diff --git a/config-dist.php b/config-dist.php
index cf3118a44d8..56b3803b2b4 100644
--- a/config-dist.php
+++ b/config-dist.php
@@ -847,6 +847,10 @@ $CFG->admin = 'admin';
 // Example:
 //   $CFG->behat_faildump_path = '/my/path/to/save/failure/dumps';
 //
+// You can make behat pause upon failure to help you diagnose and debug problems with your tests.
+//
+//   $CFG->behat_pause_on_fail = true;
+//
 // You can specify db, selenium wd_host etc. for behat parallel run by setting following variable.
 // Example:
 //   $CFG->behat_parallel_run = array (
diff --git a/lib/behat/classes/util.php b/lib/behat/classes/util.php
index 4f11771f00a..1988e015593 100644
--- a/lib/behat/classes/util.php
+++ b/lib/behat/classes/util.php
@@ -31,6 +31,9 @@ require_once(__DIR__ . '/behat_command.php');
 require_once(__DIR__ . '/behat_config_manager.php');
 
 require_once(__DIR__ . '/../../filelib.php');
+require_once(__DIR__ . '/../../clilib.php');
+
+use Behat\Mink\Session;
 
 /**
  * Init/reset utilities for Behat database and dataroot
@@ -374,4 +377,38 @@ class behat_util extends testing_util {
         // $CFG values from the old run. @see set_config.
         initialise_cfg();
     }
+
+    /**
+     * Pause execution immediately.
+     *
+     * @param Session $session
+     * @param string $message The message to show when pausing.
+     * This will be passed through cli_ansi_format so appropriate ANSI formatting and features are available.
+     */
+    public static function pause(Session $session, string $message): void {
+        $posixexists = function_exists('posix_isatty');
+
+        // Make sure this step is only used with interactive terminal (if detected).
+        if ($posixexists && !@posix_isatty(STDOUT)) {
+            throw new ExpectationException('Break point should only be used with interactive terminal.', $session);
+        }
+
+        // Save the cursor position, ring the bell, and add a new line.
+        fwrite(STDOUT, cli_ansi_format("<cursor:save><bell><newline>"));
+
+        // Output the formatted message and reset colour back to normal.
+        $formattedmessage = cli_ansi_format("{$message}<colour:normal>");
+        fwrite(STDOUT, $formattedmessage);
+
+        // Wait for input.
+        fread(STDIN, 1024);
+
+        // Move the cursor back up to the previous position, then restore the original position stored earlier, and move
+        // it back down again.
+        fwrite(STDOUT, cli_ansi_format("<cursor:up><cursor:up><cursor:restore><cursor:down><cursor:down>"));
+
+        // Add any extra lines back if the provided message was spread over multiple lines.
+        $linecount = count(explode("\n", $formattedmessage));
+        fwrite(STDOUT, str_repeat(cli_ansi_format("<cursor:down>"), $linecount - 1));
+    }
 }
diff --git a/lib/tests/behat/behat_general.php b/lib/tests/behat/behat_general.php
index 18bfe439365..19db96e1832 100644
--- a/lib/tests/behat/behat_general.php
+++ b/lib/tests/behat/behat_general.php
@@ -1636,26 +1636,8 @@ EOF;
      * @Then /^(?:|I )pause(?:| scenario execution)$/
      */
     public function i_pause_scenario_executon() {
-        global $CFG;
-
-        $posixexists = function_exists('posix_isatty');
-
-        // Make sure this step is only used with interactive terminal (if detected).
-        if ($posixexists && !@posix_isatty(STDOUT)) {
-            $session = $this->getSession();
-            throw new ExpectationException('Break point should only be used with interative terminal.', $session);
-        }
-
-        // Windows don't support ANSI code by default, but with ANSICON.
-        $isansicon = getenv('ANSICON');
-        if (($CFG->ostype === 'WINDOWS') && empty($isansicon)) {
-            fwrite(STDOUT, "Paused. Press Enter/Return to continue.");
-            fread(STDIN, 1024);
-        } else {
-            fwrite(STDOUT, "\033[s\n\033[0;93mPaused. Press \033[1;31mEnter/Return\033[0;93m to continue.\033[0m");
-            fread(STDIN, 1024);
-            fwrite(STDOUT, "\033[2A\033[u\033[2B");
-        }
+        $message = "<colour:lightYellow>Paused. Press <colour:lightRed>Enter/Return<colour:lightYellow> to continue.";
+        behat_util::pause($this->getSession(), $message);
     }
 
     /**
diff --git a/lib/tests/behat/behat_hooks.php b/lib/tests/behat/behat_hooks.php
index 8cda5a7d7f8..46b3c87afe1 100644
--- a/lib/tests/behat/behat_hooks.php
+++ b/lib/tests/behat/behat_hooks.php
@@ -500,11 +500,7 @@ class behat_hooks extends behat_base {
             throw new coding_exception("Step '" . $scope->getStep()->getText() . "'' is undefined.");
         }
 
-        // Save the page content if the step failed.
-        if (!empty($CFG->behat_faildump_path) &&
-            $scope->getTestResult()->getResultCode() === Behat\Testwork\Tester\Result\TestResult::FAILED) {
-            $this->take_contentdump($scope);
-        }
+        $isfailed = $scope->getTestResult()->getResultCode() === Behat\Testwork\Tester\Result\TestResult::FAILED;
 
         // Abort any open transactions to prevent subsequent tests hanging.
         // This does the same as abort_all_db_transactions(), but doesn't call error_log() as we don't
@@ -516,17 +512,30 @@ class behat_hooks extends behat_base {
             }
         }
 
+        if ($isfailed && !empty($CFG->behat_faildump_path)) {
+            // Save the page content (html).
+            $this->take_contentdump($scope);
+
+            if ($this->running_javascript()) {
+                // Save a screenshot.
+                $this->take_screenshot($scope);
+            }
+        }
+
+        if ($isfailed && !empty($CFG->behat_pause_on_fail)) {
+            $exception = $scope->getTestResult()->getException();
+            $message = "<colour:lightRed>Scenario failed. ";
+            $message .= "<colour:lightYellow>Paused for inspection. Press <colour:lightRed>Enter/Return<colour:lightYellow> to continue.<newline>";
+            $message .= "<colour:lightRed>Exception follows:<newline>";
+            $message .= trim($exception->getMessage());
+            behat_util::pause($this->getSession(), $message);
+        }
+
         // Only run if JS.
         if (!$this->running_javascript()) {
             return;
         }
 
-        // Save a screenshot if the step failed.
-        if (!empty($CFG->behat_faildump_path) &&
-            $scope->getTestResult()->getResultCode() === Behat\Testwork\Tester\Result\TestResult::FAILED) {
-            $this->take_screenshot($scope);
-        }
-
         try {
             $this->wait_for_pending_js();
             self::$currentstepexception = null;