diff --git a/include/uapi/sound/sof/tokens.h b/include/uapi/sound/sof/tokens.h
index 0a246bc218d32a..c28c766270de01 100644
--- a/include/uapi/sound/sof/tokens.h
+++ b/include/uapi/sound/sof/tokens.h
@@ -153,6 +153,8 @@
 /* Stream */
 #define SOF_TKN_STREAM_PLAYBACK_COMPATIBLE_D0I3	1200
 #define SOF_TKN_STREAM_CAPTURE_COMPATIBLE_D0I3	1201
+#define SOF_TKN_STREAM_PLAYBACK_PAUSE_SUPPORTED	1202
+#define SOF_TKN_STREAM_CAPTURE_PAUSE_SUPPORTED	1203
 
 /* Led control for mute switches */
 #define SOF_TKN_MUTE_LED_USE			1300
diff --git a/sound/soc/sof/intel/hda-pcm.c b/sound/soc/sof/intel/hda-pcm.c
index f6e24edd7adbe9..450f33eb46b2d9 100644
--- a/sound/soc/sof/intel/hda-pcm.c
+++ b/sound/soc/sof/intel/hda-pcm.c
@@ -37,6 +37,11 @@ static bool hda_disable_rewinds;
 module_param_named(disable_rewinds, hda_disable_rewinds, bool, 0444);
 MODULE_PARM_DESC(disable_rewinds, "SOF HDA disable rewinds");
 
+static bool hda_force_pause_support;
+module_param_named(force_pause_support, hda_force_pause_support, bool, 0444);
+MODULE_PARM_DESC(force_pause_support,
+		 "SOF HDA ignore pause_supported flag to allow pause operation");
+
 u32 hda_dsp_get_mult_div(struct snd_sof_dev *sdev, int rate)
 {
 	switch (rate) {
@@ -240,6 +245,14 @@ int hda_dsp_pcm_open(struct snd_sof_dev *sdev,
 	if (hda_always_enable_dmi_l1 && direction == SNDRV_PCM_STREAM_CAPTURE)
 		runtime->hw.info &= ~SNDRV_PCM_INFO_PAUSE;
 
+	/*
+	 * Follow the pause_supported flag (unless a module parameter is set to
+	 * ignore it) and disable the pause push/release support
+	 */
+	if (!hda_force_pause_support &&
+	    !spcm->stream[substream->stream].pause_supported)
+		runtime->hw.info &= ~SNDRV_PCM_INFO_PAUSE;
+
 	if (hda_always_enable_dmi_l1 ||
 	    direction == SNDRV_PCM_STREAM_PLAYBACK ||
 	    spcm->stream[substream->stream].d0i3_compatible)
diff --git a/sound/soc/sof/sof-audio.h b/sound/soc/sof/sof-audio.h
index b9b8b64768b979..4fd676826627ee 100644
--- a/sound/soc/sof/sof-audio.h
+++ b/sound/soc/sof/sof-audio.h
@@ -332,6 +332,14 @@ struct snd_sof_pcm_stream {
 	struct work_struct period_elapsed_work;
 	struct snd_soc_dapm_widget_list *list; /* list of connected DAPM widgets */
 	bool d0i3_compatible; /* DSP can be in D0I3 when this pcm is opened */
+	/*
+	 * Flag for the core and platform code about PCM pause/resume support.
+	 * Note: End-users are using audio via media servers (Pulseaudio, Pipewire,
+	 * CRAS, etc) and media servers do not use pause/resume.
+	 * Media players using ALSA directly have means to handle PCM devices
+	 * without pause/resume support also.
+	 */
+	bool pause_supported;
 	unsigned int dsp_max_burst_size_in_ms; /* The maximum size of the host DMA burst in ms */
 	/*
 	 * flag to indicate that the DSP pipelines should be kept
diff --git a/sound/soc/sof/topology.c b/sound/soc/sof/topology.c
index b5438213199163..55a8cee9ae2d3f 100644
--- a/sound/soc/sof/topology.c
+++ b/sound/soc/sof/topology.c
@@ -407,6 +407,10 @@ static const struct sof_topology_token stream_tokens[] = {
 		offsetof(struct snd_sof_pcm, stream[0].d0i3_compatible)},
 	{SOF_TKN_STREAM_CAPTURE_COMPATIBLE_D0I3, SND_SOC_TPLG_TUPLE_TYPE_BOOL, get_token_u16,
 		offsetof(struct snd_sof_pcm, stream[1].d0i3_compatible)},
+	{SOF_TKN_STREAM_PLAYBACK_PAUSE_SUPPORTED, SND_SOC_TPLG_TUPLE_TYPE_BOOL, get_token_u16,
+		offsetof(struct snd_sof_pcm, stream[0].pause_supported)},
+	{SOF_TKN_STREAM_CAPTURE_PAUSE_SUPPORTED, SND_SOC_TPLG_TUPLE_TYPE_BOOL, get_token_u16,
+		offsetof(struct snd_sof_pcm, stream[1].pause_supported)},
 };
 
 /* Leds */