diff --git a/bbs.c b/bbs.c
index 609f169..be554df 100644
--- a/bbs.c
+++ b/bbs.c
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ struct user_record *gUser;
 int gSocket;
 
 int usertimeout;
+int timeoutpaused;
 
 struct fido_addr *parse_fido_addr(const char *str) {
 	struct fido_addr *ret = (struct fido_addr *)malloc(sizeof(struct fido_addr));
@@ -89,7 +90,9 @@ void timer_handler(int signum) {
 			
 
 		} 
-		usertimeout--;
+		if (timeoutpaused == 0) {
+			usertimeout--;
+		}
 		if (usertimeout <= 0) {
 			s_putstring(gSocket, "\r\n\r\nTimeout waiting for input..\r\n");
 			disconnect(gSocket);
@@ -682,6 +685,7 @@ void runbbs(int socket, char *config_path) {
 	gUser = NULL;
 	gSocket = socket;
 	usertimeout = 10;
+	timeoutpaused = 0;
 	
 	memset (&sa, 0, sizeof (sa));
 	sa.sa_handler = &timer_handler;
diff --git a/doors.c b/doors.c
index 87bd4bb..6c5caaa 100644
--- a/doors.c
+++ b/doors.c
@@ -23,6 +23,8 @@ extern int mynode;
 int running_door_pid = 0;
 int running_door = 0;
 
+extern int timeoutpaused;
+
 void doorchld_handler(int s)
 {
     // waitpid() might overwrite errno, so we save and restore it:
@@ -136,6 +138,8 @@ void rundoor(int socket, struct user_record *user, char *cmd, int stdio) {
 	struct winsize ws;
 	struct sigaction sa;
 	
+	timeoutpaused = 1;
+	
 	if (write_door32sys(socket, user) != 0) {
 		return;
 	}
@@ -223,6 +227,7 @@ void rundoor(int socket, struct user_record *user, char *cmd, int stdio) {
 		sprintf(buffer, "%s %d %d", cmd, mynode, socket);
 		system(buffer);
 	}
+	timeoutpaused = 0;
 }
 
 int door_menu(int socket, struct user_record *user) {