diff --git a/vllm/v1/executor/multiproc_executor.py b/vllm/v1/executor/multiproc_executor.py
index 6e1e41ed6..df92259f5 100644
--- a/vllm/v1/executor/multiproc_executor.py
+++ b/vllm/v1/executor/multiproc_executor.py
@@ -391,14 +391,17 @@ class MultiprocExecutor(Executor):
                 time.sleep(0.1)
             return False
 
+        active_procs = lambda: [proc for proc in worker_procs if proc.is_alive()]
+        # Give processes time to clean themselves up properly first
+        if wait_for_termination(active_procs(), 4):
+            return
+
         # Send SIGTERM if still running
-        active_procs = [proc for proc in worker_procs if proc.is_alive()]
-        for p in active_procs:
+        for p in active_procs():
             p.terminate()
-        if not wait_for_termination(active_procs, 4):
+        if not wait_for_termination(active_procs(), 4):
             # Send SIGKILL if still running
-            active_procs = [p for p in active_procs if p.is_alive()]
-            for p in active_procs:
+            for p in active_procs():
                 p.kill()
 
     def shutdown(self):
@@ -701,6 +704,9 @@ class WorkerProc:
             nonlocal shutdown_requested
             if not shutdown_requested:
                 shutdown_requested = True
+                logger.debug(
+                    "WorkerProc handling signal %d, raising SystemExit", signum
+                )
                 raise SystemExit()
 
         # Either SIGTERM or SIGINT will terminate the worker
@@ -774,6 +780,13 @@ class WorkerProc:
             # SystemExit() to avoid zmq exceptions in __del__.
             shutdown_requested = True
 
+        except SystemExit as e:
+            # SystemExit is raised on SIGTERM or SIGKILL, which usually indicates that
+            # the graceful shutdown process did not succeed
+            logger.warning("WorkerProc was terminated")
+            # SystemExit must never be ignored
+            raise e
+
         finally:
             if ready_writer is not None:
                 ready_writer.close()