diff --git a/packages/core/src/StateNode.ts b/packages/core/src/StateNode.ts
index 375551fca9..4f403900bb 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/StateNode.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/StateNode.ts
@@ -144,6 +144,7 @@ export class StateNode<
   public tags: string[] = [];
   public transitions!: Map<string, TransitionDefinition<TContext, TEvent>[]>;
   public always?: Array<TransitionDefinition<TContext, TEvent>>;
+  public invariant?: ({ context }: { context: TContext }) => void;
 
   constructor(
     /** The raw config used to create the machine. */
@@ -216,6 +217,7 @@ export class StateNode<
     this.output =
       this.type === 'final' || !this.parent ? this.config.output : undefined;
     this.tags = toArray(config.tags).slice();
+    this.invariant = config.invariant;
   }
 
   /** @internal */
diff --git a/packages/core/src/stateUtils.ts b/packages/core/src/stateUtils.ts
index fce7765ed1..ac0f3026e8 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/stateUtils.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/stateUtils.ts
@@ -22,7 +22,6 @@ import {
   AnyMachineSnapshot,
   AnyStateNode,
   AnyTransitionDefinition,
-  DelayExpr,
   DelayedTransitionDefinition,
   EventObject,
   HistoryValue,
@@ -1690,6 +1689,8 @@ export function macrostep(
     );
     addMicrostate(nextSnapshot, event, []);
 
+    // No need to check invariant since the state is the same
+
     return {
       snapshot: nextSnapshot,
       microstates
@@ -1763,6 +1764,13 @@ export function macrostep(
     addMicrostate(nextSnapshot, nextEvent, enabledTransitions);
   }
 
+  // Check invariants
+  for (const sn of nextSnapshot._nodes) {
+    if (sn.invariant) {
+      sn.invariant({ context: nextSnapshot.context });
+    }
+  }
+
   if (nextSnapshot.status !== 'active') {
     stopChildren(nextSnapshot, nextEvent, actorScope);
   }
diff --git a/packages/core/src/types.ts b/packages/core/src/types.ts
index 13fbbcf924..f26e8d7821 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/types.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/types.ts
@@ -1027,6 +1027,8 @@ export interface StateNodeConfig<
 
   /** A default target for a history state */
   target?: string;
+
+  invariant?: ({ context }: { context: TContext }) => void;
 }
 
 export type AnyStateNodeConfig = StateNodeConfig<
diff --git a/packages/core/test/invariant.test.ts b/packages/core/test/invariant.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..52f9f4dcd2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/core/test/invariant.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,221 @@
+import { assign, createActor, createMachine } from '../src';
+
+describe('state invariants', () => {
+  it('throws an error and does not transition if the invariant throws', () => {
+    const machine = createMachine({
+      initial: 'idle',
+      states: {
+        idle: {
+          on: {
+            loadUser: {
+              target: 'userLoaded'
+            }
+          }
+        },
+        userLoaded: {
+          invariant: (x) => {
+            if (!x.context.user) {
+              throw new Error('User not loaded');
+            }
+          }
+        }
+      }
+    });
+    const spy = jest.fn();
+
+    const actor = createActor(machine);
+    actor.subscribe({
+      error: spy
+    });
+    actor.start();
+
+    actor.send({ type: 'loadUser' });
+
+    expect(spy).toHaveBeenCalledWith(new Error('User not loaded'));
+
+    expect(actor.getSnapshot().value).toEqual('idle');
+  });
+
+  it('transitions as normal if the invariant does not fail', () => {
+    const machine = createMachine({
+      initial: 'idle',
+      states: {
+        idle: {
+          on: {
+            loadUser: {
+              target: 'userLoaded',
+              actions: assign({ user: () => ({ name: 'David' }) })
+            }
+          }
+        },
+        userLoaded: {
+          invariant: (x) => {
+            if (!x.context.user) {
+              throw new Error('User not loaded');
+            }
+          }
+        }
+      }
+    });
+    const spy = jest.fn();
+
+    const actor = createActor(machine);
+    actor.subscribe({
+      error: spy
+    });
+    actor.start();
+
+    actor.send({ type: 'loadUser' });
+
+    expect(spy).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+
+    expect(actor.getSnapshot().value).toEqual('userLoaded');
+  });
+
+  it('throws an error and does not transition if the invariant fails on a transition within the state', () => {
+    const machine = createMachine({
+      initial: 'userLoaded',
+      states: {
+        userLoaded: {
+          initial: 'active',
+          states: {
+            active: {
+              on: {
+                deactivate: 'inactive'
+              }
+            },
+            inactive: {
+              entry: assign({ user: null })
+            }
+          },
+          invariant: (x) => {
+            if (!x.context.user) {
+              throw new Error('User not loaded');
+            }
+          },
+          entry: assign({ user: { name: 'David' } })
+        }
+      }
+    });
+    const spy = jest.fn();
+
+    const actor = createActor(machine);
+    actor.subscribe({
+      error: spy
+    });
+    actor.start();
+
+    actor.send({ type: 'deactivate' });
+
+    expect(spy).toHaveBeenCalledWith(new Error('User not loaded'));
+    expect(actor.getSnapshot().value).toEqual({ userLoaded: 'active' });
+  });
+
+  it('does not throw an error when exiting a state with an invariant if the exit action clears the context', () => {
+    const machine = createMachine({
+      initial: 'userLoaded',
+      states: {
+        userLoaded: {
+          invariant: (x) => {
+            if (!x.context.user) {
+              throw new Error('User not loaded');
+            }
+          },
+          entry: assign({ user: { name: 'David' } }),
+          exit: assign({ user: null }),
+          on: {
+            logout: 'idle'
+          }
+        },
+        idle: {}
+      }
+    });
+    const spy = jest.fn();
+
+    const actor = createActor(machine);
+    actor.subscribe({
+      error: spy
+    });
+    actor.start();
+
+    actor.send({ type: 'logout' });
+
+    expect(spy).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(actor.getSnapshot().value).toEqual('idle');
+  });
+
+  it('parallel regions check for state invariants', () => {
+    const spy = jest.fn();
+
+    const machine = createMachine({
+      initial: 'p',
+      types: {
+        context: {} as { user: { name: string; age: number } | null }
+      },
+      context: {
+        user: {
+          name: 'David',
+          age: 30
+        }
+      },
+      states: {
+        p: {
+          type: 'parallel',
+          states: {
+            a: {
+              invariant: (x) => {
+                if (!x.context.user) {
+                  throw new Error('User not loaded');
+                }
+              },
+              on: {
+                updateAge: {
+                  actions: assign({
+                    user: (x) => ({ ...x.context.user!, age: -3 })
+                  })
+                }
+              }
+            },
+            b: {
+              invariant: (x) => {
+                if (x.context.user!.age < 0) {
+                  throw new Error('User age cannot be negative');
+                }
+              },
+              on: {
+                deleteUser: {
+                  actions: assign({
+                    user: () => null
+                  })
+                }
+              }
+            }
+          }
+        }
+      }
+    });
+
+    const actor = createActor(machine);
+
+    actor.subscribe({
+      error: spy
+    });
+
+    actor.start();
+
+    expect(actor.getSnapshot().value).toEqual({
+      p: {
+        a: {},
+        b: {}
+      }
+    });
+
+    actor.send({
+      type: 'updateAge'
+    });
+
+    expect(spy).toHaveBeenCalledWith(new Error('User age cannot be negative'));
+
+    expect(actor.getSnapshot().status).toEqual('error');
+  });
+});