diff --git a/tests/unit/test_executor.py b/tests/unit/test_executor.py
index 5ea65fa63e..0998886ffa 100755
--- a/tests/unit/test_executor.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_executor.py
@@ -464,6 +464,14 @@ class TestGovernor(ZuulTestCase):
         self.executor_server.manageLoad()
         self.assertFalse(self.executor_server.accepting_work)
 
+    def test_pause_governor(self):
+        self.executor_server.manageLoad()
+        self.assertTrue(self.executor_server.accepting_work)
+
+        self.executor_server.pause_sensor.pause = True
+        self.executor_server.manageLoad()
+        self.assertFalse(self.executor_server.accepting_work)
+
     def waitForExecutorBuild(self, jobname):
         self.log.debug("Waiting for %s to start", jobname)
         timeout = time.time() + 30
diff --git a/zuul/executor/sensors/pause.py b/zuul/executor/sensors/pause.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..6127e4dd82
--- /dev/null
+++ b/zuul/executor/sensors/pause.py
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+# Copyright 2018 BMW Car IT GmbH
+#
+# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License"); you may
+# not use this file except in compliance with the License. You may obtain
+# a copy of the License at
+#
+#      http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS, WITHOUT
+# WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied. See the
+# License for the specific language governing permissions and limitations
+# under the License.
+
+import logging
+
+from zuul.executor.sensors import SensorInterface
+
+
+class PauseSensor(SensorInterface):
+    log = logging.getLogger("zuul.executor.sensor.pause")
+
+    def __init__(self):
+        self.pause = False
+
+    def isOk(self):
+        if self.pause:
+            return False, 'paused'
+        else:
+            return True, 'running'
+
+    def reportStats(self, statsd, base_key):
+        if self.pause:
+            value = 1
+        else:
+            value = 0
+        statsd.gauge(base_key + '.pause', value)
diff --git a/zuul/executor/server.py b/zuul/executor/server.py
index 1d035dc171..f58537d34d 100644
--- a/zuul/executor/server.py
+++ b/zuul/executor/server.py
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ import tempfile
 import threading
 import time
 import traceback
+
 from zuul.lib.yamlutil import yaml
 from zuul.lib.config import get_default
 from zuul.lib.statsd import get_statsd
@@ -39,6 +40,7 @@ import gear
 import zuul.merger.merger
 import zuul.ansible.logconfig
 from zuul.executor.sensors.cpu import CPUSensor
+from zuul.executor.sensors.pause import PauseSensor
 from zuul.executor.sensors.startingbuilds import StartingBuildsSensor
 from zuul.executor.sensors.ram import RAMSensor
 from zuul.lib import commandsocket
@@ -1868,9 +1870,11 @@ class ExecutorServer(object):
                                               self.stopJobDiskFull,
                                               self.merge_root)
 
+        self.pause_sensor = PauseSensor()
         cpu_sensor = CPUSensor(config)
         self.sensors = [
             cpu_sensor,
+            self.pause_sensor,
             RAMSensor(config),
             StartingBuildsSensor(self, cpu_sensor.max_load_avg)
         ]
@@ -2005,12 +2009,10 @@ class ExecutorServer(object):
         self.executor_thread.join()
 
     def pause(self):
-        # TODOv3: implement
-        pass
+        self.pause_sensor.pause = True
 
     def unpause(self):
-        # TODOv3: implement
-        pass
+        self.pause_sensor.pause = False
 
     def graceful(self):
         # TODOv3: implement