diff --git a/CHANGELOG-WIP.md b/CHANGELOG-WIP.md
index 00f8c378e9..9c258c71a4 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG-WIP.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG-WIP.md
@@ -31,12 +31,15 @@
 ## Development
 
 - Product permissions have been refined into separate "View", "Create", "Save", and "Delete" permissions.
+- Added a `cart/peek-cart` controller action, which returns the existing cart for the current request without creating a new cart or setting cookies — useful for cached pages such as a header cart badge, where `Set-Cookie` responses should be avoided. ([#4263](https://github.com/craftcms/commerce/pull/4263))
 
 ## Extensibility
 
 - Added `craft\commerce\services\ProductTypes::getViewableProductTypes()`.
 - Added `craft\commerce\services\ProductTypes::getViewableProductTypeIds()`.
 - Added `craft\commerce\services\ProductTypes::getCreatableProductTypeIds()`.
+- Added `craft\commerce\services\Carts::peekCart()`.
+- Added `craft\commerce\controllers\CartController::actionPeekCart()`.
 - Deprecated `craft\commerce\services\ProductTypes::hasPermission()`. Use `$user->can()` directly instead.
 - Deprecated `craft\commerce\services\ProductTypes::getEditableProductTypes()`. Use `getViewableProductTypes()` instead.
 - Deprecated `craft\commerce\services\ProductTypes::getEditableProductTypeIds()`. Use `getViewableProductTypeIds()` instead.
diff --git a/src/controllers/CartController.php b/src/controllers/CartController.php
index e7f93843b6..92115278b0 100644
--- a/src/controllers/CartController.php
+++ b/src/controllers/CartController.php
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ public function behaviors(): array
         return array_merge(parent::behaviors(), [
             'rateLimiter' => [
                 'class' => RateLimiter::class,
-                'only' => ['get-cart', 'update-cart', 'load-cart', 'complete'],
+                'only' => ['get-cart', 'peek-cart', 'update-cart', 'load-cart', 'complete'],
                 'enableRateLimitHeaders' => false,
                 'user' => function() {
                     // Only apply rate limiting when a cart number is explicitly passed
@@ -119,6 +119,21 @@ public function actionGetCart(): Response
         ]);
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Returns the existing cart for this session without creating one, setting cookies, or touching the session.
+     * Returns null (as empty cart data) if no cart exists for the current session.
+     */
+    public function actionPeekCart(): Response
+    {
+        $this->requireAcceptsJson();
+
+        $cart = Plugin::getInstance()->getCarts()->peekCart();
+
+        return $this->asSuccess(data: [
+            $this->_cartVariable => $cart ? $this->cartArray($cart) : null,
+        ]);
+    }
+
     /**
      * Updates the cart by adding purchasables to the cart, updating line items, or updating various cart attributes.
      *
diff --git a/src/services/Carts.php b/src/services/Carts.php
index f1eae1d2c5..7d9024585b 100644
--- a/src/services/Carts.php
+++ b/src/services/Carts.php
@@ -209,6 +209,57 @@ public function getCart(bool $forceSave = false): Order
         return $this->_cart;
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Returns the existing cart for this session without creating one, setting cookies, or touching the session.
+     * Returns null if no cart cookie is present or no matching cart exists.
+     *
+     * @since 5.7.0
+     */
+    public function peekCart(): ?Order
+    {
+        if (isset($this->_cart)) {
+            return $this->_cart;
+        }
+
+        if ($this->_cartNumber === false) {
+            return null;
+        }
+
+        if (!$this->_cartNumber) {
+            $cookieNumber = Craft::$app->getRequest()->getCookies()->getValue($this->cartCookie['name'], false);
+            if (!$cookieNumber) {
+                return null;
+            }
+            $this->_cartNumber = $cookieNumber;
+        }
+
+        /** @var Order|null $cart */
+        $cart = Order::find()
+            ->number($this->_cartNumber)
+            ->storeId(Plugin::getInstance()->getStores()->getCurrentStore()->id)
+            ->isCompleted(false)
+            ->trashed(false)
+            ->one();
+
+        if (!$cart) {
+            return null;
+        }
+
+        // Don't return a cart that belongs to a credentialed user who isn't currently logged in
+        // as that user. Mirrors the privacy check in _getCart(), but without forgetting the cart
+        // (which would set a Set-Cookie header and defeat the purpose of this method).
+        $cartCustomer = $cart->getCustomer();
+        if ($cartCustomer && $cartCustomer->getIsCredentialed()) {
+            $currentUser = Craft::$app->getUser()->getIdentity();
+            if (!$currentUser || $currentUser->id != $cartCustomer->id) {
+                return null;
+            }
+        }
+
+        $this->_cart = $cart;
+        return $this->_cart;
+    }
+
     /**
      * Get the current cart for this session.
      */
diff --git a/tests/unit/services/CartsTest.php b/tests/unit/services/CartsTest.php
index ec047400be..413f362db5 100644
--- a/tests/unit/services/CartsTest.php
+++ b/tests/unit/services/CartsTest.php
@@ -228,4 +228,66 @@ public function testGetCartSwitchCustomer(): void
         Craft::$app->getUser()->setIdentity($originalIdentity);
         Craft::$app->getElements()->deleteElement($cart, true);
     }
+
+    public function testPeekCartDoesNotStartCartSession(): void
+    {
+        $originalCarts = Plugin::getInstance()->getCarts();
+        $cartNumber = $originalCarts->generateCartNumber();
+        $cookieName = $originalCarts->cartCookie['name'];
+
+        $order = new Order();
+        $order->number = $cartNumber;
+        Craft::$app->getElements()->saveElement($order, false);
+
+        $carts = $this->make(Carts::class, [
+            'setSessionCartNumber' => function() {
+                self::fail('Peek cart retrieval should not update the cart session.');
+            },
+        ]);
+        $carts->cartCookie = ['name' => $cookieName];
+        Plugin::getInstance()->set('carts', $carts);
+
+        $requestCookies = new \yii\web\CookieCollection();
+        $requestCookies->add(new \yii\web\Cookie([
+            'name' => $cookieName,
+            'value' => $cartNumber,
+        ]));
+        $originalRequest = Craft::$app->getRequest();
+        $requestMock = $this->make(Request::class, [
+            'getCookies' => $requestCookies,
+        ]);
+        Craft::$app->set('request', $requestMock);
+
+        try {
+            $cart = Plugin::getInstance()->getCarts()->peekCart();
+
+            self::assertNotNull($cart);
+            self::assertSame($cartNumber, $cart->number);
+        } finally {
+            Craft::$app->set('request', $originalRequest);
+            Craft::$app->getElements()->deleteElement($order, true);
+        }
+    }
+
+    public function testPeekCartReturnsNullWithNoCookie(): void
+    {
+        $cookieName = Plugin::getInstance()->getCarts()->cartCookie['name'];
+
+        $carts = $this->make(Carts::class);
+        $carts->cartCookie = ['name' => $cookieName];
+        Plugin::getInstance()->set('carts', $carts);
+
+        $originalRequest = Craft::$app->getRequest();
+        $requestMock = $this->make(Request::class, [
+            'getCookies' => new \yii\web\CookieCollection(),
+        ]);
+        Craft::$app->set('request', $requestMock);
+
+        try {
+            $cart = Plugin::getInstance()->getCarts()->peekCart();
+            self::assertNull($cart);
+        } finally {
+            Craft::$app->set('request', $originalRequest);
+        }
+    }
 }