diff --git a/lib/sequin/postgres/replication_connection.ex b/lib/sequin/postgres/replication_connection.ex
index 246f795a5..549fa48c9 100644
--- a/lib/sequin/postgres/replication_connection.ex
+++ b/lib/sequin/postgres/replication_connection.ex
@@ -150,7 +150,11 @@ defmodule Sequin.Postgres.ReplicationConnection do
   defstruct protocol: nil,
             state: nil,
             reconnect_backoff: 500,
-            streaming: nil
+            streaming: nil,
+            # indicates if socket is paused (active:false)
+            paused: false,
+            # queued tcp/ssl messages while paused
+            pause_buffer: []
 
   ## PUBLIC API ##
 
@@ -224,6 +228,9 @@ defmodule Sequin.Postgres.ReplicationConnection do
               | {:query, query, state}
               | {:stream, query, stream_opts, state}
               | {:disconnect, reason, state}
+              # back-pressure controls
+              | {:pause, state}
+              | {:resume, state}
 
   @doc """
   Callback for `Kernel.send/2`.
@@ -427,6 +434,28 @@ defmodule Sequin.Postgres.ReplicationConnection do
     end
   end
 
+  @doc """
+  Temporarily stop receiving further replication messages. For debugging/intervention purposes.
+
+  This sets the underlying socket to `active: false` which propagates TCP back‑pressure
+  to PostgreSQL. Pending messages that have already been delivered to the process
+  mailbox are stored internally and will be processed once `resume/1` is called.
+
+  You MUST manually call `resume/1` after calling `pause/1`.
+  """
+  @spec pause(server) :: :ok
+  def pause(server) do
+    :gen_statem.cast(server, :pause)
+  end
+
+  @doc """
+  Resume receiving replication messages after a previous `pause/1`.
+  """
+  @spec resume(server) :: :ok
+  def resume(server) do
+    :gen_statem.cast(server, :resume)
+  end
+
   ## CALLBACKS ##
 
   @state :no_state
@@ -512,6 +541,44 @@ defmodule Sequin.Postgres.ReplicationConnection do
     {:keep_state, s, {:next_event, :internal, {:connect, :reconnect}}}
   end
 
+  # For debugging or intervention purposes
+  def handle_event(:cast, :pause, @state, %{paused: true} = s) do
+    # Already paused – nothing to do
+    {:keep_state, s}
+  end
+
+  def handle_event(:cast, :pause, @state, %{protocol: proto} = s) do
+    case Protocol.checkout(proto) do
+      {:ok, proto} ->
+        {:keep_state, %{s | protocol: proto, paused: true}}
+
+      {:disconnect, reason, proto} ->
+        reconnect_or_stop(:disconnect, reason, proto, s)
+    end
+  end
+
+  def handle_event(:cast, :resume, @state, %{paused: false} = s) do
+    # Not paused – nothing to do
+    {:keep_state, s}
+  end
+
+  def handle_event(:cast, :resume, @state, %{protocol: proto, pause_buffer: buf} = s) do
+    case Protocol.checkin(proto) do
+      {:ok, proto} ->
+        # Re‑arm socket and replay buffered packets
+        for packet <- Enum.reverse(buf), do: send(self(), packet)
+
+        {:keep_state, %{s | protocol: proto, paused: false, pause_buffer: []}}
+
+      {:disconnect, reason, proto} ->
+        reconnect_or_stop(:disconnect, reason, proto, s)
+    end
+  end
+
+  def handle_event(:info, msg, @state, %{paused: true, pause_buffer: buf} = s) do
+    {:keep_state, %{s | pause_buffer: [msg | buf]}}
+  end
+
   ## Helpers
 
   defp handle_data([], s), do: {:keep_state, s}
@@ -588,6 +655,32 @@ defmodule Sequin.Postgres.ReplicationConnection do
 
       {:stop, reason, mod_state} ->
         {:stop, reason, %{s | state: {mod, mod_state}}}
+
+      {:pause, mod_state} when not s.paused ->
+        s = %{s | state: {mod, mod_state}}
+
+        case Protocol.checkout(s.protocol) do
+          {:ok, proto} ->
+            {:keep_state, %{s | protocol: proto, paused: true}}
+
+          {:disconnect, reason, proto} ->
+            reconnect_or_stop(:disconnect, reason, proto, s)
+        end
+
+      {:resume, mod_state} when s.paused ->
+        s = %{s | state: {mod, mod_state}}
+
+        case Protocol.checkin(s.protocol) do
+          {:ok, proto} ->
+            s.pause_buffer
+            |> Enum.reverse()
+            |> Enum.each(&send(self(), &1))
+
+            {:keep_state, %{s | protocol: proto, paused: false, pause_buffer: []}}
+
+          {:disconnect, reason, proto} ->
+            reconnect_or_stop(:disconnect, reason, proto, s)
+        end
     end
   end