diff --git a/src/hooks/useRestTimer.test.ts b/src/hooks/useRestTimer.test.ts
index 3ca6f68..7e699af 100644
--- a/src/hooks/useRestTimer.test.ts
+++ b/src/hooks/useRestTimer.test.ts
@@ -297,4 +297,135 @@ describe('useRestTimer', () => {
     expect(result.current.state).toBe('idle');
     expect(result.current.remainingSeconds).toBe(0);
   });
+
+  it('should stop interval when app goes to background', () => {
+    const { result } = renderHook(() => useRestTimer());
+
+    act(() => {
+      result.current.start(60);
+    });
+
+    act(() => {
+      jest.advanceTimersByTime(5000);
+    });
+
+    expect(result.current.remainingSeconds).toBe(55);
+
+    // Simulate going to background
+    act(() => {
+      appStateCallback?.('background');
+    });
+
+    // Advance timers — interval should be cleared so no further decrements via interval
+    const remainingAfterBackground = result.current.remainingSeconds;
+    act(() => {
+      jest.advanceTimersByTime(10000);
+    });
+
+    // remainingSeconds should NOT change because the interval was cleared
+    // (Date.now still advances in fake timers, but no interval tick to update state)
+    expect(result.current.remainingSeconds).toBe(remainingAfterBackground);
+    expect(result.current.state).toBe('running');
+  });
+
+  it('should restart interval when app returns to foreground after background', () => {
+    const { result } = renderHook(() => useRestTimer());
+
+    act(() => {
+      result.current.start(60);
+    });
+
+    act(() => {
+      jest.advanceTimersByTime(5000);
+    });
+
+    expect(result.current.remainingSeconds).toBe(55);
+
+    // Go to background
+    act(() => {
+      appStateCallback?.('background');
+    });
+
+    // Simulate 10s passing in background (Date.now advances but no interval)
+    act(() => {
+      jest.advanceTimersByTime(10000);
+    });
+
+    // Come back to foreground
+    act(() => {
+      appStateCallback?.('active');
+    });
+
+    // Should have recalculated: 60 - 15 = 45
+    expect(result.current.remainingSeconds).toBe(45);
+    expect(result.current.state).toBe('running');
+
+    // Interval should be running again — advance 2s
+    act(() => {
+      jest.advanceTimersByTime(2000);
+    });
+
+    expect(result.current.remainingSeconds).toBe(43);
+  });
+
+  it('should finish timer on foreground return when timer expired during background', () => {
+    const { result } = renderHook(() => useRestTimer());
+
+    act(() => {
+      result.current.start(10);
+    });
+
+    act(() => {
+      jest.advanceTimersByTime(3000);
+    });
+
+    expect(result.current.remainingSeconds).toBe(7);
+
+    // Go to background
+    act(() => {
+      appStateCallback?.('background');
+    });
+
+    // Simulate 20s in background — more than remaining 7s
+    act(() => {
+      jest.advanceTimersByTime(20000);
+    });
+
+    // Still running because interval was cleared in background
+    expect(result.current.state).toBe('running');
+
+    // Come back to foreground — timer should detect expiration
+    act(() => {
+      appStateCallback?.('active');
+    });
+
+    expect(result.current.state).toBe('finished');
+    expect(result.current.remainingSeconds).toBe(0);
+  });
+
+  it('should not stop interval when going to background if timer is idle', () => {
+    const { result } = renderHook(() => useRestTimer());
+
+    // Go to background while idle — should not throw or change state
+    act(() => {
+      appStateCallback?.('background');
+    });
+
+    expect(result.current.state).toBe('idle');
+  });
+
+  it('should not restart interval when returning from background if timer is idle', () => {
+    const { result } = renderHook(() => useRestTimer());
+
+    act(() => {
+      appStateCallback?.('background');
+    });
+
+    act(() => {
+      appStateCallback?.('active');
+    });
+
+    expect(result.current.state).toBe('idle');
+    expect(result.current.remainingSeconds).toBe(0);
+  });
 });
diff --git a/src/hooks/useRestTimer.ts b/src/hooks/useRestTimer.ts
index bca5072..6447888 100644
--- a/src/hooks/useRestTimer.ts
+++ b/src/hooks/useRestTimer.ts
@@ -65,15 +65,30 @@ export function useRestTimer(defaultSeconds: number = 90): UseRestTimerReturn {
     playFinishFeedback();
   }, [clearTimer, playFinishFeedback]);
 
-  // Recalculate on AppState change (background -> foreground)
+  const startInterval = useCallback(() => {
+    clearTimer();
+    intervalRef.current = setInterval(() => {
+      const remaining = calcRemaining();
+      if (remaining <= 0) {
+        finishTimer();
+      } else {
+        setRemainingSeconds(remaining);
+      }
+    }, 1000);
+  }, [clearTimer, calcRemaining, finishTimer]);
+
+  // Pause interval on background, recalculate and resume on foreground
   useEffect(() => {
     const subscription = AppState.addEventListener('change', (nextState) => {
-      if (nextState === 'active' && startedAtRef.current > 0) {
+      if (nextState === 'background' || nextState === 'inactive') {
+        clearTimer();
+      } else if (nextState === 'active' && startedAtRef.current > 0) {
         const remaining = calcRemaining();
         if (remaining <= 0) {
           finishTimer();
         } else {
           setRemainingSeconds(remaining);
+          startInterval();
         }
       }
     });
@@ -81,7 +96,7 @@ export function useRestTimer(defaultSeconds: number = 90): UseRestTimerReturn {
     return () => {
       subscription.remove();
     };
-  }, [calcRemaining, finishTimer]);
+  }, [calcRemaining, finishTimer, clearTimer, startInterval]);
 
   // Cleanup on unmount
   useEffect(() => {
@@ -101,16 +116,9 @@ export function useRestTimer(defaultSeconds: number = 90): UseRestTimerReturn {
       setTotalSeconds(duration);
       setState('running');
 
-      intervalRef.current = setInterval(() => {
-        const remaining = calcRemaining();
-        if (remaining <= 0) {
-          finishTimer();
-        } else {
-          setRemainingSeconds(remaining);
-        }
-      }, 1000);
+      startInterval();
     },
-    [defaultSeconds, clearTimer, calcRemaining, finishTimer],
+    [defaultSeconds, clearTimer, startInterval],
   );
 
   const skip = useCallback(() => {