diff --git a/cmake/core-files.cmake b/cmake/core-files.cmake
index 1a86da6f247..8c31df4c51b 100644
--- a/cmake/core-files.cmake
+++ b/cmake/core-files.cmake
@@ -554,6 +554,7 @@ set(MBGL_CORE_FILES
     include/mbgl/util/run_loop.hpp
     include/mbgl/util/size.hpp
     include/mbgl/util/string.hpp
+    include/mbgl/util/thread.hpp
     include/mbgl/util/tileset.hpp
     include/mbgl/util/timer.hpp
     include/mbgl/util/traits.hpp
@@ -610,7 +611,6 @@ set(MBGL_CORE_FILES
     src/mbgl/util/stopwatch.cpp
     src/mbgl/util/stopwatch.hpp
     src/mbgl/util/string.cpp
-    src/mbgl/util/thread.hpp
     src/mbgl/util/thread_local.hpp
     src/mbgl/util/throttler.cpp
     src/mbgl/util/throttler.hpp
diff --git a/include/mbgl/actor/actor.hpp b/include/mbgl/actor/actor.hpp
index a0df19208e6..93de4a948fa 100644
--- a/include/mbgl/actor/actor.hpp
+++ b/include/mbgl/actor/actor.hpp
@@ -45,6 +45,11 @@ namespace mbgl {
     purpose of the actor model: prohibiting direct concurrent access to shared state.
 */
 
+
+namespace util {
+template <class> class Thread;
+} // namespace util
+
 template <class Object>
 class Actor : public util::noncopyable {
 public:
@@ -91,6 +96,9 @@ class Actor : public util::noncopyable {
     }
 
 private:
+    template<typename U>
+    friend class util::Thread;
+
     std::shared_ptr<Mailbox> mailbox;
     Object object;
 };
diff --git a/src/mbgl/util/thread.hpp b/include/mbgl/util/thread.hpp
similarity index 85%
rename from src/mbgl/util/thread.hpp
rename to include/mbgl/util/thread.hpp
index 572f46080e1..c0cbc532ce0 100644
--- a/src/mbgl/util/thread.hpp
+++ b/include/mbgl/util/thread.hpp
@@ -96,9 +96,11 @@ class Thread : public Scheduler {
     // sent to a paused `Object` will be queued and only processed after
     // `resume()` is called.
     void pause() {
-        MBGL_VERIFY_THREAD(tid);
+        std::unique_lock<std::mutex> lock(pauseMutex);
 
-        assert(!paused);
+        if (paused) {
+            return;
+        }
 
         paused = std::make_unique<std::promise<void>>();
         resumed = std::make_unique<std::promise<void>>();
@@ -116,9 +118,11 @@ class Thread : public Scheduler {
 
     // Resumes the `Object` thread previously paused by `pause()`.
     void resume() {
-        MBGL_VERIFY_THREAD(tid);
+        std::unique_lock<std::mutex> lock(pauseMutex);
 
-        assert(paused);
+        if (!paused) {
+            return;
+        }
 
         resumed->set_value();
 
@@ -127,6 +131,13 @@ class Thread : public Scheduler {
     }
 
 private:
+    template <class U>
+    friend class BlockingThreadGuard;
+
+    Object& getObject() {
+        return object->object;
+    }
+
     MBGL_STORE_THREAD(tid);
 
     void schedule(std::weak_ptr<Mailbox> mailbox) override {
@@ -153,11 +164,33 @@ class Thread : public Scheduler {
     std::thread thread;
     std::unique_ptr<Actor<Object>> object;
 
+    std::mutex pauseMutex;
     std::unique_ptr<std::promise<void>> paused;
     std::unique_ptr<std::promise<void>> resumed;
 
     util::RunLoop* loop = nullptr;
 };
 
+
+template <class Object>
+class BlockingThreadGuard {
+public:
+    BlockingThreadGuard(Thread<Object>& thread_)
+        : thread(thread_) {
+        thread.pause();
+    }
+
+    ~BlockingThreadGuard() {
+        thread.resume();
+    }
+
+    Object& object() {
+        return thread.getObject();
+    }
+
+private:
+    Thread<Object>& thread;
+};
+
 } // namespace util
 } // namespace mbgl
diff --git a/test/util/thread.test.cpp b/test/util/thread.test.cpp
index 76fb5ce3f02..1bc55eadda8 100644
--- a/test/util/thread.test.cpp
+++ b/test/util/thread.test.cpp
@@ -6,7 +6,9 @@
 #include <mbgl/util/timer.hpp>
 
 #include <atomic>
+#include <chrono>
 #include <memory>
+#include <thread>
 
 using namespace mbgl;
 using namespace mbgl::util;
@@ -275,3 +277,62 @@ TEST(Thread, PauseResume) {
     thread.actor().invoke(&TestWorker::send, [&] { loop.stop(); });
     loop.run();
 }
+
+TEST(Thread, PauseResumeMultiThreaded) {
+    RunLoop loop;
+    
+    // Thread to be paused
+    Thread<TestWorker> test("Test");
+    
+    std::promise<void> thread1Complete;
+    auto future = thread1Complete.get_future();
+    std::thread thread1 {[&, promise = std::move(thread1Complete)]() mutable {
+        // Pause the thread
+        test.pause();
+        promise.set_value();
+    }};
+    
+    // Wait for the test thread to be paused
+    future.wait();
+    
+    std::thread thread2 {[&]() {
+        // Pause from this thread as well and resume
+        test.pause();
+        test.resume();
+    }};
+    
+    // Queue a message at the end of test thread's queue.
+    test.actor().invoke(&TestWorker::send, [&] { loop.stop(); });
+    loop.run();
+    
+    // Wait for threads
+    thread1.join();
+    thread2.join();
+}
+
+TEST(Thread, DirectAccess) {
+    
+    Thread<TestWorker> test("Test");
+    
+    // Use the thread's object directly
+    std::atomic<bool> flag { false };
+    auto guard = std::make_unique<BlockingThreadGuard<TestWorker>>( test );
+    guard->object().send([&] { flag = true; });
+    ASSERT_TRUE(flag);
+    
+    // Ensure messages queued up are processed
+    std::atomic<bool> message1Consumed { false };
+    test.actor().invoke(&TestWorker::send, [&]() { message1Consumed = true; });
+    
+    // Release the guard
+    guard.reset();
+    
+    // Ensure messages send after releasing the guard are processed
+    std::atomic<bool> message2Consumed { false };
+    test.actor().invoke(&TestWorker::send, [&]() { message2Consumed = true; });
+    
+    while (!message1Consumed && !message2Consumed) {
+        using namespace std::chrono_literals;
+        std::this_thread::sleep_for(10ms);
+    };
+}