diff --git a/src/control_backend/agents/actuation/robot_gesture_agent.py b/src/control_backend/agents/actuation/robot_gesture_agent.py
index 3b264d2..997b684 100644
--- a/src/control_backend/agents/actuation/robot_gesture_agent.py
+++ b/src/control_backend/agents/actuation/robot_gesture_agent.py
@@ -83,6 +83,8 @@ class RobotGestureAgent(BaseAgent):
             self.subsocket.close()
         if self.pubsocket:
             self.pubsocket.close()
+        if self.repsocket:
+            self.repsocket.close()
         await super().stop()
 
     async def handle_message(self, msg: InternalMessage):
diff --git a/src/control_backend/agents/communication/ri_communication_agent.py b/src/control_backend/agents/communication/ri_communication_agent.py
index b12bac6..2377421 100644
--- a/src/control_backend/agents/communication/ri_communication_agent.py
+++ b/src/control_backend/agents/communication/ri_communication_agent.py
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ from zmq.asyncio import Context
 from control_backend.agents import BaseAgent
 from control_backend.agents.actuation.robot_gesture_agent import RobotGestureAgent
 from control_backend.core.config import settings
+from control_backend.schemas.internal_message import InternalMessage
 
 from ..actuation.robot_speech_agent import RobotSpeechAgent
 from ..perception import VADAgent
@@ -47,6 +48,8 @@ class RICommunicationAgent(BaseAgent):
         self._req_socket: azmq.Socket | None = None
         self.pub_socket: azmq.Socket | None = None
         self.connected = False
+        self.gesture_agent: RobotGestureAgent | None = None
+        self.speech_agent: RobotSpeechAgent | None = None
 
     async def setup(self):
         """
@@ -140,6 +143,7 @@ class RICommunicationAgent(BaseAgent):
 
             # At this point, we have a valid response
             try:
+                self.logger.debug("Negotiation successful. Handling rn")
                 await self._handle_negotiation_response(received_message)
                 # Let UI know that we're connected
                 topic = b"ping"
@@ -188,6 +192,7 @@ class RICommunicationAgent(BaseAgent):
                         address=addr,
                         bind=bind,
                     )
+                    self.speech_agent = robot_speech_agent
                     robot_gesture_agent = RobotGestureAgent(
                         settings.agent_settings.robot_gesture_name,
                         address=addr,
@@ -195,6 +200,7 @@ class RICommunicationAgent(BaseAgent):
                         gesture_data=gesture_data,
                         single_gesture_data=single_gesture_data,
                     )
+                    self.gesture_agent = robot_gesture_agent
                     await robot_speech_agent.start()
                     await asyncio.sleep(0.1)  # Small delay
                     await robot_gesture_agent.start()
@@ -225,6 +231,7 @@ class RICommunicationAgent(BaseAgent):
         while self._running:
             if not self.connected:
                 await asyncio.sleep(settings.behaviour_settings.sleep_s)
+                self.logger.debug("Not connected, skipping ping loop iteration.")
                 continue
 
             # We need to listen and send pings.
@@ -289,13 +296,36 @@ class RICommunicationAgent(BaseAgent):
         # Tell UI we're disconnected.
         topic = b"ping"
         data = json.dumps(False).encode()
+        self.logger.debug("1")
         if self.pub_socket:
             try:
+                self.logger.debug("2")
                 await asyncio.wait_for(self.pub_socket.send_multipart([topic, data]), 5)
             except TimeoutError:
+                self.logger.debug("3")
                 self.logger.warning("Connection ping for router timed out.")
 
         # Try to reboot/renegotiate
+        if self.gesture_agent is not None:
+            await self.gesture_agent.stop()
+
+        if self.speech_agent is not None:
+            await self.speech_agent.stop()
+
+        if self.pub_socket is not None:
+            self.pub_socket.close()
+
         self.logger.debug("Restarting communication negotiation.")
-        if await self._negotiate_connection(max_retries=1):
+        if await self._negotiate_connection(max_retries=2):
             self.connected = True
+
+    async def handle_message(self, msg: InternalMessage):
+        """
+        Handle an incoming message.
+
+        Currently not implemented for this agent.
+
+        :param msg: The received message.
+        :raises NotImplementedError: Always, since this method is not implemented.
+        """
+        self.logger.warning("custom warning for handle msg in ri coms %s", self.name)
diff --git a/src/control_backend/agents/perception/vad_agent.py b/src/control_backend/agents/perception/vad_agent.py
index e47b27a..2b333f5 100644
--- a/src/control_backend/agents/perception/vad_agent.py
+++ b/src/control_backend/agents/perception/vad_agent.py
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import zmq.asyncio as azmq
 
 from control_backend.agents import BaseAgent
 from control_backend.core.config import settings
+from control_backend.schemas.internal_message import InternalMessage
 
 from ...schemas.program_status import PROGRAM_STATUS, ProgramStatus
 from .transcription_agent.transcription_agent import TranscriptionAgent
@@ -86,6 +87,12 @@ class VADAgent(BaseAgent):
         self.audio_buffer = np.array([], dtype=np.float32)
         self.i_since_speech = settings.behaviour_settings.vad_initial_since_speech
         self._ready = asyncio.Event()
+
+        # Pause control
+        self._reset_needed = False
+        self._paused = asyncio.Event()
+        self._paused.set()  # Not paused at start
+
         self.model = None
 
     async def setup(self):
@@ -213,6 +220,16 @@ class VADAgent(BaseAgent):
         """
         await self._ready.wait()
         while self._running:
+            await self._paused.wait()
+
+            # After being unpaused, reset stream and buffers
+            if self._reset_needed:
+                self.logger.debug("Resuming: resetting stream and buffers.")
+                await self._reset_stream()
+                self.audio_buffer = np.array([], dtype=np.float32)
+                self.i_since_speech = settings.behaviour_settings.vad_initial_since_speech
+                self._reset_needed = False
+
             assert self.audio_in_poller is not None
             data = await self.audio_in_poller.poll()
             if data is None:
@@ -252,7 +269,30 @@ class VADAgent(BaseAgent):
                 assert self.audio_out_socket is not None
                 await self.audio_out_socket.send(self.audio_buffer[: -2 * len(chunk)].tobytes())
 
-            # At this point, we know that there is no speech.
-            # Prepend the last few chunks that had no speech, for a more fluent boundary.
-            self.audio_buffer = np.append(self.audio_buffer, chunk)
-            self.audio_buffer = self.audio_buffer[-begin_silence_length * len(chunk) :]
+            # At this point, we know that the speech has ended.
+            # Prepend the last chunk that had no speech, for a more fluent boundary
+            self.audio_buffer = chunk
+
+    async def handle_message(self, msg: InternalMessage):
+        """
+        Handle incoming messages.
+
+        Expects messages to pause or resume the VAD processing from User Interrupt Agent.
+
+        :param msg: The received internal message.
+        """
+        sender = msg.sender
+
+        if sender == settings.agent_settings.user_interrupt_name:
+            if msg.body == "PAUSE":
+                self.logger.info("Pausing VAD processing.")
+                self._paused.clear()
+                # If the robot needs to pick up speaking where it left off, do not set _reset_needed
+                self._reset_needed = True
+            elif msg.body == "RESUME":
+                self.logger.info("Resuming VAD processing.")
+                self._paused.set()
+            else:
+                self.logger.warning(f"Unknown command from User Interrupt Agent: {msg.body}")
+        else:
+            self.logger.debug(f"Ignoring message from unknown sender: {sender}")
diff --git a/src/control_backend/schemas/ri_message.py b/src/control_backend/schemas/ri_message.py
index a48dec6..e6eafa3 100644
--- a/src/control_backend/schemas/ri_message.py
+++ b/src/control_backend/schemas/ri_message.py
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ class RIEndpoint(str, Enum):
     GESTURE_TAG = "actuate/gesture/tag"
     PING = "ping"
     NEGOTIATE_PORTS = "negotiate/ports"
+    PAUSE = ""
 
 
 class RIMessage(BaseModel):
@@ -64,3 +65,15 @@ class GestureCommand(RIMessage):
         if self.endpoint not in allowed:
             raise ValueError("endpoint must be GESTURE_SINGLE or GESTURE_TAG")
         return self
+
+
+class PauseCommand(RIMessage):
+    """
+    A specific command to pause or unpause the robot's actions.
+
+    :ivar endpoint: Fixed to ``RIEndpoint.PAUSE``.
+    :ivar data: A boolean indicating whether to pause (True) or unpause (False).
+    """
+
+    endpoint: RIEndpoint = RIEndpoint(RIEndpoint.PAUSE)
+    data: bool