diff --git a/.changeset/pause-triage-planning.md b/.changeset/pause-triage-planning.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..9eb9815977
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/pause-triage-planning.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+"@runfusion/fusion": patch
+---
+
+Respect per-task pause state during triage planning so paused tasks do not auto-advance after specification approval.
diff --git a/packages/engine/src/__tests__/triage-pause-abort.test.ts b/packages/engine/src/__tests__/triage-pause-abort.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..48486e2be3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/engine/src/__tests__/triage-pause-abort.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,237 @@
+import "./executor-test-helpers.js";
+import { beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
+import type { Settings, Task, TaskStore } from "@fusion/core";
+
+import { TriageProcessor } from "../triage.js";
+import { resetExecutorMocks } from "./executor-test-helpers.js";
+
+type Listener = (...args: any[]) => void;
+
+function createEventedStore(overrides: Record<string, any> = {}) {
+  const listeners = new Map<string, Set<Listener>>();
+  const store = {
+    getSettings: vi.fn().mockResolvedValue({ pollIntervalMs: 60_000, maxConcurrent: 1, maxWorktrees: 1, autoMerge: true }),
+    listTasks: vi.fn().mockResolvedValue([]),
+    updateTask: vi.fn().mockResolvedValue(undefined),
+    moveTask: vi.fn().mockResolvedValue(undefined),
+    on: vi.fn((event: string, listener: Listener) => {
+      const set = listeners.get(event) ?? new Set<Listener>();
+      set.add(listener);
+      listeners.set(event, set);
+    }),
+    off: vi.fn((event: string, listener: Listener) => {
+      listeners.get(event)?.delete(listener);
+    }),
+    ...overrides,
+  } as any;
+
+  return {
+    store,
+    emit(event: string, ...args: any[]) {
+      for (const listener of listeners.get(event) ?? []) {
+        listener(...args);
+      }
+    },
+  };
+}
+
+function createFinalizeStore(overrides: Partial<TaskStore> = {}): TaskStore {
+  return {
+    listTasks: vi.fn().mockResolvedValue([]),
+    getTask: vi.fn().mockResolvedValue(createTask()),
+    getSettings: vi.fn().mockResolvedValue({ requirePlanApproval: false } as Settings),
+    parseDependenciesFromPrompt: vi.fn().mockResolvedValue([]),
+    parseStepsFromPrompt: vi.fn().mockResolvedValue([]),
+    parseFileScopeFromPrompt: vi.fn().mockResolvedValue([]),
+    updateTask: vi.fn().mockResolvedValue(undefined),
+    moveTask: vi.fn().mockResolvedValue(undefined),
+    logEntry: vi.fn().mockResolvedValue(undefined),
+    deleteTask: vi.fn().mockResolvedValue(undefined),
+    on: vi.fn(),
+    off: vi.fn(),
+    ...overrides,
+  } as unknown as TaskStore;
+}
+
+function createTask(overrides: Partial<Task> = {}): Task {
+  return {
+    id: "FN-PAUSE-1",
+    title: "Paused planning task",
+    description: "desc",
+    column: "triage",
+    status: "planning",
+    dependencies: [],
+    steps: [],
+    currentStep: 0,
+    log: [{ timestamp: new Date().toISOString(), action: "Spec review: APPROVE" }],
+    createdAt: new Date().toISOString(),
+    updatedAt: new Date().toISOString(),
+    ...overrides,
+  } as Task;
+}
+
+describe("TriageProcessor per-task pause aborts", () => {
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    resetExecutorMocks();
+    vi.clearAllMocks();
+  });
+
+  it("does not start planning work for an already-paused triage task", async () => {
+    const task = createTask({ id: "FN-PAUSE-START", paused: true, status: null });
+    const { store } = createEventedStore({ listTasks: vi.fn().mockResolvedValue([task]) });
+    const processor = new TriageProcessor(store, "/tmp/root");
+    const specifyTask = vi.spyOn(processor as any, "specifyTask").mockResolvedValue(undefined);
+
+    (processor as any).running = true;
+    await (processor as any).poll();
+
+    expect(specifyTask).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect((processor as any).processing.has(task.id)).toBe(false);
+  });
+
+  it("aborts and disposes an active specify session on task:updated pause without moving to todo", async () => {
+    const { store, emit } = createEventedStore();
+    const stuckTaskDetector = { untrackTask: vi.fn() };
+    const processor = new TriageProcessor(store, "/tmp/root", { stuckTaskDetector } as any);
+    const abort = vi.fn().mockResolvedValue(undefined);
+    const dispose = vi.fn();
+
+    processor.start();
+    (processor as any).activeSessions.set("FN-PAUSE-2", { abort, dispose });
+
+    emit("task:updated", { id: "FN-PAUSE-2", paused: true });
+    await Promise.resolve();
+
+    expect(abort).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+    expect(dispose).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+    expect((processor as any).activeSessions.has("FN-PAUSE-2")).toBe(false);
+    expect((processor as any).pauseAborted.has("FN-PAUSE-2")).toBe(true);
+    expect(stuckTaskDetector.untrackTask).toHaveBeenCalledWith("FN-PAUSE-2");
+    expect(store.moveTask).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+
+    processor.stop();
+  });
+
+  it("treats userPaused task updates as pause aborts", async () => {
+    const { store, emit } = createEventedStore();
+    const processor = new TriageProcessor(store, "/tmp/root");
+    const abort = vi.fn().mockResolvedValue(undefined);
+    const dispose = vi.fn();
+
+    processor.start();
+    (processor as any).activeSessions.set("FN-USER-PAUSE", { abort, dispose });
+
+    emit("task:updated", { id: "FN-USER-PAUSE", userPaused: true });
+    await Promise.resolve();
+
+    expect(abort).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+    expect(dispose).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+    expect((processor as any).pauseAborted.has("FN-USER-PAUSE")).toBe(true);
+
+    processor.stop();
+  });
+
+  it("does not abort on non-paused updates or paused ids with no active session", () => {
+    const { store, emit } = createEventedStore();
+    const processor = new TriageProcessor(store, "/tmp/root");
+    const abort = vi.fn().mockResolvedValue(undefined);
+    const dispose = vi.fn();
+
+    processor.start();
+    (processor as any).activeSessions.set("FN-ACTIVE", { abort, dispose });
+
+    expect(() => emit("task:updated", { id: "FN-ACTIVE", paused: false })).not.toThrow();
+    expect(() => emit("task:updated", { id: "FN-MISSING", paused: true })).not.toThrow();
+
+    expect(abort).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(dispose).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect((processor as any).activeSessions.has("FN-ACTIVE")).toBe(true);
+
+    processor.stop();
+  });
+
+  it("detaches the task:updated pause listener on stop", () => {
+    const { store, emit } = createEventedStore();
+    const processor = new TriageProcessor(store, "/tmp/root");
+    const abort = vi.fn().mockResolvedValue(undefined);
+    const dispose = vi.fn();
+
+    processor.start();
+    (processor as any).activeSessions.set("FN-PAUSE-STOP", { abort, dispose });
+    processor.stop();
+    const abortCallsAfterStop = abort.mock.calls.length;
+    const disposeCallsAfterStop = dispose.mock.calls.length;
+
+    emit("task:updated", { id: "FN-PAUSE-STOP", paused: true });
+
+    expect(abort).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(abortCallsAfterStop);
+    expect(dispose).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(disposeCallsAfterStop);
+  });
+});
+
+describe("TriageProcessor paused finalization guard", () => {
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    resetExecutorMocks();
+    vi.clearAllMocks();
+  });
+
+  it("does not move an approved task to todo when the re-read task is paused", async () => {
+    const task = createTask({ id: "FN-FINALIZE-PAUSED" });
+    const store = createFinalizeStore({ getTask: vi.fn().mockResolvedValue({ ...task, paused: true }) });
+    const processor = new TriageProcessor(store, "/tmp/root");
+
+    await (processor as any).finalizeApprovedTask(
+      task,
+      "# Task: FN-FINALIZE-PAUSED\n\n## File Scope\n- packages/engine/src/triage.ts\n",
+      { requirePlanApproval: false } as Settings,
+    );
+
+    expect(store.moveTask).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(store.updateTask).toHaveBeenLastCalledWith(task.id, { status: null });
+    expect(store.logEntry).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+      task.id,
+      "Specification approved but task is paused — leaving in triage, will resume on unpause",
+    );
+  });
+
+  it("does not move to awaiting-approval when the re-read task is userPaused", async () => {
+    const task = createTask({ id: "FN-FINALIZE-USER-PAUSED" });
+    const store = createFinalizeStore({ getTask: vi.fn().mockResolvedValue({ ...task, userPaused: true }) });
+    const processor = new TriageProcessor(store, "/tmp/root");
+
+    await (processor as any).finalizeApprovedTask(
+      task,
+      "# Task: FN-FINALIZE-USER-PAUSED\n\n## File Scope\n- packages/engine/src/triage.ts\n",
+      { requirePlanApproval: true } as Settings,
+    );
+
+    expect(store.moveTask).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(store.updateTask).not.toHaveBeenCalledWith(task.id, expect.objectContaining({ status: "awaiting-approval" }));
+    expect(store.updateTask).toHaveBeenLastCalledWith(task.id, { status: null });
+  });
+
+  it("keeps the unpaused approved-spec happy path moving to todo", async () => {
+    const task = createTask({ id: "FN-FINALIZE-HAPPY" });
+    const store = createFinalizeStore({ getTask: vi.fn().mockResolvedValue({ ...task, paused: false, userPaused: false }) });
+    const processor = new TriageProcessor(store, "/tmp/root");
+
+    await (processor as any).finalizeApprovedTask(
+      task,
+      "# Task: FN-FINALIZE-HAPPY\n\n## File Scope\n- packages/engine/src/triage.ts\n",
+      { requirePlanApproval: false } as Settings,
+    );
+
+    expect(store.moveTask).toHaveBeenCalledWith(task.id, "todo");
+  });
+
+  it("does not recover an approved planning task while it is paused", async () => {
+    const task = createTask({ id: "FN-RECOVER-PAUSED", paused: true });
+    const store = createFinalizeStore();
+    const processor = new TriageProcessor(store, "/tmp/root");
+
+    await expect(processor.recoverApprovedTask(task)).resolves.toBe(false);
+
+    expect(store.moveTask).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(store.updateTask).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+});
diff --git a/packages/engine/src/triage.ts b/packages/engine/src/triage.ts
index 34948329fb..212cbaf04f 100644
--- a/packages/engine/src/triage.ts
+++ b/packages/engine/src/triage.ts
@@ -146,6 +146,7 @@ export class TriageProcessor {
   /** Tasks killed by the stuck task detector (to avoid reporting as errors). */
   private stuckAborted = new Set<string>();
   private taskDeletedHandler?: (task: Task) => void;
+  private taskPausedHandler?: (task: Task) => void;
 
   /**
    * @param store — Task store instance (also used to listen for `settings:updated` events)
@@ -218,6 +219,32 @@ export class TriageProcessor {
         this.activeSessions.delete(task.id);
       }
     };
+
+    this.taskPausedHandler = (task: Task) => {
+      if (!task?.id || (task.paused !== true && task.userPaused !== true)) {
+        return;
+      }
+      if (this.activeSubagentSessions.has(task.id)) {
+        this.disposeSubagentsForTask(task.id, "task paused");
+      }
+      if (this.activeSessions.has(task.id)) {
+        const session = this.activeSessions.get(task.id)!;
+        planLog.log(`task paused — terminating triage session for ${task.id}`);
+        this.pauseAborted.add(task.id);
+        this.options.stuckTaskDetector?.untrackTask(task.id);
+        const sessionWithAbort = session as {
+          abort?: () => Promise<void>;
+          dispose: () => void;
+        };
+        if (typeof sessionWithAbort.abort === "function") {
+          void sessionWithAbort.abort().catch((err) => {
+            planLog.warn(`Failed to abort triage session for ${task.id}: ${err}`);
+          });
+        }
+        session.dispose();
+        this.activeSessions.delete(task.id);
+      }
+    };
   }
 
   start(): void {
@@ -226,6 +253,9 @@ export class TriageProcessor {
     if (this.taskDeletedHandler && typeof this.store.on === "function") {
       this.store.on("task:deleted", this.taskDeletedHandler);
     }
+    if (this.taskPausedHandler && typeof this.store.on === "function") {
+      this.store.on("task:updated", this.taskPausedHandler);
+    }
 
     // Clear stale "planning" statuses left by a prior crash/restart.
     // No triage agent is actually running at startup, so any task still
@@ -267,6 +297,9 @@ export class TriageProcessor {
     if (this.taskDeletedHandler && typeof this.store.off === "function") {
       this.store.off("task:deleted", this.taskDeletedHandler);
     }
+    if (this.taskPausedHandler && typeof this.store.off === "function") {
+      this.store.off("task:updated", this.taskPausedHandler);
+    }
     // Tear down any in-flight specify sessions and reviewer subagents so they
     // don't keep streaming LLM tokens / tool calls past engine shutdown.
     this.abortAndDisposeActiveSessions("engine stop");
@@ -407,6 +440,11 @@ export class TriageProcessor {
       return false;
     }
 
+    if (task.paused === true || task.userPaused === true) {
+      planLog.log(`${task.id} approved-spec recovery skipped — task is paused`);
+      return false;
+    }
+
     if (!hasLatestSpecReviewApproval(task)) {
       return false;
     }
@@ -2244,6 +2282,25 @@ export class TriageProcessor {
       planLog.warn(`${task.id}: near-duplicate backstop failed open: ${message}`);
     }
 
+    let latestTransitionTask: Task | undefined;
+    try {
+      latestTransitionTask = await this.store.getTask(task.id);
+    } catch (err: unknown) {
+      const message = err instanceof Error ? err.message : String(err);
+      planLog.warn(`${task.id}: failed to re-read task before approved-spec transition (${message}); proceeding with original task snapshot`);
+      latestTransitionTask = task;
+    }
+    if (latestTransitionTask?.paused === true || latestTransitionTask?.userPaused === true) {
+      const restoreStatus = options.isReplan ? "needs-replan" : null;
+      await this.store.updateTask(task.id, { status: restoreStatus });
+      await this.store.logEntry(
+        task.id,
+        "Specification approved but task is paused — leaving in triage, will resume on unpause",
+      );
+      planLog.log(`${task.id} approved specification paused — leaving in triage, will resume on unpause`);
+      return;
+    }
+
     if (settings.requirePlanApproval) {
       const approvalUpdates: Record<string, unknown> = { status: "awaiting-approval" };
       if (shouldApplyPromptDeclaredTitle && promptDeclaredTitle) {