diff --git a/zuul/cmd/launcher.py b/zuul/cmd/launcher.py
index 2ba4b85af1..1dbc3ee232 100644
--- a/zuul/cmd/launcher.py
+++ b/zuul/cmd/launcher.py
@@ -29,8 +29,9 @@ import sys
 import signal
 
 import zuul.cmd
+import zuul.launcher.ansiblelaunchserver
 
-# No zuul imports here because they pull in paramiko which must not be
+# No zuul imports that pull in paramiko here; it must not be
 # imported until after the daemonization.
 # https://github.com/paramiko/paramiko/issues/59
 # Similar situation with gear and statsd.
@@ -50,7 +51,8 @@ class Launcher(zuul.cmd.ZuulApp):
         parser.add_argument('--keep-jobdir', dest='keep_jobdir',
                             action='store_true',
                             help='keep local jobdirs after run completes')
-        parser.add_argument('command', choices=['reconfigure', 'stop'],
+        parser.add_argument('command',
+                            choices=zuul.launcher.ansiblelaunchserver.COMMANDS,
                             nargs='?')
 
         self.args = parser.parse_args()
@@ -66,21 +68,12 @@ class Launcher(zuul.cmd.ZuulApp):
         s.connect(path)
         s.sendall('%s\n' % cmd)
 
-    def send_reconfigure(self):
-        self.send_command('reconfigure')
-        sys.exit(0)
-
-    def send_stop(self):
-        self.send_command('stop')
-        sys.exit(0)
-
     def exit_handler(self):
         self.launcher.stop()
         self.launcher.join()
 
     def main(self, daemon=True):
         # See comment at top of file about zuul imports
-        import zuul.launcher.ansiblelaunchserver
 
         self.setup_logging('launcher', 'log_config')
 
@@ -109,11 +102,8 @@ def main():
     server.parse_arguments()
     server.read_config()
 
-    if server.args.command == 'reconfigure':
-        server.send_reconfigure()
-        sys.exit(0)
-    elif server.args.command == 'stop':
-        server.send_stop()
+    if server.args.command in zuul.launcher.ansiblelaunchserver.COMMANDS:
+        server.send_command(server.args.command)
         sys.exit(0)
 
     server.configure_connections()
diff --git a/zuul/launcher/ansiblelaunchserver.py b/zuul/launcher/ansiblelaunchserver.py
index 5ecc954a48..c4c6ffc4e6 100644
--- a/zuul/launcher/ansiblelaunchserver.py
+++ b/zuul/launcher/ansiblelaunchserver.py
@@ -37,6 +37,9 @@ import zuul.ansible.plugins.callback_plugins
 from zuul.lib import commandsocket
 
 
+COMMANDS = ['reconfigure', 'stop', 'pause', 'unpause']
+
+
 def boolify(x):
     if isinstance(x, str):
         return bool(int(x))
@@ -77,6 +80,7 @@ class LaunchServer(object):
         self.config = config
         self.keep_jobdir = keep_jobdir
         self.hostname = socket.gethostname()
+        self.registered_functions = set()
         self.node_workers = {}
         self.jobs = {}
         self.builds = {}
@@ -203,9 +207,16 @@ class LaunchServer(object):
             del self.jobs[name]
 
     def register(self):
+        new_functions = set()
         if self.accept_nodes:
-            self.worker.registerFunction("node-assign:zuul")
-        self.worker.registerFunction("stop:%s" % self.hostname)
+            new_functions.add("node-assign:zuul")
+        new_functions.add("stop:%s" % self.hostname)
+
+        for function in new_functions - self.registered_functions:
+            self.worker.registerFunction(function)
+        for function in self.registered_functions - new_functions:
+            self.worker.unRegisterFunction(function)
+        self.registered_functions = new_functions
 
     def reconfigure(self):
         self.log.debug("Reconfiguring")
@@ -219,6 +230,32 @@ class LaunchServer(object):
                                    "to worker:")
         self.log.debug("Reconfiguration complete")
 
+    def pause(self):
+        self.log.debug("Pausing")
+        self.accept_nodes = False
+        self.register()
+        for node in self.node_workers.values():
+            try:
+                if node.isAlive():
+                    node.queue.put(dict(action='pause'))
+            except Exception:
+                self.log.exception("Exception sending pause command "
+                                   "to worker:")
+        self.log.debug("Paused")
+
+    def unpause(self):
+        self.log.debug("Unpausing")
+        self.accept_nodes = True
+        self.register()
+        for node in self.node_workers.values():
+            try:
+                if node.isAlive():
+                    node.queue.put(dict(action='unpause'))
+            except Exception:
+                self.log.exception("Exception sending unpause command "
+                                   "to worker:")
+        self.log.debug("Unpaused")
+
     def stop(self):
         self.log.debug("Stopping")
         # First, stop accepting new jobs
@@ -254,8 +291,12 @@ class LaunchServer(object):
                 command = self.command_socket.get()
                 if command == 'reconfigure':
                     self.reconfigure()
-                if command == 'stop':
+                elif command == 'stop':
                     self.stop()
+                elif command == 'pause':
+                    self.pause()
+                elif command == 'unpause':
+                    self.unpause()
             except Exception:
                 self.log.exception("Exception while processing command")
 
@@ -376,6 +417,10 @@ class NodeWorker(object):
         self.labels = labels
         self.thread = None
         self.registered_functions = set()
+        # If the unpaused Event is set, that means we should run jobs.
+        # If it is clear, then we are paused and should not run jobs.
+        self.unpaused = threading.Event()
+        self.unpaused.set()
         self._running = True
         self.queue = Queue.Queue()
         self.manager_name = manager_name
@@ -434,9 +479,17 @@ class NodeWorker(object):
         # will be set by the queue thread.
         self.log.debug("Submitting stop request")
         self._running = False
+        self.unpaused.set()
         self.queue.put(dict(action='stop'))
         self.queue.join()
 
+    def pause(self):
+        self.unpaused.clear()
+        self.worker.stopWaitingForJobs()
+
+    def unpause(self):
+        self.unpaused.set()
+
     def _runQueue(self):
         item = self.queue.get()
         try:
@@ -449,6 +502,12 @@ class NodeWorker(object):
                 else:
                     self._job_complete_event.wait()
                 self.worker.shutdown()
+            if item['action'] == 'pause':
+                self.log.debug("Received pause request")
+                self.pause()
+            if item['action'] == 'unpause':
+                self.log.debug("Received unpause request")
+                self.unpause()
             elif item['action'] == 'reconfigure':
                 self.log.debug("Received reconfigure request")
                 self.register()
@@ -461,7 +520,9 @@ class NodeWorker(object):
     def runGearman(self):
         while self._running:
             try:
-                self._runGearman()
+                self.unpaused.wait()
+                if self._running:
+                    self._runGearman()
             except Exception:
                 self.log.exception("Exception in gearman manager:")