diff --git a/gnommo/cli.py b/gnommo/cli.py
index fc34c3d..96b233a 100644
--- a/gnommo/cli.py
+++ b/gnommo/cli.py
@@ -841,9 +841,22 @@ def _import_shared_audio(
     existing: dict = _read_json(audio_json_path) if audio_json_path.exists() else {}
 
     added = 0
+    normalized = 0
     for f in audio_files:
         audio_id = f.stem.lower()
         if audio_id in existing:
+            # Backfill the audio schema onto an existing entry: make `loop`
+            # explicit (so it's not an invisible optional the way it was before),
+            # and drop `zoom` — a video-only field that means nothing for audio and
+            # only ended up here from legacy/hand-edited entries.
+            entry = existing[audio_id]
+            if isinstance(entry, dict):
+                if "loop" not in entry:
+                    entry["loop"] = None
+                    normalized += 1
+                if "zoom" in entry:
+                    del entry["zoom"]
+                    normalized += 1
             if verbose:
                 print(f"    Skipping {audio_id} (already in audio.json)")
             continue
@@ -851,16 +864,24 @@ def _import_shared_audio(
             "file": f.name,
             "is_shared": True,
             "volume": 1.0,
+            # One-shot by default (null → not looping); set true for background
+            # music/ambience that should loop for the whole video.
+            "loop": None,
         }
         added += 1
         if verbose:
             print(f"    Added shared audio: {audio_id}")
 
-    if added > 0:
+    if added > 0 or normalized > 0:
         with open(audio_json_path, "w", encoding="utf-8") as fh:
             json.dump(existing, fh, indent=2)
+        parts = []
+        if added:
+            parts.append(f"+{added} shared audio files")
+        if normalized:
+            parts.append(f"{normalized} field(s) normalized")
         print(
-            f"  Updated {audio_json_path.relative_to(project_path)} (+{added} shared audio files)"
+            f"  Updated {audio_json_path.relative_to(project_path)} ({', '.join(parts)})"
         )
     else:
         if verbose:
diff --git a/gnommo/renderer.py b/gnommo/renderer.py
index 7da701b..870f267 100644
--- a/gnommo/renderer.py
+++ b/gnommo/renderer.py
@@ -1544,16 +1544,61 @@ def build_filter_complex(
                             )
                         audio_labels_to_mix.append(f"[{label}]")
                 else:
-                    # One-shot audio: delay to trigger time. Chunking v2: seek in if
-                    # the clip began in an earlier chunk (docs/chunking_v2.md).
+                    # One-shot audio. Freeze it through narration pauses too (like the
+                    # looping branch above): split the source at each pause and delay
+                    # the remainder, so the clip resumes on the exact sample it stopped
+                    # on when the cutscene ends — it is never restarted. A pause set on
+                    # a cutscene video therefore silences background one-shots for its
+                    # duration. `ignore_pauses` opts a clip out (e.g. a stinger meant to
+                    # keep playing under the freeze). Chunking v2: src_offset seeks in
+                    # when the clip began in an earlier chunk (docs/chunking_v2.md).
                     label = f"aud{i}"
-                    delay_ms = int(event.start_time * 1000)
                     _off = getattr(event, "src_offset", 0.0)
-                    _seek = f"atrim={_off:.3f},asetpts=PTS-STARTPTS," if _off > 0 else ""
-                    filters.append(
-                        f"[{audio_idx}:a]{_seek}adelay={delay_ms}|{delay_ms},volume={volume:.2f}[{label}]"
+                    relevant_pauses = (
+                        []
+                        if event.audio_def.ignore_pauses
+                        else [
+                            p
+                            for p in (plan.narration_pauses or [])
+                            if p.output_time > event.start_time
+                        ]
                     )
-                    audio_labels_to_mix.append(f"[{label}]")
+                    if not relevant_pauses:
+                        delay_ms = int(event.start_time * 1000)
+                        _seek = f"atrim={_off:.3f},asetpts=PTS-STARTPTS," if _off > 0 else ""
+                        filters.append(
+                            f"[{audio_idx}:a]{_seek}adelay={delay_ms}|{delay_ms},volume={volume:.2f}[{label}]"
+                        )
+                        audio_labels_to_mix.append(f"[{label}]")
+                    else:
+                        # Play [seg_start, pause) of source, freeze during the pause,
+                        # then resume — source position (src_pos) never advances across
+                        # the gap. Final segment runs to the source's natural end.
+                        src_pos = _off
+                        seg_start = event.start_time
+                        seg_count = 0
+                        for pause in relevant_pauses:
+                            if pause.output_time > seg_start:
+                                seg_dur = pause.output_time - seg_start
+                                seg_label = f"{label}_seg{seg_count}"
+                                d_ms = int(seg_start * 1000)
+                                filters.append(
+                                    f"[{audio_idx}:a]atrim={src_pos:.3f}:{src_pos + seg_dur:.3f},"
+                                    f"asetpts=PTS-STARTPTS,adelay={d_ms}|{d_ms},"
+                                    f"volume={volume:.2f}[{seg_label}]"
+                                )
+                                audio_labels_to_mix.append(f"[{seg_label}]")
+                                src_pos += seg_dur
+                                seg_count += 1
+                            seg_start = pause.output_time + pause.duration
+                        seg_label = f"{label}_seg{seg_count}"
+                        d_ms = int(seg_start * 1000)
+                        filters.append(
+                            f"[{audio_idx}:a]atrim={src_pos:.3f},"
+                            f"asetpts=PTS-STARTPTS,adelay={d_ms}|{d_ms},"
+                            f"volume={volume:.2f}[{seg_label}]"
+                        )
+                        audio_labels_to_mix.append(f"[{seg_label}]")
 
         # Extract and mix audio from triggered video events
         _have_audio = video_events_with_audio or set()