diff --git a/platypush/backend/assistant/__init__.py b/platypush/backend/assistant/__init__.py
index e69de29b..6ac54b95 100644
--- a/platypush/backend/assistant/__init__.py
+++ b/platypush/backend/assistant/__init__.py
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+import threading
+
+from platypush.backend import Backend
+
+
+class AssistantBackend(Backend):
+    def __init__(self, **kwargs):
+        super().__init__(**kwargs)
+        self._detection_paused = threading.Event()
+
+    def pause_detection(self):
+        self._detection_paused.set()
+
+    def resume_detection(self):
+        self._detection_paused.clear()
+
+    def is_detecting(self):
+        return not self._detection_paused.is_set()
+
+
+# vim:sw=4:ts=4:et:
diff --git a/platypush/backend/assistant/google.py b/platypush/backend/assistant/google.py
index 858e1496..3f6d3b6d 100644
--- a/platypush/backend/assistant/google.py
+++ b/platypush/backend/assistant/google.py
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ import json
 import os
 import time
 
-from platypush.backend import Backend
+from platypush.backend.assistant import AssistantBackend
 from platypush.message.event.assistant import \
     ConversationStartEvent, ConversationEndEvent, ConversationTimeoutEvent, \
     ResponseEvent, NoResponseEvent, SpeechRecognizedEvent, AlarmStartedEvent, \
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ from platypush.message.event.assistant import \
     AlertEndEvent
 
 
-class AssistantGoogleBackend(Backend):
+class AssistantGoogleBackend(AssistantBackend):
     """
     Google Assistant backend.
 
@@ -158,12 +158,15 @@ class AssistantGoogleBackend(Backend):
             with Assistant(self.credentials, self.device_model_id) as assistant:
                 self.assistant = assistant
                 for event in assistant.start():
+                    if not self.is_detecting():
+                        self.logger.info('Assistant event received but detection is currently paused')
+                        continue
+
                     self._process_event(event)
                     if self._has_error:
-                        self.logger.info('Restarting the assistant after ' +
-                                         'an unrecoverable error')
+                        self.logger.info('Restarting the assistant after an unrecoverable error')
                         time.sleep(5)
-                        continue
+                        break
 
 
 # vim:sw=4:ts=4:et:
diff --git a/platypush/backend/assistant/snowboy/__init__.py b/platypush/backend/assistant/snowboy/__init__.py
index 99eac3b4..991f6f9d 100644
--- a/platypush/backend/assistant/snowboy/__init__.py
+++ b/platypush/backend/assistant/snowboy/__init__.py
@@ -6,12 +6,12 @@
 import os
 import threading
 
-from platypush.backend import Backend
+from platypush.backend.assistant import AssistantBackend
 from platypush.context import get_plugin
 from platypush.message.event.assistant import HotwordDetectedEvent
 
 
-class AssistantSnowboyBackend(Backend):
+class AssistantSnowboyBackend(AssistantBackend):
     """
     Backend for detecting custom voice hotwords through Snowboy.  The purpose of
     this component is only to detect the hotword specified in your Snowboy voice
@@ -140,6 +140,10 @@ class AssistantSnowboyBackend(Backend):
             snowboydecoder.play_audio_file(sound)
 
         def callback():
+            if not self.is_detecting():
+                self.logger.info('Hotword detected but assistant response currently paused')
+                return
+
             self.bus.post(HotwordDetectedEvent(hotword=hotword))
             model = self.models[hotword]
 
diff --git a/platypush/plugins/assistant/__init__.py b/platypush/plugins/assistant/__init__.py
index d14adcf1..8ea4b363 100644
--- a/platypush/plugins/assistant/__init__.py
+++ b/platypush/plugins/assistant/__init__.py
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ from abc import ABC, abstractmethod
 
 from platypush.plugins import Plugin
 
+
 class AssistantPlugin(ABC, Plugin):
     """
     Base class for assistant plugins
@@ -9,10 +10,37 @@ class AssistantPlugin(ABC, Plugin):
 
     @abstractmethod
     def start_conversation(self, *args, language=None, **kwargs):
+        """
+        Start a conversation.
+        """
         raise NotImplementedError
 
     @abstractmethod
     def stop_conversation(self, *args, **kwargs):
+        """
+        Stop a conversation.
+        """
+        raise NotImplementedError
+
+    @abstractmethod
+    def pause_detection(self, *args, **kwargs):
+        """
+        Put the assistant on pause. No new conversation events will be triggered.
+        """
+        raise NotImplementedError
+
+    @abstractmethod
+    def resume_detection(self, *args, **kwargs):
+        """
+        Resume the assistant hotword detection from a paused state.
+        """
+        raise NotImplementedError
+
+    @abstractmethod
+    def is_detecting(self) -> bool:
+        """
+        :return: True if the asistant is detecting, False otherwise.
+        """
         raise NotImplementedError
 
 
diff --git a/platypush/plugins/assistant/echo/__init__.py b/platypush/plugins/assistant/echo/__init__.py
index d474bd58..8716ed6e 100644
--- a/platypush/plugins/assistant/echo/__init__.py
+++ b/platypush/plugins/assistant/echo/__init__.py
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 """
 
 import os
+import threading
 
 from platypush.context import get_bus
 from platypush.plugins import action
@@ -70,6 +71,7 @@ class AssistantEchoPlugin(AssistantPlugin):
         self.audio = Audio(device_name=audio_device)
         self.alexa = Alexa(avs_config_file, audio_player=audio_player)
         self._ready = False
+        self._detection_paused = threading.Event()
 
         self.alexa.state_listener.on_ready = self._on_ready()
         self.alexa.state_listener.on_listening = self._on_listening()
@@ -115,9 +117,6 @@ class AssistantEchoPlugin(AssistantPlugin):
 
     @action
     def start_conversation(self, **kwargs):
-        """
-        Programmatically start a conversation with the assistant
-        """
         if not self._ready:
             raise RuntimeError('Echo assistant not ready')
 
@@ -126,11 +125,20 @@ class AssistantEchoPlugin(AssistantPlugin):
 
     @action
     def stop_conversation(self):
-        """
-        Programmatically stop a running conversation with the assistant
-        """
         self.audio.stop()
         self._on_finished()()
 
+    @action
+    def pause_detection(self):
+        self._detection_paused.set()
+
+    @action
+    def resume_detection(self):
+        self._detection_paused.clear()
+
+    @action
+    def is_detecting(self) -> bool:
+        return not self._detection_paused.is_set()
+
 
 # vim:sw=4:ts=4:et:
diff --git a/platypush/plugins/assistant/google/__init__.py b/platypush/plugins/assistant/google/__init__.py
index 296f5fae..a01459b9 100644
--- a/platypush/plugins/assistant/google/__init__.py
+++ b/platypush/plugins/assistant/google/__init__.py
@@ -3,24 +3,30 @@
 """
 
 from platypush.context import get_backend
-from platypush.plugins import Plugin, action
+from platypush.plugins import action
+from platypush.plugins.assistant import AssistantPlugin
 
-class AssistantGooglePlugin(Plugin):
+
+class AssistantGooglePlugin(AssistantPlugin):
     """
     Google assistant plugin.
     It acts like a wrapper around the :mod:`platypush.backend.assistant.google`
     backend to programmatically control the conversation status.
     """
 
-    def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
-        super().__init__(*args, **kwargs)
+    def __init__(self, **kwargs):
+        super().__init__(**kwargs)
+
+    @staticmethod
+    def _get_assistant():
+        return get_backend('assistant.google')
 
     @action
     def start_conversation(self):
         """
         Programmatically start a conversation with the assistant
         """
-        assistant = get_backend('assistant.google')
+        assistant = self._get_assistant()
         assistant.start_conversation()
 
     @action
@@ -28,8 +34,23 @@ class AssistantGooglePlugin(Plugin):
         """
         Programmatically stop a running conversation with the assistant
         """
-        assistant = get_backend('assistant.google')
+        assistant = self._get_assistant()
         assistant.stop_conversation()
 
+    @action
+    def pause_detection(self):
+        assistant = self._get_assistant()
+        assistant.pause_detection()
+
+    @action
+    def resume_detection(self):
+        assistant = self._get_assistant()
+        assistant.resume_detection()
+
+    @action
+    def is_detecting(self) -> bool:
+        assistant = self._get_assistant()
+        return assistant.is_detecting()
+
 
 # vim:sw=4:ts=4:et:
diff --git a/platypush/plugins/assistant/google/pushtotalk.py b/platypush/plugins/assistant/google/pushtotalk.py
index 9ea709a4..d046f625 100644
--- a/platypush/plugins/assistant/google/pushtotalk.py
+++ b/platypush/plugins/assistant/google/pushtotalk.py
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 
 import json
 import os
+import threading
 
 from platypush.context import get_bus
 from platypush.message.event.assistant import ConversationStartEvent, \
@@ -85,6 +86,7 @@ class AssistantGooglePushtotalkPlugin(AssistantPlugin):
         self.play_response = play_response
         self.assistant = None
         self.interactions = []
+        self._detection_paused = threading.Event()
 
         with open(self.device_config) as f:
             device = json.load(f)
@@ -219,6 +221,10 @@ class AssistantGooglePushtotalkPlugin(AssistantPlugin):
 
         from platypush.plugins.assistant.google.lib import SampleAssistant
 
+        if not self.is_detecting():
+            self.logger.info('Conversation start event received but detection is currently paused')
+            return
+
         if not language:
             language = self.language
 
@@ -253,7 +259,6 @@ class AssistantGooglePushtotalkPlugin(AssistantPlugin):
 
     @action
     def stop_conversation(self):
-        """ Stop a conversation """
         if self.assistant:
             self.assistant.play_response = False
 
@@ -274,5 +279,17 @@ class AssistantGooglePushtotalkPlugin(AssistantPlugin):
                 device_model_id=self.device_model_id,
                 on=on))
 
+    @action
+    def pause_detection(self):
+        self._detection_paused.set()
+
+    @action
+    def resume_detection(self):
+        self._detection_paused.clear()
+
+    @action
+    def is_detecting(self) -> bool:
+        return not self._detection_paused.is_set()
+
 
 # vim:sw=4:ts=4:et: