diff --git a/src/frontend/qt_sdl/EmuInstance.cpp b/src/frontend/qt_sdl/EmuInstance.cpp
index 3906b186..a848fc3e 100644
--- a/src/frontend/qt_sdl/EmuInstance.cpp
+++ b/src/frontend/qt_sdl/EmuInstance.cpp
@@ -241,11 +241,24 @@ void EmuInstance::deleteAllWindows()
 }
 
 
-void EmuInstance::updateConfigInfo(int kind)
+void EmuInstance::broadcastCommand(int cmd)
 {
-    switch (kind)
+    broadcastInstanceCommand(cmd, instanceID);
+}
+
+void EmuInstance::handleCommand(int cmd)
+{
+    switch (cmd)
     {
-    case Config_RecentFiles:
+    case InstCmd_Pause:
+        emuThread->emuPause(false);
+        break;
+
+    case InstCmd_Unpause:
+        emuThread->emuUnpause(false);
+        break;
+
+    case InstCmd_UpdateRecentFiles:
         for (int i = 0; i < kMaxWindows; i++)
         {
             if (windowList[i])
diff --git a/src/frontend/qt_sdl/EmuInstance.h b/src/frontend/qt_sdl/EmuInstance.h
index a7ecddf8..61090496 100644
--- a/src/frontend/qt_sdl/EmuInstance.h
+++ b/src/frontend/qt_sdl/EmuInstance.h
@@ -92,7 +92,8 @@ public:
     Config::Table& getGlobalConfig() { return globalCfg; }
     Config::Table& getLocalConfig() { return localCfg; }
 
-    void updateConfigInfo(int kind);
+    void broadcastCommand(int cmd);
+    void handleCommand(int cmd);
 
     std::string instanceFileSuffix();
 
diff --git a/src/frontend/qt_sdl/EmuThread.cpp b/src/frontend/qt_sdl/EmuThread.cpp
index 1bf22c36..583ed91c 100644
--- a/src/frontend/qt_sdl/EmuThread.cpp
+++ b/src/frontend/qt_sdl/EmuThread.cpp
@@ -70,7 +70,6 @@ EmuThread::EmuThread(EmuInstance* inst, QObject* parent) : QThread(parent)
 
 void EmuThread::attachWindow(MainWindow* window)
 {
-    //connect(this, SIGNAL(windowUpdate()), window->panel, SLOT(repaint()));
     connect(this, SIGNAL(windowTitleChange(QString)), window, SLOT(onTitleUpdate(QString)));
     connect(this, SIGNAL(windowEmuStart()), window, SLOT(onEmuStart()));
     connect(this, SIGNAL(windowEmuStop()), window, SLOT(onEmuStop()));
@@ -89,7 +88,6 @@ void EmuThread::attachWindow(MainWindow* window)
 
 void EmuThread::detachWindow(MainWindow* window)
 {
-    //disconnect(this, SIGNAL(windowUpdate()), window->panel, SLOT(repaint()));
     disconnect(this, SIGNAL(windowTitleChange(QString)), window, SLOT(onTitleUpdate(QString)));
     disconnect(this, SIGNAL(windowEmuStart()), window, SLOT(onEmuStart()));
     disconnect(this, SIGNAL(windowEmuStop()), window, SLOT(onEmuStop()));
@@ -676,24 +674,30 @@ void EmuThread::emuRun()
     waitMessage();
 }
 
-void EmuThread::emuPause()
+void EmuThread::emuPause(bool broadcast)
 {
     sendMessage(msg_EmuPause);
     waitMessage();
+
+    if (broadcast)
+        emuInstance->broadcastCommand(InstCmd_Pause);
 }
 
-void EmuThread::emuUnpause()
+void EmuThread::emuUnpause(bool broadcast)
 {
     sendMessage(msg_EmuUnpause);
     waitMessage();
+
+    if (broadcast)
+        emuInstance->broadcastCommand(InstCmd_Unpause);
 }
 
-void EmuThread::emuTogglePause()
+void EmuThread::emuTogglePause(bool broadcast)
 {
     if (emuStatus == emuStatus_Paused)
-        emuUnpause();
+        emuUnpause(broadcast);
     else
-        emuPause();
+        emuPause(broadcast);
 }
 
 void EmuThread::emuStop(bool external)
diff --git a/src/frontend/qt_sdl/EmuThread.h b/src/frontend/qt_sdl/EmuThread.h
index 57f389af..19e1a3a6 100644
--- a/src/frontend/qt_sdl/EmuThread.h
+++ b/src/frontend/qt_sdl/EmuThread.h
@@ -104,9 +104,9 @@ public:
 
     // to be called from the UI thread
     void emuRun();
-    void emuPause();
-    void emuUnpause();
-    void emuTogglePause();
+    void emuPause(bool broadcast = true);
+    void emuUnpause(bool broadcast = true);
+    void emuTogglePause(bool broadcast = true);
     void emuStop(bool external);
     void emuExit();
     void emuFrameStep();
diff --git a/src/frontend/qt_sdl/Window.cpp b/src/frontend/qt_sdl/Window.cpp
index a231a6f8..442274b5 100644
--- a/src/frontend/qt_sdl/Window.cpp
+++ b/src/frontend/qt_sdl/Window.cpp
@@ -1349,7 +1349,7 @@ void MainWindow::updateRecentFilesMenu()
     Config::Save();
     loadRecentFilesMenu(false);
 
-    updateConfigInfoAll(Config_RecentFiles, emuInstance->getInstanceID());
+    emuInstance->broadcastCommand(InstCmd_UpdateRecentFiles);
 }
 
 void MainWindow::onClickRecentFile()
diff --git a/src/frontend/qt_sdl/main.cpp b/src/frontend/qt_sdl/main.cpp
index a4cc965e..69485a8e 100644
--- a/src/frontend/qt_sdl/main.cpp
+++ b/src/frontend/qt_sdl/main.cpp
@@ -168,14 +168,14 @@ int numEmuInstances()
 }
 
 
-void updateConfigInfoAll(int kind, int sourceinst)
+void broadcastInstanceCommand(int cmd, int sourceinst)
 {
     for (int i = 0; i < kMaxEmuInstances; i++)
     {
         if (i == sourceinst) continue;
         if (!emuInstances[i]) continue;
 
-        emuInstances[i]->updateConfigInfo(kind);
+        emuInstances[i]->handleCommand(cmd);
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/frontend/qt_sdl/main.h b/src/frontend/qt_sdl/main.h
index b247d1fd..cd5a08f1 100644
--- a/src/frontend/qt_sdl/main.h
+++ b/src/frontend/qt_sdl/main.h
@@ -33,7 +33,10 @@
 
 enum
 {
-    Config_RecentFiles,
+    InstCmd_Pause,
+    InstCmd_Unpause,
+
+    InstCmd_UpdateRecentFiles,
 };
 
 class MelonApplication : public QApplication
@@ -55,7 +58,7 @@ void deleteEmuInstance(int id);
 void deleteAllEmuInstances(int first = 0);
 int numEmuInstances();
 
-void updateConfigInfoAll(int kind, int sourceinst);
+void broadcastInstanceCommand(int cmd, int sourceinst);
 
 void setMPInterface(melonDS::MPInterfaceType type);