Index: /trunk/src/VBox/Frontends/VBoxManage/VBoxManageControlVM.cpp
===================================================================
--- /trunk/src/VBox/Frontends/VBoxManage/VBoxManageControlVM.cpp	(revision 29969)
+++ /trunk/src/VBox/Frontends/VBoxManage/VBoxManageControlVM.cpp	(revision 29970)
@@ -159,4 +159,7 @@
         else if (!strcmp(a->argv[1], "savestate"))
         {
+            /* first pause so we don't trigger a live save which needs more time/resources */
+            CHECK_ERROR_BREAK(console, Pause());
+
             ComPtr<IProgress> progress;
             CHECK_ERROR_BREAK(console, SaveState(progress.asOutParam()));