diff --git a/src/platform/qt/GDBController.cpp b/src/platform/qt/GDBController.cpp
index 27d366de7..467d0409e 100644
--- a/src/platform/qt/GDBController.cpp
+++ b/src/platform/qt/GDBController.cpp
@@ -49,28 +49,25 @@ void GDBController::detach() {
 	if (!isAttached()) {
 		return;
 	}
-	bool wasPaused = m_gameController->isPaused();
 	disconnect(m_gameController, SIGNAL(frameAvailable(const uint32_t*)), this, SLOT(updateGDB()));
-	m_gameController->setPaused(true);
+	m_gameController->threadInterrupt();
 	GDBStubShutdown(&m_gdbStub);
 	m_gameController->setDebugger(nullptr);
-	m_gameController->setPaused(wasPaused);
+	m_gameController->threadContinue();
 }
 
 void GDBController::listen() {
+	m_gameController->threadInterrupt();
 	if (!isAttached()) {
 		attach();
 	}
-	bool wasPaused = m_gameController->isPaused();
 	connect(m_gameController, SIGNAL(frameAvailable(const uint32_t*)), this, SLOT(updateGDB()));
-	m_gameController->setPaused(true);
 	GDBStubListen(&m_gdbStub, m_port, m_bindAddress);
-	m_gameController->setPaused(wasPaused);
+	m_gameController->threadContinue();
 }
 
 void GDBController::updateGDB() {
-	bool wasPaused = m_gameController->isPaused();
-	m_gameController->setPaused(true);
+	m_gameController->threadInterrupt();
 	GDBStubUpdate(&m_gdbStub);
-	m_gameController->setPaused(wasPaused);
+	m_gameController->threadContinue();
 }
diff --git a/src/platform/qt/GameController.cpp b/src/platform/qt/GameController.cpp
index 388943406..b5b2792f6 100644
--- a/src/platform/qt/GameController.cpp
+++ b/src/platform/qt/GameController.cpp
@@ -146,8 +146,7 @@ ARMDebugger* GameController::debugger() {
 }
 
 void GameController::setDebugger(ARMDebugger* debugger) {
-	bool wasPaused = isPaused();
-	setPaused(true);
+	threadInterrupt();
 	if (m_threadContext.debugger && GBAThreadHasStarted(&m_threadContext)) {
 		GBADetachDebugger(m_threadContext.gba);
 	}
@@ -155,7 +154,7 @@ void GameController::setDebugger(ARMDebugger* debugger) {
 	if (m_threadContext.debugger && GBAThreadHasStarted(&m_threadContext)) {
 		GBAAttachDebugger(m_threadContext.gba, m_threadContext.debugger);
 	}
-	setPaused(wasPaused);
+	threadContinue();
 }
 #endif