diff --git a/eve_orehold_watcher.py b/eve_orehold_watcher.py
index 08cb76a..c0bb3af 100644
--- a/eve_orehold_watcher.py
+++ b/eve_orehold_watcher.py
@@ -166,8 +166,13 @@ def bot_muted(cp):
 
 
 def bot_mining(cp):
-    """True when a mining session is active (started via `!mining on` in Discord)."""
-    return _bot_state(cp)["mining"]
+    """True when a mining session is active (started via `!mining on` in Discord) AND not
+    locally auto-paused. The combat watcher drops a `.mining_paused` marker when mining has
+    genuinely stopped (you quit / warped off) so every watcher goes quiet without you having
+    to `!mining off`; it removes the marker the moment ore starts flowing again."""
+    if not _bot_state(cp)["mining"]:
+        return False
+    return not os.path.exists(os.path.join(HERE, ".mining_paused"))
 
 
 def notify(cp, title, message, priority="high", tags="rock,bell"):