diff --git a/core/src/mindustry/core/GameState.java b/core/src/mindustry/core/GameState.java
index 7d750faeae..db2e4686e2 100644
--- a/core/src/mindustry/core/GameState.java
+++ b/core/src/mindustry/core/GameState.java
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ public class GameState{
     /** Wave countdown in ticks. */
     public float wavetime;
     /** Whether the game is in game over state. */
-    public boolean gameOver = false, launched = false;
+    public boolean gameOver = false, launched = false, serverPaused = false;
     /** Map that is currently being played on. */
     public @NonNull Map map = emptyMap;
     /** The current game rules. */
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ public class GameState{
     }
 
     public boolean isPaused(){
-        return (is(State.paused) && !net.active()) || (gameOver && !net.active());
+        return (is(State.paused) && !net.active()) || (gameOver && !net.active()) || (serverPaused && !isMenu());
     }
 
     public boolean isPlaying(){
diff --git a/core/src/mindustry/core/NetClient.java b/core/src/mindustry/core/NetClient.java
index fe626cdf29..c4604f93d6 100644
--- a/core/src/mindustry/core/NetClient.java
+++ b/core/src/mindustry/core/NetClient.java
@@ -437,7 +437,7 @@ public class NetClient implements ApplicationListener{
     }
 
     @Remote(variants = Variant.one, priority = PacketPriority.low, unreliable = true)
-    public static void onStateSnapshot(float waveTime, int wave, int enemies, short coreDataLen, byte[] coreData){
+    public static void onStateSnapshot(float waveTime, int wave, int enemies, boolean paused, short coreDataLen, byte[] coreData){
         try{
             if(wave > state.wave){
                 state.wave = wave;
@@ -447,6 +447,7 @@ public class NetClient implements ApplicationListener{
             state.wavetime = waveTime;
             state.wave = wave;
             state.enemies = enemies;
+            state.serverPaused = paused;
 
             netClient.byteStream.setBytes(net.decompressSnapshot(coreData, coreDataLen));
             DataInputStream input = netClient.dataStream;
diff --git a/core/src/mindustry/core/NetServer.java b/core/src/mindustry/core/NetServer.java
index 0b206fa85b..1f300b015b 100644
--- a/core/src/mindustry/core/NetServer.java
+++ b/core/src/mindustry/core/NetServer.java
@@ -783,7 +783,7 @@ public class NetServer implements ApplicationListener{
         byte[] stateBytes = syncStream.toByteArray();
 
         //write basic state data.
-        Call.onStateSnapshot(player.con(), state.wavetime, state.wave, state.enemies, (short)stateBytes.length, net.compressSnapshot(stateBytes));
+        Call.onStateSnapshot(player.con(), state.wavetime, state.wave, state.enemies, state.serverPaused, (short)stateBytes.length, net.compressSnapshot(stateBytes));
 
         viewport.setSize(player.con().viewWidth, player.con().viewHeight).setCenter(player.con().viewX, player.con().viewY);
 
diff --git a/server/src/mindustry/server/ServerControl.java b/server/src/mindustry/server/ServerControl.java
index 54b493a2c9..cbdc86a6c0 100644
--- a/server/src/mindustry/server/ServerControl.java
+++ b/server/src/mindustry/server/ServerControl.java
@@ -340,6 +340,13 @@ public class ServerControl implements ApplicationListener{
             info("&lyServer: &lb@", arg[0]);
         });
 
+
+        handler.register("pause", "<on/off>", "Pause or unpause the game.", arg -> {
+            boolean pause = arg[0].equals("on");
+            state.serverPaused = pause;
+            info(pause ? "Game paused." : "Game unpaused.");
+        });
+
         handler.register("rules", "[remove/add] [name] [value...]", "List, remove or add global rules. These will apply regardless of map.", arg -> {
             String rules = Core.settings.getString("globalrules");
             JsonValue base = JsonIO.json().fromJson(null, rules);