diff --git a/services/minecraft/src/cognitive/conscious/brain.test.ts b/services/minecraft/src/cognitive/conscious/brain.test.ts
index 129c0d71..f66b05d9 100644
--- a/services/minecraft/src/cognitive/conscious/brain.test.ts
+++ b/services/minecraft/src/cognitive/conscious/brain.test.ts
@@ -162,6 +162,19 @@ inv;
     expect(enqueueSpy).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
   })
 
+  it('suppresses llm turns while paused', async () => {
+    const deps: any = createDeps('await chat("hi")')
+    const brain: any = new Brain(deps)
+    const enqueueSpy = vi.fn(async () => undefined)
+    brain.enqueueEvent = enqueueSpy
+    brain.setPaused(true)
+
+    await brain.processEvent({} as any, createPerceptionEvent())
+
+    expect(deps.llmAgent.callLLM).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+    expect(enqueueSpy).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+  })
+
   it('refreshes reflex context before debug perception injection', async () => {
     const deps: any = createDeps('await skip()')
     deps.reflexManager.refreshFromBotState = vi.fn()
diff --git a/services/minecraft/src/cognitive/conscious/brain.ts b/services/minecraft/src/cognitive/conscious/brain.ts
index 132b202d..ae0c026a 100644
--- a/services/minecraft/src/cognitive/conscious/brain.ts
+++ b/services/minecraft/src/cognitive/conscious/brain.ts
@@ -142,6 +142,7 @@ const NO_ACTION_FOLLOWUP_SOURCE_ID = 'brain:no_action_followup'
 export class Brain {
   private debugService: DebugService
   private readonly planner = new JavaScriptPlanner()
+  private paused = false
 
   // State
   private queue: QueuedEvent[] = []
@@ -247,7 +248,7 @@ export class Brain {
     this.runtimeMineflayer = null
   }
 
-  public getReplState(): { variables: PlannerGlobalDescriptor[], updatedAt: number } {
+  public getReplState(): { variables: PlannerGlobalDescriptor[], updatedAt: number, paused: boolean } {
     const snapshot = this.deps.reflexManager.getContextSnapshot()
     const replEvent: BotEvent = {
       type: 'system_alert',
@@ -263,6 +264,7 @@ export class Brain {
     return {
       variables,
       updatedAt: Date.now(),
+      paused: this.paused,
     }
   }
 
@@ -271,6 +273,7 @@ export class Brain {
     queueLength: number
     turnCounter: number
     giveUpUntil: number
+    paused: boolean
     contextView: string | undefined
     conversationHistory: Message[]
     llmLogEntries: LlmLogEntry[]
@@ -280,12 +283,26 @@ export class Brain {
       queueLength: this.queue.length,
       turnCounter: this.turnCounter,
       giveUpUntil: this.giveUpUntil,
+      paused: this.paused,
       contextView: this.lastContextView,
       conversationHistory: this.cloneMessages(this.conversationHistory),
       llmLogEntries: [...this.llmLogEntries],
     }
   }
 
+  public setPaused(paused: boolean): boolean {
+    this.paused = paused
+    return this.paused
+  }
+
+  public togglePaused(): boolean {
+    return this.setPaused(!this.paused)
+  }
+
+  public isPaused(): boolean {
+    return this.paused
+  }
+
   public getLastLlmInput(): LlmInputSnapshot | null {
     if (!this.lastLlmInputSnapshot)
       return null
@@ -616,6 +633,20 @@ export class Brain {
   // --- Cognitive Cycle ---
 
   private async processEvent(bot: MineflayerWithAgents, event: BotEvent): Promise<void> {
+    if (this.paused) {
+      this.appendLlmLog({
+        turnId: this.turnCounter,
+        kind: 'scheduler',
+        eventType: event.type,
+        sourceType: event.source.type,
+        sourceId: event.source.id,
+        tags: ['scheduler', 'paused', 'suppressed'],
+        text: `Suppressed event while paused: ${event.type} from ${event.source.type}:${event.source.id}`,
+      })
+      this.deps.logger.log('INFO', `Brain: Ignoring event while paused (${event.type} from ${event.source.type}:${event.source.id})`)
+      return
+    }
+
     this.resumeFromGiveUpIfNeeded(event)
     if (this.shouldSuppressDuringGiveUp(event))
       return
diff --git a/services/minecraft/src/cognitive/index.ts b/services/minecraft/src/cognitive/index.ts
index ea285e2b..438e0d48 100644
--- a/services/minecraft/src/cognitive/index.ts
+++ b/services/minecraft/src/cognitive/index.ts
@@ -108,6 +108,12 @@ export function CognitiveEngine(options: CognitiveEngineOptions): MineflayerPlug
           if (chatHandler.isBotMessage(username))
             return
 
+          if (message.trim().toLowerCase() === '!pause') {
+            const paused = brain.togglePaused()
+            bot.bot.chat(`[debug] Cognitive engine ${paused ? 'paused' : 'resumed'} (by ${username}).`)
+            return
+          }
+
           // Bridge chat directly into EventBus as a signal so Reflex can react to it.
           eventBus.emit({
             type: 'signal:chat_message',
diff --git a/services/minecraft/src/debug/mcp-repl-server.test.ts b/services/minecraft/src/debug/mcp-repl-server.test.ts
index f711ca2c..85787c65 100644
--- a/services/minecraft/src/debug/mcp-repl-server.test.ts
+++ b/services/minecraft/src/debug/mcp-repl-server.test.ts
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ describe('mcpReplServer', () => {
         queueLength: 0,
         turnCounter: 1,
         giveUpUntil: 0,
+        paused: false,
         contextView: 'test context',
         conversationHistory: [],
         llmLogEntries: [],
diff --git a/services/minecraft/src/debug/mcp-repl-server.ts b/services/minecraft/src/debug/mcp-repl-server.ts
index 5d7c43ea..4d3d124c 100644
--- a/services/minecraft/src/debug/mcp-repl-server.ts
+++ b/services/minecraft/src/debug/mcp-repl-server.ts
@@ -55,6 +55,7 @@ export class McpReplServer {
               queueLength: snapshot.queueLength,
               turn: snapshot.turnCounter,
               giveUpUntil: snapshot.giveUpUntil,
+              paused: snapshot.paused,
             }, null, 2),
             mimeType: 'application/json',
           }],