A processing device in a memory sub-system sends a program command to the memory device to cause the memory device to initiate a program operation on a corresponding wordline and sub-block of a memory array of the memory device. The processing device further receives a request to perform a read operation on data stored on the wordline and sub-block of the memory array, sends a suspend command to the memory device to cause the memory device to suspend the program operation, reads data corresponding to the read operation from a page cache of the memory device, and sends a resume command to the memory device to cause the memory device to resume the program operation.