diff --git a/Core/Console.cpp b/Core/Console.cpp
index 555c88e..986daa5 100644
--- a/Core/Console.cpp
+++ b/Core/Console.cpp
@@ -465,12 +465,22 @@ ConsoleLock Console::AcquireLock()
 
 void Console::Lock()
 {
+	shared_ptr<Debugger> debugger = _debugger;
+	if(debugger) {
+		debugger->SuspendDebugger(false);
+	}
+
 	_lockCounter++;
 	_runLock.Acquire();
 }
 
 void Console::Unlock()
 {
+	shared_ptr<Debugger> debugger = _debugger;
+	if(debugger) {
+		debugger->SuspendDebugger(true);
+	}
+
 	_runLock.Release();
 	_lockCounter--;
 }
@@ -619,7 +629,15 @@ shared_ptr<Debugger> Console::GetDebugger(bool autoStart)
 
 void Console::StopDebugger()
 {
+	//Pause/unpause the regular emulation thread based on the debugger's pause state
+	_paused = IsPaused();
+
+	shared_ptr<Debugger> debugger = _debugger;
+	debugger->SuspendDebugger(false);
+	Lock();
 	_debugger.reset();
+
+	Unlock();
 }
 
 bool Console::IsDebugging()
diff --git a/Core/ConsoleLock.cpp b/Core/ConsoleLock.cpp
index c0efaec..783fc31 100644
--- a/Core/ConsoleLock.cpp
+++ b/Core/ConsoleLock.cpp
@@ -6,18 +6,10 @@
 ConsoleLock::ConsoleLock(Console *console)
 {
 	_console = console;
-
-	_debugger = _console->GetDebugger(false);
-	if(_debugger) {
-		_debugger->SuspendDebugger(false);
-	}
 	_console->Lock();
 }
 
 ConsoleLock::~ConsoleLock()
 {
-	if(_debugger) {
-		_debugger->SuspendDebugger(true);
-	}
 	_console->Unlock();
 }
diff --git a/Core/ConsoleLock.h b/Core/ConsoleLock.h
index 1713a45..fd79c3d 100644
--- a/Core/ConsoleLock.h
+++ b/Core/ConsoleLock.h
@@ -8,7 +8,6 @@ class ConsoleLock
 {
 private:
 	Console *_console = nullptr;
-	shared_ptr<Debugger> _debugger;
 
 public:
 	ConsoleLock(Console *console);
diff --git a/Core/Debugger.cpp b/Core/Debugger.cpp
index 5eccc57..1330550 100644
--- a/Core/Debugger.cpp
+++ b/Core/Debugger.cpp
@@ -81,6 +81,10 @@ Debugger::Debugger(shared_ptr<Console> console)
 	_codeDataLogger->LoadCdlFile(cdlFile);
 
 	RefreshCodeCache();
+
+	if(_console->IsPaused()) {
+		Step(CpuType::Cpu, 1, StepType::Step);
+	}
 }
 
 Debugger::~Debugger()
@@ -374,7 +378,13 @@ void Debugger::BreakRequest(bool release)
 void Debugger::SuspendDebugger(bool release)
 {
 	if(release) {
-		_suspendRequestCount--;
+		if(_suspendRequestCount > 0) {
+			_suspendRequestCount--;
+		} else {
+		#ifdef _DEBUG
+			throw std::runtime_error("unexpected debugger suspend::release call");
+		#endif
+		}
 	} else {
 		_suspendRequestCount++;
 	}