diff --git a/block/mirror.c b/block/mirror.c
index 405616422b..65b1718671 100644
--- a/block/mirror.c
+++ b/block/mirror.c
@@ -634,7 +634,7 @@ static void mirror_complete(BlockJob *job, Error **errp)
     }
 
     s->should_complete = true;
-    block_job_resume(job);
+    block_job_enter(&s->common);
 }
 
 static const BlockJobDriver mirror_job_driver = {
diff --git a/blockdev.c b/blockdev.c
index fbb3a79978..9132d69e09 100644
--- a/blockdev.c
+++ b/blockdev.c
@@ -2699,7 +2699,7 @@ void qmp_block_job_cancel(const char *device,
         force = false;
     }
 
-    if (job->paused && !force) {
+    if (job->user_paused && !force) {
         error_setg(errp, "The block job for device '%s' is currently paused",
                    device);
         goto out;
@@ -2716,10 +2716,11 @@ void qmp_block_job_pause(const char *device, Error **errp)
     AioContext *aio_context;
     BlockJob *job = find_block_job(device, &aio_context, errp);
 
-    if (!job) {
+    if (!job || job->user_paused) {
         return;
     }
 
+    job->user_paused = true;
     trace_qmp_block_job_pause(job);
     block_job_pause(job);
     aio_context_release(aio_context);
@@ -2730,10 +2731,11 @@ void qmp_block_job_resume(const char *device, Error **errp)
     AioContext *aio_context;
     BlockJob *job = find_block_job(device, &aio_context, errp);
 
-    if (!job) {
+    if (!job || !job->user_paused) {
         return;
     }
 
+    job->user_paused = false;
     trace_qmp_block_job_resume(job);
     block_job_resume(job);
     aio_context_release(aio_context);
diff --git a/blockjob.c b/blockjob.c
index ba2255d91f..2755465259 100644
--- a/blockjob.c
+++ b/blockjob.c
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ void block_job_set_speed(BlockJob *job, int64_t speed, Error **errp)
 
 void block_job_complete(BlockJob *job, Error **errp)
 {
-    if (job->paused || job->cancelled || !job->driver->complete) {
+    if (job->pause_count || job->cancelled || !job->driver->complete) {
         error_set(errp, QERR_BLOCK_JOB_NOT_READY,
                   bdrv_get_device_name(job->bs));
         return;
@@ -118,17 +118,26 @@ void block_job_complete(BlockJob *job, Error **errp)
 
 void block_job_pause(BlockJob *job)
 {
-    job->paused = true;
+    job->pause_count++;
 }
 
 bool block_job_is_paused(BlockJob *job)
 {
-    return job->paused;
+    return job->pause_count > 0;
 }
 
 void block_job_resume(BlockJob *job)
 {
-    job->paused = false;
+    assert(job->pause_count > 0);
+    job->pause_count--;
+    if (job->pause_count) {
+        return;
+    }
+    block_job_enter(job);
+}
+
+void block_job_enter(BlockJob *job)
+{
     block_job_iostatus_reset(job);
     if (job->co && !job->busy) {
         qemu_coroutine_enter(job->co, NULL);
@@ -138,7 +147,7 @@ void block_job_resume(BlockJob *job)
 void block_job_cancel(BlockJob *job)
 {
     job->cancelled = true;
-    block_job_resume(job);
+    block_job_enter(job);
 }
 
 bool block_job_is_cancelled(BlockJob *job)
@@ -258,7 +267,7 @@ BlockJobInfo *block_job_query(BlockJob *job)
     info->device    = g_strdup(bdrv_get_device_name(job->bs));
     info->len       = job->len;
     info->busy      = job->busy;
-    info->paused    = job->paused;
+    info->paused    = job->pause_count > 0;
     info->offset    = job->offset;
     info->speed     = job->speed;
     info->io_status = job->iostatus;
@@ -335,6 +344,8 @@ BlockErrorAction block_job_error_action(BlockJob *job, BlockDriverState *bs,
                                     IO_OPERATION_TYPE_WRITE,
                                     action, &error_abort);
     if (action == BLOCK_ERROR_ACTION_STOP) {
+        /* make the pause user visible, which will be resumed from QMP. */
+        job->user_paused = true;
         block_job_pause(job);
         block_job_iostatus_set_err(job, error);
         if (bs != job->bs) {
diff --git a/include/block/blockjob.h b/include/block/blockjob.h
index b6d4ebbe03..57d8ef13e2 100644
--- a/include/block/blockjob.h
+++ b/include/block/blockjob.h
@@ -79,10 +79,16 @@ struct BlockJob {
     bool cancelled;
 
     /**
-     * Set to true if the job is either paused, or will pause itself
-     * as soon as possible (if busy == true).
+     * Counter for pause request. If non-zero, the block job is either paused,
+     * or if busy == true will pause itself as soon as possible.
      */
-    bool paused;
+    int pause_count;
+
+    /**
+     * Set to true if the job is paused by user.  Can be unpaused with the
+     * block-job-resume QMP command.
+     */
+    bool user_paused;
 
     /**
      * Set to false by the job while it is in a quiescent state, where
@@ -225,10 +231,18 @@ void block_job_pause(BlockJob *job);
  * block_job_resume:
  * @job: The job to be resumed.
  *
- * Resume the specified job.
+ * Resume the specified job.  Must be paired with a preceding block_job_pause.
  */
 void block_job_resume(BlockJob *job);
 
+/**
+ * block_job_enter:
+ * @job: The job to enter.
+ *
+ * Continue the specified job by entering the coroutine.
+ */
+void block_job_enter(BlockJob *job);
+
 /**
  * block_job_event_cancelled:
  * @job: The job whose information is requested.