diff --git a/contracts/admin/src/lib.rs b/contracts/admin/src/lib.rs
index 5049ea0e..da7780ec 100644
--- a/contracts/admin/src/lib.rs
+++ b/contracts/admin/src/lib.rs
@@ -770,7 +770,7 @@ impl AdminContract {
 
         // Verify new owner is different from current owner
         if new_owner == current_owner {
-            panic_with_error!(&e, ContractError::InvalidPauseAction);
+            panic_with_error!(&e, ContractError::AdminUnchanged);
         }
 
         // Verify new owner is a SuperAdmin
diff --git a/contracts/admin/src/pausable.rs b/contracts/admin/src/pausable.rs
index 6882306a..9d3085b2 100644
--- a/contracts/admin/src/pausable.rs
+++ b/contracts/admin/src/pausable.rs
@@ -310,12 +310,18 @@ pub fn execute_pause_proposal(e: &Env, proposal_id: u64) {
 }
 
 fn do_pause(e: &Env, proposal_id: Option<u64>, reason: &String) {
+    if is_paused(e) {
+        panic_with_error!(e, ContractError::ContractPaused);
+    }
     e.storage().instance().set(&DataKey::Paused, &true);
     e.events()
         .publish((Symbol::new(e, "paused"),), (proposal_id, reason.clone()));
 }
 
 fn do_unpause(e: &Env, proposal_id: Option<u64>) {
+    if !is_paused(e) {
+        panic_with_error!(e, ContractError::InvalidPauseAction);
+    }
     e.storage().instance().set(&DataKey::Paused, &false);
     e.events()
         .publish((Symbol::new(e, "unpaused"),), proposal_id);
diff --git a/contracts/arbitration/src/pausable.rs b/contracts/arbitration/src/pausable.rs
index 61ac8833..778b48c7 100644
--- a/contracts/arbitration/src/pausable.rs
+++ b/contracts/arbitration/src/pausable.rs
@@ -242,12 +242,18 @@ pub fn execute_pause_proposal(e: &Env, proposal_id: u64) {
 }
 
 fn do_pause(e: &Env, proposal_id: Option<u64>, reason: &String) {
+    if is_paused(e) {
+        panic_with_error!(e, ContractError::ContractPaused);
+    }
     e.storage().instance().set(&DataKey::Paused, &true);
     e.events()
         .publish((Symbol::new(e, "paused"),), (proposal_id, reason.clone()));
 }
 
 fn do_unpause(e: &Env, proposal_id: Option<u64>) {
+    if !is_paused(e) {
+        panic_with_error!(e, ContractError::InvalidPauseAction);
+    }
     e.storage().instance().set(&DataKey::Paused, &false);
     e.events()
         .publish((Symbol::new(e, "unpaused"),), proposal_id);