diff --git a/orca-core/src/main/java/com/netflix/spinnaker/orca/config/OrcaConfiguration.java b/orca-core/src/main/java/com/netflix/spinnaker/orca/config/OrcaConfiguration.java
index 668dcc61ee..671b5c06ea 100644
--- a/orca-core/src/main/java/com/netflix/spinnaker/orca/config/OrcaConfiguration.java
+++ b/orca-core/src/main/java/com/netflix/spinnaker/orca/config/OrcaConfiguration.java
@@ -173,6 +173,16 @@ public ThreadPoolTaskExecutor applicationEventTaskExecutor() {
     return threadPool;
   }
 
+  @Bean
+  public ThreadPoolTaskExecutor cancellableStageExecutor() {
+    ThreadPoolTaskExecutor threadPool = new ThreadPoolTaskExecutor();
+    threadPool.setThreadNamePrefix("cancel-");
+    threadPool.setCorePoolSize(5);
+    threadPool.setMaxPoolSize(10);
+    threadPool.setQueueCapacity(20);
+    return threadPool;
+  }
+
   @Bean
   public TaskScheduler taskScheduler() {
     ThreadPoolTaskScheduler scheduler = new ThreadPoolTaskScheduler();
diff --git a/orca-queue/src/main/kotlin/com/netflix/spinnaker/orca/q/handler/CancelStageHandler.kt b/orca-queue/src/main/kotlin/com/netflix/spinnaker/orca/q/handler/CancelStageHandler.kt
index 74eed4e9bf..0ff3286692 100644
--- a/orca-queue/src/main/kotlin/com/netflix/spinnaker/orca/q/handler/CancelStageHandler.kt
+++ b/orca-queue/src/main/kotlin/com/netflix/spinnaker/orca/q/handler/CancelStageHandler.kt
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ class CancelStageHandler(
   override val stageDefinitionBuilderFactory: StageDefinitionBuilderFactory,
   override val stageNavigator: StageNavigator,
 
-  @Qualifier("messageHandlerPool") private val executor: Executor,
+  @Qualifier("cancellableStageExecutor") private val executor: Executor,
   private val taskResolver: TaskResolver
 ) : OrcaMessageHandler<CancelStage>, StageBuilderAware, AuthenticationAware {