diff --git a/src/audio.c b/src/audio.c
index bbc7fd0eb..b38c47d72 100644
--- a/src/audio.c
+++ b/src/audio.c
@@ -397,6 +397,19 @@ int playAudio(const char *playChunk, size_t size)
 	return 0;
 }
 
+void audio_output_pause_all(void)
+{
+	unsigned int i;
+
+	syncAudioDeviceStates();
+
+	for (i = 0; i < audioOutputArraySize; ++i)
+		if (audio_output_is_open(&audioOutputArray[i]))
+			audio_output_pause(&audioOutputArray[i]);
+
+	audio_output_wait_all();
+}
+
 void dropBufferedAudio(void)
 {
 	unsigned int i;
diff --git a/src/audio.h b/src/audio.h
index 4e34b0f61..3ffa2dc55 100644
--- a/src/audio.h
+++ b/src/audio.h
@@ -45,6 +45,8 @@ int openAudioDevice(const struct audio_format *audioFormat);
 
 int playAudio(const char *playChunk, size_t size);
 
+void audio_output_pause_all(void);
+
 void dropBufferedAudio(void);
 
 void closeAudioDevice(void);
diff --git a/src/audioOutputs/audioOutput_shout.c b/src/audioOutputs/audioOutput_shout.c
index b55c06cc9..6b59044d8 100644
--- a/src/audioOutputs/audioOutput_shout.c
+++ b/src/audioOutputs/audioOutput_shout.c
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ static void free_shout_data(struct shout_data *sd)
 		}							\
 	}
 
-static void *my_shout_init_driver(mpd_unused struct audio_output *audio_output,
+static void *my_shout_init_driver(struct audio_output *audio_output,
 				  const struct audio_format *audio_format,
 				  ConfigParam *param)
 {
@@ -104,6 +104,7 @@ static void *my_shout_init_driver(mpd_unused struct audio_output *audio_output,
 	int public;
 
 	sd = new_shout_data();
+	sd->audio_output = audio_output;
 
 	if (shout_init_count == 0)
 		shout_init();
@@ -516,6 +517,21 @@ static int my_shout_play(void *data,
 	return 0;
 }
 
+static void my_shout_pause(void *data)
+{
+	struct shout_data *sd = (struct shout_data *)data;
+	static const char silence[1020];
+	int ret;
+
+	/* play silence until the player thread sends us a command */
+
+	while (sd->opened && !audio_output_is_pending(sd->audio_output)) {
+		ret = my_shout_play(data, silence, sizeof(silence));
+		if (ret != 0)
+			break;
+	}
+}
+
 static void my_shout_set_tag(void *data,
 			     const struct tag *tag)
 {
@@ -539,6 +555,7 @@ const struct audio_output_plugin shoutPlugin = {
 	.finish = my_shout_finish_driver,
 	.open = my_shout_open_device,
 	.play = my_shout_play,
+	.pause = my_shout_pause,
 	.cancel = my_shout_drop_buffered_audio,
 	.close = my_shout_close_device,
 	.send_tag = my_shout_set_tag,
diff --git a/src/audioOutputs/audioOutput_shout.h b/src/audioOutputs/audioOutput_shout.h
index ddab852df..bd525fd6d 100644
--- a/src/audioOutputs/audioOutput_shout.h
+++ b/src/audioOutputs/audioOutput_shout.h
@@ -59,6 +59,8 @@ struct shout_buffer {
 };
 
 struct shout_data {
+	struct audio_output *audio_output;
+
 	shout_t *shout_conn;
 	shout_metadata_t *shout_meta;
 	int shout_error;
diff --git a/src/output_api.h b/src/output_api.h
index 96acff775..1cad66e60 100644
--- a/src/output_api.h
+++ b/src/output_api.h
@@ -81,6 +81,16 @@ struct audio_output_plugin {
 	 */
 	int (*play)(void *data, const char *playChunk, size_t size);
 
+	/**
+	 * Pause the device.  If supported, it may perform a special
+	 * action, which keeps the device open, but does not play
+	 * anything.  Output plugins like "shout" might want to play
+	 * silence during pause, so their clients won't be
+	 * disconnected.  Plugins which do not support pausing will
+	 * simply be closed, and have to be reopened when unpaused.
+	 */
+	void (*pause)(void *data);
+
 	/**
 	 * Try to cancel data which may still be in the device's
 	 * buffers.
@@ -104,6 +114,7 @@ enum audio_output_command {
 	AO_COMMAND_OPEN,
 	AO_COMMAND_CLOSE,
 	AO_COMMAND_PLAY,
+	AO_COMMAND_PAUSE,
 	AO_COMMAND_CANCEL,
 	AO_COMMAND_SEND_TAG,
 	AO_COMMAND_KILL
diff --git a/src/output_control.c b/src/output_control.c
index ac9394bd7..4724aeeea 100644
--- a/src/output_control.c
+++ b/src/output_control.c
@@ -103,6 +103,11 @@ void audio_output_play(struct audio_output *audioOutput,
 	ao_command_async(audioOutput, AO_COMMAND_PLAY);
 }
 
+void audio_output_pause(struct audio_output *audioOutput)
+{
+	ao_command_async(audioOutput, AO_COMMAND_PAUSE);
+}
+
 void audio_output_cancel(struct audio_output *audioOutput)
 {
 	ao_command_async(audioOutput, AO_COMMAND_CANCEL);
diff --git a/src/output_control.h b/src/output_control.h
index b83a67b2f..7a31bb68f 100644
--- a/src/output_control.h
+++ b/src/output_control.h
@@ -41,6 +41,9 @@ audio_output_signal(struct audio_output *ao);
 
 void audio_output_play(struct audio_output *audioOutput,
 		       const char *playChunk, size_t size);
+
+void audio_output_pause(struct audio_output *audioOutput);
+
 void audio_output_cancel(struct audio_output *audioOutput);
 void audio_output_close(struct audio_output *audioOutput);
 void audio_output_finish(struct audio_output *audioOutput);
diff --git a/src/output_thread.c b/src/output_thread.c
index 4bc5d8fcb..c2f4f6d3c 100644
--- a/src/output_thread.c
+++ b/src/output_thread.c
@@ -63,6 +63,20 @@ static void ao_play(struct audio_output *ao)
 	ao_command_finished(ao);
 }
 
+static void ao_pause(struct audio_output *ao)
+{
+	if (ao->plugin->pause != NULL) {
+		/* pause is supported */
+		ao_command_finished(ao);
+		ao->plugin->pause(ao->data);
+	} else {
+		/* pause is not supported - simply close the device */
+		ao->plugin->close(ao->data);
+		ao->open = 0;
+		ao_command_finished(ao);
+	}
+}
+
 static void *audio_output_task(void *arg)
 {
 	struct audio_output *ao = arg;
@@ -95,6 +109,10 @@ static void *audio_output_task(void *arg)
 			ao_play(ao);
 			break;
 
+		case AO_COMMAND_PAUSE:
+			ao_pause(ao);
+			break;
+
 		case AO_COMMAND_CANCEL:
 			ao->plugin->cancel(ao->data);
 			ao_command_finished(ao);
diff --git a/src/player_thread.c b/src/player_thread.c
index 171bd71c4..48715dd20 100644
--- a/src/player_thread.c
+++ b/src/player_thread.c
@@ -143,7 +143,7 @@ static void processDecodeInput(int *pause_r, unsigned int *bbp_r,
 			*pause_r = 1;
 		} else if (*pause_r) {
 			dropBufferedAudio();
-			closeAudioDevice();
+			audio_output_pause_all();
 		}
 		break;