diff --git a/crates/colibri-daemon/src/main.rs b/crates/colibri-daemon/src/main.rs
index ee465fa..729d76d 100644
--- a/crates/colibri-daemon/src/main.rs
+++ b/crates/colibri-daemon/src/main.rs
@@ -71,9 +71,8 @@ async fn main() -> Result<(), Box<dyn std::error::Error>> {
     // Start the Colibri control-plane socket server
     let socket_state = state.clone();
     let socket_shutdown = state.shutdown_rx.resubscribe();
-    let socket_handle = tokio::spawn(async move {
-        socket::serve(socket_state, socket_shutdown).await;
-    });
+    let socket_handle =
+        tokio::spawn(async move { socket::serve(socket_state, socket_shutdown).await });
 
     // Start the daemon background loop (heartbeat, session rotation, scheduler)
     let loop_state = state.clone();
@@ -86,8 +85,8 @@ async fn main() -> Result<(), Box<dyn std::error::Error>> {
     // Listen for shutdown signals
     let shutdown_state = state.clone();
     tokio::spawn(async move {
-        tokio::signal::ctrl_c().await.ok();
-        info!("received interrupt signal, initiating graceful shutdown");
+        wait_for_shutdown_signal().await;
+        info!("received shutdown signal, initiating graceful shutdown");
         let _ = shutdown_state.shutdown_tx.send(());
 
         // Give sub-tasks a moment to clean up
@@ -103,9 +102,49 @@ async fn main() -> Result<(), Box<dyn std::error::Error>> {
 
     // Wait for both the socket server and the daemon loop to finish
     let (socket_result, loop_result) = tokio::join!(socket_handle, loop_handle);
-    socket_result?;
+    socket_result??;
     loop_result?;
 
     info!("colibri-daemon shut down cleanly");
     Ok(())
 }
+
+/// Wait for a process shutdown signal.
+///
+/// On Unix this resolves on **either** SIGTERM (what `service stop`/`restart`
+/// sends — daemon(8) forwards it to this child) or SIGINT (Ctrl+C). Handling
+/// SIGTERM is what lets the graceful path run on a normal `service stop`: the
+/// socket is removed (see `socket::serve`) and spawned agents are reaped. Awaiting
+/// only `ctrl_c()` (SIGINT) would leave SIGTERM on its default disposition —
+/// immediate kill with no cleanup, leaking the socket file and child agents.
+#[cfg(unix)]
+async fn wait_for_shutdown_signal() {
+    use tokio::signal::unix::{signal, SignalKind};
+
+    let mut sigterm = match signal(SignalKind::terminate()) {
+        Ok(s) => s,
+        Err(e) => {
+            tracing::error!(error = %e, "failed to install SIGTERM handler; falling back to SIGINT only");
+            tokio::signal::ctrl_c().await.ok();
+            return;
+        }
+    };
+    let mut sigint = match signal(SignalKind::interrupt()) {
+        Ok(s) => s,
+        Err(e) => {
+            tracing::error!(error = %e, "failed to install SIGINT handler; waiting on SIGTERM only");
+            sigterm.recv().await;
+            return;
+        }
+    };
+
+    tokio::select! {
+        _ = sigterm.recv() => info!("received SIGTERM"),
+        _ = sigint.recv() => info!("received SIGINT"),
+    }
+}
+
+#[cfg(not(unix))]
+async fn wait_for_shutdown_signal() {
+    tokio::signal::ctrl_c().await.ok();
+}
diff --git a/crates/colibri-daemon/src/socket.rs b/crates/colibri-daemon/src/socket.rs
index 150251b..923de49 100644
--- a/crates/colibri-daemon/src/socket.rs
+++ b/crates/colibri-daemon/src/socket.rs
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 //!   - Client sends: `{"cmd":"status"}\n`
 //!   - Server responds: `{"ok":true,"data":{...}}\n`
 
-use std::time::SystemTime;
+use std::{io, time::SystemTime};
 
 use std::collections::HashMap;
 
@@ -26,20 +26,59 @@ use crate::{ColibriCommand, ColibriResponse, SharedState};
 // Socket server
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
+/// Prepare `socket_path` for `bind()`: remove a stale socket file, but never one
+/// a live daemon is still serving.
+///
+/// A bare `remove_file` would happily delete the socket of a running instance —
+/// e.g. if rc.subr's pid detection misfires and a second daemon starts — which
+/// orphans the first and races two listeners on the same path. So probe first:
+///
+/// - file absent → nothing to do, `true` (safe to bind)
+/// - connect succeeds → another daemon owns it → `false` (caller must NOT bind)
+/// - connect refused / not a socket → stale leftover → remove it, `true`
+///
+/// Returns `true` when the caller may proceed to `bind()`.
+async fn clear_stale_socket(socket_path: &std::path::Path) -> bool {
+    if !socket_path.exists() {
+        return true;
+    }
+    match UnixStream::connect(socket_path).await {
+        Ok(_) => {
+            error!(
+                path = %socket_path.display(),
+                "another colibri-daemon is already listening on this socket; refusing to start"
+            );
+            false
+        }
+        Err(_) => {
+            // Stale socket (connection refused, or not a socket): safe to remove.
+            if let Err(e) = tokio::fs::remove_file(socket_path).await {
+                warn!(
+                    path = %socket_path.display(),
+                    error = %e,
+                    "failed to remove stale socket file"
+                );
+            }
+            true
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 /// Run the Colibri control-plane socket server. Binds to the configured Unix socket path
 /// and processes inbound commands until a shutdown signal is received.
-pub async fn serve(state: SharedState, mut shutdown_rx: broadcast::Receiver<()>) {
+pub async fn serve(state: SharedState, mut shutdown_rx: broadcast::Receiver<()>) -> io::Result<()> {
     let socket_path = state.config.socket_path.clone();
 
-    // Clean up stale socket file
-    if socket_path.exists() {
-        if let Err(e) = tokio::fs::remove_file(&socket_path).await {
-            warn!(
-                path = %socket_path.display(),
-                error = %e,
-                "failed to remove stale socket file"
-            );
-        }
+    // Clear a stale socket file, refusing to start if a live daemon owns it.
+    if !clear_stale_socket(&socket_path).await {
+        let _ = state.shutdown_tx.send(());
+        return Err(io::Error::new(
+            io::ErrorKind::AddrInUse,
+            format!(
+                "another colibri-daemon is already listening on {}",
+                socket_path.display()
+            ),
+        ));
     }
 
     // Ensure parent directory exists
@@ -50,7 +89,8 @@ pub async fn serve(state: SharedState, mut shutdown_rx: broadcast::Receiver<()>)
                 error = %e,
                 "failed to create socket parent directory"
             );
-            return;
+            let _ = state.shutdown_tx.send(());
+            return Err(e);
         }
     }
 
@@ -62,7 +102,8 @@ pub async fn serve(state: SharedState, mut shutdown_rx: broadcast::Receiver<()>)
                 error = %e,
                 "failed to bind Unix socket"
             );
-            return;
+            let _ = state.shutdown_tx.send(());
+            return Err(e);
         }
     };
 
@@ -111,6 +152,7 @@ pub async fn serve(state: SharedState, mut shutdown_rx: broadcast::Receiver<()>)
     // Clean up socket file on graceful exit
     let _ = tokio::fs::remove_file(&socket_path).await;
     info!("Colibri control-plane socket shut down");
+    Ok(())
 }
 
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -785,4 +827,56 @@ mod tests {
         assert_eq!(pane.state, colibri_glasspane::AgentState::Done);
         assert_eq!(pane.pi_session_id.as_deref(), Some("pi-fake"));
     }
+
+    #[tokio::test]
+    async fn clear_stale_socket_returns_true_when_absent() {
+        let dir = std::env::temp_dir().join(format!(
+            "colibri-daemon-socket-test-{}",
+            uuid::Uuid::new_v4()
+        ));
+        std::fs::create_dir_all(&dir).unwrap();
+        let path = dir.join("colibri.sock");
+        assert!(!path.exists());
+        assert!(clear_stale_socket(&path).await, "absent socket is bindable");
+        let _ = std::fs::remove_dir_all(&dir);
+    }
+
+    #[tokio::test]
+    async fn clear_stale_socket_removes_dead_socket_file() {
+        let dir = std::env::temp_dir().join(format!(
+            "colibri-daemon-socket-test-{}",
+            uuid::Uuid::new_v4()
+        ));
+        std::fs::create_dir_all(&dir).unwrap();
+        let path = dir.join("colibri.sock");
+        // A bound-then-dropped listener leaves the socket file with no listener
+        // behind it — exactly the "stale leftover after a hard kill" case.
+        let listener = UnixListener::bind(&path).unwrap();
+        drop(listener);
+        assert!(path.exists(), "dropped listener leaves the socket file");
+        assert!(
+            clear_stale_socket(&path).await,
+            "stale socket should be cleared and bindable"
+        );
+        assert!(!path.exists(), "stale socket file should have been removed");
+        let _ = std::fs::remove_dir_all(&dir);
+    }
+
+    #[tokio::test]
+    async fn clear_stale_socket_refuses_when_live_listener_present() {
+        let dir = std::env::temp_dir().join(format!(
+            "colibri-daemon-socket-test-{}",
+            uuid::Uuid::new_v4()
+        ));
+        std::fs::create_dir_all(&dir).unwrap();
+        let path = dir.join("colibri.sock");
+        // Hold a live listener: a connect will succeed, so cleanup must refuse.
+        let _listener = UnixListener::bind(&path).unwrap();
+        assert!(
+            !clear_stale_socket(&path).await,
+            "must refuse to clear a socket a live daemon is serving"
+        );
+        assert!(path.exists(), "live socket must not be removed");
+        let _ = std::fs::remove_dir_all(&dir);
+    }
 }
diff --git a/crates/colibri-daemon/tests/intake_scheduler_loop.rs b/crates/colibri-daemon/tests/intake_scheduler_loop.rs
index a4514b8..e67e0a9 100644
--- a/crates/colibri-daemon/tests/intake_scheduler_loop.rs
+++ b/crates/colibri-daemon/tests/intake_scheduler_loop.rs
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ async fn intake_task_over_socket_drains_to_sqlite_via_run_loop() {
     let server_state = state.clone();
     let server_shutdown = state.shutdown_rx.resubscribe();
     let server = tokio::spawn(async move {
-        socket::serve(server_state, server_shutdown).await;
+        let _ = socket::serve(server_state, server_shutdown).await;
     });
 
     // Background loop with a fast scheduler tick so the test stays quick.
diff --git a/crates/colibri-daemon/tests/sigterm_shutdown.rs b/crates/colibri-daemon/tests/sigterm_shutdown.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..34f9ac3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/colibri-daemon/tests/sigterm_shutdown.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,74 @@
+//! Graceful-shutdown-on-SIGTERM proof — integration test.
+//!
+//! `service stop`/`restart` on FreeBSD sends SIGTERM (daemon(8) forwards it to
+//! the colibri-daemon child). The daemon must treat SIGTERM like SIGINT: run the
+//! graceful path and remove its Unix socket on the way out. If SIGTERM were left
+//! on its default disposition, the child would die without cleanup and leak the
+//! socket file — which is what forced the rc.d script to `rm` it. This test
+//! spawns the real binary, waits for the socket, sends SIGTERM, and asserts the
+//! socket is gone.
+#![cfg(unix)]
+
+use std::process::Command as StdCommand;
+use std::time::{Duration, Instant};
+
+#[tokio::test]
+async fn sigterm_triggers_graceful_socket_cleanup() {
+    let tmp = std::env::temp_dir().join(format!("colibri-sigterm-test-{}", std::process::id()));
+    std::fs::create_dir_all(&tmp).expect("create temp data dir");
+    let socket_path = tmp.join("colibri.sock");
+
+    let bin = env!("CARGO_BIN_EXE_colibri-daemon");
+    let mut child = StdCommand::new(bin)
+        .env("COLIBRI_DAEMON_DATA_DIR", &tmp)
+        .env("COLIBRI_DAEMON_SOCKET", &socket_path)
+        .env("COLIBRI_DB_PATH", tmp.join("colibri.sqlite"))
+        .env("COLIBRI_HOST", "sigterm-test")
+        // Keep logs quiet; errors still surface on failure via the assertions.
+        .env("RUST_LOG", "warn")
+        .spawn()
+        .expect("failed to spawn colibri-daemon");
+
+    // Wait for the daemon to bind its socket (it forks no children of its own
+    // here; the file appears once `socket::serve` calls bind()).
+    let deadline = Instant::now() + Duration::from_secs(15);
+    while !socket_path.exists() {
+        if Instant::now() > deadline {
+            let _ = child.kill();
+            panic!("daemon did not create socket within timeout");
+        }
+        tokio::time::sleep(Duration::from_millis(100)).await;
+    }
+
+    // Send SIGTERM (the signal `service stop` delivers), then wait for exit.
+    let pid = child.id();
+    let status = StdCommand::new("kill")
+        .arg("-TERM")
+        .arg(pid.to_string())
+        .status()
+        .expect("failed to run kill");
+    assert!(status.success(), "kill -TERM failed");
+
+    // Poll for process exit so we don't block forever if shutdown hangs.
+    let deadline = Instant::now() + Duration::from_secs(15);
+    loop {
+        match child.try_wait().expect("try_wait failed") {
+            Some(_) => break,
+            None => {
+                if Instant::now() > deadline {
+                    let _ = child.kill();
+                    panic!("daemon did not exit within timeout after SIGTERM");
+                }
+                tokio::time::sleep(Duration::from_millis(100)).await;
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    assert!(
+        !socket_path.exists(),
+        "socket file should be removed by the graceful SIGTERM path, but it still exists at {}",
+        socket_path.display()
+    );
+
+    let _ = std::fs::remove_dir_all(&tmp);
+}
diff --git a/docs/ISO-ACCEPTANCE-RUNBOOK.md b/docs/ISO-ACCEPTANCE-RUNBOOK.md
index 6966b8f..1b4546a 100644
--- a/docs/ISO-ACCEPTANCE-RUNBOOK.md
+++ b/docs/ISO-ACCEPTANCE-RUNBOOK.md
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ tasks
 scheduler.interval_secs
 ```
 
-Confirm `cost.mode` matches `colibri_cost_mode` from rc.conf.
+Confirm `cost.mode` matches `colibri_daemon_cost_mode` from rc.conf.
 
 ## 3. Task board check
 
diff --git a/docs/ISO-SERVICE-LAYOUT.md b/docs/ISO-SERVICE-LAYOUT.md
index 3268b3c..a6b2e62 100644
--- a/docs/ISO-SERVICE-LAYOUT.md
+++ b/docs/ISO-SERVICE-LAYOUT.md
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@
 /usr/local/etc/rc.d/colibri_daemon    ← rc.d service script
 /usr/local/etc/colibri/
   rc.conf.sample                      ← service config template
+  provider.env                        ← optional API keys (mode 0600, root-owned)
 /usr/local/etc/newsyslog.conf.d/
   colibri.conf                        ← log rotation (1MB, 7 archives)
 
@@ -27,8 +28,9 @@
   sessions/                           ← JSONL session files
 
 /var/run/colibri/                     ← tmpfs (recreated each boot)
-  colibri.sock                        ← Unix socket (750 colibri:colibri)
-  colibri-daemon.pid                  ← daemon(8) supervisor pidfile
+  colibri.sock                        ← Unix socket (770 colibri:colibri, set by daemon)
+  colibri-daemon.pid                  ← child pidfile (daemon(8) -p)
+  colibri-daemon-supervisor.pid       ← supervisor pidfile (daemon(8) -P)
 
 /var/log/colibri/                     ← persistent logs
   daemon.log                          ← stdout/stderr from colibri-daemon
@@ -45,8 +47,8 @@
 
 ## Shutdown behavior
 
-1. `rc.d` sends SIGTERM to daemon(8)
-2. daemon(8) forwards to colibri-daemon child
+1. `rc.d` sends SIGTERM to daemon(8) supervisor (via custom `stop_cmd`)
+2. Supervisor forwards signal to colibri-daemon child and exits (no restart)
 3. Colibri closes socket, flushes SQLite, stops scheduler
 4. `poststop`: removes stale socket from tmpfs
 
@@ -67,17 +69,17 @@ colibri list-tasks --status queued
 
 ## Config knobs (set in /etc/rc.conf or /etc/rc.conf.d/colibri_daemon)
 
-| Variable                  | Default                     | Purpose                 |
-| ------------------------- | --------------------------- | ----------------------- |
-| `colibri_daemon_enable`   | NO                          | Enable at boot (YES/NO) |
-| `colibri_daemon_user`     | colibri                     | Runtime user            |
-| `colibri_daemon_group`    | colibri                     | Runtime group           |
-| `colibri_cost_mode`       | smart                       | fast/smart/max          |
-| `colibri_daemon_data_dir` | /var/db/colibri             | Persistent data         |
-| `colibri_daemon_run_dir`  | /var/run/colibri            | tmpfs runtime           |
-| `colibri_daemon_socket`   | $run_dir/colibri.sock       | Unix socket path        |
-| `colibri_daemon_db_path`  | $data_dir/colibri.sqlite    | SQLite path             |
-| `colibri_daemon_logfile`  | /var/log/colibri/daemon.log | Log output              |
+| Variable                   | Default                     | Purpose                 |
+| -------------------------- | --------------------------- | ----------------------- |
+| `colibri_daemon_enable`    | NO                          | Enable at boot (YES/NO) |
+| `colibri_daemon_user`      | colibri                     | Runtime user            |
+| `colibri_daemon_group`     | colibri                     | Runtime group           |
+| `colibri_daemon_cost_mode` | smart                       | fast/smart/max          |
+| `colibri_daemon_data_dir`  | /var/db/colibri             | Persistent data         |
+| `colibri_daemon_run_dir`   | /var/run/colibri            | tmpfs runtime           |
+| `colibri_daemon_socket`    | $run_dir/colibri.sock       | Unix socket path        |
+| `colibri_daemon_db_path`   | $data_dir/colibri.sqlite    | SQLite path             |
+| `colibri_daemon_logfile`   | /var/log/colibri/daemon.log | Log output              |
 
 ## Log rotation
 
diff --git a/packaging/freebsd/colibri_daemon.in b/packaging/freebsd/colibri_daemon.in
index 2f3ccf6..60ec12a 100644
--- a/packaging/freebsd/colibri_daemon.in
+++ b/packaging/freebsd/colibri_daemon.in
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ load_rc_config $name
 : ${colibri_daemon_logfile:="/var/log/colibri/daemon.log"}
 : ${colibri_daemon_provider_env:="/usr/local/etc/colibri/provider.env"}
 : ${colibri_daemon_host:="$(/bin/hostname)"}
-: ${colibri_cost_mode:="smart"}
+: ${colibri_daemon_cost_mode:="smart"}
 
 pidfile="${colibri_daemon_run_dir}/colibri-daemon.pid"
 # Supervisor pidfile (the daemon(8) parent). Kept distinct from the child
@@ -84,9 +84,12 @@ colibri_daemon_prestart()
     install -d -o "${colibri_daemon_user}" -g "${colibri_daemon_group}" -m 0750 \
         "$(/usr/bin/dirname "${colibri_daemon_logfile}")"
 
-    # Clear runtime files before starting so repeated service starts always
-    # bind a fresh socket and write fresh pidfiles.
-    rm -f "${colibri_daemon_socket}" "${pidfile}" "${supervisor_pidfile}"
+    # Clear stale pidfiles before starting so a previous hard-killed run does
+    # not trip rc.subr's "already running" check. The socket is left to the
+    # daemon: it removes a stale socket on bind but refuses to start if a live
+    # daemon is already listening, so an rc-side rm here could only clobber a
+    # running instance.
+    rm -f "${pidfile}" "${supervisor_pidfile}"
 
     # Provider keys are optional. Keep them in a root-owned env file instead of
     # rc.conf so they are easy to rotate and not world-readable.
@@ -101,7 +104,7 @@ colibri_daemon_prestart()
     export COLIBRI_DAEMON_SOCKET="${colibri_daemon_socket}"
     export COLIBRI_DB_PATH="${colibri_daemon_db_path}"
     export COLIBRI_HOST="${colibri_daemon_host}"
-    export COLIBRI_COST_MODE="${colibri_cost_mode}"
+    export COLIBRI_COST_MODE="${colibri_daemon_cost_mode}"
     export PATH="/usr/local/bin:/usr/bin:/bin:/usr/sbin:/sbin"
 }
 
@@ -117,8 +120,6 @@ colibri_daemon_poststart()
 
     if [ -S "${colibri_daemon_socket}" ]; then
         echo "colibri-daemon socket ready after ${waited}s"
-        chmod 644 "${pidfile}" 2>/dev/null || true
-        chmod 660 "${colibri_daemon_socket}" 2>/dev/null || true
     else
         echo "WARNING: colibri-daemon socket not ready after ${timeout}s"
     fi
@@ -169,18 +170,20 @@ colibri_daemon_poststop()
 health_cmd="colibri_daemon_health"
 colibri_daemon_health()
 {
-    if [ -S "${colibri_daemon_socket}" ]; then
-        if printf '{"cmd":"status"}\n' | nc -U "${colibri_daemon_socket}" -w 2 >/dev/null 2>&1; then
-            echo "colibri-daemon is healthy (socket responding)"
-            return 0
-        else
-            echo "colibri-daemon socket exists but not responding"
-            return 1
-        fi
-    else
+    if [ ! -S "${colibri_daemon_socket}" ]; then
         echo "colibri-daemon socket not found"
         return 1
     fi
+
+    local _resp
+    _resp=$(printf '{"cmd":"status"}\n' | nc -U "${colibri_daemon_socket}" -w 2 2>/dev/null)
+    if [ -n "${_resp}" ]; then
+        echo "colibri-daemon is healthy (socket responding)"
+        return 0
+    else
+        echo "colibri-daemon socket exists but no response"
+        return 1
+    fi
 }
 
 run_rc_command "$1"
diff --git a/scripts/stage-colibri-iso.sh b/scripts/stage-colibri-iso.sh
index c38c0f0..11978b2 100755
--- a/scripts/stage-colibri-iso.sh
+++ b/scripts/stage-colibri-iso.sh
@@ -68,8 +68,8 @@ colibri_daemon_run_dir="/var/run/colibri"
 colibri_daemon_socket="/var/run/colibri/colibri.sock"
 colibri_daemon_db_path="/var/db/colibri/colibri.sqlite"
 colibri_daemon_logfile="/var/log/colibri/daemon.log"
-colibri_daemon_host="\$(hostname)"
-colibri_cost_mode="smart"
+colibri_daemon_host="\$(/bin/hostname)"
+colibri_daemon_cost_mode="smart"
 EOF
 
 cat > "$ETC_DIR/README.iso" <<'EOF'