diff --git a/Assets/Scripts/GameModeManager.cs b/Assets/Scripts/GameModeManager.cs
index bdfe957..9cf7597 100644
--- a/Assets/Scripts/GameModeManager.cs
+++ b/Assets/Scripts/GameModeManager.cs
@@ -255,9 +255,15 @@ public class GameModeManager : MonoBehaviour
     /// Pauses or resumes local gameplay for a full-screen modal overlay (the online session panel, opened
     /// with Esc in the lobby/map). Pausing frees the OS cursor and suppresses ALL local input - movement,
     /// painting, camera look and the mode-switch key - WITHOUT tearing down the mode cycle, so resuming
-    /// re-enters the exact mode that was active and restores its camera/cursor state. It mirrors the
-    /// <see cref="ReleaseToNoPlayer"/> cursor handling (Exit the active mode, then park the orbit rig in
-    /// Disabled so it stops re-grabbing the cursor every frame) but is reversible. No-op if unchanged.
+    /// re-enters the exact mode that was active and restores its camera/cursor state.
+    ///
+    /// Crucially it does NOT Exit the active mode while pausing: the First-Person / Free-Cam rigs keep their
+    /// CinemachineCamera at its live priority, so the view stays frozen exactly where it is instead of
+    /// blending back to the orbit camera (the camera "jump" when the menu opened). Pausing therefore only
+    /// disables each rig's per-frame look input - dropping the controller's <c>enabled</c> freezes its look
+    /// without touching its priority - and parks the orbit rig in Disabled so it stops re-grabbing the cursor
+    /// every frame. Resuming re-runs the same mode's Enter(); because no priority was lowered, that mode's
+    /// snap-to-current-view is a no-op, so there is no jump on close either. No-op if unchanged.
     /// </summary>
     public void SetPaused(bool paused)
     {
@@ -267,14 +273,18 @@ public class GameModeManager : MonoBehaviour
         if (paused)
         {
             _resumeIndex = _activeIndex;
-            ActiveMode?.Exit();          // undo any FreeCam/First-Person takeover (also releases the cursor)
-            _activeIndex = -1;
+            _activeIndex = -1;           // bookkeeping: no live mode while paused (Tick won't run)
 
-            // Painting and movement run off their own flags/Update loops and the orbit rig re-asserts the
-            // cursor each frame from its LookMode, so stop them all explicitly, then free the cursor. A
-            // Disabled look-mode keeps the cursor free every frame (the same trick ReleaseToNoPlayer uses).
+            // Freeze every input source but leave the active camera rig untouched (priority unchanged) so the
+            // view stays put. Painting/movement run off their own flags; the FP/freecam rigs drive their own
+            // CinemachineCamera each frame, so dropping their `enabled` freezes the look in place WITHOUT
+            // lowering priority; the orbit rig re-asserts the cursor each frame from its LookMode, so a
+            // Disabled look-mode keeps the cursor free every frame. At most one camera rig is ever enabled,
+            // so disabling both here is safe regardless of which mode was active.
             if (player) player.ControlEnabled = false;
             if (painter) painter.PaintingEnabled = false;
+            if (firstPerson) firstPerson.enabled = false;
+            if (freeCam) freeCam.enabled = false;
             if (cameraInput)
             {
                 cameraInput.enabled = true;
@@ -290,7 +300,14 @@ public class GameModeManager : MonoBehaviour
             int resume = _resumeIndex;
             _resumeIndex = -1;
             if (resume >= 0 && resume < _modes.Count)
-                SwitchTo(resume);        // re-Enter restores player/painter/look + cursor (+ re-shows the HUD)
+            {
+                // Re-Enter the SAME mode (it was never Exited). The active rig still holds the current view,
+                // so Enter()'s sync-to-current-view is a no-op -> no jump. Enter restores control/painting/
+                // look + cursor and re-shows the HUD.
+                _activeIndex = resume;
+                ActiveMode.Enter();
+                ModeChanged?.Invoke(ActiveMode);
+            }
             else
                 ModeChanged?.Invoke(ActiveMode);
         }