diff --git a/src/joystick/iphoneos/SDL_sysjoystick.m b/src/joystick/iphoneos/SDL_sysjoystick.m
index 9140e574b..71b81d3cf 100644
--- a/src/joystick/iphoneos/SDL_sysjoystick.m
+++ b/src/joystick/iphoneos/SDL_sysjoystick.m
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@
 #include "SDL_joystick.h"
 #include "SDL_hints.h"
 #include "SDL_stdinc.h"
+#include "SDL_timer.h"
 #include "../SDL_sysjoystick.h"
 #include "../SDL_joystick_c.h"
 #include "../steam/SDL_steamcontroller.h"
@@ -84,12 +85,12 @@ SDL_SYS_AddMFIJoystickDevice(SDL_JoystickDeviceItem *device, GCController *contr
 {
 #ifdef SDL_JOYSTICK_MFI
     const Uint16 BUS_BLUETOOTH = 0x05;
-	const Uint16 VENDOR_APPLE = 0x05AC;
+    const Uint16 VENDOR_APPLE = 0x05AC;
     Uint16 *guid16 = (Uint16 *)device->guid.data;
-	Uint16 vendor = 0;
-	Uint16 product = 0;
-	Uint16 version = 0;
-	Uint8 subtype = 0;
+    Uint16 vendor = 0;
+    Uint16 product = 0;
+    Uint16 version = 0;
+    Uint8 subtype = 0;
 
     const char *name = NULL;
     /* Explicitly retain the controller because SDL_JoystickDeviceItem is a
@@ -107,25 +108,25 @@ SDL_SYS_AddMFIJoystickDevice(SDL_JoystickDeviceItem *device, GCController *contr
     device->name = SDL_strdup(name);
 
     if (controller.extendedGamepad) {
-		vendor = VENDOR_APPLE;
-		product = 1;
-		subtype = 1;
+        vendor = VENDOR_APPLE;
+        product = 1;
+        subtype = 1;
         device->naxes = 6; /* 2 thumbsticks and 2 triggers */
         device->nhats = 1; /* d-pad */
         device->nbuttons = 7; /* ABXY, shoulder buttons, pause button */
     } else if (controller.gamepad) {
-		vendor = VENDOR_APPLE;
-		product = 2;
-		subtype = 2;
+        vendor = VENDOR_APPLE;
+        product = 2;
+        subtype = 2;
         device->naxes = 0; /* no traditional analog inputs */
         device->nhats = 1; /* d-pad */
         device->nbuttons = 7; /* ABXY, shoulder buttons, pause button */
     }
 #if TARGET_OS_TV
     else if (controller.microGamepad) {
-		vendor = VENDOR_APPLE;
-		product = 3;
-		subtype = 3;
+        vendor = VENDOR_APPLE;
+        product = 3;
+        subtype = 3;
         device->naxes = 2; /* treat the touch surface as two axes */
         device->nhats = 0; /* apparently the touch surface-as-dpad is buggy */
         device->nbuttons = 3; /* AX, pause button */
@@ -138,16 +139,16 @@ SDL_SYS_AddMFIJoystickDevice(SDL_JoystickDeviceItem *device, GCController *contr
     /* Byteswap so devices get same GUID on little/big endian platforms. */
     *guid16++ = SDL_SwapLE16(BUS_BLUETOOTH);
     *guid16++ = 0;
-	*guid16++ = SDL_SwapLE16(vendor);
-	*guid16++ = 0;
-	*guid16++ = SDL_SwapLE16(product);
-	*guid16++ = 0;
-	*guid16++ = SDL_SwapLE16(version);
-	*guid16++ = 0;
+    *guid16++ = SDL_SwapLE16(vendor);
+    *guid16++ = 0;
+    *guid16++ = SDL_SwapLE16(product);
+    *guid16++ = 0;
+    *guid16++ = SDL_SwapLE16(version);
+    *guid16++ = 0;
 
-	/* Note that this is an MFI controller and what subtype it is */
-	device->guid.data[14] = 'm';
-	device->guid.data[15] = subtype;
+    /* Note that this is an MFI controller and what subtype it is */
+    device->guid.data[14] = 'm';
+    device->guid.data[15] = subtype;
 
     /* This will be set when the first button press of the controller is
      * detected. */
@@ -559,6 +560,8 @@ SDL_SYS_MFIJoystickUpdate(SDL_Joystick * joystick)
         Uint8 hatstate = SDL_HAT_CENTERED;
         int i;
         int updateplayerindex = 0;
+        const Uint8 pausebutton = joystick->nbuttons - 1; /* The pause button is always last. */
+        const Uint32 PAUSE_RELEASE_DELAY_MS = 100;
 
         if (controller.extendedGamepad) {
             GCExtendedGamepad *gamepad = controller.extendedGamepad;
@@ -647,17 +650,21 @@ SDL_SYS_MFIJoystickUpdate(SDL_Joystick * joystick)
         }
 
         for (i = 0; i < joystick->hwdata->num_pause_presses; i++) {
-            /* The pause button is always last. */
-            Uint8 pausebutton = joystick->nbuttons - 1;
-
             SDL_PrivateJoystickButton(joystick, pausebutton, SDL_PRESSED);
-            SDL_PrivateJoystickButton(joystick, pausebutton, SDL_RELEASED);
-
+            joystick->hwdata->pause_button_down_time = SDL_GetTicks();
+            if (!joystick->hwdata->pause_button_down_time) {
+                joystick->hwdata->pause_button_down_time = 1;
+            }
             updateplayerindex = YES;
         }
-
         joystick->hwdata->num_pause_presses = 0;
 
+        if (joystick->hwdata->pause_button_down_time &&
+            SDL_TICKS_PASSED(SDL_GetTicks(), joystick->hwdata->pause_button_down_time + PAUSE_RELEASE_DELAY_MS)) {
+            SDL_PrivateJoystickButton(joystick, pausebutton, SDL_RELEASED);
+            joystick->hwdata->pause_button_down_time = 0;
+        }
+
         if (updateplayerindex && controller.playerIndex == -1) {
             BOOL usedPlayerIndexSlots[4] = {NO, NO, NO, NO};
 
diff --git a/src/joystick/iphoneos/SDL_sysjoystick_c.h b/src/joystick/iphoneos/SDL_sysjoystick_c.h
index 7be5b04a5..54bc549aa 100644
--- a/src/joystick/iphoneos/SDL_sysjoystick_c.h
+++ b/src/joystick/iphoneos/SDL_sysjoystick_c.h
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ typedef struct joystick_hwdata
 
     GCController __unsafe_unretained *controller;
     int num_pause_presses;
+    Uint32 pause_button_down_time;
 
     char *name;
     SDL_Joystick *joystick;