diff --git a/src/Dapr.Workflow/Worker/WorkflowWorker.cs b/src/Dapr.Workflow/Worker/WorkflowWorker.cs
index a41d84743..9b12b2371 100644
--- a/src/Dapr.Workflow/Worker/WorkflowWorker.cs
+++ b/src/Dapr.Workflow/Worker/WorkflowWorker.cs
@@ -113,10 +113,10 @@ private async Task<OrchestratorResponse> HandleOrchestratorResponseAsync(Orchest
                 }
             }
             
-            //If the most recent event is `ExecutionTerminated`, acknowledge termination immediately
+            // If the most recent event is `ExecutionTerminated`, acknowledge termination immediately.
             var timelineEvents = allPastEvents.Concat(request.NewEvents).ToList();
             var latestEvent = timelineEvents.Count > 0 ? timelineEvents[^1] : null;
-
+            
             if (latestEvent?.ExecutionTerminated != null)
             {
                 return new OrchestratorResponse
@@ -135,6 +135,17 @@ private async Task<OrchestratorResponse> HandleOrchestratorResponseAsync(Orchest
                     }
                 };
             }
+
+            // If the instance is suspended, acknowledge the work item without running the orchestrator.
+            // This keeps the workflow paused while still committing the suspension event.
+            if (latestEvent?.ExecutionSuspended != null)
+            {
+                return new OrchestratorResponse
+                {
+                    InstanceId = request.InstanceId,
+                    CompletionToken = completionToken
+                };
+            }
             
             // Create a new version tracker for this turn
             var versionTracker = new WorkflowVersionTracker(allPastEvents);
diff --git a/test/Dapr.IntegrationTest.Workflow/PauseResumeTests.cs b/test/Dapr.IntegrationTest.Workflow/PauseResumeTests.cs
index 1f2989986..629c93516 100644
--- a/test/Dapr.IntegrationTest.Workflow/PauseResumeTests.cs
+++ b/test/Dapr.IntegrationTest.Workflow/PauseResumeTests.cs
@@ -21,6 +21,48 @@ namespace Dapr.IntegrationTest.Workflow;
 
 public sealed class PauseResumeTests
 {
+    [Fact]
+    public async Task ShouldReportPausedStatusWhenWorkflowIsSuspended()
+    {
+        var componentsDir = TestDirectoryManager.CreateTestDirectory("workflow-components");
+        var workflowInstanceId = Guid.NewGuid().ToString();
+        
+        await using var environment = await DaprTestEnvironment.CreateWithPooledNetworkAsync(needsActorState: true);
+        await environment.StartAsync();
+
+        var harness = new DaprHarnessBuilder(componentsDir)
+            .WithEnvironment(environment)
+            .BuildWorkflow();
+        await using var testApp = await DaprHarnessBuilder.ForHarness(harness)
+            .ConfigureServices(builder =>
+            {
+                builder.Services.AddDaprWorkflowBuilder(
+                    opt => opt.RegisterWorkflow<WaitingWorkflow>(),
+                    configureClient: (sp, cb) =>
+                    {
+                        var config = sp.GetRequiredService<IConfiguration>();
+                        var grpcEndpoint = config["DAPR_GRPC_ENDPOINT"];
+                        if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(grpcEndpoint))
+                            cb.UseGrpcEndpoint(grpcEndpoint);
+                    });
+            })
+            .BuildAndStartAsync();
+
+        using var scope = testApp.CreateScope();
+        var daprWorkflowClient = scope.ServiceProvider.GetRequiredService<DaprWorkflowClient>();
+
+        await daprWorkflowClient.ScheduleNewWorkflowAsync(nameof(WaitingWorkflow), workflowInstanceId);
+        await Task.Delay(TimeSpan.FromSeconds(2));
+
+        // Pause the workflow
+        await daprWorkflowClient.SuspendWorkflowAsync(workflowInstanceId);
+        await Task.Delay(TimeSpan.FromSeconds(2));
+
+        var pausedState = await daprWorkflowClient.GetWorkflowStateAsync(workflowInstanceId);
+        Assert.NotNull(pausedState);
+        Assert.Equal(WorkflowRuntimeStatus.Suspended, pausedState.RuntimeStatus);
+    }
+
     [Fact]
     public async Task ShouldPauseAndResumeWorkflow()
     {
diff --git a/test/Dapr.Workflow.Test/Worker/WorkflowWorkerTests.cs b/test/Dapr.Workflow.Test/Worker/WorkflowWorkerTests.cs
index 0aafafb88..7d2481bf9 100644
--- a/test/Dapr.Workflow.Test/Worker/WorkflowWorkerTests.cs
+++ b/test/Dapr.Workflow.Test/Worker/WorkflowWorkerTests.cs
@@ -253,6 +253,88 @@ public async Task HandleOrchestratorResponseAsync_ShouldNotReturnTerminatedCompl
         Assert.NotEqual(OrchestrationStatus.Terminated, action.CompleteOrchestration!.OrchestrationStatus);
         Assert.Equal(OrchestrationStatus.Failed, action.CompleteOrchestration.OrchestrationStatus);
     }
+    
+    [Fact]
+    public async Task HandleOrchestratorResponseAsync_ShouldReturnEmptyResponse_WhenLatestEventIsExecutionSuspended()
+    {
+        var sp = new ServiceCollection().BuildServiceProvider();
+        var serializer = new JsonWorkflowSerializer(new JsonSerializerOptions(JsonSerializerDefaults.Web));
+        var options = new WorkflowRuntimeOptions();
+
+        var worker = new WorkflowWorker(
+            CreateGrpcClientMock().Object,
+            new StubWorkflowsFactory(),
+            NullLoggerFactory.Instance,
+            serializer,
+            sp,
+            options);
+
+        var request = new OrchestratorRequest
+        {
+            InstanceId = "i",
+            PastEvents =
+            {
+                new HistoryEvent
+                {
+                    ExecutionStarted = new ExecutionStartedEvent { Name = "wf-not-registered", Input = "" }
+                }
+            },
+            NewEvents =
+            {
+                new HistoryEvent
+                {
+                    ExecutionSuspended = new ExecutionSuspendedEvent()
+                }
+            }
+        };
+
+        var response = await InvokeHandleOrchestratorResponseAsync(worker, request);
+
+        Assert.Equal("i", response.InstanceId);
+        Assert.Empty(response.Actions);
+    }
+    
+    [Fact]
+    public async Task HandleOrchestratorResponseAsync_ShouldNotShortCircuit_WhenLatestEventIsExecutionResumed()
+    {
+        var sp = new ServiceCollection().BuildServiceProvider();
+        var serializer = new JsonWorkflowSerializer(new JsonSerializerOptions(JsonSerializerDefaults.Web));
+        var options = new WorkflowRuntimeOptions();
+
+        var worker = new WorkflowWorker(
+            CreateGrpcClientMock().Object,
+            new StubWorkflowsFactory(),
+            NullLoggerFactory.Instance,
+            serializer,
+            sp,
+            options);
+
+        var request = new OrchestratorRequest
+        {
+            InstanceId = "i",
+            PastEvents =
+            {
+                new HistoryEvent
+                {
+                    ExecutionStarted = new ExecutionStartedEvent { Name = "wf-not-registered", Input = "" }
+                }
+            },
+            NewEvents =
+            {
+                new HistoryEvent
+                {
+                    ExecutionResumed = new ExecutionResumedEvent()
+                }
+            }
+        };
+
+        var response = await InvokeHandleOrchestratorResponseAsync(worker, request);
+
+        Assert.Equal("i", response.InstanceId);
+        var action = Assert.Single(response.Actions);
+        Assert.NotNull(action.CompleteOrchestration);
+        Assert.Equal(OrchestrationStatus.Failed, action.CompleteOrchestration!.OrchestrationStatus);
+    }
 
     [Fact]
     public async Task ExecuteAsync_ShouldSwallowOperationCanceledException_WhenStoppingTokenIsCanceled()