diff --git a/src/core/system.cpp b/src/core/system.cpp
index 21542ff1e..2ca1e7a54 100644
--- a/src/core/system.cpp
+++ b/src/core/system.cpp
@@ -560,6 +560,12 @@ bool Boot(const SystemBootParameters& params)
       return false;
     }
 
+    if (params.start_paused)
+    {
+      DebugAssert(s_state == State::Running);
+      s_state = State::Paused;
+    }
+
     return true;
   }
 
@@ -699,7 +705,7 @@ bool Boot(const SystemBootParameters& params)
   }
 
   // Good to go.
-  s_state = State::Running;
+  s_state = params.start_paused ? State::Paused : State::Running;
   return true;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/core/system.h b/src/core/system.h
index 5f923fabb..7209b3f51 100644
--- a/src/core/system.h
+++ b/src/core/system.h
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ struct SystemBootParameters
   u32 media_playlist_index = 0;
   bool load_image_to_ram = false;
   bool force_software_renderer = false;
+  bool start_paused = false;
 };
 
 namespace System {
diff --git a/src/duckstation-qt/debuggerwindow.cpp b/src/duckstation-qt/debuggerwindow.cpp
index 03e0ec55e..6a622e8e0 100644
--- a/src/duckstation-qt/debuggerwindow.cpp
+++ b/src/duckstation-qt/debuggerwindow.cpp
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ DebuggerWindow::DebuggerWindow(QWidget* parent /* = nullptr */)
   setUIEnabled(false);
 }
 
-DebuggerWindow::~DebuggerWindow() {}
+DebuggerWindow::~DebuggerWindow() = default;
 
 void DebuggerWindow::onEmulationPaused(bool paused)
 {
diff --git a/src/duckstation-qt/debuggerwindow.h b/src/duckstation-qt/debuggerwindow.h
index 08e3f513a..b937788bb 100644
--- a/src/duckstation-qt/debuggerwindow.h
+++ b/src/duckstation-qt/debuggerwindow.h
@@ -24,11 +24,13 @@ public:
 Q_SIGNALS:
   void closed();
 
+public Q_SLOTS:
+  void onEmulationPaused(bool paused);
+
 protected:
   void closeEvent(QCloseEvent* event);
 
 private Q_SLOTS:
-  void onEmulationPaused(bool paused);
   void onDebuggerMessageReported(const QString& message);
 
   void refreshAll();
diff --git a/src/duckstation-qt/mainwindow.cpp b/src/duckstation-qt/mainwindow.cpp
index fa11e8d9e..e3d919bde 100644
--- a/src/duckstation-qt/mainwindow.cpp
+++ b/src/duckstation-qt/mainwindow.cpp
@@ -1359,8 +1359,11 @@ void MainWindow::onToolsCPUDebuggerTriggered()
     connect(m_debugger_window, &DebuggerWindow::closed, this, &MainWindow::onCPUDebuggerClosed);
   }
 
+  m_host_interface->pauseSystem(true, true);
   m_debugger_window->show();
-  m_host_interface->pauseSystem(true);
+
+  // the debugger will miss the pause event above (or we were already paused), so fire it now
+  m_debugger_window->onEmulationPaused(true);
 }
 
 void MainWindow::onCPUDebuggerClosed()