diff --git a/include/thespian/c/handle.h b/include/thespian/c/handle.h
index fca8a84..6da6d36 100644
--- a/include/thespian/c/handle.h
+++ b/include/thespian/c/handle.h
@@ -18,6 +18,9 @@ typedef struct thespian_handle_t *thespian_handle;
 
 thespian_handle thespian_handle_clone(thespian_handle);
 void thespian_handle_destroy(thespian_handle);
+/* Stable opaque actor identity (raw instance pointer). Two handles for the
+   same actor return the same value. Returns 0 for a null/expired handle. */
+uintptr_t thespian_handle_id(thespian_handle);
 
 thespian_result thespian_handle_send_raw(thespian_handle, cbor_buffer);
 thespian_result thespian_handle_send_exit(thespian_handle, c_string_view);
diff --git a/include/thespian/handle.hpp b/include/thespian/handle.hpp
index c86defb..80cdc98 100644
--- a/include/thespian/handle.hpp
+++ b/include/thespian/handle.hpp
@@ -46,4 +46,13 @@ private:
 
 auto operator==(const handle &, const handle &) -> bool;
 
+/// Stable opaque actor identity: the raw instance pointer. Two handles for
+/// the same actor return the same value. Returns 0 for expired handles.
+[[nodiscard]] inline auto instance_id(const handle &h) -> uintptr_t {
+  // NOLINTNEXTLINE(*-reinterpret-cast)
+  if (auto sp = handle_ref(h).lock())
+    return reinterpret_cast<uintptr_t>(sp.get());
+  return 0;
+}
+
 } // namespace thespian
diff --git a/src/c/handle.cpp b/src/c/handle.cpp
index 8011077..1c83455 100644
--- a/src/c/handle.cpp
+++ b/src/c/handle.cpp
@@ -66,4 +66,13 @@ auto thespian_handle_is_expired(thespian_handle h) -> bool {
           h)};
   return h_->expired();
 }
+
+auto thespian_handle_id(thespian_handle h) -> uintptr_t {
+  thespian::handle *h_{
+      reinterpret_cast<thespian::handle *>( // NOLINT(*-reinterpret-cast)
+          h)};
+  if (!h_)
+    return 0;
+  return thespian::instance_id(*h_);
+}
 }
diff --git a/src/thespian.zig b/src/thespian.zig
index 588878e..22d60cc 100644
--- a/src/thespian.zig
+++ b/src/thespian.zig
@@ -125,6 +125,12 @@ fn Pid(comptime own: Ownership) type {
             return c.thespian_handle_is_expired(self.h);
         }
 
+        /// Stable opaque actor identity. Two handles for the same actor
+        /// return the same value. Returns 0 for a null/expired handle.
+        pub fn instance_id(self: Self) usize {
+            return c.thespian_handle_id(self.h);
+        }
+
         pub fn wait_expired(self: Self, timeout_ns: isize) error{Timeout}!void {
             var max_sleep: isize = timeout_ns;
             while (!self.expired()) {