ActionServerImpl.java
+++ b/rcljava/src/main/java/org/ros2/rcljava/action/ActionServerImpl.java
@@ -322,7 +322,8 @@ private ActionServerGoalHandle<T> executeGoalRequest(
     // Call user callback
     GoalCallback.GoalResponse response = this.goalCallback.handleGoal(requestMessage);
 
-    boolean accepted = GoalCallback.GoalResponse.ACCEPT == response;
+    boolean accepted = GoalCallback.GoalResponse.ACCEPT_AND_DEFER == response
+      || GoalCallback.GoalResponse.ACCEPT_AND_EXECUTE == response;
     responseMessage.accept(accepted);
 
     System.out.println("Goal request handled " + accepted);
@@ -334,6 +335,10 @@ private ActionServerGoalHandle<T> executeGoalRequest(
     GoalHandleImpl goalHandle = this.new GoalHandleImpl(
       this, goalInfo, requestMessage.getGoal());
     this.goalHandles.put(requestMessage.getGoalUuid(), goalHandle);
+    if (GoalCallback.GoalResponse.ACCEPT_AND_EXECUTE == response) {
+      goalHandle.execute();
+      this.acceptedCallback.accept(goalHandle);
+    }
     return goalHandle;
   }
 
@@ -467,9 +472,6 @@ public void execute() {
             this.handle, rmwRequestId,
             responseFromJavaConverterHandle, responseToJavaConverterHandle,
             responseDestructorHandle, responseMessage);
-          if (goalHandle != null) {
-            this.acceptedCallback.accept(goalHandle);
-          }
         }
       }
     }
diff --git a/rcljava/src/main/java/org/ros2/rcljava/action/GoalCallback.java b/rcljava/src/main/java/org/ros2/rcljava/action/GoalCallback.java
index afd017b0..a448ac82 100644
--- a/rcljava/src/main/java/org/ros2/rcljava/action/GoalCallback.java
+++ b/rcljava/src/main/java/org/ros2/rcljava/action/GoalCallback.java
@@ -20,7 +20,8 @@
 public interface GoalCallback<T extends GoalRequestDefinition> {
   public enum GoalResponse {
     REJECT,
-    ACCEPT,
+    ACCEPT_AND_EXECUTE,
+    ACCEPT_AND_DEFER,
   };
 
   /**
diff --git a/rcljava/src/main/java/org/ros2/rcljava/node/Node.java b/rcljava/src/main/java/org/ros2/rcljava/node/Node.java
index 63807a81..d1ba5d03 100644
--- a/rcljava/src/main/java/org/ros2/rcljava/node/Node.java
+++ b/rcljava/src/main/java/org/ros2/rcljava/node/Node.java
@@ -152,7 +152,7 @@ <T extends ServiceDefinition> Client<T> createClient(final Class<T> serviceType,
    * @param goalCallback The callback that will be called when the @{link ActionServer}
    *     receives a new goal request.
    * @param cancelCallback The callback that will be called when the @{link ActionServer}
-   *     receives a cancle request for an active goal.
+   *     receives a cancel request for an active goal.
    * @param acceptedCallback The callback that will be called when the @{link ActionServer}
    *     accepts a goal request.
    */
diff --git a/rcljava/src/test/java/org/ros2/rcljava/action/ActionServerTest.java b/rcljava/src/test/java/org/ros2/rcljava/action/ActionServerTest.java
index 36f004b9..a9f5d07f 100644
--- a/rcljava/src/test/java/org/ros2/rcljava/action/ActionServerTest.java
+++ b/rcljava/src/test/java/org/ros2/rcljava/action/ActionServerTest.java
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ class MockGoalCallback implements GoalCallback<test_msgs.action.Fibonacci.SendGo
     public test_msgs.action.Fibonacci_Goal goal;
     public GoalResponse handleGoal(test_msgs.action.Fibonacci.SendGoalRequest goal) {
       this.goal = goal.getGoal();
-      return GoalResponse.ACCEPT;
+      return GoalResponse.ACCEPT_AND_EXECUTE;
     }
   }