diff --git a/main.js b/main.js
index f4fae94..0299406 100644
--- a/main.js
+++ b/main.js
@@ -2113,6 +2113,97 @@ ipcMain.handle('inspect-import-files', async (_event, payload) => {
   });
 });
 
+async function rejectPreparedUploadStart(manager, producerTracker, error, clearRecovery) {
+  try { manager.cancel(); } catch {}
+  if (uploadManager === manager) {
+    uploadManager = null;
+    globalThis._mhuUploadManagerRef = null;
+  }
+  producerTracker.finish();
+  if (clearRecovery) {
+    try { await configStore.saveUploadRecovery(null); } catch (cleanupError) {
+      debugLog(`upload recovery state could not be cleared after rejected start: ${cleanupError.message}`);
+    }
+  }
+  return { error };
+}
+
+function preparedUploadStartGate(manager) {
+  if (uploadManager !== manager) return 'Upload-Start wurde verworfen';
+  if (closeFlushRequested) return 'Die Anwendung wird gerade beendet';
+  if (configStore.load().globalSettings?.folderMonitor?.paused === true) return 'Automatik ist pausiert';
+  return '';
+}
+
+function observePreparedUploadAcceptance(batchPromise) {
+  const settled = batchPromise && typeof batchPromise.then === 'function'
+    ? batchPromise.then(
+      () => ({ settled: true }),
+      error => ({ rejected: true, error })
+    )
+    : Promise.resolve({ settled: true });
+  return Promise.race([
+    settled,
+    new Promise(resolve => queueMicrotask(() => resolve({ accepted: true })))
+  ]);
+}
+
+function startPreparedUploadBatch({ manager, tasks, producerTracker, recovery, isAutoRetry }) {
+  return new Promise(resolve => {
+    setImmediate(() => {
+      void (async () => {
+        let gateError = preparedUploadStartGate(manager);
+        if (gateError) return rejectPreparedUploadStart(manager, producerTracker, gateError, false);
+        try {
+          await configStore.saveUploadRecovery(recovery);
+        } catch {
+          return rejectPreparedUploadStart(manager, producerTracker, 'Upload-Wiederherstellung konnte nicht vorbereitet werden', true);
+        }
+        gateError = preparedUploadStartGate(manager);
+        if (gateError) return rejectPreparedUploadStart(manager, producerTracker, gateError, true);
+        _accountCooldowns.releaseExpired();
+        const pausedAccounts = _accountCooldowns.activeKeys();
+        let batchPromise;
+        try {
+          batchPromise = manager.startBatch(tasks, {
+            primeFailedAccounts: pausedAccounts,
+            primeOverrides: Array.from(_sessionAccountOverrides.entries())
+          });
+        } catch {
+          return rejectPreparedUploadStart(manager, producerTracker, 'Upload konnte nicht gestartet werden', true);
+        }
+        const acceptance = await observePreparedUploadAcceptance(batchPromise);
+        if (acceptance.rejected) {
+          return rejectPreparedUploadStart(manager, producerTracker, 'Upload konnte nicht gestartet werden', true);
+        }
+        if (acceptance.accepted) {
+          Promise.resolve(batchPromise).catch((err) => {
+            debugLog(`startBatch REJECTED: ${err && err.stack ? err.stack : err}`);
+            const errorSummary = {
+              id: 'error',
+              timestamp: new Date().toISOString(),
+              total: tasks.length,
+              succeeded: 0,
+              failed: tasks.length,
+              files: [],
+              error: err ? err.message : 'Unbekannter Fehler'
+            };
+            safeSend('upload-batch-done', errorSummary);
+            configStore.saveUploadRecovery(null).catch(error => debugLog(`upload recovery state could not be cleared after start failure: ${error.message}`));
+            producerTracker.finish();
+            if (!isAutoRetry) sendBatchWebhook(errorSummary, 0);
+            if (uploadManager === manager) { uploadManager = null; globalThis._mhuUploadManagerRef = null; }
+          });
+        }
+        logMemorySnapshot('batch-start');
+        return { started: true };
+      })().then(resolve, async () => {
+        resolve(await rejectPreparedUploadStart(manager, producerTracker, 'Upload konnte nicht gestartet werden', true));
+      });
+    });
+  });
+}
+
 ipcMain.handle('start-upload', async (_event, payload) => {
   if (configStore.load().globalSettings?.folderMonitor?.paused === true) {
     return { error: 'Automatik ist pausiert' };
@@ -2191,12 +2282,6 @@ ipcMain.handle('start-upload', async (_event, payload) => {
     startedAt: new Date().toISOString(),
     jobIds: tasks.map(task => task.jobId).filter(Boolean)
   };
-  try { await configStore.saveUploadRecovery(recovery); } catch (error) { debugLog(`upload recovery state could not be saved: ${error.message}`); }
-  if (configStore.load().globalSettings?.folderMonitor?.paused === true) {
-    if (uploadManager === _thisManager) { uploadManager = null; globalThis._mhuUploadManagerRef = null; }
-    try { await configStore.saveUploadRecovery(null); } catch (error) { debugLog(`upload recovery state could not be cleared after automation pause: ${error.message}`); }
-    return { error: 'Automatik ist pausiert' };
-  }
 
   // Pre-resolve a fallback for every hoster that has one. Lets the upload
   // manager break out of the retry loop after a single generic failure and
@@ -2425,55 +2510,16 @@ ipcMain.handle('start-upload', async (_event, payload) => {
     else debugLog('batch-done: skipping uploadManager null-out — a newer manager replaced this one mid-await');
   });
 
-  // Defer startBatch to next tick so the IPC response is sent first.
-  // This ensures webContents.send() calls from upload events
-  // are not interleaved with the handle() response.
-  setImmediate(() => {
-    if (uploadManager !== _thisManager) {
-      debugLog('setImmediate: uploadManager was replaced before startBatch');
-      _producerTracker.finish();
-      return;
-    }
-    if (closeFlushRequested) {
-      try { _thisManager.cancel(); } catch {}
-      if (uploadManager === _thisManager) { uploadManager = null; globalThis._mhuUploadManagerRef = null; }
-      _producerTracker.finish();
-      return;
-    }
-    if (configStore.load().globalSettings?.folderMonitor?.paused === true) {
-      try { _thisManager.cancel(); } catch {}
-      if (uploadManager === _thisManager) { uploadManager = null; globalThis._mhuUploadManagerRef = null; }
-      _producerTracker.finish();
-      return;
-    }
-    _accountCooldowns.releaseExpired();
-    const pausedAccounts = _accountCooldowns.activeKeys();
-    debugLog(`setImmediate: calling startBatch now (priming ${pausedAccounts.length} failed accounts, ${_sessionAccountOverrides.size} overrides from session)`);
-    _thisManager.startBatch(tasks, {
-      primeFailedAccounts: pausedAccounts,
-      primeOverrides: Array.from(_sessionAccountOverrides.entries())
-    }).catch((err) => {
-      debugLog(`startBatch REJECTED: ${err && err.stack ? err.stack : err}`);
-      const errorSummary = {
-        id: 'error',
-        timestamp: new Date().toISOString(),
-        total: tasks.length,
-        succeeded: 0,
-        failed: tasks.length,
-        files: [],
-        error: err ? err.message : 'Unbekannter Fehler'
-      };
-      safeSend('upload-batch-done', errorSummary);
-      configStore.saveUploadRecovery(null).catch(error => debugLog(`upload recovery state could not be cleared after start failure: ${error.message}`));
-      _producerTracker.finish();
-      if (!isAutoRetry) sendBatchWebhook(errorSummary, 0);
-      if (uploadManager === _thisManager) { uploadManager = null; globalThis._mhuUploadManagerRef = null; }
-    });
+  const startResult = await startPreparedUploadBatch({
+    manager: _thisManager,
+    tasks,
+    producerTracker: _producerTracker,
+    recovery,
+    isAutoRetry
   });
-
-  logMemorySnapshot('batch-start');
-  debugLog(`start-upload returning started=true (startBatch deferred to nextTick)`);
-  return { started: true, taskCount: tasks.length, skippedJobs, sourceCleanupFingerprints };
+  if (!startResult.started) return startResult;
+  debugLog('start-upload returning started=true after startBatch acceptance');
+  return { ...startResult, taskCount: tasks.length, skippedJobs, sourceCleanupFingerprints };
 });
 
 // Logged at batch boundaries so we can spot memory growth between batches
@@ -3190,7 +3236,44 @@ function _sweepOrphanConfigTmps() {
   } catch {}
 }
 
-let suppressAutomationStatusEvents = false;
+const automationLifecycleQueue = [];
+let automationLifecycleRunning = false;
+let automationLifecycleGeneration = 0;
+let automationStatusSuppressionDepth = 0;
+
+function drainAutomationLifecycleQueue() {
+  if (automationLifecycleRunning) return;
+  const next = automationLifecycleQueue.shift();
+  if (!next) return;
+  automationLifecycleRunning = true;
+  let result;
+  try {
+    result = next.operation(next.generation);
+  } catch (error) {
+    result = Promise.reject(error);
+  }
+  Promise.resolve(result).then(next.resolve, next.reject).finally(() => {
+    automationLifecycleRunning = false;
+    drainAutomationLifecycleQueue();
+  });
+}
+
+function enqueueAutomationLifecycle(operation) {
+  const generation = ++automationLifecycleGeneration;
+  return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
+    automationLifecycleQueue.push({ generation, operation, resolve, reject });
+    drainAutomationLifecycleQueue();
+  });
+}
+
+async function withAutomationStatusSuppressed(operation) {
+  automationStatusSuppressionDepth++;
+  try {
+    return await operation();
+  } finally {
+    automationStatusSuppressionDepth--;
+  }
+}
 
 function automationStatusSnapshot() {
   const settings = configStore.load().globalSettings?.folderMonitor || {};
@@ -3205,9 +3288,10 @@ function automationStatusSnapshot() {
   });
 }
 
-function publishAutomationStatus() {
-  const snapshot = automationStatusSnapshot();
-  if (!suppressAutomationStatusEvents) safeSend('automation:status', snapshot);
+function publishAutomationStatus(extra = null, generation = null) {
+  const snapshot = Object.freeze({ ...automationStatusSnapshot(), ...(extra || {}) });
+  const currentGeneration = generation === null || generation === automationLifecycleGeneration;
+  if (automationStatusSuppressionDepth === 0 && currentGeneration) safeSend('automation:status', snapshot);
   return snapshot;
 }
 
@@ -3220,7 +3304,7 @@ function bindFolderMonitorEvents(settings) {
   folderMonitor.on('error', (err) => {
     debugLog(`folder-monitor error: ${err.message}`);
   });
-  folderMonitor.on('status', publishAutomationStatus);
+  folderMonitor.on('status', () => publishAutomationStatus());
   folderMonitor.on('initial-scan-complete', async () => {
     try {
       const latest = configStore.load();
@@ -3280,45 +3364,45 @@ ipcMain.handle('automation:get-status', () => {
   return automationStatusSnapshot();
 });
 
-ipcMain.handle('automation:pause-after-active', async () => {
-  const latest = configStore.load();
-  const settings = latest.globalSettings?.folderMonitor || {};
-  await configStore.save({
-    globalSettings: {
-      ...latest.globalSettings,
-      folderMonitor: { ...settings, paused: true, pausedAt: Date.now() }
+ipcMain.handle('automation:pause-after-active', () => enqueueAutomationLifecycle(async generation => {
+  let monitorError = '';
+  await withAutomationStatusSuppressed(async () => {
+    const latest = configStore.load();
+    const settings = latest.globalSettings?.folderMonitor || {};
+    await configStore.save({
+      globalSettings: {
+        ...latest.globalSettings,
+        folderMonitor: { ...settings, paused: true, pausedAt: Date.now() }
+      }
+    });
+    try {
+      await folderMonitor.pause();
+    } catch {
+      monitorError = 'Ordnerüberwachung konnte nicht pausiert werden';
+    } finally {
+      if (uploadManager) uploadManager.finishAfterActive();
     }
   });
-  suppressAutomationStatusEvents = true;
-  try {
-    await folderMonitor.pause();
-  } finally {
-    suppressAutomationStatusEvents = false;
-  }
-  if (uploadManager) uploadManager.finishAfterActive();
-  return publishAutomationStatus();
-});
+  return publishAutomationStatus(monitorError ? { monitorError } : null, generation);
+}));
 
-ipcMain.handle('automation:resume', async () => {
-  const latest = configStore.load();
-  const settings = latest.globalSettings?.folderMonitor || {};
-  const resumedSettings = { ...settings, paused: false, pausedAt: null };
-  await configStore.save({
-    globalSettings: {
-      ...latest.globalSettings,
-      folderMonitor: resumedSettings
-    }
-  });
-  suppressAutomationStatusEvents = true;
-  try {
+ipcMain.handle('automation:resume', () => enqueueAutomationLifecycle(async generation => {
+  await withAutomationStatusSuppressed(async () => {
+    const latest = configStore.load();
+    const settings = latest.globalSettings?.folderMonitor || {};
+    const resumedSettings = { ...settings, paused: false, pausedAt: null };
+    await configStore.save({
+      globalSettings: {
+        ...latest.globalSettings,
+        folderMonitor: resumedSettings
+      }
+    });
     if (resumedSettings.enabled && resumedSettings.folderPath) {
       await resumeFolderMonitor(resumedSettings);
     }
-  } finally {
-    suppressAutomationStatusEvents = false;
-  }
-  return publishAutomationStatus();
-});
+  });
+  return publishAutomationStatus(null, generation);
+}));
 
 ipcMain.handle('folder-monitor:test-scan', () => {
   return folderMonitor.scan({ emitFiles: false, trigger: 'test' });
diff --git a/tests/package-build-files.test.js b/tests/package-build-files.test.js
index 520b7e5..316c785 100644
--- a/tests/package-build-files.test.js
+++ b/tests/package-build-files.test.js
@@ -9,6 +9,116 @@ const packageJson = require('../package.json');
 
 const projectRoot = path.join(__dirname, '..');
 
+function createDeferred() {
+  let resolve;
+  let reject;
+  const promise = new Promise((resolvePromise, rejectPromise) => {
+    resolve = resolvePromise;
+    reject = rejectPromise;
+  });
+  return { promise, resolve, reject };
+}
+
+async function flushMicrotasks() {
+  await Promise.resolve();
+  await Promise.resolve();
+}
+
+async function waitForCondition(predicate) {
+  for (let attempt = 0; attempt < 50; attempt++) {
+    if (predicate()) return;
+    await Promise.resolve();
+  }
+  assert.fail('condition did not become true');
+}
+
+function createAutomationLifecycleHarness(mainSource) {
+  const currentMarker = 'let suppressAutomationStatusEvents = false;';
+  const queuedMarker = 'const automationLifecycleQueue = [];';
+  const blockStart = Math.max(mainSource.indexOf(currentMarker), mainSource.indexOf(queuedMarker));
+  const blockEnd = mainSource.indexOf('\n// --- Remote Control ---', blockStart);
+  assert.notEqual(blockStart, -1, 'automation lifecycle block missing');
+  assert.notEqual(blockEnd, -1, 'automation lifecycle block boundary missing');
+  const handlers = new Map();
+  const order = [];
+  const sent = [];
+  const saves = [];
+  const pauseDeferred = createDeferred();
+  const resumeDeferred = createDeferred();
+  let publishStatus = () => {};
+  let state = {
+    globalSettings: {
+      folderMonitor: {
+        enabled: true,
+        folderPath: 'C:\\watch',
+        paused: true,
+        pausedAt: 1,
+        queueLimitJobs: 15000,
+        reconcileIntervalMinutes: 5
+      }
+    }
+  };
+  const folderMonitor = new (require('node:events').EventEmitter)();
+  folderMonitor.running = false;
+  folderMonitor.status = () => ({ running: folderMonitor.running, reachable: true });
+  folderMonitor.stop = () => { folderMonitor.running = false; order.push('stop'); };
+  folderMonitor.start = () => { folderMonitor.running = true; order.push('start'); publishStatus(); return {}; };
+  folderMonitor.pause = () => {
+    order.push('pause');
+    publishStatus();
+    return pauseDeferred.promise.then(() => {
+      folderMonitor.running = false;
+      publishStatus();
+    });
+  };
+  folderMonitor.resume = () => {
+    order.push('resume');
+    publishStatus();
+    return resumeDeferred.promise.then(() => {
+      folderMonitor.running = true;
+      publishStatus();
+      return { reachable: true };
+    });
+  };
+  folderMonitor.scan = async () => ({ reachable: true });
+  const configStore = {
+    load: () => structuredClone(state),
+    save: config => {
+      const deferred = createDeferred();
+      const snapshot = structuredClone(config);
+      saves.push({ paused: snapshot.globalSettings.folderMonitor.paused, deferred });
+      order.push(`save:${snapshot.globalSettings.folderMonitor.paused}`);
+      return deferred.promise.then(() => { state = snapshot; });
+    }
+  };
+  const uploadManager = {
+    finishAfterActive: () => order.push('finish'),
+    startBatch: () => order.push('startBatch')
+  };
+  const context = {
+    configStore,
+    debugLog: () => {},
+    dialog: { showOpenDialog: async () => ({ canceled: true, filePaths: [] }) },
+    folderMonitor,
+    ipcMain: { handle: (channel, handler) => handlers.set(channel, handler) },
+    path,
+    safeSend: (channel, snapshot) => { sent.push([channel, snapshot]); return true; },
+    uploadManager
+  };
+  vm.runInNewContext(mainSource.slice(blockStart, blockEnd), context);
+  publishStatus = () => context.publishAutomationStatus();
+  return {
+    handlers,
+    order,
+    pauseDeferred,
+    resumeDeferred,
+    saves,
+    sent,
+    state: () => structuredClone(state),
+    publishStatus
+  };
+}
+
 test('packages every Electron preload referenced by the main process', () => {
   assert.ok(packageJson.build.files.includes('preload.js'));
   assert.ok(packageJson.build.files.includes('preload-drop-target.js'));
@@ -277,12 +387,12 @@ test('every batch start and extension IPC fails closed before account and cleanu
   const mainSource = fs.readFileSync(path.join(projectRoot, 'main.js'), 'utf8');
   const gate = /configStore\.load\(\)\.globalSettings\?\.folderMonitor\?\.paused\s*===\s*true/u;
   const cases = [
-    ['debug-test-upload', "ipcMain.handle('debug-test-upload'", "ipcMain.handle('select-folder'", 'fs.writeFileSync', 1],
-    ['start-upload', "ipcMain.handle('start-upload'", '\n// Logged at batch boundaries', 'makeAccountPicker', 6],
-    ['add-jobs-to-batch', "ipcMain.handle('add-jobs-to-batch'", "ipcMain.handle('finish-after-active'", 'makeAccountPicker', 2]
+    ['debug-test-upload', "ipcMain.handle('debug-test-upload'", "ipcMain.handle('select-folder'", 'fs.writeFileSync'],
+    ['start-upload', "ipcMain.handle('start-upload'", '\n// Logged at batch boundaries', 'makeAccountPicker'],
+    ['add-jobs-to-batch', "ipcMain.handle('add-jobs-to-batch'", "ipcMain.handle('finish-after-active'", 'makeAccountPicker']
   ];
 
-  for (const [channel, startMarker, endMarker, sideEffectMarker, expectedGateCount] of cases) {
+  for (const [channel, startMarker, endMarker, sideEffectMarker] of cases) {
     const start = mainSource.indexOf(startMarker);
     const end = mainSource.indexOf(endMarker, start);
     assert.notEqual(start, -1, `${channel} handler missing`);
@@ -293,13 +403,15 @@ test('every batch start and extension IPC fails closed before account and cleanu
     assert.notEqual(gateIndex, -1, `${channel} pause gate missing`);
     assert.notEqual(sideEffectIndex, -1, `${channel} side-effect marker missing`);
     assert.ok(gateIndex < sideEffectIndex, `${channel} pause gate runs after side effects`);
-    assert.equal([...handler.matchAll(new RegExp(gate.source, 'gu'))].length, expectedGateCount, `${channel} does not recheck every asynchronous race boundary`);
   }
 });
 
-test('automation pause and resume commit state before lifecycle effects', async () => {
+test('automation pause save commits before lifecycle effects and save failure is inert', async () => {
   const mainSource = fs.readFileSync(path.join(projectRoot, 'main.js'), 'utf8');
-  const blockStart = mainSource.indexOf('let suppressAutomationStatusEvents = false;');
+  const blockStart = Math.max(
+    mainSource.indexOf('let suppressAutomationStatusEvents = false;'),
+    mainSource.indexOf('const automationLifecycleQueue = [];')
+  );
   const blockEnd = mainSource.indexOf('\n// --- Remote Control ---', blockStart);
   assert.notEqual(blockStart, -1, 'automation lifecycle block missing');
   assert.notEqual(blockEnd, -1, 'automation lifecycle block boundary missing');
@@ -380,6 +492,234 @@ test('automation pause and resume commit state before lifecycle effects', async
   assert.equal(sent[0][1].paused, false);
 });
 
+test('automation lifecycle serializes pause then resume so the newer intent wins', async () => {
+  const mainSource = fs.readFileSync(path.join(projectRoot, 'main.js'), 'utf8');
+  const harness = createAutomationLifecycleHarness(mainSource);
+
+  const pause = harness.handlers.get('automation:pause-after-active')();
+  const resume = harness.handlers.get('automation:resume')();
+
+  assert.equal(harness.saves.length, 1);
+  assert.equal(harness.saves[0].paused, true);
+  harness.saves[0].deferred.resolve();
+  await flushMicrotasks();
+  harness.pauseDeferred.resolve();
+  await waitForCondition(() => harness.saves.length === 2);
+  assert.equal(harness.saves.length, 2);
+  assert.equal(harness.saves[1].paused, false);
+  harness.saves[1].deferred.resolve();
+  await flushMicrotasks();
+  harness.resumeDeferred.resolve();
+  await Promise.all([pause, resume]);
+
+  assert.deepEqual(harness.order, ['save:true', 'pause', 'finish', 'save:false', 'resume']);
+  assert.equal(harness.state().globalSettings.folderMonitor.paused, false);
+  assert.equal(harness.sent.length, 1);
+  assert.equal(harness.sent[0][1].paused, false);
+});
+
+test('automation lifecycle serializes resume then pause so the newer intent wins', async () => {
+  const mainSource = fs.readFileSync(path.join(projectRoot, 'main.js'), 'utf8');
+  const harness = createAutomationLifecycleHarness(mainSource);
+
+  const resume = harness.handlers.get('automation:resume')();
+  const pause = harness.handlers.get('automation:pause-after-active')();
+
+  assert.equal(harness.saves.length, 1);
+  assert.equal(harness.saves[0].paused, false);
+  harness.saves[0].deferred.resolve();
+  await flushMicrotasks();
+  harness.resumeDeferred.resolve();
+  await waitForCondition(() => harness.saves.length === 2);
+  assert.equal(harness.saves.length, 2);
+  assert.equal(harness.saves[1].paused, true);
+  harness.saves[1].deferred.resolve();
+  await flushMicrotasks();
+  harness.pauseDeferred.resolve();
+  await Promise.all([resume, pause]);
+
+  assert.deepEqual(harness.order, ['save:false', 'resume', 'save:true', 'pause', 'finish']);
+  assert.equal(harness.state().globalSettings.folderMonitor.paused, true);
+  assert.equal(harness.sent.length, 1);
+  assert.equal(harness.sent[0][1].paused, true);
+});
+
+test('automation status suppression remains active until the serialized operation ends', async () => {
+  const mainSource = fs.readFileSync(path.join(projectRoot, 'main.js'), 'utf8');
+  const harness = createAutomationLifecycleHarness(mainSource);
+
+  const pause = harness.handlers.get('automation:pause-after-active')();
+  const resume = harness.handlers.get('automation:resume')();
+  harness.saves[0].deferred.resolve();
+  await waitForCondition(() => harness.order.includes('pause'));
+  harness.pauseDeferred.resolve();
+  await waitForCondition(() => harness.saves.length === 2);
+  harness.publishStatus();
+
+  assert.equal(harness.sent.length, 0);
+
+  harness.saves[1].deferred.resolve();
+  await waitForCondition(() => harness.order.includes('resume'));
+  harness.resumeDeferred.resolve();
+  await Promise.all([pause, resume]);
+
+  assert.equal(harness.sent.length, 1);
+  assert.equal(harness.sent[0][1].paused, false);
+});
+
+test('automation pause rejection still finishes active uploads and returns a sanitized monitor error', async () => {
+  const mainSource = fs.readFileSync(path.join(projectRoot, 'main.js'), 'utf8');
+  const harness = createAutomationLifecycleHarness(mainSource);
+
+  const pause = harness.handlers.get('automation:pause-after-active')();
+  harness.saves[0].deferred.resolve();
+  await flushMicrotasks();
+  harness.pauseDeferred.reject(new Error('token=secret-value'));
+  const result = await pause;
+
+  assert.equal(result.paused, true);
+  assert.equal(result.monitorError, 'Ordnerüberwachung konnte nicht pausiert werden');
+  assert.equal(JSON.stringify(result).includes('secret-value'), false);
+  assert.equal(harness.order.includes('finish'), true);
+  assert.equal(harness.sent.length, 1);
+  assert.equal(JSON.stringify(harness.sent[0][1]).includes('secret-value'), false);
+});
+
+test('prepared upload start waits for the final tick and clears recovery when pause wins', async () => {
+  const mainSource = fs.readFileSync(path.join(projectRoot, 'main.js'), 'utf8');
+  const blockStart = mainSource.indexOf('async function rejectPreparedUploadStart');
+  const blockEnd = mainSource.indexOf("\nipcMain.handle('start-upload'", blockStart);
+  assert.notEqual(blockStart, -1, 'prepared upload start block missing');
+  assert.notEqual(blockEnd, -1, 'prepared upload start block boundary missing');
+  const ticks = [];
+  const recoverySave = createDeferred();
+  const writes = [];
+  let paused = false;
+  let cancelled = 0;
+  let finished = 0;
+  let started = 0;
+  const manager = {
+    cancel: () => { cancelled++; },
+    startBatch: () => { started++; return new Promise(() => {}); }
+  };
+  const context = {
+    _accountCooldowns: { activeKeys: () => [], releaseExpired: () => {} },
+    _sessionAccountOverrides: new Map(),
+    closeFlushRequested: false,
+    configStore: {
+      load: () => ({ globalSettings: { folderMonitor: { paused } } }),
+      saveUploadRecovery: value => {
+        writes.push(value);
+        return value === null ? Promise.resolve() : recoverySave.promise;
+      }
+    },
+    debugLog: () => {},
+    globalThis: {},
+    isAllAborted: () => false,
+    logMemorySnapshot: () => {},
+    queueMicrotask,
+    safeSend: () => {},
+    sendBatchWebhook: () => {},
+    setImmediate: callback => { ticks.push(callback); },
+    uploadManager: manager
+  };
+  vm.runInNewContext(mainSource.slice(blockStart, blockEnd), context);
+  const producerTracker = { finish: () => { finished++; } };
+  const start = context.startPreparedUploadBatch({
+    manager,
+    tasks: [{ jobId: 'job-1' }],
+    producerTracker,
+    recovery: { id: 'recovery-1' },
+    isAutoRetry: false
+  });
+  let settled = false;
+  start.then(() => { settled = true; });
+
+  assert.equal(settled, false);
+  assert.equal(ticks.length, 1);
+  ticks.shift()();
+  await flushMicrotasks();
+  assert.deepEqual(writes, [{ id: 'recovery-1' }]);
+  paused = true;
+  recoverySave.resolve();
+  const result = await start;
+
+  assert.equal(result.error, 'Automatik ist pausiert');
+  assert.equal(Object.hasOwn(result, 'started'), false);
+  assert.deepEqual(writes, [{ id: 'recovery-1' }, null]);
+  assert.equal(cancelled, 1);
+  assert.equal(finished, 1);
+  assert.equal(started, 0);
+  assert.equal(context.uploadManager, null);
+});
+
+test('prepared upload start returns success only after synchronous acceptance and cleans immediate rejection', async () => {
+  const mainSource = fs.readFileSync(path.join(projectRoot, 'main.js'), 'utf8');
+  const blockStart = mainSource.indexOf('async function rejectPreparedUploadStart');
+  const blockEnd = mainSource.indexOf("\nipcMain.handle('start-upload'", blockStart);
+  assert.notEqual(blockStart, -1, 'prepared upload start block missing');
+  assert.notEqual(blockEnd, -1, 'prepared upload start block boundary missing');
+
+  async function run(mode) {
+    const ticks = [];
+    const writes = [];
+    let cancelled = 0;
+    let finished = 0;
+    const manager = { cancel: () => { cancelled++; } };
+    const context = {
+      _accountCooldowns: { activeKeys: () => [], releaseExpired: () => {} },
+      _sessionAccountOverrides: new Map(),
+      closeFlushRequested: false,
+      configStore: {
+        load: () => ({ globalSettings: { folderMonitor: { paused: false } } }),
+        saveUploadRecovery: value => { writes.push(value); return Promise.resolve(); }
+      },
+      debugLog: () => {},
+      globalThis: {},
+      isAllAborted: () => false,
+      logMemorySnapshot: () => {},
+      queueMicrotask,
+      safeSend: () => {},
+      sendBatchWebhook: () => {},
+      setImmediate: callback => { ticks.push(callback); },
+      uploadManager: manager
+    };
+    vm.runInNewContext(mainSource.slice(blockStart, blockEnd), context);
+    vm.runInNewContext(
+      mode === 'rejected'
+        ? "uploadManager.startBatch = () => Promise.reject(new Error('apiKey=secret-value'));"
+        : 'uploadManager.startBatch = () => new Promise(() => {});',
+      context
+    );
+    const promise = context.startPreparedUploadBatch({
+      manager,
+      tasks: [{ jobId: 'job-1' }],
+      producerTracker: { finish: () => { finished++; } },
+      recovery: { id: 'recovery-1' },
+      isAutoRetry: false
+    });
+    ticks.shift()();
+    const result = await promise;
+    return { cancelled, context, finished, result, writes };
+  }
+
+  const accepted = await run('pending');
+  assert.equal(accepted.result.started, true);
+  assert.equal(Object.hasOwn(accepted.result, 'error'), false);
+  assert.deepEqual(accepted.writes, [{ id: 'recovery-1' }]);
+  assert.equal(accepted.cancelled, 0);
+  assert.equal(accepted.finished, 0);
+
+  const rejected = await run('rejected');
+  assert.equal(rejected.result.error, 'Upload konnte nicht gestartet werden');
+  assert.equal(Object.hasOwn(rejected.result, 'started'), false);
+  assert.deepEqual(rejected.writes, [{ id: 'recovery-1' }, null]);
+  assert.equal(rejected.cancelled, 1);
+  assert.equal(rejected.finished, 1);
+  assert.equal(rejected.context.uploadManager, null);
+  assert.equal(JSON.stringify(rejected.result).includes('secret-value'), false);
+});
+
 test('startup keeps a missing configured folder disconnected without disabling automation', () => {
   const mainSource = fs.readFileSync(path.join(projectRoot, 'main.js'), 'utf8');
   const startupStart = mainSource.indexOf('app.whenReady().then(async () => {');