diff --git a/lib/apps/fabro-cli/src/commands/run/petri_worker.rs b/lib/apps/fabro-cli/src/commands/run/petri_worker.rs
index 23576c3ce..f98002bf6 100644
--- a/lib/apps/fabro-cli/src/commands/run/petri_worker.rs
+++ b/lib/apps/fabro-cli/src/commands/run/petri_worker.rs
@@ -21,8 +21,9 @@
 //! token, which cancels Petri's root invocation politely; an
 //! `interview.answer` message reaches the control interviewer the run's
 //! questions wait on (`fabro_petri::interview`), so a human gate answered
-//! through the API continues; pause and unpause hold and release admission
-//! through the run's [`RunControls`]; a steer goes to the run's one live
+//! through the API continues; pause and unpause (and `SIGUSR1`/`SIGUSR2`)
+//! hold and release admission through the run's [`RunControls`]; a steer
+//! goes to the run's one live
 //! agent stage, or is refused with a `run.notice` record saying why. The
 //! paused state is mirrored to Fabro's lifecycle: a `paused` lifecycle
 //! record when admission is held and `unpaused` when it is released, so
@@ -125,12 +126,12 @@ pub(super) async fn execute(worker: PetriWorker<'_>) -> Result<()> {
     ));
 
     let cancel_token = CancellationToken::new();
-    runner::install_signal_handlers(cancel_token.clone())?;
+    let controls = RunControls::new();
+    runner::install_signal_handlers(cancel_token.clone(), controls.clone())?;
     let interviewer = Arc::new(ControlInterviewer::new());
     // Fabro's own records of the run, over the client.
     let records: Arc<dyn PlatformRecords> =
         Arc::new(HttpPlatformRecords::new(worker.client.clone_for_reuse()));
-    let controls = RunControls::new();
     let petri_controls = Arc::new(PetriControls::new(
         run_id,
         controls.clone(),
diff --git a/lib/apps/fabro-cli/src/commands/run/runner.rs b/lib/apps/fabro-cli/src/commands/run/runner.rs
index 9facc453f..a7c3839b8 100644
--- a/lib/apps/fabro-cli/src/commands/run/runner.rs
+++ b/lib/apps/fabro-cli/src/commands/run/runner.rs
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ use fabro_interview::{
     WorkerControlMessage,
 };
 use fabro_manifest::SuppliedWorkflowVersionPackager;
+use fabro_petri::controls::RunControls;
 use fabro_tool::fabro_client::ClientBackend;
 use fabro_types::RunId;
 use fabro_vault::{SecretStore, Vault};
@@ -684,8 +685,13 @@ fn worker_title(run_id: &RunId, phase: WorkerTitlePhase) -> String {
     format!("fabro {short_id} {phase}")
 }
 
-/// `SIGTERM` and `SIGINT` cancel the run, the way the server's cancel does.
-pub(super) fn install_signal_handlers(cancel_token: CancellationToken) -> Result<()> {
+/// `SIGTERM` and `SIGINT` cancel the run, the way the server's cancel does;
+/// `SIGUSR1` pauses it and `SIGUSR2` unpauses it, the way the server's pause
+/// and unpause do, through the run's controls.
+pub(super) fn install_signal_handlers(
+    cancel_token: CancellationToken,
+    controls: RunControls,
+) -> Result<()> {
     #[cfg(unix)]
     {
         let mut terminate = signal(SignalKind::terminate())?;
@@ -702,6 +708,27 @@ pub(super) fn install_signal_handlers(cancel_token: CancellationToken) -> Result
                 cancel_token.cancel();
             }
         });
+
+        let mut pause = signal(SignalKind::user_defined1())?;
+        let pause_controls = controls.clone();
+        tokio::spawn(async move {
+            while pause.recv().await.is_some() {
+                tracing::info!("SIGUSR1: pause requested; admission is held");
+                pause_controls.pause();
+            }
+        });
+
+        let mut unpause = signal(SignalKind::user_defined2())?;
+        tokio::spawn(async move {
+            while unpause.recv().await.is_some() {
+                controls.unpause().await;
+                tracing::info!("SIGUSR2: unpause recorded; admission is released");
+            }
+        });
+    }
+    #[cfg(not(unix))]
+    {
+        let _ = (cancel_token, controls);
     }
 
     Ok(())
@@ -729,8 +756,8 @@ mod tests {
 
     use super::super::petri_worker::PetriControls;
     use super::{
-        AppliedWorkerControlDeliveryIds, WorkerControlConnectError, WorkerControlSocket,
-        WorkerControls, WorkerTitlePhase, apply_worker_control_delivery_frame,
+        AppliedWorkerControlDeliveryIds, RunControls, WorkerControlConnectError,
+        WorkerControlSocket, WorkerControls, WorkerTitlePhase, apply_worker_control_delivery_frame,
         apply_worker_control_message, build_worker_control_stream_request,
         connect_worker_control_stream, handle_worker_control_socket, initial_worker_title_phase,
         load_worker_vault, next_worker_control_reconnect_backoff, worker_title,
@@ -742,7 +769,7 @@ mod tests {
     fn test_controls() -> WorkerControls {
         Arc::new(PetriControls::new(
             fixtures::RUN_1,
-            fabro_petri::controls::RunControls::new(),
+            RunControls::new(),
             Arc::new(fabro_petri::test_support::MemoryPlatformRecords::new()),
         ))
     }
diff --git a/lib/apps/fabro-cli/tests/it/scenario/petri_controls.rs b/lib/apps/fabro-cli/tests/it/scenario/petri_controls.rs
index 248a74d87..2de57fde8 100644
--- a/lib/apps/fabro-cli/tests/it/scenario/petri_controls.rs
+++ b/lib/apps/fabro-cli/tests/it/scenario/petri_controls.rs
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 //! The run controls on a Petri run through a real server and its worker:
 //! a pause holds the next stage until the unpause and the API says
-//! `paused` in between; a steer reaches the agent stage on the twin, which
+//! `paused` in between; `SIGUSR1` and `SIGUSR2` on the worker do the same
+//! without the API; a steer reaches the agent stage on the twin, which
 //! sees it in its next request, and the stream carries the control record;
 //! a run paused when its server and worker die resumes paused and goes on
 //! once unpaused.
@@ -229,6 +230,84 @@ async fn a_pause_holds_the_next_stage_until_the_unpause() {
     server.shutdown();
 }
 
+/// `SIGUSR1` on the worker pauses the run the way the API's pause does,
+/// and `SIGUSR2` unpauses it: `b` is held at admission in between, Petri's
+/// records and Fabro's lifecycle both carry the pause and the unpause, and
+/// no control request is recorded, since none went through the API.
+#[tokio::test(flavor = "multi_thread")]
+async fn the_user_signals_pause_and_unpause_the_worker() {
+    if host_plugin().is_none() {
+        return;
+    }
+    let context = test_context!();
+    let server = RunningServer::start().await;
+    let gate = context.temp_dir.join("a.gate");
+    let marker = context.temp_dir.join("b.marker");
+    let workspace = two_stage_workspace(&context, &gate, &marker);
+    let run_id = run_detached(&context, &server, &workspace);
+
+    wait_for_status(&server, &run_id, &["running"]).await;
+    let worker = wait_for_worker(&run_id);
+    wait_until_gate_is_polled(&gate);
+    eprintln!("run {run_id}: a is waiting on the gate; sending SIGUSR1 to worker {worker}");
+
+    fabro_proc::sigusr1(worker);
+    wait_for_status(&server, &run_id, &["paused"]).await;
+    eprintln!("run {run_id} is paused");
+
+    std::fs::write(&gate, "go").expect("the gate opens");
+    wait_for_stream_count(&server, &run_id, "step.finished", 2).await;
+    tokio::time::sleep(HOLD).await;
+    assert!(!marker.exists(), "b started while the run was paused");
+    assert_eq!(run_status(&server, &run_id).await, "paused");
+    assert!(pending_control(&server, &run_id).await.is_null());
+
+    fabro_proc::sigusr2(worker);
+    let status = wait_for_status(&server, &run_id, &["succeeded", "failed"]).await;
+    let items = settled_stream(&server, &run_id).await;
+    let names = stream_names(&items);
+    assert_eq!(
+        status,
+        "succeeded",
+        "stream: {names:?}\nserver stderr:\n{}",
+        server.stderr_text()
+    );
+    assert!(marker.exists(), "b ran after the unpause");
+    assert_petri_succeeded(&server, &run_id).await;
+
+    for event in [
+        "run.paused",
+        "run.unpaused",
+        "lifecycle:paused",
+        "lifecycle:unpaused",
+    ] {
+        assert_eq!(count_of(&names, event), 1, "{event}: {names:?}");
+    }
+    for event in ["lifecycle:pause_requested", "lifecycle:unpause_requested"] {
+        assert_eq!(
+            count_of(&names, event),
+            0,
+            "a signal is not an API request: {event}: {names:?}"
+        );
+    }
+    let unpaused = names
+        .iter()
+        .position(|name| name == "run.unpaused")
+        .expect("the unpause is recorded");
+    let b_started = names
+        .iter()
+        .enumerate()
+        .filter(|(_, name)| *name == "step.started")
+        .nth(2)
+        .map(|(index, _)| index)
+        .expect("b started");
+    assert!(
+        unpaused < b_started,
+        "b started before the unpause: {names:?}"
+    );
+    server.shutdown();
+}
+
 /// A steer sent while the agent stage waits on a tool reaches its
 /// session: the twin sees the steer text in the follow-up request, the
 /// stream carries the `control.requested` record, and the run succeeds.