diff --git a/docs/libcurl/curl_easy_pause.md b/docs/libcurl/curl_easy_pause.md
index 4a37ed1c14..f0c9230da5 100644
--- a/docs/libcurl/curl_easy_pause.md
+++ b/docs/libcurl/curl_easy_pause.md
@@ -28,8 +28,8 @@ CURLcode curl_easy_pause(CURL *handle, int action);
 
 Using this function, you can explicitly mark a running connection to get
 paused, and you can unpause a connection that was previously paused. Unlike
-most other libcurl functions, curl_easy_pause(3) can be used from within
-callbacks.
+most other libcurl functions, curl_easy_pause(3) can be used from within all
+callbacks except the socket callback set with CURLMOPT_SOCKETFUNCTION(3).
 
 A connection can be paused by using this function or by letting the read or
 the write callbacks return the proper return code (*CURL_READFUNC_PAUSE* and
diff --git a/lib/easy.c b/lib/easy.c
index d60bdaed7b..2e2c4d0e25 100644
--- a/lib/easy.c
+++ b/lib/easy.c
@@ -1138,18 +1138,19 @@ void curl_easy_reset(CURL *curl)
 CURLcode curl_easy_pause(CURL *curl, int action)
 {
   CURLcode result = CURLE_OK;
-  bool recursive = FALSE;
   bool changed = FALSE;
   struct Curl_easy *data = curl;
   bool recv_paused, recv_paused_new;
   bool send_paused, send_paused_new;
+  uint8_t in_c;
 
   if(!GOOD_EASY_HANDLE(data) || !data->conn)
     /* crazy input, do not continue */
     return CURLE_BAD_FUNCTION_ARGUMENT;
 
-  if(Curl_is_in_callback(data))
-    recursive = TRUE;
+  in_c = Curl_is_in_callback(data);
+  if(in_c == IN_CALLBACK_FORBID_EASY_PAUSE)
+    return CURLE_RECURSIVE_API_CALL;
 
   recv_paused = Curl_xfer_recv_is_paused(data);
   recv_paused_new = (action & CURLPAUSE_RECV);
@@ -1188,10 +1189,10 @@ CURLcode curl_easy_pause(CURL *curl, int action)
     if(Curl_multi_ev_assess_xfer(data->multi, data) && !result)
       result = CURLE_ABORTED_BY_CALLBACK;
 
-  if(recursive)
+  if(in_c)
     /* this might have called a callback recursively which might have set this
        to false again on exit */
-    Curl_set_in_callback(data, TRUE);
+    Curl_set_in_callback(data, in_c);
 
   return result;
 }
diff --git a/lib/multi.c b/lib/multi.c
index d6ae111d8e..51b0917ce7 100644
--- a/lib/multi.c
+++ b/lib/multi.c
@@ -3906,15 +3906,16 @@ static void process_pending_handles(struct Curl_multi *multi)
   }
 }
 
-void Curl_set_in_callback(struct Curl_easy *data, bool value)
+/* 'value' used to be a boolean but can now also contain more info */
+void Curl_set_in_callback(struct Curl_easy *data, uint8_t value)
 {
   if(data && data->multi)
     data->multi->in_callback = value;
 }
 
-bool Curl_is_in_callback(struct Curl_easy *data)
+uint8_t Curl_is_in_callback(struct Curl_easy *data)
 {
-  return data && data->multi && data->multi->in_callback;
+  return (data && data->multi) ? data->multi->in_callback : IN_CALLBACK_NO;
 }
 
 unsigned int Curl_multi_max_concurrent_streams(struct Curl_multi *multi)
diff --git a/lib/multi_ev.c b/lib/multi_ev.c
index 71e22b9b19..12d1ca2abb 100644
--- a/lib/multi_ev.c
+++ b/lib/multi_ev.c
@@ -34,8 +34,7 @@
 #include "uint-spbset.h"
 #include "multihandle.h"
 
-
-static void mev_in_callback(struct Curl_multi *multi, bool value)
+static void mev_in_callback(struct Curl_multi *multi, uint8_t value)
 {
   multi->in_callback = value;
 }
@@ -209,12 +208,10 @@ static CURLMcode mev_forget_socket(struct Curl_multi *multi,
   if(entry->announced && multi->socket_cb) {
     NOVERBOSE((void)cause);
     CURL_TRC_M(data, "ev %s, call(fd=%" FMT_SOCKET_T ", ev=REMOVE)", cause, s);
-    mev_in_callback(multi, TRUE);
+    mev_in_callback(multi, IN_CALLBACK_FORBID_EASY_PAUSE);
     rc = multi->socket_cb(data, s, CURL_POLL_REMOVE,
                           multi->socket_userp, entry->user_data);
-    mev_in_callback(multi, FALSE);
-    /* curl_easy_pause() is documented as callable from any callback; it
-     * re-enters mev_assess() which may free this 'entry'. Re-fetch. */
+    mev_in_callback(multi, IN_CALLBACK_NO);
     entry = mev_sh_entry_get(&multi->ev.sh_entries, s);
     if(entry)
       entry->announced = FALSE;
@@ -285,10 +282,10 @@ static CURLMcode mev_sh_entry_update(struct Curl_multi *multi,
   CURL_TRC_M(data, "ev update call(fd=%" FMT_SOCKET_T ", ev=%s%s)",
              s, (comboaction & CURL_POLL_IN) ? "IN" : "",
              (comboaction & CURL_POLL_OUT) ? "OUT" : "");
-  mev_in_callback(multi, TRUE);
+  mev_in_callback(multi, IN_CALLBACK_FORBID_EASY_PAUSE);
   rc = multi->socket_cb(data, s, comboaction, multi->socket_userp,
                         entry->user_data);
-  mev_in_callback(multi, FALSE);
+  mev_in_callback(multi, IN_CALLBACK_NO);
   if(rc == -1) {
     multi->dead = TRUE;
     return CURLM_ABORTED_BY_CALLBACK;
diff --git a/lib/multihandle.h b/lib/multihandle.h
index 19dd2ffcdf..5cf2c640e5 100644
--- a/lib/multihandle.h
+++ b/lib/multihandle.h
@@ -45,6 +45,10 @@ struct Curl_message {
   struct CURLMsg extmsg;
 };
 
+#define IN_CALLBACK_NO                0
+#define IN_CALLBACK_YES               1
+#define IN_CALLBACK_FORBID_EASY_PAUSE 2
+
 /* NOTE: if you add a state here, add the name to the statenames[] array
  * in curl_trc.c as well!
  */
@@ -179,10 +183,10 @@ struct Curl_multi {
 #endif
   uint32_t last_pending_mid; /* mid of last pending transfer rescheduled */
   uint32_t last_resolv_id; /* id of the last DNS resolve operation */
+  uint8_t in_callback;     /* conditions for executing in callbacks */
   BIT(ipv6_works);
   BIT(multiplexing);           /* multiplexing wanted */
   BIT(recheckstate);           /* see Curl_multi_connchanged */
-  BIT(in_callback);            /* true while executing a callback */
   BIT(in_ntfy_callback);       /* true while dispatching notifications */
 #ifdef USE_OPENSSL
   BIT(ssl_seeded);
diff --git a/lib/multiif.h b/lib/multiif.h
index 039db269e0..7fad9ca33e 100644
--- a/lib/multiif.h
+++ b/lib/multiif.h
@@ -37,8 +37,8 @@ void Curl_attach_connection(struct Curl_easy *data,
                             struct connectdata *conn);
 void Curl_detach_connection(struct Curl_easy *data);
 bool Curl_multiplex_wanted(const struct Curl_multi *multi);
-void Curl_set_in_callback(struct Curl_easy *data, bool value);
-bool Curl_is_in_callback(struct Curl_easy *data);
+void Curl_set_in_callback(struct Curl_easy *data, uint8_t value);
+uint8_t Curl_is_in_callback(struct Curl_easy *data);
 CURLcode Curl_preconnect(struct Curl_easy *data);
 bool Curl_is_connecting(struct Curl_easy *data);
 
diff --git a/tests/libtest/lib758.c b/tests/libtest/lib758.c
index 2fa8ef3ab1..794e4cce06 100644
--- a/tests/libtest/lib758.c
+++ b/tests/libtest/lib758.c
@@ -147,6 +147,7 @@ static int t758_curlSocketCallback(CURL *curl, curl_socket_t s, int action,
                                    void *userp, void *socketp)
 {
   struct t758_ReadWriteSockets *sockets = userp;
+  CURLcode result;
 
   (void)curl;
   (void)socketp;
@@ -158,6 +159,14 @@ static int t758_curlSocketCallback(CURL *curl, curl_socket_t s, int action,
     return -1;
   }
 
+  /* Pause is forbidden in this callback. This also returns
+     CURLE_BAD_FUNCTION_ARGUMENT before the connection has been setup. */
+  result = curl_easy_pause(curl, CURLPAUSE_ALL);
+  if(!result) {
+    t758_msg("<- curl_easy_pause should return error!");
+    return -1;
+  }
+
   if(action == CURL_POLL_IN || action == CURL_POLL_INOUT)
     if(t758_addFd(&sockets->read, s, "read"))
       return -1; /* bail out */