diff --git a/python/core/qgsvectordataprovider.sip.in b/python/core/qgsvectordataprovider.sip.in
index 1927eafbf84..3aef648718e 100644
--- a/python/core/qgsvectordataprovider.sip.in
+++ b/python/core/qgsvectordataprovider.sip.in
@@ -232,13 +232,15 @@ Providers with the FastTruncate capability will use an optimised method to trunc
 .. seealso:: :py:func:`deleteFeatures`
 %End
 
-    virtual bool cancel();
+    virtual bool cancelReload();
 %Docstring
-Cancels the pending query.
+Cancels the current reloading of data.
 
-:return: true if the pending query has been interrupted, false otherwise
+:return: true if the reloading has been correctly interrupted, false otherwise
 
 .. versionadded:: 3.2
+
+.. seealso:: :py:func:`reloadData`
 %End
 
     virtual bool addAttributes( const QList<QgsField> &attributes );
diff --git a/src/core/qgsvectordataprovider.cpp b/src/core/qgsvectordataprovider.cpp
index e18ed806dd5..4cd3f3f30c8 100644
--- a/src/core/qgsvectordataprovider.cpp
+++ b/src/core/qgsvectordataprovider.cpp
@@ -804,7 +804,7 @@ QTextCodec *QgsVectorDataProvider::textEncoding() const
   return mEncoding;
 }
 
-bool QgsVectorDataProvider::cancel()
+bool QgsVectorDataProvider::cancelReload()
 {
   return false;
 }
diff --git a/src/core/qgsvectordataprovider.h b/src/core/qgsvectordataprovider.h
index e93c109ad47..3bb14d1ec57 100644
--- a/src/core/qgsvectordataprovider.h
+++ b/src/core/qgsvectordataprovider.h
@@ -250,11 +250,12 @@ class CORE_EXPORT QgsVectorDataProvider : public QgsDataProvider, public QgsFeat
     virtual bool truncate();
 
     /**
-     * Cancels the pending query.
-     * \returns true if the pending query has been interrupted, false otherwise
+     * Cancels the current reloading of data.
+     * \returns true if the reloading has been correctly interrupted, false otherwise
      * \since QGIS 3.2
+     * \see reloadData()
      */
-    virtual bool cancel();
+    virtual bool cancelReload();
 
     /**
      * Adds new \a attributes to the provider. Returns true in case of success and false in case of failure.
diff --git a/src/core/qgsvirtuallayertask.cpp b/src/core/qgsvirtuallayertask.cpp
index 1f9d6b0e15a..504a0733afa 100644
--- a/src/core/qgsvirtuallayertask.cpp
+++ b/src/core/qgsvirtuallayertask.cpp
@@ -59,6 +59,6 @@ QgsVectorLayer *QgsVirtualLayerTask::takeLayer()
 
 void QgsVirtualLayerTask::cancel()
 {
-  mLayer->dataProvider()->cancel();
+  mLayer->dataProvider()->cancelReload();
   QgsTask::cancel();
 }
diff --git a/src/providers/virtual/qgsvirtuallayerprovider.cpp b/src/providers/virtual/qgsvirtuallayerprovider.cpp
index b71cbd327a7..7124a8ec5bf 100644
--- a/src/providers/virtual/qgsvirtuallayerprovider.cpp
+++ b/src/providers/virtual/qgsvirtuallayerprovider.cpp
@@ -455,7 +455,7 @@ bool QgsVirtualLayerProvider::createIt()
   return true;
 }
 
-bool QgsVirtualLayerProvider::cancel()
+bool QgsVirtualLayerProvider::cancelReload()
 {
   return mSqlite.interrupt();
 }
diff --git a/src/providers/virtual/qgsvirtuallayerprovider.h b/src/providers/virtual/qgsvirtuallayerprovider.h
index 60e7b49bf55..f15a2a0e4b1 100644
--- a/src/providers/virtual/qgsvirtuallayerprovider.h
+++ b/src/providers/virtual/qgsvirtuallayerprovider.h
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ class QgsVirtualLayerProvider: public QgsVectorDataProvider
     QString description() const override;
     QgsAttributeList pkAttributeIndexes() const override;
     QSet<QgsMapLayerDependency> dependencies() const override;
-    bool cancel() override;
+    bool cancelReload() override;
     void reloadData() override;
 
   private: