diff --git a/frontend/app/services/studying-timer.ts b/frontend/app/services/studying-timer.ts
index faf9acb82..712a03642 100644
--- a/frontend/app/services/studying-timer.ts
+++ b/frontend/app/services/studying-timer.ts
@@ -1,9 +1,10 @@
-import Service from '@ember/service';
+import Service, { service } from '@ember/service';
 import { action } from '@ember/object';
 import config from 'brn/config/environment';
 import { tracked } from '@glimmer/tracking';
 import { isTesting } from '@embroider/macros';
 import type IdleJs from 'idle-js';
+import type AudioService from './audio';
 
 export interface TimerInstance {
   isStarted: boolean;
@@ -13,6 +14,7 @@ export interface TimerInstance {
 }
 
 export default class StudyingTimerService extends Service {
+  @service('audio') declare audio: AudioService;
   willDestroy() {
     super.willDestroy();
     this.idleWatcher && this.idleWatcher.stop();
@@ -63,6 +65,15 @@ export default class StudyingTimerService extends Service {
     this.isPaused = false;
   }
   @action
+  maybeIdlePause() {
+    // Pause cascades into audio.stop() via task-player.onPauseStateChanged,
+    // which would interrupt exercises whenever the user stops moving the mouse.
+    if (this.audio.isPlaying) {
+      return;
+    }
+    this.pause();
+  }
+  @action
   async startIdleWatcher() {
     if (isTesting()) {
       return;
@@ -75,7 +86,7 @@ export default class StudyingTimerService extends Service {
     this.idleWatcher = new IdleJs({
       idle: timerInstance.idleTimeout || config.idleTimeout,
       onIdle() {
-        player.pause();
+        player.maybeIdlePause();
       },
       onActive() {
         timerInstance.relaunchStartedTimer();
diff --git a/frontend/tests/unit/services/studying-timer-test.js b/frontend/tests/unit/services/studying-timer-test.js
index 5a809ad83..e88eb816e 100644
--- a/frontend/tests/unit/services/studying-timer-test.js
+++ b/frontend/tests/unit/services/studying-timer-test.js
@@ -1,12 +1,39 @@
 import { module, test } from 'qunit';
 import { setupTest } from 'ember-qunit';
+import Service from '@ember/service';
 
 module('Unit | Service | studying-timer', function (hooks) {
   setupTest(hooks);
 
-  // Replace this with your real tests.
   test('it exists', function (assert) {
     let service = this.owner.lookup('service:studying-timer');
     assert.ok(service);
   });
+
+  module('maybeIdlePause', function () {
+    function withAudio(owner, playing) {
+      owner.register('service:audio', class extends Service { isPlaying = playing; });
+      return owner.lookup('service:studying-timer');
+    }
+
+    test('pauses when audio is not playing', function (assert) {
+      const timer = withAudio(this.owner, false);
+      timer.maybeIdlePause();
+      assert.true(timer.isPaused);
+    });
+
+    test('does not pause when audio is playing', function (assert) {
+      const timer = withAudio(this.owner, true);
+      timer.maybeIdlePause();
+      assert.false(timer.isPaused);
+    });
+
+    test('user pause still works while audio plays', function (assert) {
+      // Regression guard: only maybeIdlePause should defer to audio state;
+      // direct pause() (timer button click) must remain unconditional.
+      const timer = withAudio(this.owner, true);
+      timer.pause();
+      assert.true(timer.isPaused);
+    });
+  });
 });