diff --git a/stepmania/src/Player.cpp b/stepmania/src/Player.cpp
index 9b58a7103d..775d661988 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/Player.cpp
+++ b/stepmania/src/Player.cpp
@@ -62,6 +62,7 @@ Player::Player()
 	m_pSecondaryScoreKeeper = NULL;
 	m_pInventory = NULL;
 	
+	m_bPaused = false;
 	m_iOffsetSample = 0;
 
 	this->AddChild( &m_Judgment );
@@ -280,6 +281,8 @@ void Player::Update( float fDeltaTime )
 	if( GAMESTATE->m_pCurSong==NULL )
 		return;
 
+	ActorFrame::Update( fDeltaTime );
+
 	if( m_pPlayerState->m_bAttackBeganThisUpdate )
 		m_soundAttackLaunch.Play();
 	if( m_pPlayerState->m_bAttackEndedThisUpdate )
@@ -322,6 +325,11 @@ void Player::Update( float fDeltaTime )
 		m_pNoteField->SetZoom( fNoteFieldZoom );
 	m_Judgment.SetZoom( fJudgmentZoom );
 
+	// If we're paused, don't update tap or hold note logic, so hold notes can be released
+	// during pause.
+	if( m_bPaused )
+		return;
+
 	//
 	// Check for TapNote misses
 	//
@@ -493,8 +501,6 @@ void Player::Update( float fDeltaTime )
 
 	// process transforms that are waiting to be applied
 	ApplyWaitingTransforms();
-
-	ActorFrame::Update( fDeltaTime );
 }
 
 void Player::ApplyWaitingTransforms()
diff --git a/stepmania/src/Player.h b/stepmania/src/Player.h
index f3b6ecc6ff..cbdb3ae740 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/Player.h
+++ b/stepmania/src/Player.h
@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@ public:
 	void FadeToFail();
 	TapNoteScore GetLastTapNoteScore() const { return m_LastTapNoteScore; }
 	void ApplyWaitingTransforms();
+	void SetPaused( bool bPaused ) { m_bPaused = bPaused; }
 
 	static float GetMaxStepDistanceSeconds();
 
@@ -75,6 +76,7 @@ protected:
 	PlayerStageStats*	m_pPlayerStageStats;
 	float			m_fNoteFieldHeight;
 
+	bool			m_bPaused;
 	float			m_fOffset[SAMPLE_COUNT]; // for AutoSync
 	int				m_iOffsetSample;
 
diff --git a/stepmania/src/ScreenGameplay.cpp b/stepmania/src/ScreenGameplay.cpp
index dd55d97873..81ab4d4a72 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/ScreenGameplay.cpp
+++ b/stepmania/src/ScreenGameplay.cpp
@@ -1147,6 +1147,9 @@ void ScreenGameplay::PauseGame( bool bPause )
 		this->PlayCommand( "Pause" );
 	else
 		this->PlayCommand( "Unpause" );
+
+	FOREACH_EnabledPlayer(p)
+		m_Player[p].SetPaused( m_bPaused );
 }
 
 // play assist ticks
@@ -1320,6 +1323,10 @@ void ScreenGameplay::Update( float fDeltaTime )
 	if( SCREENMAN->GetTopScreen() != this )
 		return;
 
+	/* Update actors when paused, but never move on to another state. */
+	if( m_bPaused )
+		return;
+
 	if( GAMESTATE->m_MasterPlayerNumber != PLAYER_INVALID && !m_MaxCombo.GetHidden() )
 		m_MaxCombo.SetText( ssprintf("%d", STATSMAN->m_CurStageStats.m_player[GAMESTATE->m_MasterPlayerNumber].iMaxCombo) ); /* MAKE THIS WORK FOR BOTH PLAYERS! */
 	
@@ -1732,6 +1739,14 @@ void ScreenGameplay::Input( const DeviceInput& DeviceI, const InputEventType typ
 	if( type == IET_LEVEL_CHANGED )
 		return;
 
+	if( m_bPaused )
+	{
+		/* If we're paused, only accept MENU_BUTTON_START to unpause. */
+		if( MenuI.IsValid() && MenuI.button == MENU_BUTTON_START && type == IET_FIRST_PRESS )
+			this->PauseGame( false );
+		return;
+	}
+
 	if( MenuI.IsValid()  &&  
 		m_DancingState != STATE_OUTRO  &&
 		!m_Back.IsTransitioning() )
@@ -2390,6 +2405,11 @@ void ScreenGameplay::HandleScreenMessage( const ScreenMessage SM )
 	case SM_StopMusic:
 		m_pSoundMusic->Stop();
 		break;
+
+	case SM_Pause:
+		if( !m_bPaused )
+			PauseGame( true );
+		break;
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/stepmania/src/ScreenMessage.h b/stepmania/src/ScreenMessage.h
index 2a65146076..3c4d32a846 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/ScreenMessage.h
+++ b/stepmania/src/ScreenMessage.h
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ enum ScreenMessage {
 	SM_GainFocus,
 	SM_LoseFocus,
 	SM_StopMusic,
+	SM_Pause,
 	SM_User	= 100
 };