diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 70a3926..769a60c 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ const { held, prompt } = useKeyboardSwitches({
 - Keys pass through while focus is in a text field, unless you set `ignoreWhileTyping: false`.
 - Escape stops scanning.
 - `interceptPress(switchId)` runs when a switch goes down. Return true to consume the whole press, for example to let any press stop something the app is repeating.
-- Automatic movement pauses while a switch is held.
+- Automatic movement pauses while a switch is held. Call `controller.holdMovement(reason, held)` to hold it for reasons of your own, for example while something the app started is still repeating.
 - `validateSwitchSettings` reports settings that can't drive scanning, for example ones with no Select, or manual scanning without Next and Previous.
 
 ## React Native
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index dce87b6..5475659 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@switchify/scanning",
-  "version": "0.4.0",
+  "version": "0.5.0",
   "description": "Switch scanning for React and React Native, ported from Switchify PC.",
   "license": "AGPL-3.0-only",
   "type": "module",
diff --git a/src/core/controller.ts b/src/core/controller.ts
index 2707594..6680257 100644
--- a/src/core/controller.ts
+++ b/src/core/controller.ts
@@ -143,7 +143,7 @@ export class ScanController {
   private sequence = 0;
   private active = false;
   private paused = false;
-  private switchHeld = false;
+  private readonly holds = new Set<string>();
   private clock: unknown;
   private last = 0;
   private snapshot: ScanSnapshot = INACTIVE;
@@ -251,15 +251,24 @@ export class ScanController {
     this.contentChanged();
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Holds automatic movement while `reason` applies, for example while something the
+   * app started is still running. Movement continues from where it paused once every
+   * reason is released.
+   */
+  holdMovement(reason: string, held: boolean): void {
+    if (this.holds.has(reason) === held) return;
+    if (held) this.holds.add(reason);
+    else this.holds.delete(reason);
+    this.update();
+  }
+
   /**
    * Holds automatic movement while a switch is down, as Switchify PC does, so the
-   * highlight cannot move away from the item being selected. Movement continues
-   * from where it paused once the switch is released.
+   * highlight cannot move away from the item being selected.
    */
   setSwitchHeld(held: boolean): void {
-    if (this.switchHeld === held) return;
-    this.switchHeld = held;
-    this.update();
+    this.holdMovement("switch", held);
   }
 
   start(): void {
@@ -416,7 +425,7 @@ export class ScanController {
     return (
       this.active &&
       !this.paused &&
-      !this.switchHeld &&
+      this.holds.size === 0 &&
       this.scanner.options.automatic &&
       !this.scanner.suspended &&
       !this.scanner.pending()
diff --git a/test/controller.test.ts b/test/controller.test.ts
index 0e8dd1b..a0edc80 100644
--- a/test/controller.test.ts
+++ b/test/controller.test.ts
@@ -299,3 +299,17 @@ test("options left undefined keep their current values", () => {
   controller.start();
   expect(clock.running()).toBe(false);
 });
+
+test("movement stays held until every reason is released", () => {
+  const { controller, clock } = setup({ options: { intervalMs: 500 } });
+  controller.registerItem("a");
+  controller.registerItem("b");
+  controller.flush();
+  controller.start();
+  controller.holdMovement("repeat", true);
+  controller.setSwitchHeld(true);
+  controller.setSwitchHeld(false);
+  expect(clock.running()).toBe(false);
+  controller.holdMovement("repeat", false);
+  expect(clock.running()).toBe(true);
+});