diff --git a/lib/easy.c b/lib/easy.c
index e0bde371f8..6b4fb8efeb 100644
--- a/lib/easy.c
+++ b/lib/easy.c
@@ -1083,11 +1083,14 @@ CURLcode curl_easy_pause(struct Curl_easy *data, int action)
   CURLcode result = CURLE_OK;
   int oldstate;
   int newstate;
+  bool recursive = FALSE;
 
   if(!GOOD_EASY_HANDLE(data) || !data->conn)
     /* crazy input, don't continue */
     return CURLE_BAD_FUNCTION_ARGUMENT;
 
+  if(Curl_is_in_callback(data))
+    recursive = TRUE;
   k = &data->req;
   oldstate = k->keepon & (KEEP_RECV_PAUSE| KEEP_SEND_PAUSE);
 
@@ -1154,6 +1157,11 @@ CURLcode curl_easy_pause(struct Curl_easy *data, int action)
        corresponding socket callback, if used */
     result = Curl_updatesocket(data);
 
+  if(recursive)
+    /* this might have called a callback recursively which might have set this
+       to false again on exit */
+    Curl_set_in_callback(data, TRUE);
+
   return result;
 }