diff --git a/actix-rt/src/system.rs b/actix-rt/src/system.rs
index 3bc8a6e3..2fdab778 100644
--- a/actix-rt/src/system.rs
+++ b/actix-rt/src/system.rs
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ use std::{
 use futures_core::ready;
 use tokio::sync::{mpsc, oneshot};
 
+use crate::task::JoinHandle;
 use crate::{arbiter::ArbiterHandle, runtime::default_tokio_runtime, Arbiter, Runtime};
 
 static SYSTEM_COUNT: AtomicUsize = AtomicUsize::new(0);
@@ -144,6 +145,27 @@ impl System {
         let _ = self.sys_tx.send(SystemCommand::Exit(code));
     }
 
+    /// Send an async task to [System] and spawn running it.
+    /// Returned [JoinHandle](crate::task::JoinHandle) can be used to await for the task's output.
+    ///
+    /// # Error
+    /// [actix_rt::spawn](crate::spawn) can not be used inside `System::spawn`.
+    pub fn spawn<T>(task: T) -> JoinHandle<T::Output>
+    where
+        T: Future + Send + 'static,
+        T::Output: Send + 'static,
+    {
+        tokio::spawn(async {
+            let (tx, rx) = oneshot::channel();
+            System::current().arbiter().spawn(async move {
+                let res = tokio::spawn(task).await;
+                let _ = tx.send(res);
+            });
+            // unwrap would be caught by tokio and output as JoinError
+            rx.await.unwrap().unwrap()
+        })
+    }
+
     pub(crate) fn tx(&self) -> &mpsc::UnboundedSender<SystemCommand> {
         &self.sys_tx
     }
diff --git a/actix-rt/tests/tests.rs b/actix-rt/tests/tests.rs
index 86fba96d..e01d73c5 100644
--- a/actix-rt/tests/tests.rs
+++ b/actix-rt/tests/tests.rs
@@ -298,3 +298,48 @@ fn try_current_no_system() {
 fn try_current_with_system() {
     System::new().block_on(async { assert!(System::try_current().is_some()) });
 }
+
+#[test]
+fn system_spawn() {
+    System::new().block_on(async {
+        // Test detached with dropped handle
+        let num = Arc::new(AtomicBool::new(false));
+        let num_clone = num.clone();
+        System::spawn(async move {
+            actix_rt::time::sleep(Duration::from_millis(500)).await;
+            num_clone.store(true, Ordering::SeqCst);
+        });
+
+        let now = Instant::now();
+        while !num.load(Ordering::SeqCst) {
+            actix_rt::time::sleep(Duration::from_millis(500)).await;
+            if now.elapsed() > Duration::from_secs(10) {
+                panic!("System::spawn deadlocked")
+            }
+        }
+
+        // test join handle await
+        let num = Arc::new(AtomicBool::new(false));
+        let num_clone = num.clone();
+        System::spawn(async move {
+            actix_rt::task::yield_now().await;
+            num_clone.store(true, Ordering::SeqCst);
+            actix_rt::task::yield_now().await;
+        })
+        .await
+        .unwrap();
+
+        assert!(num.load(Ordering::SeqCst));
+
+        // test extra actix_rt::spawn
+        let res = System::spawn(async move {
+            actix_rt::task::yield_now().await;
+            actix_rt::spawn(async {
+                actix_rt::task::yield_now().await;
+            });
+        })
+        .await;
+
+        assert!(res.is_err())
+    });
+}