diff --git a/rclcpp/include/rclcpp/executor.hpp b/rclcpp/include/rclcpp/executor.hpp
index 23e4079cb3..837fb48c80 100644
--- a/rclcpp/include/rclcpp/executor.hpp
+++ b/rclcpp/include/rclcpp/executor.hpp
@@ -338,6 +338,10 @@ class Executor
   void
   get_next_timer(AnyExecutable & any_exec);
 
+  RCLCPP_PUBLIC
+  void
+  cache_ready_timers();
+
   RCLCPP_PUBLIC
   bool
   get_next_ready_executable(AnyExecutable & any_executable);
@@ -346,7 +350,8 @@ class Executor
   bool
   get_next_executable(
     AnyExecutable & any_executable,
-    std::chrono::nanoseconds timeout = std::chrono::nanoseconds(-1));
+    std::chrono::nanoseconds timeout = std::chrono::nanoseconds(-1),
+    bool allow_wait = true);
 
   /// Spinning state, used to prevent multi threaded calls to spin and to cancel blocking spins.
   std::atomic_bool spinning;
@@ -371,6 +376,7 @@ class Executor
 
   std::list<rclcpp::node_interfaces::NodeBaseInterface::WeakPtr> weak_nodes_;
   std::list<const rcl_guard_condition_t *> guard_conditions_;
+  std::list<rclcpp::TimerBase::SharedPtr> ready_timer_handles_;
 };
 
 }  // namespace executor
diff --git a/rclcpp/src/rclcpp/executor.cpp b/rclcpp/src/rclcpp/executor.cpp
index 00b04ebf01..9530effc64 100644
--- a/rclcpp/src/rclcpp/executor.cpp
+++ b/rclcpp/src/rclcpp/executor.cpp
@@ -234,13 +234,18 @@ Executor::spin_some(std::chrono::nanoseconds max_duration)
     throw std::runtime_error("spin_some() called while already spinning");
   }
   RCLCPP_SCOPE_EXIT(this->spinning.store(false); );
+  // during the first run only, the process is allowed to check for new work
+  bool allow_wait = true;
   while (spinning.load() && max_duration_not_elapsed()) {
     AnyExecutable any_exec;
-    if (get_next_executable(any_exec, std::chrono::milliseconds::zero())) {
+    if (get_next_executable(any_exec, std::chrono::milliseconds::zero(), allow_wait)) {
       execute_any_executable(any_exec);
     } else {
       break;
     }
+    // after the first run, remaining work may be performed,
+    // but new work may not be added
+    allow_wait = false;
   }
 }
 
@@ -431,6 +436,7 @@ Executor::wait_for_work(std::chrono::nanoseconds timeout)
     // Collect the subscriptions and timers to be waited on
     memory_strategy_->clear_handles();
     bool has_invalid_weak_nodes = memory_strategy_->collect_entities(weak_nodes_);
+    cache_ready_timers();
 
     // Clean up any invalid nodes, if they were detected
     if (has_invalid_weak_nodes) {
@@ -530,8 +536,9 @@ Executor::get_group_by_timer(rclcpp::TimerBase::SharedPtr timer)
 }
 
 void
-Executor::get_next_timer(AnyExecutable & any_exec)
+Executor::cache_ready_timers()
 {
+  ready_timer_handles_.clear();
   for (auto & weak_node : weak_nodes_) {
     auto node = weak_node.lock();
     if (!node) {
@@ -547,15 +554,24 @@ Executor::get_next_timer(AnyExecutable & any_exec)
           return timer->is_ready();
         });
       if (timer_ref) {
-        any_exec.timer = timer_ref;
-        any_exec.callback_group = group;
-        any_exec.node_base = node;
-        return;
+        ready_timer_handles_.push_back(timer_ref);
       }
     }
   }
 }
 
+void
+Executor::get_next_timer(AnyExecutable & any_exec)
+{
+  for (auto timer : ready_timer_handles_) {
+    any_exec.timer = timer;
+    any_exec.callback_group = get_group_by_timer(timer);
+    any_exec.node_base = get_node_by_group(any_exec.callback_group);
+    ready_timer_handles_.remove(timer);
+    return;
+  }
+}
+
 bool
 Executor::get_next_ready_executable(AnyExecutable & any_executable)
 {
@@ -589,7 +605,7 @@ Executor::get_next_ready_executable(AnyExecutable & any_executable)
 }
 
 bool
-Executor::get_next_executable(AnyExecutable & any_executable, std::chrono::nanoseconds timeout)
+Executor::get_next_executable(AnyExecutable & any_executable, std::chrono::nanoseconds timeout, bool allow_wait)
 {
   bool success = false;
   // Check to see if there are any subscriptions or timers needing service
@@ -598,7 +614,11 @@ Executor::get_next_executable(AnyExecutable & any_executable, std::chrono::nanos
   // If there are none
   if (!success) {
     // Wait for subscriptions or timers to work on
-    wait_for_work(timeout);
+    if (allow_wait) {
+      // In some cases, we may not want to wait for additional work, instead
+      // returning control to the caller
+      wait_for_work(timeout);
+    }
     if (!spinning.load()) {
       return false;
     }