diff --git a/internal/core/service/shared_data.go b/internal/core/service/shared_data.go
index ea24a9e..dfab115 100644
--- a/internal/core/service/shared_data.go
+++ b/internal/core/service/shared_data.go
@@ -14,7 +14,20 @@ func ComputeValid(s *model.SharedData, now time.Time) {
 		s.Valid = nil
 		return
 	}
+
 	valid := now.Before(*s.DeadlineAt)
+
+	// A paused game is still valid as long as the pause happened after the
+	// last save and before the deadline. While paused, the clock is frozen,
+	// so the deadline is not consumed by the elapsed pause time.
+	if s.Status == model.Paused &&
+		s.LastPausedAt != nil &&
+		s.LastSavedAt != nil &&
+		s.LastPausedAt.Before(*s.DeadlineAt) &&
+		s.LastPausedAt.After(*s.LastSavedAt) {
+		valid = true
+	}
+
 	s.Valid = &valid
 }
 
diff --git a/internal/core/service/shared_data_test.go b/internal/core/service/shared_data_test.go
index 02f3dc8..b0041e5 100644
--- a/internal/core/service/shared_data_test.go
+++ b/internal/core/service/shared_data_test.go
@@ -52,4 +52,127 @@ func TestBuildSharedData_ComputesValidFromDeadline(t *testing.T) {
 			t.Errorf("expected not_started with nil valid/deadline, got %+v", shared)
 		}
 	})
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
+
+func TestBuildSharedData_PausedGameStaysValid(t *testing.T) {
+	// Save at 12:00:00 with 60s => deadline 12:01:00; pause at 12:00:30.
+	// LastPausedAt (12:00:30) is after LastSavedAt (12:00:00) and before
+	// DeadlineAt (12:01:00) with Status == paused, so the game is valid
+	// even when "now" is far past the deadline.
+	interactions := []database.Interaction{
+		{
+			ID:         1,
+			GameID:     5,
+			PlayerID:   sql.NullInt64{Int64: 1, Valid: true},
+			Action:     "saved",
+			OccurredAt: "2026-08-22T12:00:00Z",
+			SavedBy:    sql.NullInt64{Int64: 60, Valid: true},
+		},
+		{
+			ID:         2,
+			GameID:     5,
+			PlayerID:   sql.NullInt64{Int64: 1, Valid: true},
+			Action:     "paused",
+			OccurredAt: "2026-08-22T12:00:30Z",
+		},
+	}
+
+	t.Run("paused and now past deadline -> valid true", func(t *testing.T) {
+		shared, err := BuildSharedData(5, interactions, time.Date(2026, 8, 22, 12, 5, 0, 0, time.UTC))
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("BuildSharedData: %v", err)
+		}
+		if shared.Status != model.Paused {
+			t.Errorf("Status = %q, want paused", shared.Status)
+		}
+		if shared.Valid == nil || !*shared.Valid {
+			t.Errorf("Valid = %v, want true while paused", shared.Valid)
+		}
+	})
+
+	t.Run("paused and now before deadline -> valid true", func(t *testing.T) {
+		shared, err := BuildSharedData(5, interactions, time.Date(2026, 8, 22, 12, 0, 45, 0, time.UTC))
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("BuildSharedData: %v", err)
+		}
+		if shared.Valid == nil || !*shared.Valid {
+			t.Errorf("Valid = %v, want true", shared.Valid)
+		}
+	})
+}
+
+func TestBuildSharedData_PlayingAfterDeadlineInvalid(t *testing.T) {
+	// A game that is playing (not paused) with "now" past the deadline must
+	// remain invalid — the paused exception must not leak into other states.
+	interactions := []database.Interaction{
+		{
+			ID:         1,
+			GameID:     5,
+			PlayerID:   sql.NullInt64{Int64: 1, Valid: true},
+			Action:     "saved",
+			OccurredAt: "2026-08-22T12:00:00Z",
+			SavedBy:    sql.NullInt64{Int64: 60, Valid: true},
+		},
+	}
+
+	shared, err := BuildSharedData(5, interactions, time.Date(2026, 8, 22, 12, 5, 0, 0, time.UTC))
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("BuildSharedData: %v", err)
+	}
+	if shared.Status != model.Playing {
+		t.Errorf("Status = %q, want playing", shared.Status)
+	}
+	if shared.Valid == nil || *shared.Valid {
+		t.Errorf("Valid = %v, want false for playing game past deadline", shared.Valid)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestComputeValid_PausedBoundaryConditions(t *testing.T) {
+	savedAt := time.Date(2026, 8, 22, 12, 0, 0, 0, time.UTC)
+	deadline := time.Date(2026, 8, 22, 12, 1, 0, 0, time.UTC)
+	now := time.Date(2026, 8, 22, 12, 5, 0, 0, time.UTC) // past deadline
+
+	pausedAt := savedAt.Add(30 * time.Second) // 12:00:30
+	base := &model.SharedData{
+		Status:       model.Paused,
+		DeadlineAt:   &deadline,
+		LastSavedAt:  &savedAt,
+		LastPausedAt: &pausedAt,
+	}
+
+	t.Run("condition met -> valid true", func(t *testing.T) {
+		s := *base
+		ComputeValid(&s, now)
+		if s.Valid == nil || !*s.Valid {
+			t.Errorf("Valid = %v, want true when paused between save and deadline", s.Valid)
+		}
+	})
+
+	t.Run("status not paused -> falls back to deadline check", func(t *testing.T) {
+		s := *base
+		s.Status = model.Playing
+		ComputeValid(&s, now)
+		if s.Valid == nil || *s.Valid {
+			t.Errorf("Valid = %v, want false when not paused and now past deadline", s.Valid)
+		}
+	})
+
+	t.Run("LastPausedAt not before DeadlineAt -> falls back to deadline check", func(t *testing.T) {
+		s := *base
+		atDeadline := *s.DeadlineAt
+		s.LastPausedAt = &atDeadline // == deadline, not < deadline
+		ComputeValid(&s, now)
+		if s.Valid == nil || *s.Valid {
+			t.Errorf("Valid = %v, want false when pause not before deadline", s.Valid)
+		}
+	})
+
+	t.Run("LastPausedAt not after LastSavedAt -> falls back to deadline check", func(t *testing.T) {
+		s := *base
+		s.LastPausedAt = &savedAt // == LastSavedAt, not > LastSavedAt
+		ComputeValid(&s, now)
+		if s.Valid == nil || *s.Valid {
+			t.Errorf("Valid = %v, want false when pause not after last save", s.Valid)
+		}
+	})
+}