diff --git a/CHANGES b/CHANGES
index 60cb54149..6404363a1 100644
--- a/CHANGES
+++ b/CHANGES
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ Features:
  - Libretro: Customizable idle loop removal
  - Implemented cycle counting for sprite rendering
  - Cleaner, unified settings window
+ - Added a setting for pausing when the emulator is not in focus
 Bugfixes:
  - Util: Fix PowerPC PNG read/write pixel order
  - VFS: Fix VFileReadline and remove _vfdReadline
diff --git a/src/platform/qt/SettingsView.cpp b/src/platform/qt/SettingsView.cpp
index 8737d92f5..e5110f7e4 100644
--- a/src/platform/qt/SettingsView.cpp
+++ b/src/platform/qt/SettingsView.cpp
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ SettingsView::SettingsView(ConfigController* controller, InputController* inputC
 	loadSetting("resampleVideo", m_ui.resampleVideo);
 	loadSetting("allowOpposingDirections", m_ui.allowOpposingDirections);
 	loadSetting("suspendScreensaver", m_ui.suspendScreensaver);
+	loadSetting("pauseOnFocusLost", m_ui.pauseOnFocusLost);
 
 	double fastForwardRatio = loadSetting("fastForwardRatio").toDouble();
 	if (fastForwardRatio <= 0) {
@@ -142,6 +143,7 @@ void SettingsView::updateConfig() {
 	saveSetting("resampleVideo", m_ui.resampleVideo);
 	saveSetting("allowOpposingDirections", m_ui.allowOpposingDirections);
 	saveSetting("suspendScreensaver", m_ui.suspendScreensaver);
+	saveSetting("pauseOnFocusLost", m_ui.pauseOnFocusLost);
 
 	if (m_ui.fastForwardUnbounded->isChecked()) {
 		saveSetting("fastForwardRatio", "-1");
diff --git a/src/platform/qt/SettingsView.ui b/src/platform/qt/SettingsView.ui
index 33ca8fa89..1e5088096 100644
--- a/src/platform/qt/SettingsView.ui
+++ b/src/platform/qt/SettingsView.ui
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
     <x>0</x>
     <y>0</y>
     <width>417</width>
-    <height>457</height>
+    <height>478</height>
    </rect>
   </property>
   <property name="sizePolicy">
@@ -493,14 +493,14 @@
          </property>
         </widget>
        </item>
-       <item row="13" column="0">
+       <item row="14" column="0">
         <widget class="QLabel" name="label_15">
          <property name="text">
           <string>Idle loops</string>
          </property>
         </widget>
        </item>
-       <item row="13" column="1">
+       <item row="14" column="1">
         <widget class="QComboBox" name="idleOptimization">
          <item>
           <property name="text">
@@ -547,6 +547,13 @@
          </property>
         </widget>
        </item>
+       <item row="13" column="1">
+        <widget class="QCheckBox" name="pauseOnFocusLost">
+         <property name="text">
+          <string>Pause when inactive</string>
+         </property>
+        </widget>
+       </item>
       </layout>
      </widget>
     </widget>
diff --git a/src/platform/qt/Window.cpp b/src/platform/qt/Window.cpp
index 5d6f3a53b..0bdfbeb21 100644
--- a/src/platform/qt/Window.cpp
+++ b/src/platform/qt/Window.cpp
@@ -72,6 +72,7 @@ Window::Window(ConfigController* config, int playerId, QWidget* parent)
 	, m_shortcutController(new ShortcutController(this))
 	, m_playerId(playerId)
 	, m_fullscreenOnStart(false)
+	, m_autoresume(false)
 {
 	setFocusPolicy(Qt::StrongFocus);
 	setAcceptDrops(true);
@@ -140,6 +141,7 @@ Window::Window(ConfigController* config, int playerId, QWidget* parent)
 	connect(this, SIGNAL(sampleRateChanged(unsigned)), m_controller, SLOT(setAudioSampleRate(unsigned)));
 	connect(this, SIGNAL(fpsTargetChanged(float)), m_controller, SLOT(setFPSTarget(float)));
 	connect(&m_fpsTimer, SIGNAL(timeout()), this, SLOT(showFPS()));
+	connect(&m_focusCheck, SIGNAL(timeout()), this, SLOT(focusCheck()));
 	connect(m_display, &Display::hideCursor, [this]() {
 		if (static_cast<QStackedLayout*>(m_screenWidget->layout())->currentWidget() == m_display) {
 			m_screenWidget->setCursor(Qt::BlankCursor);
@@ -152,6 +154,7 @@ Window::Window(ConfigController* config, int playerId, QWidget* parent)
 
 	m_log.setLevels(GBA_LOG_WARN | GBA_LOG_ERROR | GBA_LOG_FATAL | GBA_LOG_STATUS);
 	m_fpsTimer.setInterval(FPS_TIMER_INTERVAL);
+	m_focusCheck.setInterval(200);
 
 	m_shortcutController->setConfigController(m_config);
 	setupMenu(menuBar());
@@ -604,6 +607,7 @@ void Window::gameStarted(GBAThread* context) {
 
 	m_hitUnimplementedBiosCall = false;
 	m_fpsTimer.start();
+	m_focusCheck.start();
 }
 
 void Window::gameStopped() {
@@ -618,6 +622,7 @@ void Window::gameStopped() {
 	m_screenWidget->unsetCursor();
 
 	m_fpsTimer.stop();
+	m_focusCheck.stop();
 }
 
 void Window::gameCrashed(const QString& errorMessage) {
@@ -1354,6 +1359,18 @@ QAction* Window::addHiddenAction(QMenu* menu, QAction* action, const QString& na
 	return action;
 }
 
+void Window::focusCheck() {
+	if (!m_config->getOption("pauseOnFocusLost").toInt()) {
+		return;
+	}
+	if (QGuiApplication::focusWindow() && m_autoresume) {
+		m_controller->setPaused(false);
+	} else if (!QGuiApplication::focusWindow() && !m_controller->isPaused()) {
+		m_autoresume = true;
+		m_controller->setPaused(true);
+	}
+}
+
 WindowBackground::WindowBackground(QWidget* parent)
 	: QLabel(parent)
 {
diff --git a/src/platform/qt/Window.h b/src/platform/qt/Window.h
index ab0d7e99e..c13c8d941 100644
--- a/src/platform/qt/Window.h
+++ b/src/platform/qt/Window.h
@@ -123,6 +123,7 @@ private slots:
 
 	void recordFrame();
 	void showFPS();
+	void focusCheck();
 
 private:
 	static const int FPS_TIMER_INTERVAL = 2000;
@@ -164,6 +165,8 @@ private:
 	ShaderSelector* m_shaderView;
 	int m_playerId;
 	bool m_fullscreenOnStart;
+	QTimer m_focusCheck;
+	bool m_autoresume;
 
 	bool m_hitUnimplementedBiosCall;