diff --git a/hypervisor/cloudhypervisor/helper.go b/hypervisor/cloudhypervisor/helper.go
index 207f65f..9270387 100644
--- a/hypervisor/cloudhypervisor/helper.go
+++ b/hypervisor/cloudhypervisor/helper.go
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ package cloudhypervisor
 import (
 	"context"
 	"encoding/json"
+	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"net/http"
 	"os"
@@ -112,16 +113,33 @@ func shutdownVM(ctx context.Context, hc *http.Client) error {
 	return err
 }
 
+// pauseVM is idempotent — swallows CH's Paused→Paused 500 so a stuck-paused VM recovers.
 func pauseVM(ctx context.Context, hc *http.Client) error {
 	_, err := vmAPIOnce(ctx, hc, "vm.pause", nil)
+	if err != nil && isAlreadyInStateError(err, "Paused") {
+		return nil
+	}
 	return err
 }
 
+// resumeVM is idempotent — swallows CH's Running→Running 500.
 func resumeVM(ctx context.Context, hc *http.Client) error {
 	_, err := vmAPIOnce(ctx, hc, "vm.resume", nil)
+	if err != nil && isAlreadyInStateError(err, "Running") {
+		return nil
+	}
 	return err
 }
 
+// isAlreadyInStateError matches CH's exact `Invalid transition: InvalidStateTransition(<state>, <state>)` in a 500 body.
+func isAlreadyInStateError(err error, state string) bool {
+	var ae *utils.APIError
+	if !errors.As(err, &ae) || ae.Code != http.StatusInternalServerError {
+		return false
+	}
+	return strings.Contains(ae.Message, fmt.Sprintf("Invalid transition: InvalidStateTransition(%s, %s)", state, state))
+}
+
 // snapshotVM and restoreVM temporarily extend the client timeout for
 // long-running memory transfers, then restore it for subsequent calls.
 func snapshotVM(ctx context.Context, hc *http.Client, destDir string) error {
diff --git a/hypervisor/cloudhypervisor/helper_test.go b/hypervisor/cloudhypervisor/helper_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f9195db
--- /dev/null
+++ b/hypervisor/cloudhypervisor/helper_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+package cloudhypervisor
+
+import (
+	"errors"
+	"fmt"
+	"net/http"
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/cocoonstack/cocoon/utils"
+)
+
+func TestIsAlreadyInStateError(t *testing.T) {
+	chPaused := `PUT http://localhost/api/v1/vm.pause → 500: ["Error from API","The VM could not be paused","Cannot pause VM","Failed to pause migratable component","Invalid transition: InvalidStateTransition(Paused, Paused)"]`
+	chRunning := `PUT http://localhost/api/v1/vm.resume → 500: ["Error from API","Cannot resume VM","Failed","Invalid transition: InvalidStateTransition(Running, Running)"]`
+
+	tests := []struct {
+		name  string
+		err   error
+		state string
+		want  bool
+	}{
+		{name: "paused paused match", err: &utils.APIError{Code: http.StatusInternalServerError, Message: chPaused}, state: "Paused", want: true},
+		{name: "running running match", err: &utils.APIError{Code: http.StatusInternalServerError, Message: chRunning}, state: "Running", want: true},
+		{name: "wrong state in match", err: &utils.APIError{Code: http.StatusInternalServerError, Message: chPaused}, state: "Running", want: false},
+		{name: "non-500 code", err: &utils.APIError{Code: http.StatusBadRequest, Message: chPaused}, state: "Paused", want: false},
+		{name: "different transition (Created→Paused)", err: &utils.APIError{Code: http.StatusInternalServerError, Message: "InvalidStateTransition(Created, Paused)"}, state: "Paused", want: false},
+		{name: "non-APIError", err: errors.New("dial unix: connection refused"), state: "Paused", want: false},
+		{name: "nil error", err: nil, state: "Paused", want: false},
+		{name: "wrapped APIError", err: fmt.Errorf("snapshot save: %w", &utils.APIError{Code: http.StatusInternalServerError, Message: chPaused}), state: "Paused", want: true},
+		{name: "empty state", err: &utils.APIError{Code: http.StatusInternalServerError, Message: chPaused}, state: "", want: false},
+	}
+	for _, tt := range tests {
+		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			if got := isAlreadyInStateError(tt.err, tt.state); got != tt.want {
+				t.Errorf("isAlreadyInStateError(%v, %q) = %v, want %v", tt.err, tt.state, got, tt.want)
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}
diff --git a/hypervisor/firecracker/api.go b/hypervisor/firecracker/api.go
index 27ed966..73a1a81 100644
--- a/hypervisor/firecracker/api.go
+++ b/hypervisor/firecracker/api.go
@@ -169,8 +169,7 @@ func sendCtrlAltDel(ctx context.Context, hc *http.Client) error {
 	return fcAPIOnce(ctx, hc, http.MethodPut, "/actions", body)
 }
 
-// pauseVM pauses a running FC instance via PATCH /vm. Non-idempotent: a
-// retry after a lost response would hit "already paused" and mask success.
+// pauseVM pauses a running FC instance via PATCH /vm. Idempotent: FC's vCPU event loop acks Pause from the paused state without error (vstate/vcpu.rs).
 func pauseVM(ctx context.Context, hc *http.Client) error {
 	body, err := json.Marshal(map[string]string{"state": vmStatePaused})
 	if err != nil {
@@ -179,8 +178,7 @@ func pauseVM(ctx context.Context, hc *http.Client) error {
 	return fcAPIOnce(ctx, hc, http.MethodPatch, "/vm", body)
 }
 
-// resumeVM resumes a paused FC instance via PATCH /vm. Same non-idempotent
-// shape as pauseVM.
+// resumeVM resumes a paused FC instance via PATCH /vm. Idempotent like pauseVM.
 func resumeVM(ctx context.Context, hc *http.Client) error {
 	body, err := json.Marshal(map[string]string{"state": vmStateResumed})
 	if err != nil {