diff --git a/src/BizHawk.Client.EmuHawk/IEmuHawkMainFormToTools.cs b/src/BizHawk.Client.EmuHawk/IEmuHawkMainFormToTools.cs
index ff4b702765..124fb3273e 100644
--- a/src/BizHawk.Client.EmuHawk/IEmuHawkMainFormToTools.cs
+++ b/src/BizHawk.Client.EmuHawk/IEmuHawkMainFormToTools.cs
@@ -69,6 +69,10 @@ namespace BizHawk.Client.EmuHawk
 		/// <remarks>only referenced from <see cref="BookmarksBranchesBox"/></remarks>
 		BitmapBuffer MakeScreenshotImage();
 
+		void MaybePauseFromMenuOpened();
+
+		void MaybeUnpauseFromMenuClosed();
+
 		void PauseEmulator();
 
 		/// <remarks>only referenced from <see cref="TAStudio"/></remarks>
diff --git a/src/BizHawk.Client.EmuHawk/MainForm.Events.cs b/src/BizHawk.Client.EmuHawk/MainForm.Events.cs
index 19cfc5e066..5d7e73c3ea 100644
--- a/src/BizHawk.Client.EmuHawk/MainForm.Events.cs
+++ b/src/BizHawk.Client.EmuHawk/MainForm.Events.cs
@@ -2554,6 +2554,11 @@ namespace BizHawk.Client.EmuHawk
 		private void MainformMenu_MenuActivate(object sender, EventArgs e)
 		{
 			HandlePlatformMenus();
+			MaybePauseFromMenuOpened();
+		}
+
+		public void MaybePauseFromMenuOpened()
+		{
 			if (Config.PauseWhenMenuActivated)
 			{
 				_wasPaused = EmulatorPaused;
@@ -2562,7 +2567,9 @@ namespace BizHawk.Client.EmuHawk
 			}
 		}
 
-		private void MainformMenu_MenuDeactivate(object sender, EventArgs e)
+		private void MainformMenu_MenuDeactivate(object sender, EventArgs e) => MaybeUnpauseFromMenuClosed();
+
+		public void MaybeUnpauseFromMenuClosed()
 		{
 			if (!_wasPaused)
 			{
diff --git a/src/BizHawk.Client.EmuHawk/tools/ToolFormBase.cs b/src/BizHawk.Client.EmuHawk/tools/ToolFormBase.cs
index 5e66a22448..bdcab0c0b6 100644
--- a/src/BizHawk.Client.EmuHawk/tools/ToolFormBase.cs
+++ b/src/BizHawk.Client.EmuHawk/tools/ToolFormBase.cs
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
-using System.Collections.Generic;
+using System;
+using System.Collections.Generic;
 using System.Drawing;
 using System.IO;
 using System.Windows.Forms;
@@ -130,5 +131,15 @@ namespace BizHawk.Client.EmuHawk
 		{
 			return Tools.IsOnScreen(topLeft);
 		}
+
+		protected override void OnLoad(EventArgs e)
+		{
+			if (MainMenuStrip != null)
+			{
+				MainMenuStrip.MenuActivate += (sender, args) => MainForm.MaybePauseFromMenuOpened();
+				MainMenuStrip.MenuDeactivate += (sender, args) => MainForm.MaybeUnpauseFromMenuClosed();
+			}
+			base.OnLoad(e);
+		}
 	}
 }