diff --git a/src/error.rs b/src/error.rs
index db14e071..0ea01834 100644
--- a/src/error.rs
+++ b/src/error.rs
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 use std::io;
 
-use crate::{key::Key, node_id::NodeMode, ItemId};
+use crate::key::Key;
+use crate::node_id::NodeMode;
+use crate::ItemId;
 
 /// The different set of errors that arroy can encounter.
 #[derive(Debug, thiserror::Error)]
@@ -61,6 +63,9 @@ pub enum Error {
         /// The item ID queried
         item: ItemId,
     },
+
+    #[error("The corresponding build process has been cancelled")]
+    BuildCancelled,
 }
 
 impl Error {
diff --git a/src/lib.rs b/src/lib.rs
index 46a61e12..1fb7c94c 100644
--- a/src/lib.rs
+++ b/src/lib.rs
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ use node::{Node, NodeCodec};
 use node_id::{NodeId, NodeMode};
 pub use reader::Reader;
 pub use stats::{Stats, TreeStats};
-pub use writer::Writer;
+pub use writer::{TreeBuildCanceller, Writer};
 
 /// The set of types used by the [`Distance`] trait.
 pub mod internals {
diff --git a/src/writer.rs b/src/writer.rs
index b7df0400..d51af8bc 100644
--- a/src/writer.rs
+++ b/src/writer.rs
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@ use std::any::TypeId;
 use std::borrow::Cow;
 use std::mem;
 use std::path::PathBuf;
+use std::sync::atomic::{AtomicBool, Ordering};
+use std::sync::Arc;
 
 use heed::types::{Bytes, DecodeIgnore};
 use heed::{MdbError, PutFlags, RoTxn, RwTxn};
@@ -36,13 +38,15 @@ pub struct Writer<D: Distance> {
     dimensions: usize,
     /// The folder in which tempfile will write its temporary files.
     tmpdir: Option<PathBuf>,
+    /// An optional boolean flag to cancel the tree building process.
+    cancelled: Option<TreeBuildCanceller>,
 }
 
 impl<D: Distance> Writer<D> {
     /// Creates a new writer from a database, index and dimensions.
     pub fn new(database: Database<D>, index: u16, dimensions: usize) -> Writer<D> {
         let database: Database<D> = database.remap_data_type();
-        Writer { database, index, dimensions, tmpdir: None }
+        Writer { database, index, dimensions, tmpdir: None, cancelled: None }
     }
 
     /// Returns a writer after having deleted the tree nodes and rewrote all the items
@@ -73,8 +77,8 @@ impl<D: Distance> Writer<D> {
             }
         }
 
-        let Writer { database, index, dimensions, tmpdir } = self;
-        Ok(Writer { database: database.remap_data_type(), index, dimensions, tmpdir })
+        let Writer { database, index, dimensions, tmpdir, cancelled } = self;
+        Ok(Writer { database: database.remap_data_type(), index, dimensions, tmpdir, cancelled })
     }
 
     /// Specifies the folder in which arroy will write temporary files when building the tree.
@@ -85,6 +89,15 @@ impl<D: Distance> Writer<D> {
         self.tmpdir = Some(path.into());
     }
 
+    /// Returns a canceller for the tree building process that can be used later and transferred between threads.
+    pub fn tree_build_canceller(&mut self) -> TreeBuildCanceller {
+        self.cancelled
+            .get_or_insert_with(|| TreeBuildCanceller {
+                must_stop: Arc::new(AtomicBool::new(false)),
+            })
+            .clone()
+    }
+
     /// Returns an `Option`al vector previous stored in this database.
     pub fn item_vector(&self, rtxn: &RoTxn, item: ItemId) -> Result<Option<Vec<f32>>> {
         Ok(item_leaf(self.database, self.index, rtxn, item)?.map(|leaf| leaf.vector.into_owned()))
@@ -377,6 +390,10 @@ impl<D: Distance> Writer<D> {
 
         log::debug!("started updating the tree nodes of {} trees...", tmp_nodes.len());
         for (i, tmp_node) in nodes_to_write.iter().enumerate() {
+            if self.cancelled.as_ref().map_or(false, |tbc| tbc.is_cancelled()) {
+                return Err(Error::BuildCancelled);
+            }
+
             log::debug!(
                 "started deleting the {} tree nodes of the {i}nth trees...",
                 tmp_node.len()
@@ -424,6 +441,9 @@ impl<D: Distance> Writer<D> {
             &Key::metadata(self.index),
             &metadata,
         ) {
+            Ok(_) if self.cancelled.as_ref().map_or(false, |tbc| tbc.is_cancelled()) => {
+                Err(Error::BuildCancelled)
+            }
             Ok(_) => Ok(()),
             Err(e) => Err(e.into()),
         }
@@ -442,6 +462,10 @@ impl<D: Distance> Writer<D> {
         repeatn(rng.next_u64(), metadata.roots.len())
             .zip(roots)
             .map(|(seed, root)| {
+                if self.cancelled.as_ref().map_or(false, |tbc| tbc.is_cancelled()) {
+                    return Err(Error::BuildCancelled);
+                }
+
                 log::debug!("started updating tree {root:X}...");
                 let mut rng = R::seed_from_u64(seed.wrapping_add(root as u64));
                 let mut tmp_nodes: TmpNodes<NodeCodec<D>> = match self.tmpdir.as_ref() {
@@ -647,6 +671,10 @@ impl<D: Distance> Writer<D> {
                 None => concurrent_node_ids.used() < n_items,
             })
             .map(|(i, seed)| {
+                if self.cancelled.as_ref().map_or(false, |tbc| tbc.is_cancelled()) {
+                    return Err(Error::BuildCancelled);
+                }
+
                 log::debug!("started generating tree {i:X}...");
                 let mut rng = R::seed_from_u64(seed.wrapping_add(i as u64));
                 let mut tmp_nodes = match self.tmpdir.as_ref() {
@@ -766,6 +794,9 @@ impl<D: Distance> Writer<D> {
             log::debug!("Deleting {} trees", to_delete.len());
 
             for tree in to_delete {
+                if self.cancelled.as_ref().map_or(false, |tbc| tbc.is_cancelled()) {
+                    return Err(Error::BuildCancelled);
+                }
                 self.delete_tree(wtxn, NodeId::tree(tree))?;
             }
         }
@@ -806,6 +837,27 @@ impl<D: Distance> Writer<D> {
     }
 }
 
+/// A canceller for the tree building process that can be used to stop the operation early.
+#[derive(Debug, Clone)]
+pub struct TreeBuildCanceller {
+    /// The flag that, when set to true, triggers the engine to stop early.
+    // TODO replace this with a Weak and keep an Arc in the Writer.
+    //      or maybe even a ref that can be shared.
+    must_stop: Arc<AtomicBool>,
+}
+
+impl TreeBuildCanceller {
+    /// Cancels the tree building process as early as possible.
+    pub fn cancel(&self) {
+        self.must_stop.store(true, Ordering::SeqCst);
+    }
+
+    /// Wether the corresponding build process has been canceled.
+    fn is_cancelled(&self) -> bool {
+        self.must_stop.load(Ordering::SeqCst)
+    }
+}
+
 /// Represents the final version of the leafs and contains
 /// useful informations to synchronize the building threads.
 #[derive(Clone)]