diff --git a/src-tauri/Cargo.toml b/src-tauri/Cargo.toml
index ff69d77..65d7bfb 100644
--- a/src-tauri/Cargo.toml
+++ b/src-tauri/Cargo.toml
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ url = "2.5"
 [target.'cfg(windows)'.dependencies]
 windows-sys = { version = "0.59", features = [
   "Win32_Foundation",
+  "Win32_System_Diagnostics_ToolHelp",
   "Win32_System_Threading",
   "Win32_UI_WindowsAndMessaging",
 ] }
diff --git a/src-tauri/src/backend/process_lifecycle.rs b/src-tauri/src/backend/process_lifecycle.rs
index 950db26..7370f69 100644
--- a/src-tauri/src/backend/process_lifecycle.rs
+++ b/src-tauri/src/backend/process_lifecycle.rs
@@ -42,6 +42,33 @@ impl BackendState {
         ))
     }
 
+    #[cfg(target_os = "windows")]
+    pub(crate) fn stop_backend_for_system_shutdown(&self, timeout: Duration) -> Result<(), String> {
+        self.stop_backend_log_rotation_worker();
+        let mut guard = self
+            .child
+            .lock()
+            .map_err(|_| "Backend process lock poisoned.".to_string())?;
+
+        let Some(child) = guard.as_mut() else {
+            return Ok(());
+        };
+
+        if process_control::stop_child_process_for_system_shutdown(
+            child,
+            timeout,
+            append_desktop_log,
+        ) {
+            *guard = None;
+            return Ok(());
+        }
+
+        Err(format!(
+            "Backend process did not exit after {}ms Windows shutdown stop timeout.",
+            timeout.as_millis()
+        ))
+    }
+
     pub(crate) fn stop_backend_log_rotation_worker(&self) {
         match self.log_rotator_stop.lock() {
             Ok(mut guard) => {
diff --git a/src-tauri/src/process_control.rs b/src-tauri/src/process_control.rs
index e03d224..4314937 100644
--- a/src-tauri/src/process_control.rs
+++ b/src-tauri/src/process_control.rs
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+#[cfg(any(target_os = "windows", test))]
+use std::collections::{HashMap, HashSet};
 #[cfg(target_os = "windows")]
 use std::os::windows::process::CommandExt;
 use std::{
@@ -6,6 +8,20 @@ use std::{
     thread,
     time::{Duration, Instant},
 };
+#[cfg(target_os = "windows")]
+use windows_sys::Win32::{
+    Foundation::{
+        CloseHandle, ERROR_ACCESS_DENIED, ERROR_INVALID_PARAMETER, ERROR_NOT_FOUND,
+        ERROR_NO_MORE_FILES, HANDLE, INVALID_HANDLE_VALUE,
+    },
+    System::{
+        Diagnostics::ToolHelp::{
+            CreateToolhelp32Snapshot, Process32FirstW, Process32NextW, PROCESSENTRY32W,
+            TH32CS_SNAPPROCESS,
+        },
+        Threading::{OpenProcess, TerminateProcess, PROCESS_TERMINATE},
+    },
+};
 
 const FORCE_STOP_WAIT_MIN_MS: u64 = 200;
 #[cfg(target_os = "windows")]
@@ -110,11 +126,174 @@ where
     }
 }
 
+#[cfg(target_os = "windows")]
+fn close_handle(handle: HANDLE) {
+    unsafe {
+        CloseHandle(handle);
+    }
+}
+
+#[cfg(any(target_os = "windows", test))]
+fn collect_descendant_processes(root_pid: u32, entries: &[(u32, u32)]) -> Vec<u32> {
+    let mut children_by_parent: HashMap<u32, Vec<u32>> = HashMap::new();
+    for (pid, parent_pid) in entries {
+        children_by_parent
+            .entry(*parent_pid)
+            .or_default()
+            .push(*pid);
+    }
+
+    let mut tree = Vec::new();
+    let mut discovered = HashSet::from([root_pid]);
+    let mut stack = vec![root_pid];
+    while let Some(parent_pid) = stack.pop() {
+        let Some(children) = children_by_parent.get(&parent_pid) else {
+            continue;
+        };
+        for pid in children {
+            if discovered.insert(*pid) {
+                tree.push(*pid);
+                stack.push(*pid);
+            }
+        }
+    }
+    tree.push(root_pid);
+    tree
+}
+
+#[cfg(target_os = "windows")]
+fn snapshot_process_tree(root_pid: u32) -> io::Result<Vec<u32>> {
+    let snapshot = unsafe { CreateToolhelp32Snapshot(TH32CS_SNAPPROCESS, 0) };
+    if snapshot == INVALID_HANDLE_VALUE {
+        return Err(io::Error::last_os_error());
+    }
+
+    let mut entries = Vec::new();
+    let mut entry: PROCESSENTRY32W = unsafe { std::mem::zeroed() };
+    entry.dwSize = std::mem::size_of::<PROCESSENTRY32W>() as u32;
+
+    let first_ok = unsafe { Process32FirstW(snapshot, &mut entry) } != 0;
+    if !first_ok {
+        let error = io::Error::last_os_error();
+        close_handle(snapshot);
+        return Err(error);
+    }
+
+    loop {
+        entries.push((entry.th32ProcessID, entry.th32ParentProcessID));
+        let next_ok = unsafe { Process32NextW(snapshot, &mut entry) } != 0;
+        if !next_ok {
+            let error = io::Error::last_os_error();
+            if is_process_snapshot_end_error(&error) {
+                break;
+            }
+            close_handle(snapshot);
+            return Err(error);
+        }
+    }
+    close_handle(snapshot);
+
+    Ok(collect_descendant_processes(root_pid, &entries))
+}
+
+#[cfg(all(test, not(target_os = "windows")))]
+const ERROR_ACCESS_DENIED: u32 = 5;
+#[cfg(all(test, not(target_os = "windows")))]
+const ERROR_INVALID_PARAMETER: u32 = 87;
+#[cfg(all(test, not(target_os = "windows")))]
+const ERROR_NO_MORE_FILES: u32 = 18;
+#[cfg(all(test, not(target_os = "windows")))]
+const ERROR_NOT_FOUND: u32 = 1168;
+
+#[cfg(any(target_os = "windows", test))]
+fn is_process_snapshot_end_error(error: &io::Error) -> bool {
+    let Some(code) = error.raw_os_error() else {
+        return false;
+    };
+    code as u32 == ERROR_NO_MORE_FILES
+}
+
+#[cfg(target_os = "windows")]
+fn terminate_process_by_pid(pid: u32) -> io::Result<()> {
+    let handle = unsafe { OpenProcess(PROCESS_TERMINATE, 0, pid) };
+    if handle.is_null() {
+        let error = io::Error::last_os_error();
+        if is_expected_shutdown_termination_error(&error) {
+            return Ok(());
+        }
+        return Err(error);
+    }
+
+    let result = unsafe { TerminateProcess(handle, 1) };
+    let error = if result == 0 {
+        Some(io::Error::last_os_error())
+    } else {
+        None
+    };
+    close_handle(handle);
+
+    match error {
+        Some(error) => Err(error),
+        None => Ok(()),
+    }
+}
+
+#[cfg(any(target_os = "windows", test))]
+fn is_expected_shutdown_termination_error(error: &io::Error) -> bool {
+    let Some(code) = error.raw_os_error() else {
+        return false;
+    };
+    matches!(
+        code as u32,
+        ERROR_ACCESS_DENIED | ERROR_INVALID_PARAMETER | ERROR_NOT_FOUND
+    )
+}
+
+#[cfg(target_os = "windows")]
+fn terminate_process_tree_native(root_pid: u32, log: &dyn Fn(&str)) {
+    let process_tree = match snapshot_process_tree(root_pid) {
+        Ok(process_tree) => process_tree,
+        Err(error) => {
+            log(&format!(
+                "native Windows process tree snapshot failed: pid={root_pid}, error={error}"
+            ));
+            vec![root_pid]
+        }
+    };
+
+    for pid in process_tree {
+        if let Err(error) = terminate_process_by_pid(pid) {
+            if !is_expected_shutdown_termination_error(&error) {
+                log(&format!(
+                    "native Windows process termination failed: pid={pid}, error={error}"
+                ));
+            }
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+#[cfg(target_os = "windows")]
+pub fn stop_child_process_for_system_shutdown<F>(
+    child: &mut Child,
+    timeout: Duration,
+    log: F,
+) -> bool
+where
+    F: Fn(&str) + Copy,
+{
+    let pid = child.id();
+    terminate_process_tree_native(pid, &log);
+    wait_for_child_exit(child, timeout)
+}
+
 #[cfg(target_os = "windows")]
 pub fn stop_child_process_gracefully<F>(child: &mut Child, timeout: Duration, log: F) -> bool
 where
     F: Fn(&str) + Copy,
 {
+    // Normal Windows app exits intentionally keep the existing taskkill-based
+    // process-tree cleanup. The system-shutdown path uses native Win32
+    // termination instead so it does not launch taskkill.exe during shutdown.
     let pid = child.id();
     let pid_arg = pid.to_string();
 
@@ -163,6 +342,8 @@ pub fn stop_child_process_gracefully<F>(child: &mut Child, timeout: Duration, lo
 where
     F: Fn(&str) + Copy,
 {
+    // Normal Unix app exits intentionally keep the existing external kill-based
+    // process cleanup.
     let pid = child.id();
     let pid_arg = pid.to_string();
 
@@ -193,6 +374,52 @@ mod tests {
     use super::*;
     use std::sync::Mutex;
 
+    #[test]
+    fn collect_descendant_processes_deduplicates_with_cycles() {
+        let tree = collect_descendant_processes(
+            10,
+            &[(11, 10), (12, 10), (13, 11), (13, 11), (10, 13), (99, 98)],
+        );
+
+        assert_eq!(tree.len(), 4);
+        assert!(tree.contains(&10));
+        assert!(tree.contains(&11));
+        assert!(tree.contains(&12));
+        assert!(tree.contains(&13));
+        assert!(!tree.contains(&99));
+        assert_eq!(tree.last(), Some(&10));
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn expected_shutdown_termination_errors_match_windows_race_codes() {
+        for code in [
+            ERROR_ACCESS_DENIED,
+            ERROR_INVALID_PARAMETER,
+            ERROR_NOT_FOUND,
+        ] {
+            let error = io::Error::from_raw_os_error(code as i32);
+            assert!(is_expected_shutdown_termination_error(&error));
+        }
+
+        let unexpected = io::Error::from_raw_os_error(123_456);
+        assert!(!is_expected_shutdown_termination_error(&unexpected));
+        assert!(!is_expected_shutdown_termination_error(&io::Error::other(
+            "no os code"
+        )));
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn process_snapshot_end_error_only_matches_no_more_files() {
+        let end = io::Error::from_raw_os_error(ERROR_NO_MORE_FILES as i32);
+        assert!(is_process_snapshot_end_error(&end));
+
+        let unexpected = io::Error::from_raw_os_error(ERROR_ACCESS_DENIED as i32);
+        assert!(!is_process_snapshot_end_error(&unexpected));
+        assert!(!is_process_snapshot_end_error(&io::Error::other(
+            "no os code"
+        )));
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn compute_followup_wait_respects_min_and_cap() {
         assert_eq!(
diff --git a/src-tauri/src/windows_shutdown.rs b/src-tauri/src/windows_shutdown.rs
index 5a31685..f922d65 100644
--- a/src-tauri/src/windows_shutdown.rs
+++ b/src-tauri/src/windows_shutdown.rs
@@ -120,11 +120,12 @@ mod platform {
 
         append_shutdown_log("Windows shutdown requested, stopping backend quickly");
         let state = app_handle.state::<BackendState>();
-        // Keep this bounded wait inside WM_QUERYENDSESSION so taskkill is issued
-        // before Windows advances to the final session-ending phase.
-        if let Err(error) =
-            state.stop_backend_with_timeout(Duration::from_millis(SYSTEM_SHUTDOWN_STOP_TIMEOUT_MS))
-        {
+        // Avoid launching taskkill.exe during OS shutdown. Late in shutdown,
+        // Windows can fail to initialize new console/system helper processes
+        // with 0xc0000142, which is the issue this hook must prevent.
+        if let Err(error) = state.stop_backend_for_system_shutdown(Duration::from_millis(
+            SYSTEM_SHUTDOWN_STOP_TIMEOUT_MS,
+        )) {
             append_shutdown_log(&format!("backend stop on Windows shutdown failed: {error}"));
         }
     }