diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 288ddae7..26fbaf63 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -29,6 +29,25 @@ One command. Takes 10 seconds. macOS only. Re-run to update (sounds and config p
 
 Plus Terminal tab titles (`● project: done`) and macOS notifications when Terminal isn't focused.
 
+## Quick controls
+
+Need to mute sounds and notifications during a meeting or pairing session? Two options:
+
+| Method | Command | When |
+|---|---|---|
+| **Slash command** | `/peon-ping-toggle` | While working in Claude Code |
+| **CLI** | `peon --toggle` | From any terminal tab |
+
+Other CLI commands:
+
+```bash
+peon --pause    # Mute sounds
+peon --resume   # Unmute sounds
+peon --status   # Check if paused or active
+```
+
+Pausing mutes sounds and desktop notifications instantly. Persists across sessions until you resume. Tab titles remain active when paused.
+
 ## Configuration
 
 Edit `~/.claude/hooks/peon-ping/config.json`:
diff --git a/install.sh b/install.sh
index f31d7c97..c726959f 100755
--- a/install.sh
+++ b/install.sh
@@ -103,6 +103,28 @@ fi
 
 chmod +x "$INSTALL_DIR/peon.sh"
 
+# --- Install skill (slash command) ---
+SKILL_DIR="$HOME/.claude/skills/peon-ping-toggle"
+mkdir -p "$SKILL_DIR"
+if [ -n "$SCRIPT_DIR" ] && [ -d "$SCRIPT_DIR/skills/peon-ping-toggle" ]; then
+  cp "$SCRIPT_DIR/skills/peon-ping-toggle/SKILL.md" "$SKILL_DIR/"
+elif [ -z "$SCRIPT_DIR" ]; then
+  curl -fsSL "$REPO_BASE/skills/peon-ping-toggle/SKILL.md" -o "$SKILL_DIR/SKILL.md"
+else
+  echo "Warning: skills/peon-ping-toggle not found in local clone, skipping skill install"
+fi
+
+# --- Add shell alias ---
+ALIAS_LINE='alias peon="bash ~/.claude/hooks/peon-ping/peon.sh"'
+for rcfile in "$HOME/.zshrc" "$HOME/.bashrc"; do
+  if [ -f "$rcfile" ] && ! grep -qF 'alias peon=' "$rcfile"; then
+    echo "" >> "$rcfile"
+    echo "# peon-ping quick controls" >> "$rcfile"
+    echo "$ALIAS_LINE" >> "$rcfile"
+    echo "Added peon alias to $(basename "$rcfile")"
+  fi
+done
+
 # --- Verify sounds are installed ---
 echo ""
 for pack in $PACKS; do
@@ -220,4 +242,9 @@ else
   echo "Uninstall: bash $INSTALL_DIR/uninstall.sh"
 fi
 echo ""
+echo "Quick controls:"
+echo "  /peon-ping-toggle  — toggle sounds in Claude Code"
+echo "  peon --toggle      — toggle sounds from any terminal"
+echo "  peon --status      — check if sounds are paused"
+echo ""
 echo "Ready to work!"
diff --git a/peon.sh b/peon.sh
index 57066e86..56af7364 100755
--- a/peon.sh
+++ b/peon.sh
@@ -7,6 +7,25 @@ PEON_DIR="${CLAUDE_PEON_DIR:-$HOME/.claude/hooks/peon-ping}"
 CONFIG="$PEON_DIR/config.json"
 STATE="$PEON_DIR/.state.json"
 
+# --- CLI subcommands (must come before INPUT=$(cat) which blocks on stdin) ---
+PAUSED_FILE="$PEON_DIR/.paused"
+case "${1:-}" in
+  --pause)   touch "$PAUSED_FILE"; echo "peon-ping: sounds paused"; exit 0 ;;
+  --resume)  rm -f "$PAUSED_FILE"; echo "peon-ping: sounds resumed"; exit 0 ;;
+  --toggle)
+    if [ -f "$PAUSED_FILE" ]; then rm -f "$PAUSED_FILE"; echo "peon-ping: sounds resumed"
+    else touch "$PAUSED_FILE"; echo "peon-ping: sounds paused"; fi
+    exit 0 ;;
+  --status)
+    [ -f "$PAUSED_FILE" ] && echo "peon-ping: paused" || echo "peon-ping: active"
+    exit 0 ;;
+  --help|-h)
+    echo "Usage: peon --pause | --resume | --toggle | --status"; exit 0 ;;
+  --*)
+    echo "Unknown option: $1" >&2
+    echo "Usage: peon --pause | --resume | --toggle | --status" >&2; exit 1 ;;
+esac
+
 INPUT=$(cat)
 
 # Debug log (comment out for quiet operation)
@@ -31,6 +50,9 @@ for cat in ['greeting','acknowledge','complete','error','permission','resource_l
 
 [ "$ENABLED" = "false" ] && exit 0
 
+PAUSED=false
+[ -f "$PEON_DIR/.paused" ] && PAUSED=true
+
 # --- Parse event fields (shlex.quote prevents shell injection) ---
 eval "$(/usr/bin/python3 -c "
 import sys, json, shlex
@@ -111,6 +133,11 @@ if [ "$EVENT" = "SessionStart" ] && [ -f "$PEON_DIR/.update_available" ]; then
   fi
 fi
 
+# --- Show pause status on SessionStart ---
+if [ "$EVENT" = "SessionStart" ] && [ "$PAUSED" = "true" ]; then
+  echo "peon-ping: sounds paused — run 'peon --resume' or '/peon-ping-toggle' to unpause" >&2
+fi
+
 # --- Check annoyed state (rapid prompts) ---
 check_annoyed() {
   /usr/bin/python3 -c "
@@ -243,7 +270,7 @@ if [ -n "$TITLE" ]; then
 fi
 
 # --- Play sound ---
-if [ -n "$CATEGORY" ]; then
+if [ -n "$CATEGORY" ] && [ "$PAUSED" != "true" ]; then
   SOUND_FILE=$(pick_sound "$CATEGORY")
   if [ -n "$SOUND_FILE" ] && [ -f "$SOUND_FILE" ]; then
     nohup afplay -v "$VOLUME" "$SOUND_FILE" >/dev/null 2>&1 &
@@ -251,7 +278,7 @@ if [ -n "$CATEGORY" ]; then
 fi
 
 # --- Smart notification: only when terminal is NOT frontmost ---
-if [ -n "$NOTIFY" ]; then
+if [ -n "$NOTIFY" ] && [ "$PAUSED" != "true" ]; then
   FRONTMOST=$(osascript -e 'tell application "System Events" to get name of first process whose frontmost is true' 2>/dev/null)
   case "$FRONTMOST" in
     Terminal|iTerm2|Warp|Alacritty|kitty|WezTerm|Ghostty) ;; # terminal is focused, skip notification
diff --git a/skills/peon-ping-toggle/SKILL.md b/skills/peon-ping-toggle/SKILL.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..ae220a82
--- /dev/null
+++ b/skills/peon-ping-toggle/SKILL.md
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+---
+name: peon-ping-toggle
+description: Toggle peon-ping sound notifications on/off. Use when user wants to mute, unmute, pause, or resume peon sounds during a Claude Code session.
+user_invocable: true
+---
+
+# peon-ping-toggle
+
+Toggle peon-ping sounds on or off.
+
+Run the following command using the Bash tool:
+
+```bash
+bash ~/.claude/hooks/peon-ping/peon.sh --toggle
+```
+
+Report the output to the user. The command will print either:
+- `peon-ping: sounds paused` — sounds are now muted
+- `peon-ping: sounds resumed` — sounds are now active
diff --git a/tests/peon.bats b/tests/peon.bats
index 0ec3b620..fd118819 100644
--- a/tests/peon.bats
+++ b/tests/peon.bats
@@ -256,3 +256,71 @@ JSON
   log_line=$(tail -1 "$TEST_DIR/afplay.log")
   [[ "$log_line" == *"-v 0.3"* ]]
 }
+
+# ============================================================
+# Pause / mute feature
+# ============================================================
+
+@test "--toggle creates .paused file and prints paused message" {
+  run bash "$PEON_SH" --toggle
+  [ "$status" -eq 0 ]
+  [[ "$output" == *"sounds paused"* ]]
+  [ -f "$TEST_DIR/.paused" ]
+}
+
+@test "--toggle removes .paused file when already paused" {
+  touch "$TEST_DIR/.paused"
+  run bash "$PEON_SH" --toggle
+  [ "$status" -eq 0 ]
+  [[ "$output" == *"sounds resumed"* ]]
+  [ ! -f "$TEST_DIR/.paused" ]
+}
+
+@test "--pause creates .paused file" {
+  run bash "$PEON_SH" --pause
+  [ "$status" -eq 0 ]
+  [[ "$output" == *"sounds paused"* ]]
+  [ -f "$TEST_DIR/.paused" ]
+}
+
+@test "--resume removes .paused file" {
+  touch "$TEST_DIR/.paused"
+  run bash "$PEON_SH" --resume
+  [ "$status" -eq 0 ]
+  [[ "$output" == *"sounds resumed"* ]]
+  [ ! -f "$TEST_DIR/.paused" ]
+}
+
+@test "--status reports paused when .paused exists" {
+  touch "$TEST_DIR/.paused"
+  run bash "$PEON_SH" --status
+  [ "$status" -eq 0 ]
+  [[ "$output" == *"paused"* ]]
+}
+
+@test "--status reports active when not paused" {
+  rm -f "$TEST_DIR/.paused"
+  run bash "$PEON_SH" --status
+  [ "$status" -eq 0 ]
+  [[ "$output" == *"active"* ]]
+}
+
+@test "paused file suppresses sound on SessionStart" {
+  touch "$TEST_DIR/.paused"
+  run_peon '{"hook_event_name":"SessionStart","cwd":"/tmp/myproject","session_id":"s1","permission_mode":"default"}'
+  [ "$PEON_EXIT" -eq 0 ]
+  ! afplay_was_called
+}
+
+@test "paused SessionStart shows stderr status line" {
+  touch "$TEST_DIR/.paused"
+  run_peon '{"hook_event_name":"SessionStart","cwd":"/tmp/myproject","session_id":"s1","permission_mode":"default"}'
+  [[ "$PEON_STDERR" == *"sounds paused"* ]]
+}
+
+@test "paused file suppresses notification on permission_prompt" {
+  touch "$TEST_DIR/.paused"
+  run_peon '{"hook_event_name":"Notification","notification_type":"permission_prompt","cwd":"/tmp/myproject","session_id":"s1","permission_mode":"default"}'
+  [ "$PEON_EXIT" -eq 0 ]
+  ! afplay_was_called
+}