diff --git a/frontend/dashboard.css b/frontend/dashboard.css
index 40487bb..0003623 100644
--- a/frontend/dashboard.css
+++ b/frontend/dashboard.css
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ header { position: sticky; top: 0; z-index: 20; padding: 12px 16px; display:flex
 .live-data-status-header { display:flex; align-items:flex-start; justify-content:space-between; gap:12px; }
 .live-data-status-header h2, .live-data-status-header p { margin-top:0; }
 .live-data-status-header button, .live-data-status-actions button { min-height:44px; }
+.live-data-status-today-paused { padding:10px 12px; border:1px solid #4ade80; border-radius:10px; color:#bbf7d0; background:#10291e; }
 .issue-filing-receipt { position:fixed; inset:0; z-index:108; display:flex; align-items:flex-end; justify-content:center; background:rgba(5,12,21,.82); backdrop-filter:blur(4px); }
 .issue-filing-receipt[hidden] { display:none; }
 .release-receipt-sheet { position:fixed; inset:0; width:100%; max-width:none; height:100%; max-height:none; margin:0; padding:0; border:0; background:rgba(5,12,21,.82); color:#e5e7eb; }
diff --git a/frontend/dashboard.js b/frontend/dashboard.js
index 8aab6a9..ba9292d 100644
--- a/frontend/dashboard.js
+++ b/frontend/dashboard.js
@@ -7451,24 +7451,7 @@
       'Next automatic retry in ' + retrySeconds + 's.' :
       (pollState.lastSuccessAt ? 'Last successful refresh ' + fmt(new Date(pollState.lastSuccessAt)) + '.' : 'Waiting for the first successful refresh.');
   }
-  function closeLiveDataStatus() {
-    liveDataStatusSheet.hidden = true;
-    liveDataStatusTrigger.setAttribute('aria-expanded', 'false');
-    liveDataStatusTrigger.focus();
-  }
-  liveDataStatusTrigger.addEventListener('click', () => {
-    renderLiveDataStatus();
-    liveDataStatusSheet.hidden = false;
-    liveDataStatusTrigger.setAttribute('aria-expanded', 'true');
-    qs('#close-live-data-status').focus();
-  });
-  qs('#close-live-data-status').addEventListener('click', closeLiveDataStatus);
-  liveDataStatusSheet.addEventListener('click', event => {
-    if (event.target === liveDataStatusSheet) closeLiveDataStatus();
-  });
-  liveDataStatusSheet.addEventListener('keydown', event => {
-    if (event.key === 'Escape') { event.preventDefault(); closeLiveDataStatus(); }
-  });
+  liveDataStatus.mount({document, window, timerView, onOpen:renderLiveDataStatus}).start();
   const liveDataRefresh = liveDataStatus.createRefreshController({
     button: qs('#refresh-live-data'),
     output: qs('#live-data-status-result'),
diff --git a/frontend/index.html b/frontend/index.html
index df8e808..5d22517 100644
--- a/frontend/index.html
+++ b/frontend/index.html
@@ -44,10 +44,12 @@
       <div><h2 id="live-data-status-heading">Live data status</h2><p class="small muted">Check which dashboard feeds are current before acting.</p></div>
       <button id="close-live-data-status" type="button" aria-label="Close live data status">Close</button>
     </div>
+    <p id="live-data-status-today-paused" class="live-data-status-today-paused" role="status" hidden>Today paused while you check live data.</p>
     <div id="live-data-status-feeds" class="live-data-status-feeds"></div>
     <p id="live-data-status-retry" class="small muted"></p>
     <div class="live-data-status-actions">
       <button id="refresh-live-data" type="button">Refresh now</button>
+      <button id="return-from-live-data-status" type="button">Return to Today</button>
       <span id="live-data-status-result" class="small" role="status" aria-live="polite"></span>
     </div>
   </section>
diff --git a/frontend/live-data-status.js b/frontend/live-data-status.js
index 3d53d1b..c427980 100644
--- a/frontend/live-data-status.js
+++ b/frontend/live-data-status.js
@@ -74,5 +74,112 @@
     return { run };
   }
 
-  return { describe, createRefreshController };
+  function createSheetController(options) {
+    let ownsDetour = false;
+    let backgroundState = null;
+
+    function focusableControls() {
+      return [...options.sheet.querySelectorAll('button:not([disabled]), [tabindex]:not([tabindex="-1"])')]
+        .filter(control => !control.hidden);
+    }
+
+    function containBackground() {
+      if (backgroundState) return;
+      backgroundState = new Map((options.backgroundElements || []).map(element => [element, element.inert]));
+      backgroundState.forEach((_wasInert, element) => { element.inert = true; });
+    }
+
+    function releaseBackground() {
+      if (!backgroundState) return;
+      backgroundState.forEach((wasInert, element) => { element.inert = wasInert; });
+      backgroundState = null;
+    }
+
+    function finishClose() {
+      if (options.sheet.hidden) return;
+      options.sheet.hidden = true;
+      options.trigger.setAttribute('aria-expanded', 'false');
+      if (options.pausedStatus) options.pausedStatus.hidden = true;
+      releaseBackground();
+      if (ownsDetour) options.timerView?.finishDetour?.();
+      ownsDetour = false;
+      options.trigger.focus?.();
+    }
+
+    function close() {
+      if (options.history?.state?.liveDataStatus) {
+        options.history.back();
+        return;
+      }
+      finishClose();
+    }
+
+    function open() {
+      if (!options.sheet.hidden) return;
+      ownsDetour = options.timerView?.beginDetour?.('live-data-status')?.reason === 'live-data-status';
+      if (options.pausedStatus) options.pausedStatus.hidden = !ownsDetour;
+      if (options.returnButton) options.returnButton.hidden = !ownsDetour;
+      containBackground();
+      options.sheet.hidden = false;
+      options.trigger.setAttribute('aria-expanded', 'true');
+      if (options.history && !options.history.state?.liveDataStatus) {
+        options.history.pushState({ ...options.history.state, liveDataStatus:true }, '');
+      }
+      options.closeButton.focus();
+    }
+
+    function start() {
+      options.trigger.addEventListener('click', open);
+      options.closeButton.addEventListener('click', close);
+      options.returnButton?.addEventListener('click', close);
+      options.sheet.addEventListener('click', event => {
+        if (event.target === options.sheet) close();
+      });
+      options.escapeTarget?.addEventListener('keydown', event => {
+        if (options.sheet.hidden) return;
+        if (event.key === 'Escape') {
+          event.preventDefault?.();
+          close();
+          return;
+        }
+        if (event.key !== 'Tab') return;
+        const controls = focusableControls();
+        if (!controls.length) return;
+        const first = controls[0];
+        const last = controls[controls.length - 1];
+        if (event.shiftKey && event.target === first) {
+          event.preventDefault();
+          last.focus();
+        } else if (!event.shiftKey && event.target === last) {
+          event.preventDefault();
+          first.focus();
+        }
+      });
+      options.historyTarget?.addEventListener('popstate', event => {
+        if (!options.sheet.hidden && !event.state?.liveDataStatus) finishClose();
+      });
+    }
+
+    return { start, open, close };
+  }
+
+  function mount(options) {
+    const document = options.document;
+    const qs = selector => document.querySelector(selector);
+    const trigger = qs('#open-live-data-status');
+    trigger.addEventListener('click', options.onOpen);
+    return createSheetController({
+      sheet:qs('#live-data-status-sheet'), trigger,
+      closeButton:qs('#close-live-data-status'),
+      returnButton:qs('#return-from-live-data-status'),
+      pausedStatus:qs('#live-data-status-today-paused'),
+      timerView:options.timerView,
+      history:options.window.history,
+      historyTarget:options.window,
+      escapeTarget:document,
+      backgroundElements:[qs('header'), qs('main'), qs('#mobile-task-dock')].filter(Boolean),
+    });
+  }
+
+  return { describe, createRefreshController, createSheetController, mount };
 });
diff --git a/frontend/today-timer.js b/frontend/today-timer.js
index 87a51ba..0e05452 100644
--- a/frontend/today-timer.js
+++ b/frontend/today-timer.js
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ function createTodayTimer({ storage, getLogin, now = () => Date.now(), onChange
   const validDetour = state => {
     const pending = state.detour_interruption;
     return pending && typeof pending.identity === 'string' && pending.identity &&
-      typeof pending.resume === 'boolean' && ['find', 'queues', 'insights', 'device-setup', 'security-center'].includes(pending.reason) ?
+      typeof pending.resume === 'boolean' && ['find', 'queues', 'insights', 'device-setup', 'security-center', 'live-data-status'].includes(pending.reason) ?
       { identity:pending.identity, resume:pending.resume, reason:pending.reason } : null;
   };
   const validBreak = state => {
@@ -289,7 +289,7 @@ function createTodayTimer({ storage, getLogin, now = () => Date.now(), onChange
       return write(state) ? { identity:pending.identity, resumed } : null;
     },
     beginDetour(reason) {
-      if (!['find', 'queues', 'insights', 'device-setup', 'security-center'].includes(reason)) return null;
+      if (!['find', 'queues', 'insights', 'device-setup', 'security-center', 'live-data-status'].includes(reason)) return null;
       const state = read();
       const existing = validDetour(state);
       if (existing) return existing;
diff --git a/tests/test_live_data_status.py b/tests/test_live_data_status.py
index 54977de..33b058b 100644
--- a/tests/test_live_data_status.py
+++ b/tests/test_live_data_status.py
@@ -81,10 +81,112 @@ const controller = status.createRefreshController({{
     }
 
 
+def test_live_data_status_sheet_pauses_today_contains_focus_and_closes_through_back():
+    script = f"""
+const status = require({json.dumps(str(STATUS))});
+function element(name) {{
+  return {{name, hidden:false, inert:false, listeners:{{}}, focused:0,
+    addEventListener(type, fn) {{ this.listeners[type] = fn; }},
+    focus() {{ this.focused += 1; }},
+  }};
+}}
+const trigger = element('trigger');
+trigger.attrs = {{}};
+trigger.setAttribute = (name, value) => trigger.attrs[name] = value;
+const close = element('close');
+const refresh = element('refresh');
+const back = element('return');
+const sheet = element('sheet');
+sheet.hidden = true;
+sheet.querySelectorAll = () => [close, refresh, back];
+const header = element('header');
+const main = element('main');
+const listeners = {{}};
+const history = {{state:null, pushes:0, backs:0,
+  pushState(state) {{ this.state=state; this.pushes += 1; }},
+  back() {{ this.backs += 1; }},
+}};
+const timerView = {{begins:[], finishes:0,
+  beginDetour(reason) {{ this.begins.push(reason); return {{identity:'issue:r:42', reason}}; }},
+  finishDetour() {{ this.finishes += 1; return {{resumed:true}}; }},
+}};
+const paused = element('paused');
+paused.hidden = true;
+const controller = status.createSheetController({{
+  sheet, trigger, closeButton:close, returnButton:back, pausedStatus:paused,
+  timerView, history, historyTarget:{{addEventListener:(name, fn) => listeners[name]=fn}},
+  escapeTarget:{{addEventListener:(name, fn) => listeners[name]=fn}},
+  backgroundElements:[header, main],
+}});
+controller.start();
+controller.open();
+const opened = {{hidden:sheet.hidden, expanded:trigger.attrs['aria-expanded'], paused:paused.hidden, inert:[header.inert, main.inert],
+  begins:timerView.begins, pushes:history.pushes, closeFocused:close.focused}};
+let prevented = 0;
+listeners.keydown({{key:'Tab', target:back, shiftKey:false, preventDefault:()=>prevented++}});
+const trapped = {{prevented, closeFocused:close.focused}};
+controller.close();
+const requested = {{backs:history.backs, finishes:timerView.finishes}};
+history.state = null;
+listeners.popstate({{state:null}});
+process.stdout.write(JSON.stringify({{opened, trapped, requested, closed:{{hidden:sheet.hidden, paused:paused.hidden,
+  expanded:trigger.attrs['aria-expanded'], inert:[header.inert, main.inert], finishes:timerView.finishes,
+  triggerFocused:trigger.focused}}}}));
+"""
+    result = run_node(script)
+
+    assert result == {
+        "opened": {
+            "hidden": False,
+            "expanded": "true",
+            "paused": False,
+            "inert": [True, True],
+            "begins": ["live-data-status"],
+            "pushes": 1,
+            "closeFocused": 1,
+        },
+        "trapped": {"prevented": 1, "closeFocused": 2},
+        "requested": {"backs": 1, "finishes": 0},
+        "closed": {
+            "hidden": True,
+            "paused": True,
+            "expanded": "false",
+            "inert": [False, False],
+            "finishes": 1,
+            "triggerFocused": 1,
+        },
+    }
+
+
+def test_live_data_status_without_running_today_hides_return_and_does_not_resume():
+    script = f"""
+const status = require({json.dumps(str(STATUS))});
+function element(hidden=false) {{ return {{hidden, inert:false, listeners:{{}}, attrs:{{}},
+  addEventListener(name, fn) {{ this.listeners[name]=fn; }}, focus() {{}},
+  setAttribute(name, value) {{ this.attrs[name]=value; }}, querySelectorAll() {{ return []; }} }}; }}
+const sheet=element(true), trigger=element(), close=element(), returnButton=element();
+let finishes=0;
+const controller=status.createSheetController({{
+  sheet,trigger,closeButton:close,returnButton,
+  timerView:{{beginDetour:()=>null,finishDetour:()=>finishes++}},
+}});
+controller.start();
+controller.open();
+const opened={{returnHidden:returnButton.hidden, expanded:trigger.attrs['aria-expanded']}};
+controller.close();
+process.stdout.write(JSON.stringify({{opened, finishes}}));
+"""
+    assert run_node(script) == {
+        "opened": {"returnHidden": True, "expanded": "true"},
+        "finishes": 0,
+    }
+
+
 def test_live_data_status_has_accessible_mobile_safe_sheet_contract():
     html = HTML.read_text()
     css = CSS.read_text()
     dashboard = DASHBOARD.read_text()
+    status_source = STATUS.read_text()
 
     assert 'id="open-live-data-status"' in html
     assert 'aria-controls="live-data-status-sheet"' in html
@@ -92,10 +194,15 @@ def test_live_data_status_has_accessible_mobile_safe_sheet_contract():
     assert 'aria-labelledby="live-data-status-heading"' in html
     assert 'id="live-data-status-feeds"' in html
     assert 'id="refresh-live-data"' in html
+    assert 'id="return-from-live-data-status"' in html
+    assert 'id="live-data-status-today-paused"' in html
     assert '<script src="static/live-data-status.js"></script>' in html
     assert ".live-data-status-panel" in css
     assert "width:min(560px,100%)" in css
     assert "min-height:44px" in css
     assert "liveDataStatus.describe" in dashboard
     assert "liveDataStatus.createRefreshController" in dashboard
+    assert "liveDataStatus.mount" in dashboard
+    assert "createSheetController" in status_source
+    assert "backgroundElements:[qs('header'), qs('main'), qs('#mobile-task-dock')]" in status_source
     assert "contextPoller.getState()" in dashboard
diff --git a/tests/test_today_timer_handoff.py b/tests/test_today_timer_handoff.py
index feffe55..7584a4f 100644
--- a/tests/test_today_timer_handoff.py
+++ b/tests/test_today_timer_handoff.py
@@ -391,6 +391,35 @@ process.stdout.write(JSON.stringify({interruption, paused, returned, resumed, re
     }
 
 
+def test_live_data_status_detour_excludes_troubleshooting_time_and_resumes_once():
+    script = SOURCE.read_text() + r"""
+const values = new Map();
+const storage = {getItem:key=>values.get(key)||null,setItem:(key,value)=>values.set(key,value)};
+let now = 1000;
+const timer = createTodayTimer({storage, getLogin:()=> 'timmy', now:()=>now});
+timer.activate('issue:r:42:');
+now = 6000;
+const interruption = timer.beginDetour('live-data-status');
+now = 26000;
+const paused = timer.snapshot();
+const returned = timer.returnFromDetour('live-data-status');
+now = 28000;
+const resumed = timer.snapshot();
+const repeated = timer.returnFromDetour('live-data-status');
+process.stdout.write(JSON.stringify({interruption, paused, returned, resumed, repeated}));
+"""
+    completed = subprocess.run(["node", "-e", script], capture_output=True, text=True)
+
+    assert completed.returncode == 0, completed.stderr
+    assert json.loads(completed.stdout) == {
+        "interruption": {"identity": "issue:r:42:", "resume": True, "reason": "live-data-status"},
+        "paused": {"identity": "issue:r:42:", "elapsed_ms": 5000, "running": False},
+        "returned": {"identity": "issue:r:42:", "resumed": True, "reason": "live-data-status"},
+        "resumed": {"identity": "issue:r:42:", "elapsed_ms": 7000, "running": True},
+        "repeated": None,
+    }
+
+
 def test_mobile_detour_view_names_work_and_returns_to_today():
     script = SOURCE.read_text() + r"""
 const values = new Map();