diff --git a/apps/web/src/app/practice/[studentId]/PracticeClient.tsx b/apps/web/src/app/practice/[studentId]/PracticeClient.tsx
index 525efc15..a59598a6 100644
--- a/apps/web/src/app/practice/[studentId]/PracticeClient.tsx
+++ b/apps/web/src/app/practice/[studentId]/PracticeClient.tsx
@@ -1,10 +1,11 @@
 'use client'
 
 import { useRouter } from 'next/navigation'
-import { useCallback, useMemo, useState } from 'react'
+import { useCallback, useMemo, useRef, useState } from 'react'
 import { PageWithNav } from '@/components/PageWithNav'
 import {
   ActiveSession,
+  type ActiveSessionHandle,
   type AttemptTimingData,
   PracticeErrorBoundary,
   PracticeSubNav,
@@ -38,6 +39,11 @@ interface PracticeClientProps {
 export function PracticeClient({ studentId, player, initialSession }: PracticeClientProps) {
   const router = useRouter()
 
+  // Ref to control ActiveSession's pause/resume imperatively
+  // This is needed because the modal is rendered here but needs to trigger
+  // ActiveSession's internal resume() when dismissed
+  const sessionRef = useRef<ActiveSessionHandle | null>(null)
+
   // Track pause state locally (controlled by callbacks from ActiveSession)
   // Never auto-pause - session continues where it left off on load/reload
   const [isPaused, setIsPaused] = useState(false)
@@ -78,6 +84,10 @@ export function PracticeClient({ studentId, player, initialSession }: PracticeCl
   }, [])
 
   const handleResume = useCallback(() => {
+    // IMPORTANT: Must call sessionRef.current?.resume() to actually resume
+    // ActiveSession's internal state. Just setting isPaused=false only hides
+    // the modal but leaves input blocked.
+    sessionRef.current?.resume()
     setIsPaused(false)
     setPauseInfo(undefined)
   }, [])
@@ -178,6 +188,7 @@ export function PracticeClient({ studentId, player, initialSession }: PracticeCl
             onComplete={handleSessionComplete}
             onTimingUpdate={setTimingData}
             hideHud={true}
+            sessionRef={sessionRef}
           />
         </PracticeErrorBoundary>
       </main>
diff --git a/apps/web/src/components/practice/ActiveSession.tsx b/apps/web/src/components/practice/ActiveSession.tsx
index 431b84f5..2f435210 100644
--- a/apps/web/src/components/practice/ActiveSession.tsx
+++ b/apps/web/src/components/practice/ActiveSession.tsx
@@ -107,6 +107,16 @@ export interface AttemptTimingData {
   accumulatedPauseMs: number
 }
 
+/**
+ * Imperative handle for controlling the session from parent
+ */
+export interface ActiveSessionHandle {
+  /** Resume the session (call this when external resume trigger occurs) */
+  resume: () => void
+  /** Pause the session (call this when external pause trigger occurs) */
+  pause: () => void
+}
+
 interface ActiveSessionProps {
   plan: SessionPlan
   studentName: string
@@ -124,6 +134,8 @@ interface ActiveSessionProps {
   hideHud?: boolean
   /** Called with timing data when it changes (for external timing display) */
   onTimingUpdate?: (timing: AttemptTimingData | null) => void
+  /** Ref to get imperative handle for controlling the session */
+  sessionRef?: React.MutableRefObject<ActiveSessionHandle | null>
 }
 
 /**
@@ -582,6 +594,7 @@ export function ActiveSession({
   onComplete,
   hideHud = false,
   onTimingUpdate,
+  sessionRef,
 }: ActiveSessionProps) {
   const { resolvedTheme } = useTheme()
   const isDark = resolvedTheme === 'dark'
@@ -1096,6 +1109,25 @@ export function ActiveSession({
     onResume?.()
   }, [resume, onResume])
 
+  // Expose imperative handle for parent to control pause/resume
+  // This is needed because the modal is rendered in the parent and needs
+  // to trigger the internal resume() when dismissed
+  // IMPORTANT: We expose the raw `resume`/`pause` functions, NOT `handleResume`/`handlePause`
+  // which would call `onResume`/`onPause` callbacks and cause an infinite loop
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (sessionRef) {
+      sessionRef.current = {
+        resume,
+        pause,
+      }
+    }
+    return () => {
+      if (sessionRef) {
+        sessionRef.current = null
+      }
+    }
+  }, [sessionRef, resume, pause])
+
   const getHealthColor = (health: SessionHealth['overall']) => {
     switch (health) {
       case 'good':
diff --git a/apps/web/src/components/practice/index.ts b/apps/web/src/components/practice/index.ts
index 08eb2c0e..bd43a3bd 100644
--- a/apps/web/src/components/practice/index.ts
+++ b/apps/web/src/components/practice/index.ts
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
  */
 
 export { ActiveSession } from './ActiveSession'
-export type { AttemptTimingData } from './ActiveSession'
+export type { ActiveSessionHandle, AttemptTimingData } from './ActiveSession'
 export { ContinueSessionCard } from './ContinueSessionCard'
 // Hooks
 export { useHasPhysicalKeyboard, useIsTouchDevice } from './hooks/useDeviceDetection'