diff --git a/cmd-refresh-client.c b/cmd-refresh-client.c
index bbe0c736..f7b6269b 100644
--- a/cmd-refresh-client.c
+++ b/cmd-refresh-client.c
@@ -68,6 +68,8 @@ cmd_refresh_client_update_offset(struct client *tc, const char *value)
 		control_set_pane_off(tc, wp);
 	else if (strcmp(colon, "continue") == 0)
 		control_continue_pane(tc, wp);
+	else if (strcmp(colon, "pause") == 0)
+		control_pause_pane(tc, wp);
 
 out:
 	free(copy);
diff --git a/control.c b/control.c
index 140849e1..8ff7736f 100644
--- a/control.c
+++ b/control.c
@@ -265,6 +265,20 @@ control_continue_pane(struct client *c, struct window_pane *wp)
 	}
 }
 
+/* Pause a pane. */
+void
+control_pause_pane(struct client *c, struct window_pane *wp)
+{
+	struct control_pane	*cp;
+
+	cp = control_add_pane(c, wp);
+	if (~cp->flags & CONTROL_PANE_PAUSED) {
+		cp->flags |= CONTROL_PANE_PAUSED;
+		control_discard_pane(c, cp);
+		control_write(c, "%%pause %%%u", wp->id);
+	}
+}
+
 /* Write a line. */
 static void
 control_vwrite(struct client *c, const char *fmt, va_list ap)
diff --git a/tmux.1 b/tmux.1
index 2feffa25..7c0a503a 100644
--- a/tmux.1
+++ b/tmux.1
@@ -1304,9 +1304,10 @@ The argument is a pane ID (with leading
 .Ql % ) ,
 a colon, then one of
 .Ql on ,
-.Ql off
+.Ql off ,
+.Ql continue
 or
-.Ql continue .
+.Ql pause .
 If
 .Ql off ,
 .Nm
@@ -1315,9 +1316,13 @@ the pane off, will stop reading from the pane.
 If
 .Ql continue ,
 .Nm
-will return to sending output to a paused pane (see the
+will return to sending output to the pane if it was paused (manually or with the
 .Ar pause-after
 flag).
+If
+.Ql pause ,
+.Nm
+will pause the pane.
 .Fl A
 may be given multiple times for different panes.
 .Pp
diff --git a/tmux.h b/tmux.h
index 4c3122b1..0b0f1015 100644
--- a/tmux.h
+++ b/tmux.h
@@ -2848,6 +2848,7 @@ void	control_stop(struct client *);
 void	control_set_pane_on(struct client *, struct window_pane *);
 void	control_set_pane_off(struct client *, struct window_pane *);
 void	control_continue_pane(struct client *, struct window_pane *);
+void	control_pause_pane(struct client *, struct window_pane *);
 struct window_pane_offset *control_pane_offset(struct client *,
 	   struct window_pane *, int *);
 void	control_reset_offsets(struct client *);