diff --git a/src/octoprint/printer/__init__.py b/src/octoprint/printer/__init__.py
index 05b7c644..73839462 100644
--- a/src/octoprint/printer/__init__.py
+++ b/src/octoprint/printer/__init__.py
@@ -658,6 +658,9 @@ class Printer():
 	def mcReceivedRegisteredMessage(self, command, output):
 		self._sendFeedbackCommandOutput(command, output)
 
+	def mcForceDisconnect(self):
+		self.disconnect()
+
 	#~~ sd file handling
 
 	def getSdFiles(self):
diff --git a/src/octoprint/util/comm.py b/src/octoprint/util/comm.py
index 149a5db3..1ba81bd8 100644
--- a/src/octoprint/util/comm.py
+++ b/src/octoprint/util/comm.py
@@ -161,6 +161,7 @@ class MachineCom(object):
 		# hooks
 		self._pluginManager = octoprint.plugin.plugin_manager()
 		self._gcode_hooks = self._pluginManager.get_hooks("octoprint.comm.protocol.gcode")
+		self._printer_action_hooks = self._pluginManager.get_hooks("octoprint.comm.protocol.action")
 
 		# SD status data
 		self._sdAvailable = False
@@ -670,6 +671,27 @@ class MachineCom(object):
 				if line.strip() is not "":
 					self._timeout = getNewTimeout("communication")
 
+				##~~ debugging output handling
+				if line.startswith("//"):
+					debugging_output = line[2:].strip()
+					if debugging_output.startswith("action:"):
+						action_command = debugging_output[len("action:"):].strip()
+
+						if action_command == "pause":
+							self._log("Pausing on request of the printer...")
+							self.setPause(True)
+						elif action_command == "resume":
+							self._log("Resuming on request of the printer...")
+							self.setPause(False)
+						elif action_command == "disconnect":
+							self._log("Disconnecting on request of the printer...")
+							self._callback.mcForceDisconnect()
+						else:
+							for hook in self._printer_action_hooks:
+								self._printer_action_hooks[hook](self, line, action_command)
+					else:
+						continue
+
 				##~~ Error handling
 				line = self._handleErrors(line)
 
@@ -1311,6 +1333,9 @@ class MachineComPrintCallback(object):
 	def mcReceivedRegisteredMessage(self, command, message):
 		pass
 
+	def mcForceDisconnect(self):
+		pass
+
 ### Printing file information classes ##################################################################################
 
 class PrintingFileInformation(object):
diff --git a/src/octoprint/util/virtual.py b/src/octoprint/util/virtual.py
index 9ddb4385..62e63b7a 100644
--- a/src/octoprint/util/virtual.py
+++ b/src/octoprint/util/virtual.py
@@ -227,6 +227,8 @@ class VirtualPrinter():
 				self._relative = True
 			elif "G92" in data:
 				self._setPosition(data)
+			elif data.startswith("!!DEBUG:"):
+				self._debugTrigger(data[len("!!DEBUG:"):].strip())
 
 			elif data.startswith("G0") or data.startswith("G1") or data.startswith("G2") or data.startswith("G3") \
 					or data.startswith("G28") or data.startswith("G29") or data.startswith("G30") \
@@ -237,6 +239,14 @@ class VirtualPrinter():
 			if len(data.strip()) > 0:
 				self._sendOk()
 
+	def _debugTrigger(self, data):
+		if data == "action_pause":
+			self.outgoing.put("// action:pause")
+		elif data == "action_resume":
+			self.outgoing.put("// action:resume")
+		elif data == "action_disconnect":
+			self.outgoing.put("// action:disconnect")
+
 	def _listSd(self):
 		self.outgoing.put("Begin file list")
 		if settings().getBoolean(["devel", "virtualPrinter", "extendedSdFileList"]):