diff --git a/lib/sidekiq/pausable.rb b/lib/sidekiq/pausable.rb
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..7eb4eec872a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/sidekiq/pausable.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+module Sidekiq
+
+  def self.pause!
+    Sidekiq.redis { |r| r.set(paused_key, 1) }
+    true
+  end
+
+  def self.paused?
+    Sidekiq.redis { |r| !!r.get(paused_key) }
+  end
+
+  def self.unpause!
+    Sidekiq.redis { |r| r.del(paused_key) }
+    true
+  end
+
+  private
+
+  def self.paused_key
+    "sidekiq_is_paused"
+  end
+
+end
+
+# server middleware that will reschedule work whenever Sidekiq is paused
+class Sidekiq::Pausable
+
+  attr_reader :delay
+
+  def initialize(delay = 5.seconds)
+    @delay = delay
+  end
+
+  def call(worker, msg, queue)
+    if Sidekiq.paused?
+      worker.class.perform_in(delay, *msg['args'])
+    else
+      yield
+    end
+  end
+
+end