diff --git a/repos/base-nova/src/core/include/pager.h b/repos/base-nova/src/core/include/pager.h
index d7a40ab5e..4ab1d8f03 100644
--- a/repos/base-nova/src/core/include/pager.h
+++ b/repos/base-nova/src/core/include/pager.h
@@ -85,20 +85,24 @@ namespace Genode {
 				struct Thread_state thread;
 				addr_t sel_client_ec;
 				enum {
-					BLOCKED       = 0x1U,
-					DEAD          = 0x2U,
-					SINGLESTEP    = 0x4U,
-					SIGNAL_SM     = 0x8U,
-					DISSOLVED     = 0x10U,
-					SUBMIT_SIGNAL = 0x20U,
+					BLOCKED          = 0x1U,
+					DEAD             = 0x2U,
+					SINGLESTEP       = 0x4U,
+					SIGNAL_SM        = 0x8U,
+					DISSOLVED        = 0x10U,
+					SUBMIT_SIGNAL    = 0x20U,
+					BLOCKED_PAUSE_SM = 0x40U,
 				};
 				uint8_t _status;
 				bool modified;
 
 				/* convenience function to access pause/recall state */
-				inline bool blocked() { return _status & BLOCKED;}
-				inline void block()   { _status |= BLOCKED; }
-				inline void unblock() { _status &= ~BLOCKED; }
+				inline bool blocked()          { return _status & BLOCKED;}
+				inline void block()            { _status |= BLOCKED; }
+				inline void unblock()          { _status &= ~BLOCKED; }
+				inline bool blocked_pause_sm() { return _status & BLOCKED_PAUSE_SM;}
+				inline void block_pause_sm()   { _status |= BLOCKED_PAUSE_SM; }
+				inline void unblock_pause_sm() { _status &= ~BLOCKED_PAUSE_SM; }
 
 				inline void mark_dead() { _status |= DEAD; }
 				inline bool is_dead() { return _status & DEAD; }
diff --git a/repos/base-nova/src/core/pager.cc b/repos/base-nova/src/core/pager.cc
index a30f88ca3..f1fbba128 100644
--- a/repos/base-nova/src/core/pager.cc
+++ b/repos/base-nova/src/core/pager.cc
@@ -156,6 +156,7 @@ void Pager_object::_page_fault_handler(addr_t pager_obj)
 	obj->_state.thread.trapno = PT_SEL_PAGE_FAULT;
 
 	obj->_state.block();
+	obj->_state.block_pause_sm();
 
 	obj->_state_lock.unlock();
 
@@ -261,7 +262,12 @@ void Pager_object::_recall_handler(addr_t pager_obj)
 
 	/* block until cpu_session()->resume() respectively wake_up() call */
 
-	unsigned long sm = obj->_state.blocked() ? obj->sel_sm_block_pause() : 0;
+	unsigned long sm = 0;
+
+	if (obj->_state.blocked()) {
+		sm = obj->sel_sm_block_pause();
+		obj->_state.block_pause_sm();
+	}
 
 	obj->_state_lock.unlock();
 
@@ -405,9 +411,15 @@ void Pager_object::wake_up()
 
 	_state.unblock();
 
-	uint8_t res = sm_ctrl(sel_sm_block_pause(), SEMAPHORE_UP);
-	if (res != NOVA_OK)
-		warning("canceling blocked client failed (thread sm)");
+	if (_state.blocked_pause_sm()) {
+
+		uint8_t res = sm_ctrl(sel_sm_block_pause(), SEMAPHORE_UP);
+
+		if (res == NOVA_OK)
+			_state.unblock_pause_sm();
+		else
+			warning("canceling blocked client failed (thread sm)");
+	}
 }