diff --git a/include/settings.hpp b/include/settings.hpp
index 767e0cd8..ba27f917 100644
--- a/include/settings.hpp
+++ b/include/settings.hpp
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ extern float frameRateLimit;
 extern bool frameRateSync;
 extern float autosavePeriod;
 extern bool skipLoadOnLaunch;
+extern bool pauseUnfocused;
 extern std::string patchPath;
 extern std::vector<NVGcolor> cableColors;
 
diff --git a/include/window.hpp b/include/window.hpp
index dbf4edcc..33816836 100644
--- a/include/window.hpp
+++ b/include/window.hpp
@@ -64,6 +64,7 @@ struct Window {
 	int frame = 0;
 	/** The last known absolute mouse position in the window */
 	math::Vec mousePos;
+	bool focused;
 	std::shared_ptr<Font> uiFont;
 	double frameTimeStart = 0.f;
 
diff --git a/src/app/MenuBar.cpp b/src/app/MenuBar.cpp
index a2bb9500..48feeddb 100644
--- a/src/app/MenuBar.cpp
+++ b/src/app/MenuBar.cpp
@@ -391,6 +391,12 @@ struct EnginePauseItem : ui::MenuItem {
 	}
 };
 
+struct EnginePauseUnfocusedItem : ui::MenuItem {
+	void onAction(const event::Action& e) override {
+		settings::pauseUnfocused ^= true;
+	}
+};
+
 struct SampleRateValueItem : ui::MenuItem {
 	float sampleRate;
 	void onAction(const event::Action& e) override {
@@ -480,6 +486,11 @@ struct EngineButton : MenuButton {
 		cpuMeterItem->rightText = CHECKMARK(settings::cpuMeter);
 		menu->addChild(cpuMeterItem);
 
+		EnginePauseUnfocusedItem* enginePauseUnfocusedItem = new EnginePauseUnfocusedItem;
+		enginePauseUnfocusedItem->text = "Pause unfocused";
+		enginePauseUnfocusedItem->rightText = CHECKMARK(settings::pauseUnfocused);
+		menu->addChild(enginePauseUnfocusedItem);
+
 		SampleRateItem* sampleRateItem = new SampleRateItem;
 		sampleRateItem->text = "Sample rate";
 		sampleRateItem->rightText = RIGHT_ARROW;
diff --git a/src/settings.cpp b/src/settings.cpp
index 954a0952..45222033 100644
--- a/src/settings.cpp
+++ b/src/settings.cpp
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ float frameRateLimit = 70.0;
 bool frameRateSync = true;
 float autosavePeriod = 15.0;
 bool skipLoadOnLaunch = false;
+bool pauseUnfocused = false;
 std::string patchPath;
 std::vector<NVGcolor> cableColors = {
 	nvgRGB(0xc9, 0xb7, 0x0e), // yellow
@@ -64,6 +65,7 @@ json_t* toJson() {
 	json_object_set_new(rootJ, "allowCursorLock", json_boolean(allowCursorLock));
 
 	json_object_set_new(rootJ, "realTime", json_boolean(realTime));
+	
 
 	json_object_set_new(rootJ, "sampleRate", json_real(sampleRate));
 
@@ -85,6 +87,8 @@ json_t* toJson() {
 		json_object_set_new(rootJ, "skipLoadOnLaunch", json_true());
 	}
 
+	json_object_set_new(rootJ, "pauseUnfocused", json_boolean(pauseUnfocused));
+
 	json_object_set_new(rootJ, "patchPath", json_string(patchPath.c_str()));
 
 	json_t* cableColorsJ = json_array();
@@ -176,6 +180,10 @@ void fromJson(json_t* rootJ) {
 	if (skipLoadOnLaunchJ)
 		skipLoadOnLaunch = json_boolean_value(skipLoadOnLaunchJ);
 
+	json_t *pauseUnfocusedJ = json_object_get(rootJ, "pauseUnfocused");
+	if (pauseUnfocusedJ)
+		pauseUnfocused = json_boolean_value(pauseUnfocusedJ);
+
 	json_t* patchPathJ = json_object_get(rootJ, "patchPath");
 	if (patchPathJ)
 		patchPath = json_string_value(patchPathJ);
diff --git a/src/window.cpp b/src/window.cpp
index 3cab776f..ba47c173 100644
--- a/src/window.cpp
+++ b/src/window.cpp
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 #include <settings.hpp>
 #include <plugin.hpp> // used in Window::screenshot
 #include <system.hpp> // used in Window::screenshot
+#include <engine/Engine.hpp>
 
 #include <map>
 #include <queue>
@@ -97,6 +98,14 @@ struct Window::Internal {
 	bool ignoreNextMouseDelta = false;
 };
 
+static void windowFocusCallback(GLFWwindow* win, int focused) {
+	Window* window = (Window*) glfwGetWindowUserPointer(win);
+	window->focused = focused == GLFW_TRUE;
+
+	if (settings::pauseUnfocused) {
+		APP->engine->setPaused(!window->focused);
+	}
+}
 
 static void windowSizeCallback(GLFWwindow* win, int width, int height) {
 	// Do nothing. Window size is reset each frame anyway.
@@ -252,6 +261,7 @@ Window::Window() {
 	glfwSwapInterval(settings::frameRateSync ? 1 : 0);
 
 	// Set window callbacks
+	glfwSetWindowFocusCallback(win, windowFocusCallback);
 	glfwSetWindowSizeCallback(win, windowSizeCallback);
 	glfwSetMouseButtonCallback(win, mouseButtonCallback);
 	// Call this ourselves, but on every frame instead of only when the mouse moves