diff --git a/x-pack/docs/en/ilm/index.asciidoc b/x-pack/docs/en/ilm/index.asciidoc
index a0815d97c3a..74351dc45e8 100644
--- a/x-pack/docs/en/ilm/index.asciidoc
+++ b/x-pack/docs/en/ilm/index.asciidoc
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ include::update-lifecycle-policy.asciidoc[]
 include::get-index-lifecycle-information.asciidoc[]
 
 :edit_url: https://github.com/elastic/elasticsearch/edit/{branch}/x-pack/docs/en/ilm/pause-resume-ilm.asciidoc
-include::pause-resume-ilm.asciidoc[]
+include::start-stop-ilm.asciidoc[]
 
 :edit_url: https://github.com/elastic/elasticsearch/edit/{branch}/x-pack/docs/en/ilm/apis/ilm-api.asciidoc
 include::{xes-repo-dir}/ilm/apis/ilm-api.asciidoc[]
diff --git a/x-pack/docs/en/ilm/pause-resume-ilm.asciidoc b/x-pack/docs/en/ilm/pause-resume-ilm.asciidoc
deleted file mode 100644
index 37ba62e02cc..00000000000
--- a/x-pack/docs/en/ilm/pause-resume-ilm.asciidoc
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,4 +0,0 @@
-[[pause-resume-ilm]]
-== Pause and resume {ilm}
-ILM can be skipped on a per-index basis
-ILM as a whole can be placed in maintenance mode
diff --git a/x-pack/docs/en/ilm/start-stop-ilm.asciidoc b/x-pack/docs/en/ilm/start-stop-ilm.asciidoc
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..9630b4f99ce
--- /dev/null
+++ b/x-pack/docs/en/ilm/start-stop-ilm.asciidoc
@@ -0,0 +1,166 @@
+[[start-stop-ilm]]
+== Start And Stop {ilm}
+
+All indices that are managed by ILM will continue to execute
+their policies. There may be times when this is not desired on certain
+indices, or maybe even all the indices in a cluster. For example,
+maybe there are scheduled maintenance windows when cluster topology
+changes are desired that may impact running ILM actions. For this reason,
+ILM has two ways to disable operations.
+
+Normally, ILM will be running by default.
+To see the current operating status of ILM, use the <<ilm-get-status,Get Status API>>
+to see the current state of ILM.
+
+////
+[source,js]
+--------------------------------------------------
+PUT _ilm/my_policy
+{
+  "policy": {
+    "phases": {
+      "warm": {
+        "minimum_age": "10d",
+        "actions": {
+          "forcemerge": {
+            "max_num_segments": 1
+          }
+        }
+      },
+      "delete": {
+        "minimum_age": "30d",
+        "actions": {
+          "delete": {}
+        }
+      }
+    }
+  }
+}
+
+PUT my_index
+{
+  "settings": {
+    "index.lifecycle.name": "my_policy"
+  }
+}
+--------------------------------------------------
+// CONSOLE
+////
+
+[source,js]
+--------------------------------------------------
+GET _ilm/status
+--------------------------------------------------
+// CONSOLE
+
+If the request does not encounter errors, you receive the following result:
+
+[source,js]
+--------------------------------------------------
+{
+  "operation_mode": "RUNNING"
+}
+--------------------------------------------------
+// CONSOLE
+// TESTRESPONSE
+
+The operating modes of ILM:
+
+
+.ILM Operating Modes
+|===
+|Name |Description
+|RUNNING |Normal operation where all policies are executed as normal
+|STOPPING|ILM has received a request to stop but is still processing some policies
+|STOPPED |This represents a state where no policies are executed
+|===
+
+=== Stopping ILM
+
+The ILM service can be paused such that no further steps will be executed
+using the <<ilm-stop,Stop API>>.
+
+[source,js]
+--------------------------------------------------
+POST _ilm/stop
+--------------------------------------------------
+// CONSOLE
+// TEST[continued]
+
+When stopped, all further policy actions will be halted. This will
+be reflected in the Status API
+
+////
+[source,js]
+--------------------------------------------------
+GET _ilm/status
+--------------------------------------------------
+// CONSOLE
+// TEST[continued]
+////
+
+[source,js]
+--------------------------------------------------
+{
+  "operation_mode": "STOPPING"
+}
+--------------------------------------------------
+// CONSOLE
+// TESTRESPONSE
+
+The ILM service will then, asynchronously, run all policies to a point
+where it is safe to stop. After ILM verifies that it is safe, it will
+move to the `STOPPED` mode.
+
+////
+[source,js]
+--------------------------------------------------
+PUT trigger_ilm_cs_action
+
+GET _ilm/status
+--------------------------------------------------
+// CONSOLE
+// TEST[continued]
+////
+
+[source,js]
+--------------------------------------------------
+{
+  "operation_mode": "STOPPED"
+}
+--------------------------------------------------
+// CONSOLE
+// TESTRESPONSE
+
+=== Starting ILM
+
+To start ILM and continue executing policies, use the <<ilm-start, Start API>>.
+
+
+[source,js]
+--------------------------------------------------
+POST _ilm/start
+--------------------------------------------------
+// CONSOLE
+// TEST[continued]
+
+////
+[source,js]
+--------------------------------------------------
+GET _ilm/status
+--------------------------------------------------
+// CONSOLE
+// TEST[continued]
+////
+
+The Start API will send a request to the ILM service to immediately begin
+normal operations.
+
+[source,js]
+--------------------------------------------------
+{
+  "operation_mode": "RUNNING"
+}
+--------------------------------------------------
+// CONSOLE
+// TESTRESPONSE