diff --git a/services/web/app.js b/services/web/app.js
index f95d5f8e77..989c181a2b 100644
--- a/services/web/app.js
+++ b/services/web/app.js
@@ -48,4 +48,10 @@ if (!module.parent) {
   })
 }
 
+// handle SIGTERM for graceful shutdown in kubernetes
+process.on('SIGTERM', function(signal) {
+  logger.warn({ signal: signal }, 'received signal, shutting down')
+  Settings.shuttingDown = true
+})
+
 module.exports = Server.server