diff --git a/animated_icon.py b/animated_icon.py
index 894ed2e..4cfe8fd 100644
--- a/animated_icon.py
+++ b/animated_icon.py
@@ -55,6 +55,7 @@ class AnimatedIcon(tk.Canvas):
         self.highlight_color = highlight_color
         self.use_pillow = use_pillow and PIL_AVAILABLE
         self.running = False
+        self.pause_count = 0
         self.angle = 0
         self.pulse_animation = False
 
@@ -453,7 +454,7 @@ class AnimatedIcon(tk.Canvas):
 
     def _animate(self) -> None:
         """The main animation loop."""
-        if not self.winfo_exists() or not self.running:
+        if self.pause_count > 0 or not self.running or not self.winfo_exists():
             return
 
         # Do not animate if a grab is active on a different window.
@@ -478,9 +479,9 @@ class AnimatedIcon(tk.Canvas):
         """
         if not self.winfo_exists():
             return
-        if not self.running:
-            self.pulse_animation = pulse
-            self.running = True
+        self.running = True
+        self.pulse_animation = pulse
+        if self.pause_count == 0:
             self._animate()
 
     def stop(self, status: Optional[str] = None) -> None:
@@ -511,9 +512,20 @@ class AnimatedIcon(tk.Canvas):
         self.pulse_animation = False
         self.delete("all")
 
+    def pause(self) -> None:
+        """Pauses the animation and draws a static frame."""
+        self.pause_count += 1
+        self._draw_stopped_frame()
+
+    def resume(self) -> None:
+        """Resumes the animation if the pause count is zero."""
+        self.pause_count = max(0, self.pause_count - 1)
+        if self.pause_count == 0 and self.running:
+            self._animate()
+
     def show_full_circle(self) -> None:
         """Shows the static 'stopped' frame without starting the animation."""
         if not self.winfo_exists():
             return
         if not self.running:
-            self._draw_stopped_frame()
+            self._draw_stopped_frame()
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/common_tools.py b/common_tools.py
index 114350a..406560f 100755
--- a/common_tools.py
+++ b/common_tools.py
@@ -837,16 +837,16 @@ class Translate:
 @contextmanager
 def message_box_animation(animated_icon):
     """
-    A context manager to handle starting and stopping an animated icon
+    A context manager to handle pausing and resuming an animated icon
     around an operation like showing a message box.
 
     Args:
-        animated_icon: The animated icon object with start() and stop() methods.
+        animated_icon: The animated icon object with pause() and resume() methods.
     """
     if animated_icon:
-        animated_icon.stop()
+        animated_icon.pause()
     try:
         yield
     finally:
         if animated_icon:
-            animated_icon.start()
+            animated_icon.resume()