diff --git a/scripts/watch-node.mjs b/scripts/watch-node.mjs
index aa90d15f9a7..c8fca7e627a 100644
--- a/scripts/watch-node.mjs
+++ b/scripts/watch-node.mjs
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ const WATCH_RESTARTABLE_CHILD_SIGNALS = new Set(["SIGTERM"]);
 const WATCH_IGNORED_PATH_SEGMENTS = new Set([".git", "dist", "node_modules"]);
 const WATCH_LOCK_WAIT_MS = 5_000;
 const WATCH_LOCK_POLL_MS = 100;
+const WATCH_SHUTDOWN_KILL_GRACE_MS = 5_000;
 const WATCH_LOCK_DIR = path.join(".local", "watch-node");
 const AUTO_DOCTOR_DISABLE_VALUES = new Set(["0", "false", "no", "off"]);
 
@@ -292,12 +293,17 @@ export async function runWatchMain(params = {}) {
     let watcher = null;
     let lockHandle = null;
     let autoDoctorAttempted = false;
+    let shutdownExitCode = null;
+    let shutdownKillTimer = null;
 
     const settle = (code) => {
       if (settled) {
         return;
       }
       settled = true;
+      if (shutdownKillTimer) {
+        clearTimeout(shutdownKillTimer);
+      }
       if (onSigInt) {
         deps.process.off("SIGINT", onSigInt);
       }
@@ -309,6 +315,30 @@ export async function runWatchMain(params = {}) {
       resolve(code);
     };
 
+    const requestShutdown = (code) => {
+      shuttingDown = true;
+      shutdownExitCode = code;
+      if (!watchProcess || typeof watchProcess.kill !== "function") {
+        settle(code);
+        return;
+      }
+      watchProcess.kill(WATCH_RESTART_SIGNAL);
+      shutdownKillTimer ??= setTimeout(() => {
+        shutdownKillTimer = null;
+        if (watchProcess && typeof watchProcess.kill === "function") {
+          watchProcess.kill("SIGKILL");
+        }
+      }, WATCH_SHUTDOWN_KILL_GRACE_MS);
+    };
+
+    const settleIfShuttingDown = () => {
+      if (!shuttingDown || shutdownExitCode === null) {
+        return false;
+      }
+      settle(shutdownExitCode);
+      return true;
+    };
+
     const startRunner = () => {
       watchProcess = deps.spawn(deps.process.execPath, buildRunnerArgs(deps.args), {
         cwd: deps.cwd,
@@ -322,7 +352,7 @@ export async function runWatchMain(params = {}) {
       });
       watchProcess.on("exit", (exitCode, exitSignal) => {
         watchProcess = null;
-        if (shuttingDown) {
+        if (settleIfShuttingDown()) {
           return;
         }
         if (restartRequested || shouldRestartAfterChildExit(exitCode, exitSignal)) {
@@ -339,11 +369,7 @@ export async function runWatchMain(params = {}) {
     };
 
     const handleWatcherError = () => {
-      shuttingDown = true;
-      if (watchProcess && typeof watchProcess.kill === "function") {
-        watchProcess.kill(WATCH_RESTART_SIGNAL);
-      }
-      settle(1);
+      requestShutdown(1);
     };
 
     const rejectWatcherStartupError = (err) => {
@@ -396,7 +422,7 @@ export async function runWatchMain(params = {}) {
       });
       watchProcess.on("exit", (exitCode, exitSignal) => {
         watchProcess = null;
-        if (shuttingDown) {
+        if (settleIfShuttingDown()) {
           return;
         }
         if (exitCode === 0 && !exitSignal) {
@@ -450,18 +476,10 @@ export async function runWatchMain(params = {}) {
     };
 
     const onSigInt = () => {
-      shuttingDown = true;
-      if (watchProcess && typeof watchProcess.kill === "function") {
-        watchProcess.kill(WATCH_RESTART_SIGNAL);
-      }
-      settle(130);
+      requestShutdown(130);
     };
     const onSigTerm = () => {
-      shuttingDown = true;
-      if (watchProcess && typeof watchProcess.kill === "function") {
-        watchProcess.kill(WATCH_RESTART_SIGNAL);
-      }
-      settle(143);
+      requestShutdown(143);
     };
 
     deps.process.on("SIGINT", onSigInt);
diff --git a/test/scripts/watch-node.test.ts b/test/scripts/watch-node.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..9f606bea1ac
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/scripts/watch-node.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,89 @@
+import { EventEmitter } from "node:events";
+import { afterEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
+import { runWatchMain } from "../../scripts/watch-node.mjs";
+
+class FakeProcess extends EventEmitter {
+  execPath = process.execPath;
+  pid = 12345;
+  stderr = {
+    write: () => true,
+  };
+}
+
+class FakeChild extends EventEmitter {
+  signals: string[] = [];
+
+  kill(signal: string): boolean {
+    this.signals.push(signal);
+    if (signal === "SIGKILL") {
+      this.emit("exit", null, "SIGKILL");
+    }
+    return true;
+  }
+}
+
+describe("watch-node shutdown cleanup", () => {
+  afterEach(() => {
+    vi.useRealTimers();
+  });
+
+  it("waits for the child and escalates when interrupted children ignore SIGTERM", async () => {
+    vi.useFakeTimers();
+    const fakeProcess = new FakeProcess();
+    const child = new FakeChild();
+    let resolvedCode: number | undefined;
+
+    const run = runWatchMain({
+      args: ["gateway"],
+      createWatcher: () => ({ close: async () => {}, on: () => {} }),
+      lockDisabled: true,
+      process: fakeProcess as unknown as NodeJS.Process,
+      spawn: () => child as never,
+    }).then((code) => {
+      resolvedCode = code;
+      return code;
+    });
+
+    fakeProcess.emit("SIGTERM");
+    await vi.advanceTimersByTimeAsync(4_999);
+    expect(resolvedCode).toBeUndefined();
+    expect(child.signals).toEqual(["SIGTERM"]);
+
+    await vi.advanceTimersByTimeAsync(1);
+    await expect(run).resolves.toBe(143);
+    expect(child.signals).toEqual(["SIGTERM", "SIGKILL"]);
+  });
+
+  it("waits for the auto-doctor child when interrupted during repair", async () => {
+    vi.useFakeTimers();
+    const fakeProcess = new FakeProcess();
+    const runner = new FakeChild();
+    const doctor = new FakeChild();
+    const children = [runner, doctor];
+    let resolvedCode: number | undefined;
+
+    const run = runWatchMain({
+      args: ["gateway"],
+      createWatcher: () => ({ close: async () => {}, on: () => {} }),
+      env: {},
+      lockDisabled: true,
+      process: fakeProcess as unknown as NodeJS.Process,
+      spawn: () => children.shift() as never,
+    }).then((code) => {
+      resolvedCode = code;
+      return code;
+    });
+
+    runner.emit("exit", 1, null);
+    expect(children).toHaveLength(0);
+
+    fakeProcess.emit("SIGTERM");
+    await vi.advanceTimersByTimeAsync(4_999);
+    expect(resolvedCode).toBeUndefined();
+    expect(doctor.signals).toEqual(["SIGTERM"]);
+
+    await vi.advanceTimersByTimeAsync(1);
+    await expect(run).resolves.toBe(143);
+    expect(doctor.signals).toEqual(["SIGTERM", "SIGKILL"]);
+  });
+});