diff --git a/OpenSim/Region/Application/OpenSim.cs b/OpenSim/Region/Application/OpenSim.cs
index 5de4034739..751923f433 100644
--- a/OpenSim/Region/Application/OpenSim.cs
+++ b/OpenSim/Region/Application/OpenSim.cs
@@ -254,8 +254,14 @@ namespace OpenSim
             m_console.Commands.AddCommand("Debug", false, "debug teleport", "debug teleport", "Toggle teleport route debugging", Debug);
 
             m_console.Commands.AddCommand("Debug", false, "debug scene",
-                                          "debug scene <scripting> <collisions> <physics>",
-                                          "Turn on scene debugging", Debug);
+                                          "debug scene active|collisions|physics|scripting|teleport true|false",
+                                          "Turn on scene debugging.",
+                                            "If active     is false then main scene update and maintenance loops are suspended.\n"
+                                          + "If collisions is false then collisions with other objects are turned off.\n"
+                                          + "If physics    is false then all physics objects are non-physical.\n"
+                                          + "If scripting  is false then no scripting operations happen.\n"
+                                          + "If teleport   is true  then some extra teleport debug information is logged.",
+                                          Debug);
 
             m_console.Commands.AddCommand("General", false, "change region",
                                           "change region <region name>",
@@ -928,7 +934,8 @@ namespace OpenSim
                     }
                     else
                     {
-                        MainConsole.Instance.Output("Usage: debug scene scripting|collisions|physics|teleport true|false");
+                        MainConsole.Instance.Output(
+                            "Usage: debug scene active|scripting|collisions|physics|teleport true|false");
                     }
 
                     break;
diff --git a/OpenSim/Region/Framework/Scenes/Scene.cs b/OpenSim/Region/Framework/Scenes/Scene.cs
index 751c461180..96d6ec816f 100644
--- a/OpenSim/Region/Framework/Scenes/Scene.cs
+++ b/OpenSim/Region/Framework/Scenes/Scene.cs
@@ -281,6 +281,30 @@ namespace OpenSim.Region.Framework.Scenes
         }
         private volatile bool m_shuttingDown;
 
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Is the scene active?
+        /// </summary>
+        /// <remarks>
+        /// If false, maintenance and update loops are not run.
+        /// </remarks>
+        public bool Active
+        {
+            get { return m_active; }
+            set
+            {
+                if (value)
+                {
+                    if (!m_active)
+                        Start();
+                }
+                else
+                {
+                    m_active = false;
+                }
+            }
+        }
+        private volatile bool m_active;
+
 //        private int m_lastUpdate;
 //        private bool m_firstHeartbeat = true;
         
@@ -1115,6 +1139,14 @@ namespace OpenSim.Region.Framework.Scenes
 
         public void SetSceneCoreDebug(Dictionary<string, string> options)
         {
+            if (options.ContainsKey("active"))
+            {
+                bool active;
+
+                if (bool.TryParse(options["active"], out active))
+                    Active = active;
+            }
+
             if (options.ContainsKey("scripting"))
             {
                 bool enableScripts = true;
@@ -1254,6 +1286,8 @@ namespace OpenSim.Region.Framework.Scenes
         /// </summary>
         public void Start()
         {
+            m_active = true;
+
 //            m_log.DebugFormat("[SCENE]: Starting Heartbeat timer for {0}", RegionInfo.RegionName);
 
             //m_heartbeatTimer.Enabled = true;
@@ -1295,7 +1329,7 @@ namespace OpenSim.Region.Framework.Scenes
         #region Update Methods
 
         /// <summary>
-        /// Performs per-frame updates regularly
+        /// Activate the various loops necessary to continually update the scene.
         /// </summary>
         private void Heartbeat()
         {
@@ -1352,7 +1386,7 @@ namespace OpenSim.Region.Framework.Scenes
             List<Vector3> coarseLocations;
             List<UUID> avatarUUIDs;
 
-            while (!m_shuttingDown && (endRun == null || MaintenanceRun < endRun))
+            while (Active && !m_shuttingDown && (endRun == null || MaintenanceRun < endRun))
             {
                 runtc = Util.EnvironmentTickCount();
                 ++MaintenanceRun;
@@ -1411,7 +1445,7 @@ namespace OpenSim.Region.Framework.Scenes
             int previousFrameTick, tmpMS;
             int maintc = Util.EnvironmentTickCount();
 
-            while (!m_shuttingDown && (endFrame == null || Frame < endFrame))
+            while (Active && !m_shuttingDown && (endFrame == null || Frame < endFrame))
             {
                 ++Frame;