diff --git a/apps/server/src/main.ts b/apps/server/src/main.ts
index 6d157dbf6..468b3005b 100644
--- a/apps/server/src/main.ts
+++ b/apps/server/src/main.ts
@@ -118,7 +118,13 @@ export class Application {
 
     // Immediate exit without graceful shutdown. Chromium may kill us on update/restart,
     // and we need to free the port instantly so the HTTP port doesn't keep switching.
-    process.exit(EXIT_CODES.SUCCESS)
+    // Exit 0 only for managed shutdowns (POST /shutdown from Chromium).
+    // Signal kills exit non-zero so Chromium's OnProcessExited restarts us.
+    const code =
+      reason === 'SIGTERM' || reason === 'SIGINT'
+        ? EXIT_CODES.SIGNAL_KILL
+        : EXIT_CODES.SUCCESS
+    process.exit(code)
   }
 
   private initCoreServices(): void {
diff --git a/packages/shared/src/constants/exit-codes.ts b/packages/shared/src/constants/exit-codes.ts
index 245d6d5a7..b82d830a0 100644
--- a/packages/shared/src/constants/exit-codes.ts
+++ b/packages/shared/src/constants/exit-codes.ts
@@ -16,6 +16,9 @@ export const EXIT_CODES = {
 
   /** Port conflict after retries - Chromium should increment port and restart */
   PORT_CONFLICT: 2,
+
+  /** Killed by external signal - Chromium should restart */
+  SIGNAL_KILL: 3,
 } as const
 
 export type ExitCode = (typeof EXIT_CODES)[keyof typeof EXIT_CODES]