diff --git a/tests/fixtures/config/job-pause-priority/git/common-config/zuul.yaml b/tests/fixtures/config/job-pause-priority/git/common-config/zuul.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..a07342e2ec
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/fixtures/config/job-pause-priority/git/common-config/zuul.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+- pipeline:
+    name: check
+    manager: independent
+    post-review: true
+    trigger:
+      gerrit:
+        - event: patchset-created
+    success:
+      gerrit:
+        Verified: 1
+    failure:
+      gerrit:
+        Verified: -1
+
+- job:
+    name: base
+    parent: null
diff --git a/tests/fixtures/config/job-pause-priority/git/org_project/README b/tests/fixtures/config/job-pause-priority/git/org_project/README
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..9daeafb986
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/fixtures/config/job-pause-priority/git/org_project/README
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+test
diff --git a/tests/fixtures/config/job-pause-priority/git/org_project/playbooks/compile.yaml b/tests/fixtures/config/job-pause-priority/git/org_project/playbooks/compile.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..9d6f2dae80
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/fixtures/config/job-pause-priority/git/org_project/playbooks/compile.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+- hosts: all
+  tasks:
+    - name: Pause and let child run
+      zuul_return:
+        data:
+          zuul:
+            pause: true
diff --git a/tests/fixtures/config/job-pause-priority/git/org_project/playbooks/test.yaml b/tests/fixtures/config/job-pause-priority/git/org_project/playbooks/test.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..f679dceaef
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/fixtures/config/job-pause-priority/git/org_project/playbooks/test.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+- hosts: all
+  tasks: []
diff --git a/tests/fixtures/config/job-pause-priority/git/org_project/zuul.yaml b/tests/fixtures/config/job-pause-priority/git/org_project/zuul.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..854b083a32
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/fixtures/config/job-pause-priority/git/org_project/zuul.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+- job:
+    name: compile
+    run: playbooks/compile.yaml
+    nodeset:
+      nodes:
+        - name: compile_node
+          label: compile_label
+
+- job:
+    name: test
+    run: playbooks/test.yaml
+    nodeset:
+      nodes:
+        - name: test_node
+          label: test_label
+
+- project:
+    check:
+      jobs:
+        - compile
+        - test:
+            dependencies:
+              - compile
diff --git a/tests/fixtures/config/job-pause-priority/main.yaml b/tests/fixtures/config/job-pause-priority/main.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..a2130154fd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/fixtures/config/job-pause-priority/main.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+- tenant:
+    name: tenant-one
+    source:
+      gerrit:
+        config-projects:
+          - common-config
+          - org/project
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_v3.py b/tests/unit/test_v3.py
index a30fc26b31..9579e81be7 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_v3.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_v3.py
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ from tests.base import (
     ZuulDBTestCase,
     FIXTURE_DIR,
     simple_layout,
+    iterate_timeout,
 )
 
 
@@ -4637,7 +4638,7 @@ class TestJobPause(AnsibleZuulTestCase):
         self.executor_server.verbose = True
 
         # Second node request should fail
-        fail = {'_oid': '200-0000000001'}
+        fail = {'_oid': '199-0000000001'}
         self.fake_nodepool.addFailRequest(fail)
 
         A = self.fake_gerrit.addFakeChange('org/project2', 'master', 'A')
@@ -5101,3 +5102,38 @@ class TestForceMergeMissingTemplate(ZuulTestCase):
         self.assertHistory([
             dict(name='other-job', result='SUCCESS', changes='2,1'),
         ])
+
+
+class TestJobPausePriority(AnsibleZuulTestCase):
+    tenant_config_file = 'config/job-pause-priority/main.yaml'
+
+    def test_paused_job_priority(self):
+        "Test that nodes for children of paused jobs have a higher priority"
+
+        self.fake_nodepool.pause()
+        self.executor_server.hold_jobs_in_build = True
+
+        A = self.fake_gerrit.addFakeChange('org/project', 'master', 'A')
+        self.fake_gerrit.addEvent(A.getPatchsetCreatedEvent(1))
+        self.waitUntilSettled()
+
+        reqs = self.fake_nodepool.getNodeRequests()
+        self.assertEqual(len(reqs), 1)
+        self.assertEqual(reqs[0]['_oid'], '200-0000000000')
+
+        self.fake_nodepool.unpause()
+        self.waitUntilSettled()
+        self.fake_nodepool.pause()
+        self.executor_server.hold_jobs_in_build = False
+        self.executor_server.release()
+
+        for x in iterate_timeout(60, 'paused job'):
+            reqs = self.fake_nodepool.getNodeRequests()
+            if reqs:
+                break
+
+        self.assertEqual(len(reqs), 1)
+        self.assertEqual(reqs[0]['_oid'], '199-0000000001')
+
+        self.fake_nodepool.unpause()
+        self.waitUntilSettled()
diff --git a/zuul/model.py b/zuul/model.py
index a6f5be4bf4..90df68449f 100644
--- a/zuul/model.py
+++ b/zuul/model.py
@@ -723,11 +723,20 @@ class NodeRequest(object):
 
     @property
     def priority(self):
+        precedence_adjustment = 0
         if self.build_set:
             precedence = self.build_set.item.pipeline.precedence
+            job_graph = self.build_set.item.job_graph
+            if job_graph:
+                for parent in job_graph.getParentJobsRecursively(
+                    self.job.name):
+                    build = self.build_set.getBuild(parent.name)
+                    if build.paused:
+                        precedence_adjustment = -1
         else:
             precedence = PRECEDENCE_NORMAL
-        return PRIORITY_MAP[precedence]
+        initial_precedence = PRIORITY_MAP[precedence]
+        return max(0, initial_precedence + precedence_adjustment)
 
     @property
     def fulfilled(self):