diff --git a/runbot/models/host.py b/runbot/models/host.py
index 53c363473..fcccfc6b7 100644
--- a/runbot/models/host.py
+++ b/runbot/models/host.py
@@ -394,6 +394,14 @@ def _get_builds(self, domain, order=None):
     def _process_messages(self):
         return self.host_message_ids._process()
 
+    def _action_pause(self):
+        for host in self:
+            host.paused = True
+
+    def _action_unpause(self):
+        for host in self:
+            host.paused = False
+
 
 class MessageQueue(models.Model):
     _name = 'runbot.host.message'
diff --git a/runbot/views/host_views.xml b/runbot/views/host_views.xml
index 726aeff48..f24647aa2 100644
--- a/runbot/views/host_views.xml
+++ b/runbot/views/host_views.xml
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@
                 <field name="is_leader"/>
                 <field name="is_builder"/>
                 <field name="is_registry"/>
-
+                <field name="paused" widget="boolean_toggle"/>
             </list>
         </field>
     </record>
@@ -75,5 +75,28 @@
         <field name="path">host</field>
     </record>
 
+    <record model="ir.actions.server" id="action_pause_hosts">
+        <field name="name">Pause Selected Hosts</field>
+        <field name="model_id" ref="runbot.model_runbot_host" />
+        <field name="binding_model_id" ref="runbot.model_runbot_host" />
+        <field name="type">ir.actions.server</field>
+        <field name="state">code</field>
+        <field name="code">
+            action = records._action_pause()
+        </field>
+    </record>
+
+    <record model="ir.actions.server" id="action_unpause_hosts">
+        <field name="name">Unpause Selected Hosts</field>
+        <field name="model_id" ref="runbot.model_runbot_host" />
+        <field name="binding_model_id" ref="runbot.model_runbot_host" />
+        <field name="type">ir.actions.server</field>
+        <field name="state">code</field>
+        <field name="code">
+            action = records._action_unpause()
+        </field>
+    </record>
+
   </data>
+
 </odoo>
diff --git a/runbot_builder/tools.py b/runbot_builder/tools.py
index 4fd018fd0..9a1295405 100644
--- a/runbot_builder/tools.py
+++ b/runbot_builder/tools.py
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
 from pathlib import Path
 from logging.handlers import WatchedFileHandler
 
+
 LOG_FORMAT = '%(asctime)s %(levelname)s %(name)s: %(message)s'
 logging.basicConfig(level=logging.INFO, format=LOG_FORMAT)
 logging.getLogger('odoo.addons.runbot').setLevel(logging.DEBUG)
@@ -40,6 +41,7 @@ def on_start(self):
     def main_loop(self):
         from odoo import fields
         from odoo.tools.profiler import Profiler
+        from odoo.tools.misc import str2bool
         self.on_start()
         signal.signal(signal.SIGINT, self.signal_handler)
         signal.signal(signal.SIGTERM, self.signal_handler)
@@ -55,6 +57,11 @@ def main_loop(self):
             ' (assigned only)' if self.host.assigned_only else ''
         )
         while True:
+            if str2bool(self.env['ir.config_parameter'].sudo().get_param('pause_all_hosts', 'False')):
+                # don't even access hosts to make upgrades possible
+                _logger.info('All hosts are paused, sleeping 10s')
+                self.sleep(10)
+                continue
             context_manager = Profiler(db=self.env.cr.dbname) if self.host.profile else nullcontext()
             with context_manager:
                 try: