diff --git a/app/utils/scheduled_tasks.py b/app/utils/scheduled_tasks.py
index 06b9489a..eed9c8d3 100644
--- a/app/utils/scheduled_tasks.py
+++ b/app/utils/scheduled_tasks.py
@@ -929,6 +929,10 @@ def check_idle_timers():
         stale = (
             TimeEntry.query.filter(
                 TimeEntry.end_time.is_(None),
+                # A paused timer is intentionally accumulating no time, so the idle
+                # sweep must never notify or auto-stop it. ``paused_at`` was added
+                # with the pause/resume feature but not wired into this query.
+                TimeEntry.paused_at.is_(None),
                 db.or_(
                     TimeEntry.last_heartbeat_at < cutoff,
                     db.and_(
diff --git a/tests/test_idle_timer_skips_paused.py b/tests/test_idle_timer_skips_paused.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..dabfe51c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_idle_timer_skips_paused.py
@@ -0,0 +1,54 @@
+"""Regression tests for the server-side idle sweep and paused timers.
+
+A paused timer is intentionally accumulating no time, so ``check_idle_timers``
+must never idle-notify, flag, or auto-stop it. The idle query guards
+``TimeEntry.paused_at`` to make that true.
+"""
+
+from datetime import timedelta
+
+from app import db
+from app.models.time_entry import TimeEntry, local_now
+from app.utils.scheduled_tasks import check_idle_timers
+
+
+def _make_stale_active_timer(user, project, *, paused):
+    """An open timer whose last heartbeat is well past the idle window."""
+    now = local_now()
+    timer = TimeEntry(
+        user_id=user.id,
+        project_id=project.id,
+        start_time=now - timedelta(hours=3),
+        source="auto",
+        billable=True,
+    )
+    # Two hours idle — comfortably beyond the 30-minute default window.
+    timer.last_heartbeat_at = now - timedelta(hours=2)
+    if paused:
+        timer.paused_at = now - timedelta(minutes=90)
+    db.session.add(timer)
+    db.session.commit()
+    db.session.refresh(timer)
+    return timer
+
+
+def test_idle_sweep_skips_paused_timer(app, user, project):
+    paused = _make_stale_active_timer(user, project, paused=True)
+
+    check_idle_timers()
+    db.session.refresh(paused)
+
+    # A paused timer must not be idle-notified, flagged, or stopped.
+    assert paused.idle_notified_at is None
+    assert paused.idle_flagged_at is None
+    assert paused.end_time is None
+
+
+def test_idle_sweep_still_notifies_running_timer(app, user, project):
+    """Control: a genuinely idle, non-paused timer is still swept."""
+    running = _make_stale_active_timer(user, project, paused=False)
+
+    check_idle_timers()
+    db.session.refresh(running)
+
+    assert running.idle_notified_at is not None