diff --git a/docs/manual.rst b/docs/manual.rst
index decc77a04..b99a54104 100644
--- a/docs/manual.rst
+++ b/docs/manual.rst
@@ -82,6 +82,10 @@ The ``session`` class has the following synopsis::
 
 		torrent_handle add_torrent(add_torrent_params const& params);
 
+		void pause();
+		void resume();
+		bool is_paused() const;
+
 		session_proxy abort();
 
 		enum options_t
@@ -194,10 +198,23 @@ returns. So, it's advised that any kind of interface (such as windows) are close
 destructing the session object. Because it can take a few second for it to finish. The
 timeout can be set with ``set_settings()``.
 
+pause() resume() is_paused()
+----------------------------
+
+	::
+		void pause();
+		void resume();
+		bool is_paused() const;
+
+Pausing the session has the same effect as pausing every torrent in it. Resuming
+will restore the torrents to their previous paused state. i.e. the session pause
+state is separate from the torrent pause state. A torrent is inactive if it is
+paused or if the session is paused.
+
 abort()
 -------
 
-::
+	::
 
 		session_proxy abort();
 
diff --git a/examples/client_test.cpp b/examples/client_test.cpp
index 13f7b9e51..2d1b43619 100644
--- a/examples/client_test.cpp
+++ b/examples/client_test.cpp
@@ -982,6 +982,12 @@ int main(int ac, char* av[])
 					}
 				}
 
+				if (c == ' ')
+				{
+					if (ses.is_paused()) ses.resume();
+					else ses.pause();
+				}
+
 				if (c == 'm')
 				{
 					std::cout << "saving peers for torrents" << std::endl;
@@ -1198,7 +1204,7 @@ int main(int ac, char* av[])
 			std::stringstream out;
 			out << "[q] quit [i] toggle peers [d] toggle downloading pieces [p] toggle paused "
 				"[a] toggle piece bar [s] toggle download sequential [f] toggle files "
-				"[j] force recheck\n"
+				"[j] force recheck [space] toggle session pause\n"
 				"[1] toggle IP [2] toggle AS [3] toggle timers [4] toggle block progress "
 				"[5] toggle peer rate [6] toggle failures [7] toggle send buffers\n";
 
diff --git a/include/libtorrent/aux_/session_impl.hpp b/include/libtorrent/aux_/session_impl.hpp
index 22ed68d49..fa4f0d276 100644
--- a/include/libtorrent/aux_/session_impl.hpp
+++ b/include/libtorrent/aux_/session_impl.hpp
@@ -189,6 +189,10 @@ namespace libtorrent
 				, int nat_transport);
 
 			bool is_aborted() const { return m_abort; }
+			bool is_paused() const { return m_paused; }
+
+			void pause();
+			void resume();
 
 			void set_ip_filter(ip_filter const& f);
 			void set_port_filter(port_filter const& f);
@@ -454,6 +458,9 @@ namespace libtorrent
 			// should exit
 			volatile bool m_abort;
 
+			// is true if the session is paused
+			bool m_paused;
+
 			// the max number of unchoked peers as set by the user
 			int m_max_uploads;
 
diff --git a/include/libtorrent/session.hpp b/include/libtorrent/session.hpp
index fcae0be32..7c8075d4f 100644
--- a/include/libtorrent/session.hpp
+++ b/include/libtorrent/session.hpp
@@ -212,6 +212,10 @@ namespace libtorrent
 
 		session_proxy abort() { return session_proxy(m_impl); }
 
+		void pause();
+		void resume();
+		bool is_paused() const;
+
 		session_status status() const;
 		cache_status get_cache_status() const;
 
diff --git a/include/libtorrent/torrent.hpp b/include/libtorrent/torrent.hpp
index c0ddb798a..971a4f1bc 100644
--- a/include/libtorrent/torrent.hpp
+++ b/include/libtorrent/torrent.hpp
@@ -195,7 +195,12 @@ namespace libtorrent
 		bool has_error() const { return !m_error.empty(); }
 		void pause();
 		void resume();
-		bool is_paused() const { return m_paused; }
+
+		void do_pause();
+		void do_resume();
+
+		bool is_paused() const;
+		bool is_torrent_paused() const { return m_paused; }
 		void force_recheck();
 		void save_resume_data();
 
diff --git a/src/session.cpp b/src/session.cpp
index bfceb7024..b9e5f3c4c 100644
--- a/src/session.cpp
+++ b/src/session.cpp
@@ -324,6 +324,10 @@ namespace libtorrent
 		return m_impl->status();
 	}
 
+	void session::pause() { m_impl->pause(); }
+	void session::resume() { m_impl->resume(); }
+	bool session::is_paused() const { return m_impl->is_paused(); }
+
 	void session::get_cache_info(sha1_hash const& ih
 		, std::vector<cached_piece_info>& ret) const
 	{
diff --git a/src/session_impl.cpp b/src/session_impl.cpp
index af16b06b4..c98d99182 100644
--- a/src/session_impl.cpp
+++ b/src/session_impl.cpp
@@ -158,6 +158,7 @@ namespace aux {
 		, m_listen_port_retries(listen_port_range.second - listen_port_range.first)
 		, m_listen_interface(address::from_string(listen_interface), listen_port_range.first)
 		, m_abort(false)
+		, m_paused(false)
 		, m_max_uploads(8)
 		, m_allowed_upload_slots(8)
 		, m_max_connections(200)
@@ -389,6 +390,32 @@ namespace aux {
 	}
 #endif
 
+	void session_impl::pause()
+	{
+		mutex_t::scoped_lock l(m_mutex);
+		if (m_paused) return;
+		m_paused = true;
+		for (torrent_map::iterator i = m_torrents.begin()
+			, end(m_torrents.end()); i != end; ++i)
+		{
+			torrent& t = *i->second;
+			if (!t.is_torrent_paused()) t.do_pause();
+		}
+	}
+
+	void session_impl::resume()
+	{
+		mutex_t::scoped_lock l(m_mutex);
+		if (!m_paused) return;
+		m_paused = false;
+		for (torrent_map::iterator i = m_torrents.begin()
+			, end(m_torrents.end()); i != end; ++i)
+		{
+			torrent& t = *i->second;
+			t.do_resume();
+		}
+	}
+	
 	void session_impl::abort()
 	{
 		mutex_t::scoped_lock l(m_mutex);
diff --git a/src/torrent.cpp b/src/torrent.cpp
index cb9a74175..67bd9f558 100644
--- a/src/torrent.cpp
+++ b/src/torrent.cpp
@@ -761,8 +761,7 @@ namespace libtorrent
 				bind(&torrent::on_announce_disp, self, _1));
 
 			// announce with the local discovery service
-			if (!m_paused)
-				m_ses.announce_lsd(m_torrent_file->info_hash());
+			if (!is_paused()) m_ses.announce_lsd(m_torrent_file->info_hash());
 		}
 		else
 		{
@@ -772,7 +771,7 @@ namespace libtorrent
 		}
 
 #ifndef TORRENT_DISABLE_DHT
-		if (m_paused) return;
+		if (is_paused()) return;
 		if (!m_ses.m_dht) return;
 		ptime now = time_now();
 		if (should_announce_dht() && now - m_last_dht_announce > minutes(14))
@@ -842,7 +841,7 @@ namespace libtorrent
 			m_just_paused = false;
 			return true;
 		}
-		return !m_paused && m_next_request < time_now();
+		return !is_paused() && m_next_request < time_now();
 	}
 
 	void torrent::tracker_warning(tracker_request const& req, std::string const& msg)
@@ -1501,7 +1500,7 @@ namespace libtorrent
 		m_abort = true;
 		// if the torrent is paused, it doesn't need
 		// to announce with even=stopped again.
-		if (!m_paused)
+		if (!is_paused())
 			m_event = tracker_request::stopped;
 		// disconnect all peers and close all
 		// files belonging to the torrents
@@ -2865,7 +2864,7 @@ namespace libtorrent
 	bool torrent::want_more_peers() const
 	{
 		return int(m_connections.size()) < m_max_connections
-			&& !m_paused
+			&& !is_paused()
 			&& m_state != torrent_status::checking_files
 			&& (m_state != torrent_status::queued_for_checking
 				|| !valid_metadata())
@@ -3596,7 +3595,7 @@ namespace libtorrent
 #endif
 
 		disconnect_all();
-		if (!m_paused)
+		if (!is_paused())
 			m_just_paused = true;
 		m_paused = true;
 		// tell the tracker that we stopped
@@ -3711,11 +3710,24 @@ namespace libtorrent
 		}
 	}
 	
+	bool torrent::is_paused() const
+	{
+		return m_paused || m_ses.is_paused();
+	}
+
 	void torrent::pause()
 	{
 		INVARIANT_CHECK;
 
 		if (m_paused) return;
+		m_paused = true;
+		if (m_ses.is_paused()) return;
+		do_pause();
+	}
+
+	void torrent::do_pause()
+	{
+		if (!is_paused()) return;
 
 #ifndef TORRENT_DISABLE_EXTENSIONS
 		for (extension_list_t::iterator i = m_extensions.begin()
@@ -3740,7 +3752,6 @@ namespace libtorrent
 #endif
 
 		disconnect_all();
-		m_paused = true;
 		// tell the tracker that we stopped
 		m_event = tracker_request::stopped;
 		m_just_paused = true;
@@ -3766,6 +3777,13 @@ namespace libtorrent
 		INVARIANT_CHECK;
 
 		if (!m_paused) return;
+		m_paused = false;
+		do_resume();
+	}
+
+	void torrent::do_resume()
+	{
+		if (is_paused()) return;
 
 #ifndef TORRENT_DISABLE_EXTENSIONS
 		for (extension_list_t::iterator i = m_extensions.begin()
@@ -3781,7 +3799,6 @@ namespace libtorrent
 		}
 #endif
 
-		m_paused = false;
 		m_started = time_now();
 		m_error.clear();