diff --git a/internal/util-logging/src/main/scala/sbt/internal/util/ConsoleAppender.scala b/internal/util-logging/src/main/scala/sbt/internal/util/ConsoleAppender.scala
index 7b533ef61..fb7d6be16 100644
--- a/internal/util-logging/src/main/scala/sbt/internal/util/ConsoleAppender.scala
+++ b/internal/util-logging/src/main/scala/sbt/internal/util/ConsoleAppender.scala
@@ -658,6 +658,7 @@ private[sbt] object ProgressState {
             }
           } else {
             pe.command.toSeq.flatMap { cmd =>
+              val tail = if (isWatch) Nil else "enter 'cancel' to stop evaluation" :: Nil
               s"sbt server is running '$cmd'" :: tail
             }
           }
diff --git a/main/src/main/scala/sbt/internal/CommandExchange.scala b/main/src/main/scala/sbt/internal/CommandExchange.scala
index cbabbb6a5..3d47351be 100644
--- a/main/src/main/scala/sbt/internal/CommandExchange.scala
+++ b/main/src/main/scala/sbt/internal/CommandExchange.scala
@@ -350,6 +350,15 @@ private[sbt] final class CommandExchange {
     commandQueue.add(exit)
     ()
   }
+  private[this] def cancel(e: Exec): Unit = {
+    if (e.commandLine.startsWith("console")) {
+      val terminal = Terminal.get
+      terminal.write(13, 13, 13, 4)
+      terminal.printStream.println("\nconsole session killed by remote sbt client")
+    } else {
+      Util.ignoreResult(NetworkChannel.cancel(e.execId, e.execId.getOrElse("0")))
+    }
+  }
 
   private[this] class MaintenanceThread
       extends Thread("sbt-command-exchange-maintenance")
diff --git a/main/src/main/scala/sbt/internal/server/NetworkChannel.scala b/main/src/main/scala/sbt/internal/server/NetworkChannel.scala
index 5a50b3016..ecf4e1caa 100644
--- a/main/src/main/scala/sbt/internal/server/NetworkChannel.scala
+++ b/main/src/main/scala/sbt/internal/server/NetworkChannel.scala
@@ -698,6 +698,40 @@ object NetworkChannel {
   case object SingleLine extends ChannelState
   case object InHeader extends ChannelState
   case object InBody extends ChannelState
+  private[sbt] def cancel(
+      execID: Option[String],
+      id: String
+  ): Either[String, String] = {
+
+    Option(EvaluateTask.currentlyRunningEngine.get) match {
+      case Some((state, runningEngine)) =>
+        val runningExecId = state.currentExecId.getOrElse("")
+
+        def checkId(): Boolean = {
+          if (runningExecId.startsWith("\u2668")) {
+            (
+              Try { id.toLong }.toOption,
+              Try { runningExecId.substring(1).toLong }.toOption
+            ) match {
+              case (Some(id), Some(eid)) => id == eid
+              case _                     => false
+            }
+          } else runningExecId == id
+        }
+
+        // direct comparison on strings and
+        // remove hotspring unicode added character for numbers
+        if (checkId) {
+          runningEngine.cancelAndShutdown()
+          Right(runningExecId)
+        } else {
+          Left("Task ID not matched")
+        }
+
+      case None =>
+        Left("No tasks under execution")
+    }
+  }
 
   private[sbt] val disconnect: Command =
     Command.arb { s =>