diff --git a/cluster-operator/src/main/java/io/strimzi/operator/cluster/operator/assembly/KafkaRebalanceAssemblyOperator.java b/cluster-operator/src/main/java/io/strimzi/operator/cluster/operator/assembly/KafkaRebalanceAssemblyOperator.java
index 212721f6736..616671b2b94 100644
--- a/cluster-operator/src/main/java/io/strimzi/operator/cluster/operator/assembly/KafkaRebalanceAssemblyOperator.java
+++ b/cluster-operator/src/main/java/io/strimzi/operator/cluster/operator/assembly/KafkaRebalanceAssemblyOperator.java
@@ -853,7 +853,7 @@ private Future<MapAndStatus<ConfigMap, KafkaRebalanceStatus>> onProposalReady(Re
                                                                       AbstractRebalanceOptions.AbstractRebalanceOptionsBuilder<?, ?> rebalanceOptionsBuilder) {
         if (Annotations.booleanAnnotation(kafkaRebalance, ANNO_STRIMZI_IO_REBALANCE_AUTOAPPROVAL, false)) {
             LOGGER.infoCr(reconciliation, "Auto-approval set on the KafkaRebalance resource");
-            return requestRebalance(reconciliation, host, apiClient, kafkaRebalance, false, rebalanceOptionsBuilder);
+            return requestRebalance(reconciliation, host, apiClient, kafkaRebalance, false, rebalanceOptionsBuilder, true);
         } else {
             KafkaRebalanceAnnotation rebalanceAnnotation = rebalanceAnnotation(kafkaRebalance);
             switch (rebalanceAnnotation) {
@@ -862,7 +862,7 @@ private Future<MapAndStatus<ConfigMap, KafkaRebalanceStatus>> onProposalReady(Re
                     return configMapOperator.getAsync(kafkaRebalance.getMetadata().getNamespace(), kafkaRebalance.getMetadata().getName()).compose(loadmap -> Future.succeededFuture(new MapAndStatus<>(loadmap, buildRebalanceStatusFromPreviousStatus(kafkaRebalance.getStatus(), StatusUtils.validate(reconciliation, kafkaRebalance)))));
                 case approve:
                     LOGGER.debugCr(reconciliation, "Annotation {}={}", ANNO_STRIMZI_IO_REBALANCE, KafkaRebalanceAnnotation.approve);
-                    return requestRebalance(reconciliation, host, apiClient, kafkaRebalance, false, rebalanceOptionsBuilder);
+                    return requestRebalance(reconciliation, host, apiClient, kafkaRebalance, false, rebalanceOptionsBuilder, true);
                 case refresh:
                     LOGGER.debugCr(reconciliation, "Annotation {}={}", ANNO_STRIMZI_IO_REBALANCE, KafkaRebalanceAnnotation.refresh);
                     return requestRebalance(reconciliation, host, apiClient, kafkaRebalance, true, rebalanceOptionsBuilder);
@@ -1110,22 +1110,33 @@ private boolean isKafkaClusterReady(Kafka kafka) {
                 && kafka.getStatus().getConditions().stream().anyMatch(condition -> condition.getType().equals("Ready") && condition.getStatus().equals("True"));
     }
 
+    private Future<MapAndStatus<ConfigMap, KafkaRebalanceStatus>> requestRebalance(Reconciliation reconciliation,
+                                                                                   String host, CruiseControlApi apiClient, KafkaRebalance kafkaRebalance,
+                                                                                   boolean dryrun, AbstractRebalanceOptions.AbstractRebalanceOptionsBuilder<?, ?> rebalanceOptionsBuilder,
+                                                                                   boolean stopOngoingExecution) {
+        return requestRebalance(reconciliation, host, apiClient, kafkaRebalance, dryrun, rebalanceOptionsBuilder, null, stopOngoingExecution);
+    }
+
     private Future<MapAndStatus<ConfigMap, KafkaRebalanceStatus>> requestRebalance(Reconciliation reconciliation,
                                                           String host, CruiseControlApi apiClient, KafkaRebalance kafkaRebalance,
                                                           boolean dryrun, AbstractRebalanceOptions.AbstractRebalanceOptionsBuilder<?, ?> rebalanceOptionsBuilder) {
-        return requestRebalance(reconciliation, host, apiClient, kafkaRebalance, dryrun, rebalanceOptionsBuilder, null);
+        return requestRebalance(reconciliation, host, apiClient, kafkaRebalance, dryrun, rebalanceOptionsBuilder, null, false);
     }
 
 
     private Future<MapAndStatus<ConfigMap, KafkaRebalanceStatus>> requestRebalance(Reconciliation reconciliation, String host, CruiseControlApi apiClient, KafkaRebalance kafkaRebalance,
                                                                                    boolean dryrun,
-                                                                                   AbstractRebalanceOptions.AbstractRebalanceOptionsBuilder<?, ?> rebalanceOptionsBuilder, String userTaskID) {
+                                                                                   AbstractRebalanceOptions.AbstractRebalanceOptionsBuilder<?, ?> rebalanceOptionsBuilder,
+                                                                                   String userTaskID, boolean stopOngoingExecution) {
 
-        LOGGER.infoCr(reconciliation, "Requesting Cruise Control rebalance [dryrun={}]", dryrun);
+        LOGGER.infoCr(reconciliation, "Requesting Cruise Control rebalance [dryrun={}] [stop_ongoing_execution={}]", dryrun, stopOngoingExecution);
         rebalanceOptionsBuilder.withVerboseResponse();
         if (!dryrun) {
             rebalanceOptionsBuilder.withFullRun();
         }
+        if (stopOngoingExecution) {
+            rebalanceOptionsBuilder.withStopOngoingExecution();
+        }
         // backward compatibility, no mode specified means "full"
         KafkaRebalanceMode mode = Optional.ofNullable(kafkaRebalance.getSpec())
                 .map(spec -> spec.getMode())
diff --git a/cluster-operator/src/main/java/io/strimzi/operator/cluster/operator/resource/cruisecontrol/AbstractRebalanceOptions.java b/cluster-operator/src/main/java/io/strimzi/operator/cluster/operator/resource/cruisecontrol/AbstractRebalanceOptions.java
index 2b072670dcc..e2d408fd22b 100644
--- a/cluster-operator/src/main/java/io/strimzi/operator/cluster/operator/resource/cruisecontrol/AbstractRebalanceOptions.java
+++ b/cluster-operator/src/main/java/io/strimzi/operator/cluster/operator/resource/cruisecontrol/AbstractRebalanceOptions.java
@@ -21,6 +21,8 @@ public abstract class AbstractRebalanceOptions {
     private final boolean skipHardGoalCheck;
     /** Sets whether the response should be JSON formatted or formatted for readability on the command line */
     private final boolean json;
+    /** Sets whether to stop the ongoing execution (if any) and start executing the given request. */
+    private final boolean stopOngoingExecution;
     /** A regular expression to specify topics that should not be considered for replica movement */
     private final String excludedTopics;
     /** The upper bound of ongoing replica movements going into/out of each broker */
@@ -67,6 +69,13 @@ public boolean isJson() {
         return json;
     }
 
+    /**
+     * @return  True if stopping the ongoing execution (if any) and starting executing the given request. False otherwise.
+     */
+    public boolean isStopOngoingExecution() {
+        return stopOngoingExecution;
+    }
+
     /**
      * @return  Excludes topics
      */
@@ -108,6 +117,7 @@ public List<String> getReplicaMovementStrategies() {
         this.verbose = builder.verbose;
         this.skipHardGoalCheck = builder.skipHardGoalCheck;
         this.json = builder.json;
+        this.stopOngoingExecution = builder.stopOngoingExecution;
         this.excludedTopics = builder.excludedTopics;
         this.concurrentPartitionMovementsPerBroker = builder.concurrentPartitionMovementsPerBroker;
         this.concurrentLeaderMovements = builder.concurrentLeaderMovements;
@@ -127,6 +137,7 @@ public abstract static class AbstractRebalanceOptionsBuilder<B extends AbstractR
         private boolean verbose;
         private boolean skipHardGoalCheck;
         private boolean json;
+        private boolean stopOngoingExecution;
         private String excludedTopics;
         private int concurrentPartitionMovementsPerBroker;
         private int concurrentLeaderMovements;
@@ -138,6 +149,7 @@ public abstract static class AbstractRebalanceOptionsBuilder<B extends AbstractR
             goals = null;
             verbose = false;
             skipHardGoalCheck = false;
+            stopOngoingExecution = false;
             json = true;
             excludedTopics = null;
             concurrentPartitionMovementsPerBroker = 0;
@@ -183,6 +195,16 @@ public B withSkipHardGoalCheck() {
             return self();
         }
 
+        /**
+         * Stop the ongoing execution (if any) and start executing the given request
+         *
+         * @return  Instance of this builder
+         */
+        public B withStopOngoingExecution() {
+            this.stopOngoingExecution = true;
+            return self();
+        }
+
         /**
          * Set rebalance goals
          *
diff --git a/cluster-operator/src/main/java/io/strimzi/operator/cluster/operator/resource/cruisecontrol/PathBuilder.java b/cluster-operator/src/main/java/io/strimzi/operator/cluster/operator/resource/cruisecontrol/PathBuilder.java
index b4aace81484..8abf12ab37b 100644
--- a/cluster-operator/src/main/java/io/strimzi/operator/cluster/operator/resource/cruisecontrol/PathBuilder.java
+++ b/cluster-operator/src/main/java/io/strimzi/operator/cluster/operator/resource/cruisecontrol/PathBuilder.java
@@ -101,7 +101,8 @@ private PathBuilder withAbstractRebalanceParameters(AbstractRebalanceOptions opt
         if (options != null) {
             PathBuilder builder = withParameter(CruiseControlParameters.DRY_RUN, String.valueOf(options.isDryRun()))
                     .withParameter(CruiseControlParameters.VERBOSE, String.valueOf(options.isVerbose()))
-                    .withParameter(CruiseControlParameters.SKIP_HARD_GOAL_CHECK, String.valueOf(options.isSkipHardGoalCheck()));
+                    .withParameter(CruiseControlParameters.SKIP_HARD_GOAL_CHECK, String.valueOf(options.isSkipHardGoalCheck()))
+                    .withParameter(CruiseControlParameters.STOP_ONGOING_EXECUTION, String.valueOf(options.isStopOngoingExecution()));
 
             if (options.getExcludedTopics() != null) {
                 builder.withParameter(CruiseControlParameters.EXCLUDED_TOPICS, options.getExcludedTopics());
diff --git a/cluster-operator/src/test/java/io/strimzi/operator/cluster/operator/assembly/KafkaRebalanceAssemblyOperatorTest.java b/cluster-operator/src/test/java/io/strimzi/operator/cluster/operator/assembly/KafkaRebalanceAssemblyOperatorTest.java
index 6fa207d8c57..94046944857 100644
--- a/cluster-operator/src/test/java/io/strimzi/operator/cluster/operator/assembly/KafkaRebalanceAssemblyOperatorTest.java
+++ b/cluster-operator/src/test/java/io/strimzi/operator/cluster/operator/assembly/KafkaRebalanceAssemblyOperatorTest.java
@@ -853,6 +853,74 @@ private void krNewToProposalReadyToRebalancingToReadyThenRefresh(VertxTestContex
                 }));
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Tests the transition from 'New' to 'Ready'
+     * The rebalance proposal is auto approved and the resource moves to 'Rebalancing'.
+     * Then the Rebalancing KafkaRebalance is refreshed and a moved to 'ProposalReady' again.
+     * Then the ProposalReady KafkaRebalance moves to Rebalancing again and finally to 'Ready'
+     *
+     * 1. A new KafkaRebalance resource is created with auto-approval annotation set; it is in the 'New' state
+     * 2. The operator requests a rebalance proposal through the Cruise Control REST API
+     * 3. The rebalance proposal is ready on the first call
+     * 4. The KafkaRebalance resource transitions to the 'ProposalReady' state
+     * 5. The operator requests the rebalance operation through the Cruise Control REST API
+     * 6. The rebalance operation is not done immediately; the operator starts polling the Cruise Control REST API
+     * 7. The KafkaRebalance resource moves to the 'Rebalancing' state
+     * 8. The KafkaRebalance resource is annotated with 'strimzi.io/rebalance=refresh' while the rebalancing is still in progress
+     * 9. The operator stops polling the Cruise Control REST API and requests a stop execution
+     * 10. The operator requests a new rebalance proposal through the Cruise Control REST API
+     * 11. The KafkaRebalance resource transitions to the 'ProposalReady' state again
+     * 12. The operator requests the rebalance operation through the Cruise Control REST API
+     * 13. The rebalance operation is not done immediately; the operator starts polling the Cruise Control REST API
+     * 14. The KafkaRebalance resource moves to the 'Rebalancing' state again
+     * 15. The rebalance operation is done
+     * 16. The KafkaRebalance resource moves to the 'Ready' state
+     */
+    @Test
+    public void krNewToProposalReadyToRebalancingToRefresh(VertxTestContext context) throws IOException, URISyntaxException {
+        KafkaRebalance kr = createKafkaRebalance(namespace, CLUSTER_NAME, RESOURCE_NAME, REMOVE_BROKER_KAFKA_REBALANCE_SPEC, true);
+
+        // Set up the rebalance and user tasks endpoints with the number of pending calls before a response is received.
+        cruiseControlServer.setupCCRebalanceResponse(0, CruiseControlEndpoints.REMOVE_BROKER);
+        cruiseControlServer.setupCCUserTasksResponseNoGoals(0, 0);
+        cruiseControlServer.setupCCStopResponse();
+
+        Crds.kafkaRebalanceOperation(client).inNamespace(namespace).resource(kr).create();
+        crdCreateKafka();
+        crdCreateCruiseControlSecrets();
+
+        Checkpoint checkpoint = context.checkpoint();
+        krao.reconcile(new Reconciliation("test-trigger", KafkaRebalance.RESOURCE_KIND, namespace, kr.getMetadata().getName()))
+                // the resource moved from 'New' to 'ProposalReady' directly (no pending calls in the Mock server)
+                .onComplete(context.succeeding(v ->
+                        assertState(context, client, namespace, kr.getMetadata().getName(), KafkaRebalanceState.ProposalReady)))
+                .compose(v -> krao.reconcile(new Reconciliation("test-trigger", KafkaRebalance.RESOURCE_KIND, namespace, kr.getMetadata().getName())))
+                .onComplete(context.succeeding(v -> {
+                    // the resource moved from ProposalReady to Rebalancing on auto approval
+                    assertState(context, client, namespace, kr.getMetadata().getName(), KafkaRebalanceState.Rebalancing);
+                }))
+                .compose(v -> {
+                    // apply the "refresh" annotation to the resource in the Rebalancing state
+                    annotate(client, namespace, kr.getMetadata().getName(), KafkaRebalanceAnnotation.refresh);
+                    return krao.reconcile(new Reconciliation("test-trigger", KafkaRebalance.RESOURCE_KIND, namespace, kr.getMetadata().getName()));
+                })
+                .onComplete(context.succeeding(v -> {
+                    // the resource moved from Rebalancing to ProposalReady due to refresh annotation
+                    assertState(context, client, namespace, kr.getMetadata().getName(), KafkaRebalanceState.ProposalReady);
+                }))
+                .compose(v -> krao.reconcile(new Reconciliation("test-trigger", KafkaRebalance.RESOURCE_KIND, namespace, kr.getMetadata().getName())))
+                .onComplete(context.succeeding(v -> {
+                    // the resource moved from ProposalReady to Rebalancing
+                    assertState(context, client, namespace, kr.getMetadata().getName(), KafkaRebalanceState.Rebalancing);
+                }))
+                .compose(v -> krao.reconcile(new Reconciliation("test-trigger", KafkaRebalance.RESOURCE_KIND, namespace, kr.getMetadata().getName())))
+                .onComplete(context.succeeding(v -> {
+                    // the resource moved from Rebalancing to Ready
+                    assertState(context, client, namespace, kr.getMetadata().getName(), KafkaRebalanceState.Ready);
+                    checkpoint.flag();
+                }));
+    }
+
     /**
      * Tests the transition from 'New' to 'NotReady' due to "missing hard goals" error
      *
diff --git a/cluster-operator/src/test/java/io/strimzi/operator/cluster/operator/resource/cruisecontrol/PathBuilderTest.java b/cluster-operator/src/test/java/io/strimzi/operator/cluster/operator/resource/cruisecontrol/PathBuilderTest.java
index ebd28910d66..0a2fbe0e809 100644
--- a/cluster-operator/src/test/java/io/strimzi/operator/cluster/operator/resource/cruisecontrol/PathBuilderTest.java
+++ b/cluster-operator/src/test/java/io/strimzi/operator/cluster/operator/resource/cruisecontrol/PathBuilderTest.java
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ private String getExpectedRebalanceString() {
                         CruiseControlParameters.DRY_RUN + "=false&" +
                         CruiseControlParameters.VERBOSE + "=true&" +
                         CruiseControlParameters.SKIP_HARD_GOAL_CHECK + "=false&" +
+                        CruiseControlParameters.STOP_ONGOING_EXECUTION + "=false&" +
                         CruiseControlParameters.EXCLUDED_TOPICS + "=test-.*&" +
                         CruiseControlParameters.GOALS + "=");
 
@@ -72,6 +73,7 @@ public void testQueryStringList() {
                 .withParameter(CruiseControlParameters.DRY_RUN, "false")
                 .withParameter(CruiseControlParameters.VERBOSE, "true")
                 .withParameter(CruiseControlParameters.SKIP_HARD_GOAL_CHECK, "false")
+                .withParameter(CruiseControlParameters.STOP_ONGOING_EXECUTION, "false")
                 .withParameter(CruiseControlParameters.EXCLUDED_TOPICS, "test-.*")
                 .withParameter(CruiseControlParameters.GOALS, GOALS)
                 .withParameter(CruiseControlParameters.REBALANCE_DISK, "false")
diff --git a/operator-common/src/main/java/io/strimzi/operator/common/model/cruisecontrol/CruiseControlParameters.java b/operator-common/src/main/java/io/strimzi/operator/common/model/cruisecontrol/CruiseControlParameters.java
index deaa1c7a49c..d9200d6b7db 100644
--- a/operator-common/src/main/java/io/strimzi/operator/common/model/cruisecontrol/CruiseControlParameters.java
+++ b/operator-common/src/main/java/io/strimzi/operator/common/model/cruisecontrol/CruiseControlParameters.java
@@ -95,7 +95,12 @@ public enum CruiseControlParameters {
     /**
      * Skip rack awareness check
      */
-    SKIP_RACK_AWARENESS_CHECK("skip_rack_awareness_check");
+    SKIP_RACK_AWARENESS_CHECK("skip_rack_awareness_check"),
+
+    /**
+     * Stop the ongoing execution (if any) and start executing the given request
+     */
+    STOP_ONGOING_EXECUTION("stop_ongoing_execution");
 
     private final String key;