diff --git a/securedrop_client/api_jobs/base.py b/securedrop_client/api_jobs/base.py
index 851e903479..e872e490fc 100644
--- a/securedrop_client/api_jobs/base.py
+++ b/securedrop_client/api_jobs/base.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ def __init__(self, message: Optional[str] = None) -> None:
 class PauseQueueJob(QObject):
     def __init__(self):
         super().__init__()
-        self.order_number = 1
+        self.order_number = None
 
 
 class ApiJob(QObject):
diff --git a/securedrop_client/gui/widgets.py b/securedrop_client/gui/widgets.py
index af80fd90bc..343a842f95 100644
--- a/securedrop_client/gui/widgets.py
+++ b/securedrop_client/gui/widgets.py
@@ -363,10 +363,12 @@ def _on_status_timeout(self):
 
     def update_message(self, message: str, duration: int):
         """
-        Display a status message to the user for a given duration.
+        Display a status message to the user for a given duration. If the duration is zero,
+        continuously show message.
         """
         self.status_bar.showMessage(message, duration)
-        self.status_timer.start(duration)
+        if duration != 0:
+            self.status_timer.start(duration)
         self._show()
 
     def clear_message(self):
diff --git a/securedrop_client/logic.py b/securedrop_client/logic.py
index 05c625393d..e98d1f00b4 100644
--- a/securedrop_client/logic.py
+++ b/securedrop_client/logic.py
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@
 from securedrop_client import db
 from securedrop_client.api_jobs.downloads import FileDownloadJob, MessageDownloadJob, \
     ReplyDownloadJob, DownloadChecksumMismatchException
+from securedrop_client.api_jobs.base import PauseQueueJob
 from securedrop_client.api_jobs.uploads import SendReplyJob, SendReplyJobException
 from securedrop_client.api_jobs.updatestar import UpdateStarJob, UpdateStarJobException
 from securedrop_client.crypto import GpgHelper, CryptoError
@@ -170,6 +171,7 @@ def __init__(self, hostname: str, gui, session_maker: sessionmaker,
 
         # Queue that handles running API job
         self.api_job_queue = ApiJobQueue(self.api, self.session_maker)
+        self.api_job_queue.paused.connect(self.on_queue_paused)
 
         # Contains active threads calling the API.
         self.api_threads = {}  # type: Dict[str, Dict]
@@ -259,6 +261,9 @@ def call_api(self,
         # Start the thread and related activity.
         new_api_thread.start()
 
+    def on_queue_paused(self) -> None:
+        self.gui.update_error_status(_('The SecureDrop server cannot be reached.'), duration=0)
+
     def on_api_timeout(self) -> None:
         self.gui.update_error_status(_('The connection to the SecureDrop server timed out. '
                                        'Please try again.'))
@@ -438,6 +443,7 @@ def on_update_star_success(self, result) -> None:
         """
         self.sync_api()  # Syncing the API also updates the source list UI
         self.gui.clear_error_status()
+        self.api_job_queue.enqueue(PauseQueueJob())
 
     def on_update_star_failure(self, result: UpdateStarJobException) -> None:
         """
@@ -480,6 +486,7 @@ def logout(self):
         self.gui.logout()
         self.is_authenticated = False
 
+
     def set_status(self, message, duration=5000):
         """
         Set a textual status message to be displayed to the user for a certain
diff --git a/securedrop_client/queue.py b/securedrop_client/queue.py
index 9d0a001e62..f5dad5f444 100644
--- a/securedrop_client/queue.py
+++ b/securedrop_client/queue.py
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import itertools
 import logging
 
-from PyQt5.QtCore import QObject, QThread, pyqtSlot
+from PyQt5.QtCore import QObject, QThread, pyqtSlot, pyqtSignal
 from queue import PriorityQueue
 from sdclientapi import API, RequestTimeoutError
 from sqlalchemy.orm import scoped_session
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ def process(self) -> None:  # pragma: nocover
             session = self.session_maker()
             priority, job = self.queue.get(block=True)
 
-            if job is PauseQueueJob:
+            if isinstance(job, PauseQueueJob):
                 logger.info('Paused queue')
                 return
 
@@ -85,8 +85,8 @@ class ApiJobQueue(QObject):
     # These are the priorities for processing jobs.
     # Lower numbers corresponds to a higher priority.
     JOB_PRIORITIES = {
+        # TokenInvalidationJob: 10,  # Not yet implemented
         PauseQueueJob: 11,
-        # LogoutJob: 11,  # Not yet implemented
         # MetadataSyncJob: 12,  # Not yet implemented
         FileDownloadJob: 13,  # File downloads processed in separate queue
         MessageDownloadJob: 13,
@@ -97,6 +97,11 @@ class ApiJobQueue(QObject):
         # FlagJob: 16,  # Not yet implemented
     }
 
+    '''
+    Signal that is emitted if a queue is paused
+    '''
+    paused = pyqtSignal()
+
     def __init__(self, api_client: API, session_maker: scoped_session) -> None:
         super().__init__(None)
         self.api_client = api_client
@@ -148,7 +153,11 @@ def enqueue(self, job: ApiJob) -> None:
 
         priority = self.JOB_PRIORITIES[type(job)]
 
-        if isinstance(job, FileDownloadJob):
+        if isinstance(job, PauseQueueJob):
+            self.main_queue.add_job(priority, job)
+            self.download_file_queue.add_job(priority, job)
+            self.paused.emit()
+        elif isinstance(job, FileDownloadJob):
             logger.debug('Adding job to download queue')
             self.download_file_queue.add_job(priority, job)
         else: