diff --git a/plugins/in_forward/fw.c b/plugins/in_forward/fw.c
index 7c99d589d72..20c3946b5ff 100644
--- a/plugins/in_forward/fw.c
+++ b/plugins/in_forward/fw.c
@@ -144,6 +144,12 @@ static int in_fw_collect(struct flb_input_instance *ins,
         return -1;
     }
 
+    if(ctx->is_paused) {
+        flb_downstream_conn_release(connection);
+        flb_plg_trace(ins, "TCP connection will be closed FD=%i", connection->fd);
+        return -1;
+    }
+
     flb_plg_trace(ins, "new TCP connection arrived FD=%i", connection->fd);
 
     conn = fw_conn_add(connection, ctx);
@@ -265,6 +271,9 @@ static int in_fw_init(struct flb_input_instance *ins,
     /* Set the context */
     flb_input_set_context(ins, ctx);
 
+    /* Set plugin ingestion to active */
+    ctx->is_paused = FLB_FALSE;
+
     /* Unix Socket mode */
     if (ctx->unix_path) {
 #ifndef FLB_HAVE_UNIX_SOCKET
@@ -348,6 +357,17 @@ static int in_fw_init(struct flb_input_instance *ins,
 static void in_fw_pause(void *data, struct flb_config *config)
 {
     struct flb_in_fw_config *ctx = data;
+    if (config->is_running == FLB_TRUE) {
+        /*
+         * This is the case when we are not in a shutdown phase, but
+         * backpressure built up, and the plugin needs to
+         * pause the ingestion. The plugin should close all the connections
+         * and wait for the ingestion to resume.
+         */
+        flb_input_collector_pause(ctx->coll_fd, ctx->ins);
+        fw_conn_del_all(ctx);
+        ctx->is_paused = FLB_TRUE;
+    }
 
     /*
      * If the plugin is paused AND the ingestion not longer active,
@@ -362,6 +382,15 @@ static void in_fw_pause(void *data, struct flb_config *config)
     }
 }
 
+static void in_fw_resume(void *data, struct flb_config *config) {
+    struct flb_in_fw_config *ctx = data;
+    if (config->is_running == FLB_TRUE) {
+        ctx->is_paused = FLB_FALSE;
+        flb_input_collector_resume(ctx->coll_fd, ctx->ins);
+    }
+}
+
+
 static int in_fw_exit(void *data, struct flb_config *config)
 {
     (void) *config;
@@ -431,6 +460,7 @@ struct flb_input_plugin in_forward_plugin = {
     .cb_collect   = in_fw_collect,
     .cb_flush_buf = NULL,
     .cb_pause     = in_fw_pause,
+    .cb_resume    = in_fw_resume,
     .cb_exit      = in_fw_exit,
     .config_map   = config_map,
     .flags        = FLB_INPUT_NET_SERVER | FLB_IO_OPT_TLS
diff --git a/plugins/in_forward/fw.h b/plugins/in_forward/fw.h
index 70c5de57775..4cd270e27a2 100644
--- a/plugins/in_forward/fw.h
+++ b/plugins/in_forward/fw.h
@@ -71,6 +71,9 @@ struct flb_in_fw_config {
 
     struct flb_log_event_decoder *log_decoder;
     struct flb_log_event_encoder *log_encoder;
+
+    /* Plugin is paused */
+    int is_paused;
 };
 
 #endif