diff --git a/.changeset/lazy-shirts-juggle.md b/.changeset/lazy-shirts-juggle.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..52440a7c5d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/lazy-shirts-juggle.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+'xstate': major
+---
+
+The `escalate()` action is removed. Just throw an error normally.
diff --git a/packages/core/src/actions.ts b/packages/core/src/actions.ts
index eb13626168..2ab7e7ae6d 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/actions.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/actions.ts
@@ -11,7 +11,6 @@ export {
 export { log, type LogAction } from './actions/log.ts';
 export { raise, type RaiseAction } from './actions/raise.ts';
 export {
-  escalate,
   forwardTo,
   sendParent,
   sendTo,
diff --git a/packages/core/src/actions/send.ts b/packages/core/src/actions/send.ts
index 951d582730..275189a12f 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/actions/send.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/actions/send.ts
@@ -334,41 +334,3 @@ export function forwardTo<
     TDelay
   >(target, ({ event }: any) => event, options);
 }
-
-/**
- * Escalates an error by sending it as an event to this machine's parent.
- *
- * @param errorData The error data to send, or the expression function that
- * takes in the `context`, `event`, and `meta`, and returns the error data to send.
- * @param options Options to pass into the send action creator.
- */
-export function escalate<
-  TContext extends MachineContext,
-  TExpressionEvent extends EventObject,
-  TParams extends ParameterizedObject['params'] | undefined,
-  TErrorData = any,
-  TEvent extends EventObject = AnyEventObject
->(
-  errorData:
-    | TErrorData
-    | ((args: UnifiedArg<TContext, TExpressionEvent, TEvent>) => TErrorData),
-  options?: SendToActionParams<
-    TContext,
-    TExpressionEvent,
-    TParams,
-    EventObject,
-    TEvent,
-    string
-  >
-) {
-  return sendParent<TContext, TExpressionEvent, TParams, EventObject, TEvent>(
-    (arg) => {
-      return {
-        type: XSTATE_ERROR,
-        data:
-          typeof errorData === 'function' ? (errorData as any)(arg) : errorData
-      };
-    },
-    options
-  );
-}
diff --git a/packages/core/test/invoke.test.ts b/packages/core/test/invoke.test.ts
index 11d524634e..3cea9cfb06 100644
--- a/packages/core/test/invoke.test.ts
+++ b/packages/core/test/invoke.test.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import { interval, of } from 'rxjs';
 import { map, take } from 'rxjs/operators';
-import { escalate, forwardTo, raise, sendTo } from '../src/actions.ts';
+import { forwardTo, raise, sendTo } from '../src/actions.ts';
 import {
   PromiseActorLogic,
   fromCallback,
@@ -2845,96 +2845,6 @@ describe('invoke', () => {
     });
   });
 
-  describe('error handling', () => {
-    it('handles escalated errors', (done) => {
-      const child = createMachine({
-        initial: 'die',
-
-        states: {
-          die: {
-            entry: [escalate('oops')]
-          }
-        }
-      });
-
-      const parent = createMachine({
-        initial: 'one',
-
-        states: {
-          one: {
-            invoke: {
-              id: 'child',
-              src: child,
-              onError: {
-                target: 'two',
-                guard: ({ event }) => event.data === 'oops'
-              }
-            }
-          },
-          two: {
-            type: 'final'
-          }
-        }
-      });
-
-      const actor = createActor(parent);
-      actor.subscribe({
-        complete: () => {
-          done();
-        }
-      });
-      actor.start();
-    });
-
-    it('handles escalated errors as an expression', (done) => {
-      interface ChildContext {
-        id: number;
-      }
-
-      const child = createMachine({
-        types: {} as { context: ChildContext },
-        initial: 'die',
-        context: { id: 42 },
-        states: {
-          die: {
-            entry: escalate(({ context }) => context.id)
-          }
-        }
-      });
-
-      const parent = createMachine({
-        initial: 'one',
-
-        states: {
-          one: {
-            invoke: {
-              id: 'child',
-              src: child,
-              onError: {
-                target: 'two',
-                guard: ({ event }) => {
-                  expect(event.data).toEqual(42);
-                  return true;
-                }
-              }
-            }
-          },
-          two: {
-            type: 'final'
-          }
-        }
-      });
-
-      const actor = createActor(parent);
-      actor.subscribe({
-        complete: () => {
-          done();
-        }
-      });
-      actor.start();
-    });
-  });
-
   it('invoke `src` can be used with invoke `input`', (done) => {
     const machine = createMachine(
       {