diff --git a/packages/toast/src/ToastTimer.tsx b/packages/toast/src/ToastTimer.tsx
index 190c1afbd..483448cc8 100644
--- a/packages/toast/src/ToastTimer.tsx
+++ b/packages/toast/src/ToastTimer.tsx
@@ -75,8 +75,10 @@ export const ToastTimer: FunctionComponent<Props> = ({ toast, index }) => {
       toastElement.addEventListener('mouseenter', handleMouseEnter)
       toastElement.addEventListener('mouseleave', handleMouseLeave)
     }
-    window.addEventListener('focus', handlePageFocus)
-    window.addEventListener('blur', handlePageBlur)
+    if (toast.pauseOnWindowBlur) {
+      window.addEventListener('focus', handlePageFocus)
+      window.addEventListener('blur', handlePageBlur)
+    }
 
     return () => {
       clearTimer()
@@ -84,8 +86,10 @@ export const ToastTimer: FunctionComponent<Props> = ({ toast, index }) => {
         toastElement.removeEventListener('mouseenter', handleMouseEnter)
         toastElement.removeEventListener('mouseleave', handleMouseLeave)
       }
-      window.removeEventListener('focus', handlePageFocus)
-      window.removeEventListener('blur', handlePageBlur)
+      if (toast.pauseOnWindowBlur) {
+        window.removeEventListener('focus', handlePageFocus)
+        window.removeEventListener('blur', handlePageBlur)
+      }
     }
   }, [
     clearTimer,
diff --git a/packages/toast/src/toastStore.ts b/packages/toast/src/toastStore.ts
index ba676842a..c3875799a 100644
--- a/packages/toast/src/toastStore.ts
+++ b/packages/toast/src/toastStore.ts
@@ -61,10 +61,11 @@ export const addToast = action(toastStore, 'addToast', (store: WritableAtom<Toas
 If you want to update an existing toast, use the \`updateToast()\` function instead.`)
   }
 
-  const toast = {
+  const toast: Toast = {
     ...options,
     id,
     dismissed: false,
+    pauseOnWindowBlur: options.pauseOnWindowBlur ?? true,
   }
 
   store.set([...existingToasts, toast])
diff --git a/packages/toast/src/types.ts b/packages/toast/src/types.ts
index 363541a53..4eab143c3 100644
--- a/packages/toast/src/types.ts
+++ b/packages/toast/src/types.ts
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ type CommonToastProperties = {
   progress?: number
   autoClose?: boolean
   duration?: number
+  pauseOnWindowBlur?: boolean
 }
 
 export type Toast = CommonToastProperties & {