diff --git a/frontend/src/views/ProjectListView.vue b/frontend/src/views/ProjectListView.vue
index d21b3f3..f3ed7ad 100644
--- a/frontend/src/views/ProjectListView.vue
+++ b/frontend/src/views/ProjectListView.vue
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ interface Project {
   title: string;
   description: string | null;
   goal: string | null;
-  status: "active" | "completed" | "archived";
+  status: "active" | "paused" | "completed" | "archived";
   color: string | null;
   auto_summary: string | null;
   permission?: string;
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ const toast = useToastStore();
 const projects = ref<Project[]>([]);
 const loading = ref(false);
 const error = ref<string | null>(null);
-const activeTab = ref<"all" | "active" | "completed" | "archived">("all");
+const activeTab = ref<"all" | "active" | "paused" | "completed" | "archived">("all");
 
 // New project modal
 const showNewProjectModal = ref(false);
@@ -103,6 +103,7 @@ async function createProject() {
 
 function statusLabel(status: Project["status"]): string {
   if (status === "active") return "Active";
+  if (status === "paused") return "Paused";
   if (status === "completed") return "Completed";
   if (status === "archived") return "Archived";
   return status;
diff --git a/frontend/src/views/ProjectView.vue b/frontend/src/views/ProjectView.vue
index 69f4f6a..83ab26a 100644
--- a/frontend/src/views/ProjectView.vue
+++ b/frontend/src/views/ProjectView.vue
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ interface Project {
   title: string;
   description: string | null;
   goal: string | null;
-  status: "active" | "completed" | "archived";
+  status: "active" | "paused" | "completed" | "archived";
   color: string | null;
   auto_summary: string | null;
   permission?: string;
@@ -395,6 +395,7 @@ async function confirmDelete() {
             <label class="edit-label">Status</label>
             <select v-model="editStatus" class="edit-select">
               <option value="active">Active</option>
+              <option value="paused">Paused</option>
               <option value="completed">Completed</option>
               <option value="archived">Archived</option>
             </select>
@@ -752,6 +753,7 @@ async function confirmDelete() {
   flex-shrink: 0;
 }
 .status-active   { background: color-mix(in srgb, var(--color-success) 14%, transparent); color: var(--color-success); border: 1px solid color-mix(in srgb, var(--color-success) 30%, transparent); }
+.status-paused    { background: color-mix(in srgb, var(--color-accent-warm) 14%, transparent); color: var(--color-accent-warm); border: 1px solid color-mix(in srgb, var(--color-accent-warm) 30%, transparent); }
 .status-completed { background: color-mix(in srgb, var(--color-primary) 14%, transparent); color: var(--color-primary); border: 1px solid color-mix(in srgb, var(--color-primary) 30%, transparent); }
 .status-archived  { background: color-mix(in srgb, var(--color-text-muted) 14%, transparent); color: var(--color-text-muted); border: 1px solid color-mix(in srgb, var(--color-text-muted) 30%, transparent); }
 
diff --git a/src/fabledassistant/services/briefing_scheduler.py b/src/fabledassistant/services/briefing_scheduler.py
index e69fec4..d38e388 100644
--- a/src/fabledassistant/services/briefing_scheduler.py
+++ b/src/fabledassistant/services/briefing_scheduler.py
@@ -162,6 +162,35 @@ def update_user_schedule(user_id: int, config: dict, tz_override: str | None = N
 
 # ── Job execution ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
+async def _auto_pause_stale_projects(user_id: int) -> list[str]:
+    """Pause active projects with no note/task activity in 14+ days. Returns paused project titles."""
+    from sqlalchemy import select as _sel, func as _func
+    from fabledassistant.models.project import Project
+    from fabledassistant.models.note import Note
+    from fabledassistant.models import async_session as _session
+
+    paused: list[str] = []
+    threshold = datetime.now(timezone.utc) - __import__('datetime').timedelta(days=14)
+    try:
+        async with _session() as session:
+            projects = (await session.execute(
+                _sel(Project).where(Project.user_id == user_id, Project.status == "active")
+            )).scalars().all()
+            for p in projects:
+                latest = (await session.execute(
+                    _sel(_func.max(Note.updated_at)).where(Note.project_id == p.id)
+                )).scalar()
+                if latest is None or latest < threshold:
+                    p.status = "paused"
+                    paused.append(p.title or "Untitled")
+            if paused:
+                await session.commit()
+                logger.info("Auto-paused %d stale projects for user %d: %s", len(paused), user_id, paused)
+    except Exception:
+        logger.debug("Auto-pause check failed for user %d", user_id, exc_info=True)
+    return paused
+
+
 async def _run_slot_for_user(user_id: int, slot: str) -> None:
     """Execute one slot job for one user."""
     from fabledassistant.services.briefing_conversations import (
@@ -192,6 +221,9 @@ async def _run_slot_for_user(user_id: int, slot: str) -> None:
     model = await get_setting(user_id, "default_model", Config.OLLAMA_MODEL)
 
     if slot == "compilation":
+        # Auto-pause stale projects before compiling the briefing
+        auto_paused = await _auto_pause_stale_projects(user_id)
+
         # Refresh external data first
         try:
             import json
diff --git a/src/fabledassistant/services/notes.py b/src/fabledassistant/services/notes.py
index cd0c492..2e2e052 100644
--- a/src/fabledassistant/services/notes.py
+++ b/src/fabledassistant/services/notes.py
@@ -22,6 +22,22 @@ def _normalize_tags(tags: list[str]) -> list[str]:
     return out
 
 
+async def _maybe_reactivate_project(project_id: int) -> None:
+    """If a project is paused, reactivate it — activity indicates resumed work."""
+    from fabledassistant.models.project import Project
+    try:
+        async with async_session() as session:
+            project = (await session.execute(
+                select(Project).where(Project.id == project_id)
+            )).scalars().first()
+            if project and project.status == "paused":
+                project.status = "active"
+                await session.commit()
+                logger.info("Auto-reactivated paused project %d (%s)", project_id, project.title)
+    except Exception:
+        logger.debug("_maybe_reactivate_project failed for project %d", project_id, exc_info=True)
+
+
 async def _maybe_trigger_project_summary(user_id: int, project_id: int) -> None:
     """Fire generate_project_summary() if the project summary is missing or >1h old."""
     import asyncio
@@ -92,6 +108,7 @@ async def create_note(
         await session.refresh(note)
 
     if project_id is not None:
+        await _maybe_reactivate_project(project_id)
         await _maybe_trigger_project_summary(user_id, project_id)
 
     return note
@@ -284,6 +301,7 @@ async def update_note(user_id: int, note_id: int, **fields: object) -> Note | No
         await create_version(user_id, note_id, old_body, old_title, old_tags)
 
     if note.project_id is not None:
+        await _maybe_reactivate_project(note.project_id)
         await _maybe_trigger_project_summary(user_id, note.project_id)
 
     return note