diff --git a/actioncable/lib/action_cable/channel/periodic_timers.rb b/actioncable/lib/action_cable/channel/periodic_timers.rb
index 28352d7509..dab604440f 100644
--- a/actioncable/lib/action_cable/channel/periodic_timers.rb
+++ b/actioncable/lib/action_cable/channel/periodic_timers.rb
@@ -12,11 +12,42 @@ module ActionCable
       end
 
       module ClassMethods
-        # Allows you to call a private method periodically. Specify the period, in seconds, using the <tt>every</tt> keyword argument.
-        # This periodic timer can be useful for sending a steady flow of updates to a client based off an object that was configured on subscription.
-        # It's an alternative to using streams if the channel is able to do the work internally.
-        def periodically(callback, every:)
-          self.periodic_timers += [ [ callback, every: every ] ]
+        # Periodically performs a task on the channel, like updating an online
+        # user counter, polling a backend for new status messages, sending
+        # regular "heartbeat" messages, or doing some internal work and giving
+        # progress updates.
+        #
+        # Pass a method name or lambda argument or provide a block to call.
+        # Specify the calling period in seconds using the <tt>every:</tt>
+        # keyword argument.
+        #
+        #     periodically :transmit_progress, every: 5.seconds
+        #
+        #     periodically every: 3.minutes do
+        #       transmit action: :update_count, count: current_count
+        #     end
+        #
+        def periodically(callback_or_method_name = nil, every:, &block)
+          callback =
+            if block_given?
+              raise ArgumentError, 'Pass a block or provide a callback arg, not both' if callback_or_method_name
+              block
+            else
+              case callback_or_method_name
+              when Proc
+                callback_or_method_name
+              when Symbol
+                -> { __send__ callback_or_method_name }
+              else
+                raise ArgumentError, "Expected a Symbol method name or a Proc, got #{callback_or_method_name.inspect}"
+              end
+            end
+
+          unless every.kind_of?(Numeric) && every > 0
+            raise ArgumentError, "Expected every: to be a positive number of seconds, got #{every.inspect}"
+          end
+
+          self.periodic_timers += [[ callback, every: every ]]
         end
       end
 
@@ -27,14 +58,21 @@ module ActionCable
 
         def start_periodic_timers
           self.class.periodic_timers.each do |callback, options|
-            active_periodic_timers << connection.server.event_loop.timer(options[:every]) do
-              connection.worker_pool.async_run_periodic_timer(self, callback)
+            active_periodic_timers << start_periodic_timer(callback, every: options.fetch(:every))
+          end
+        end
+
+        def start_periodic_timer(callback, every:)
+          connection.server.event_loop.timer every do
+            connection.worker_pool.async_invoke connection do
+              instance_exec(&callback)
             end
           end
         end
 
         def stop_periodic_timers
           active_periodic_timers.each { |timer| timer.shutdown }
+          active_periodic_timers.clear
         end
     end
   end
diff --git a/actioncable/lib/action_cable/server/worker.rb b/actioncable/lib/action_cable/server/worker.rb
index 49cbaec0c0..46a8989f34 100644
--- a/actioncable/lib/action_cable/server/worker.rb
+++ b/actioncable/lib/action_cable/server/worker.rb
@@ -59,18 +59,6 @@ module ActionCable
         end
       end
 
-      def async_run_periodic_timer(channel, callback)
-        @pool.post do
-          run_periodic_timer(channel, callback)
-        end
-      end
-
-      def run_periodic_timer(channel, callback)
-        work(channel.connection) do
-          callback.respond_to?(:call) ? channel.instance_exec(&callback) : channel.send(callback)
-        end
-      end
-
       private
 
         def logger
diff --git a/actioncable/test/channel/periodic_timers_test.rb b/actioncable/test/channel/periodic_timers_test.rb
index e6f0c14c9d..03464003cf 100644
--- a/actioncable/test/channel/periodic_timers_test.rb
+++ b/actioncable/test/channel/periodic_timers_test.rb
@@ -1,12 +1,21 @@
 require 'test_helper'
 require 'stubs/test_connection'
 require 'stubs/room'
+require 'active_support/time'
 
 class ActionCable::Channel::PeriodicTimersTest < ActiveSupport::TestCase
   class ChatChannel < ActionCable::Channel::Base
-    periodically -> { ping }, every: 5
+    # Method name arg
     periodically :send_updates, every: 1
 
+    # Proc arg
+    periodically -> { ping }, every: 2
+
+    # Block arg
+    periodically every: 3 do
+      ping
+    end
+
     private
       def ping
       end
@@ -19,22 +28,41 @@ class ActionCable::Channel::PeriodicTimersTest < ActiveSupport::TestCase
   test "periodic timers definition" do
     timers = ChatChannel.periodic_timers
 
-    assert_equal 2, timers.size
+    assert_equal 3, timers.size
 
-    first_timer = timers[0]
-    assert_kind_of Proc, first_timer[0]
-    assert_equal 5, first_timer[1][:every]
+    timers.each_with_index do |timer, i|
+      assert_kind_of Proc, timer[0]
+      assert_equal i+1, timer[1][:every]
+    end
+  end
 
-    second_timer = timers[1]
-    assert_equal :send_updates, second_timer[0]
-    assert_equal 1, second_timer[1][:every]
+  test 'disallow negative and zero periods' do
+    [ 0, 0.0, 0.seconds, -1, -1.seconds, 'foo', :foo, Object.new ].each do |invalid|
+      assert_raise ArgumentError, /Expected every:/ do
+        ChatChannel.periodically :send_updates, every: invalid
+      end
+    end
+  end
+
+  test 'disallow block and arg together' do
+    assert_raise ArgumentError, /not both/ do
+      ChatChannel.periodically(:send_updates, every: 1) { ping }
+    end
+  end
+
+  test 'disallow unknown args' do
+    [ 'send_updates', Object.new, nil ].each do |invalid|
+      assert_raise ArgumentError, /Expected a Symbol/ do
+        ChatChannel.periodically invalid, every: 1
+      end
+    end
   end
 
   test "timer start and stop" do
-    @connection.server.event_loop.expects(:timer).times(2).returns(true)
+    @connection.server.event_loop.expects(:timer).times(3).returns(stub(shutdown: nil))
     channel = ChatChannel.new @connection, "{id: 1}", { id: 1 }
 
-    channel.expects(:stop_periodic_timers).once
     channel.unsubscribe_from_channel
+    assert_equal [], channel.send(:active_periodic_timers)
   end
 end
diff --git a/actioncable/test/worker_test.rb b/actioncable/test/worker_test.rb
index 654f49821e..7016da3493 100644
--- a/actioncable/test/worker_test.rb
+++ b/actioncable/test/worker_test.rb
@@ -41,14 +41,4 @@ class WorkerTest < ActiveSupport::TestCase
     @worker.invoke @receiver, :process, "Hello"
     assert_equal [ :process, "Hello" ], @receiver.last_action
   end
-
-  test "running periodic timers with a proc" do
-    @worker.run_periodic_timer @receiver, @receiver.method(:run)
-    assert_equal :run, @receiver.last_action
-  end
-
-  test "running periodic timers with a method" do
-    @worker.run_periodic_timer @receiver, :run
-    assert_equal :run, @receiver.last_action
-  end
 end