diff --git a/web/src/app/api/requests/[id]/pause/route.test.ts b/web/src/app/api/requests/[id]/pause/route.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ad761f7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/web/src/app/api/requests/[id]/pause/route.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,47 @@
+import { describe, it, expect } from "vitest";
+import { POST } from "./route";
+import { prisma } from "@/lib/db";
+import type { Prisma } from "@prisma/client";
+
+function req(id: string, paused: boolean) {
+  return new Request(`http://localhost/api/requests/${id}/pause`, {
+    method: "POST",
+    headers: { "content-type": "application/json" },
+    body: JSON.stringify({ paused }),
+  });
+}
+
+async function seed(jobData: Prisma.JobCreateWithoutRequestInput) {
+  return prisma.request.create({
+    data: { artist: "A", album: "B", status: "pending", job: { create: jobData } },
+    include: { job: true },
+  });
+}
+
+describe("per-item pause API", () => {
+  it("pauses a queued job", async () => {
+    const created = await seed({ state: "requested" });
+    const res = await POST(req(created.id, true), { params: Promise.resolve({ id: created.id }) });
+    expect(res.status).toBe(200);
+    const job = await prisma.job.findUnique({ where: { id: created.job!.id } });
+    expect(job?.paused).toBe(true);
+  });
+
+  it("resumes a paused job", async () => {
+    const created = await seed({ state: "requested", paused: true });
+    await POST(req(created.id, false), { params: Promise.resolve({ id: created.id }) });
+    const job = await prisma.job.findUnique({ where: { id: created.job!.id } });
+    expect(job?.paused).toBe(false);
+  });
+
+  it("rejects pausing an in-flight job", async () => {
+    const created = await seed({ state: "downloading" });
+    const res = await POST(req(created.id, true), { params: Promise.resolve({ id: created.id }) });
+    expect(res.status).toBe(400);
+  });
+
+  it("404s for a missing request", async () => {
+    const res = await POST(req("nope", true), { params: Promise.resolve({ id: "nope" }) });
+    expect(res.status).toBe(404);
+  });
+});
diff --git a/web/src/app/api/requests/[id]/pause/route.ts b/web/src/app/api/requests/[id]/pause/route.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f685b8d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/web/src/app/api/requests/[id]/pause/route.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+import { prisma } from "@/lib/db";
+
+export async function POST(request: Request, { params }: { params: Promise<{ id: string }> }) {
+  const { id } = await params;
+
+  let body: { paused?: unknown };
+  try {
+    body = (await request.json()) as { paused?: unknown };
+  } catch {
+    return Response.json({ error: "invalid JSON" }, { status: 400 });
+  }
+  if (typeof body.paused !== "boolean") {
+    return Response.json({ error: "paused must be a boolean" }, { status: 400 });
+  }
+
+  const req = await prisma.request.findUnique({ where: { id }, include: { job: true } });
+  if (!req || !req.job) {
+    return Response.json({ error: "not found" }, { status: 404 });
+  }
+  if (req.job.state !== "requested") {
+    return Response.json({ error: "only queued jobs can be paused" }, { status: 400 });
+  }
+
+  await prisma.job.update({ where: { id: req.job.id }, data: { paused: body.paused } });
+  return Response.json({ ok: true, paused: body.paused });
+}