Index: binaries/data/mods/public/gui/options/options.json
===================================================================
--- binaries/data/mods/public/gui/options/options.json
+++ binaries/data/mods/public/gui/options/options.json
@@ -22,10 +22,16 @@
 				"config": "windowed"
 			},
 			{
-				"type": "boolean",
+				"type": "dropdown",
 				"label": "Background Pause",
-				"tooltip": "Pause single player games when window loses focus",
-				"config": "pauseonfocusloss"
+				"tooltip": "Pause single player games or pause rendering when window loses focus.",
+				"config": "pauseonfocusloss",
+				"list": [
+					{ "value": "0", "label": "Disabled" },
+					{ "value": "1", "label": "Pause Game" },
+					{ "value": "2", "label": "Pause Game or Renderer" },
+					{ "value": "3", "label": "Pause Renderer" }
+				]
 			},
 			{
 				"type": "boolean",
Index: source/main.cpp
===================================================================
--- source/main.cpp
+++ source/main.cpp
@@ -305,7 +305,7 @@
 	ENSURE(realTimeSinceLastFrame > 0.0f);
 
 	// decide if update/render is necessary
-	bool need_render = !g_app_minimized;
+	bool need_render = !g_app_minimized && (!g_PauseRendererOnFocusLoss || g_app_has_focus);
 	bool need_update = true;
 
 	// If we are not running a multiplayer game, disable updates when the game is
Index: source/ps/GameSetup/Config.h
===================================================================
--- source/ps/GameSetup/Config.h
+++ source/ps/GameSetup/Config.h
@@ -44,6 +44,9 @@
 // flag to pause the game on window focus loss
 extern bool g_PauseOnFocusLoss;
 
+// flag to pause the renderer on window focus loss
+extern bool g_PauseRendererOnFocusLoss;
+
 // flag to switch on actor rendering
 extern bool g_RenderActors;
 
Index: source/ps/GameSetup/Config.cpp
===================================================================
--- source/ps/GameSetup/Config.cpp
+++ source/ps/GameSetup/Config.cpp
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@
 bool g_NoGLVBO = false;
 
 bool g_PauseOnFocusLoss = false;
+bool g_PauseRendererOnFocusLoss = false;
 
 bool g_RenderActors = true;
 
@@ -92,7 +93,23 @@
 	CFG_GET_VAL("nos3tc", g_NoGLS3TC);
 	CFG_GET_VAL("noautomipmap", g_NoGLAutoMipmap);
 	CFG_GET_VAL("novbo", g_NoGLVBO);
-	CFG_GET_VAL("pauseonfocusloss", g_PauseOnFocusLoss);
+
+	int pauseOnFocusLoss = 0;
+	CFG_GET_VAL("pauseonfocusloss", pauseOnFocusLoss);
+	switch (pauseOnFocusLoss)
+	{
+	case 3:
+		g_PauseRendererOnFocusLoss = true;
+		break;
+	case 2:
+		g_PauseRendererOnFocusLoss = true;
+	case 1:
+		g_PauseOnFocusLoss = true;
+		break;
+	default:
+		break;
+	}
+
 	CFG_GET_VAL("renderactors", g_RenderActors);
 	CFG_GET_VAL("shadows", g_Shadows);
 	CFG_GET_VAL("shadowpcf", g_ShadowPCF);