diff --git a/evennia/scripts/scripts.py b/evennia/scripts/scripts.py
index 762c8c03a..8bcab5c0a 100644
--- a/evennia/scripts/scripts.py
+++ b/evennia/scripts/scripts.py
@@ -96,7 +96,9 @@ class ExtendedLoopingCall(LoopingCall):
 
         """
         self.callcount += 1
-        self.start_delay = None
+        if self.start_delay:
+            self.start_delay = None
+            self.starttime = self.clock.seconds()
         super(ExtendedLoopingCall, self).__call__()
 
     def force_repeat(self):
@@ -130,6 +132,7 @@ class ExtendedLoopingCall(LoopingCall):
         if self.running:
             total_runtime = self.clock.seconds() - self.starttime
             interval = self.start_delay or self.interval
+            print "next_call_time:", interval, total_runtime, self.interval, interval - (total_runtime % self.interval)
             return interval - (total_runtime % self.interval)
         return None
 
@@ -169,6 +172,10 @@ class DefaultScript(ScriptBase):
 
         """
 
+        from evennia.utils.utils import calledby
+        print calledby(2)
+        print "_start_task:", self.db_interval, self.db._paused_time
+
         self.ndb._task = ExtendedLoopingCall(self._step_task)
 
         if self.db._paused_time:
@@ -308,8 +315,12 @@ class DefaultScript(ScriptBase):
                 return 0
 
         # try to restart a paused script
-        if self.unpause():
-            return 1
+        try:
+            if self.unpause(manual_unpause=False):
+                return 1
+        except RuntimeError:
+            # manually paused.
+            return 0
 
         # start the script from scratch
         self.is_active = True
@@ -349,12 +360,13 @@ class DefaultScript(ScriptBase):
             return 0
         return 1
 
-    def pause(self):
+    def pause(self, manual_pause=True):
         """
         This stops a running script and stores its active state.
         It WILL NOT call the `at_stop()` hook.
 
         """
+        self.db._manual_pause = manual_pause
         if not self.db._paused_time:
             # only allow pause if not already paused
             task = self.ndb._task
@@ -364,10 +376,26 @@ class DefaultScript(ScriptBase):
                 self._stop_task()
             self.is_active = False
 
-    def unpause(self):
+    def unpause(self, manual_unpause=True):
         """
         Restart a paused script. This WILL call the `at_start()` hook.
+
+        Args:
+            manual_unpause (bool, optional): This is False if unpause is
+                called by the server reload/reset mechanism.
+        Returns:
+            result (bool): True if unpause was triggered, False otherwise.
+
+        Raises:
+            RuntimeError: If trying to automatically resart this script
+                (usually after a reset/reload), but it was manually paused,
+                and so should not the auto-unpaused.
+
         """
+        if not manual_unpause and self.db._manual_pause:
+            # if this script was paused manually (by a direct call of pause),
+            # it cannot be automatically unpaused (e.g. by a @reload)
+            raise RuntimeError
         if self.db._paused_time:
             # only unpause if previously paused
             self.is_active = True
diff --git a/evennia/server/server.py b/evennia/server/server.py
index 717cbe044..c0f2079d8 100644
--- a/evennia/server/server.py
+++ b/evennia/server/server.py
@@ -349,7 +349,7 @@ class Evennia(object):
             ServerConfig.objects.conf("server_restart_mode", "reload")
             yield [o.at_server_reload() for o in ObjectDB.get_all_cached_instances()]
             yield [p.at_server_reload() for p in PlayerDB.get_all_cached_instances()]
-            yield [(s.pause(), s.at_server_reload()) for s in ScriptDB.get_all_cached_instances()]
+            yield [(s.pause(manual_pause=False), s.at_server_reload()) for s in ScriptDB.get_all_cached_instances() if s.is_active]
             yield self.sessions.all_sessions_portal_sync()
             self.at_server_reload_stop()
             # only save OOB state on reload, not on shutdown/reset
@@ -368,7 +368,7 @@ class Evennia(object):
                 yield [(p.unpuppet_all(), p.at_server_shutdown())
                                        for p in PlayerDB.get_all_cached_instances()]
                 yield ObjectDB.objects.clear_all_sessids()
-            yield [(s.pause(), s.at_server_shutdown()) for s in ScriptDB.get_all_cached_instances()]
+            yield [(s.pause(manual_pause=False), s.at_server_shutdown()) for s in ScriptDB.get_all_cached_instances()]
             ServerConfig.objects.conf("server_restart_mode", "reset")
             self.at_server_cold_stop()
 
diff --git a/evennia/server/serversession.py b/evennia/server/serversession.py
index ac89722d1..90b2aeb10 100644
--- a/evennia/server/serversession.py
+++ b/evennia/server/serversession.py
@@ -207,7 +207,7 @@ class ServerSession(Session):
             obj.player = self.player
             self.puid = obj.id
             self.puppet = obj
-            obj.scripts.validate()
+            #obj.scripts.validate()
             obj.locks.cache_lock_bypass(obj)
 
     def at_login(self, player):