diff --git a/service.go b/service.go
index 35fedc2..4794310 100644
--- a/service.go
+++ b/service.go
@@ -407,7 +407,7 @@ func (s *Service) Kill(id string) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
-// KillPID forcefully terminates a process by operating-system PID.
+// KillPID terminates a process by operating-system PID.
 //
 // Example:
 //
@@ -428,7 +428,7 @@ func (s *Service) KillPID(pid int) error {
 		return nil
 	}
 
-	if err := syscall.Kill(pid, syscall.SIGKILL); err != nil {
+	if err := syscall.Kill(pid, syscall.SIGTERM); err != nil {
 		return coreerr.E("Service.KillPID", fmt.Sprintf("failed to signal pid %d", pid), err)
 	}
 
diff --git a/service_test.go b/service_test.go
index ba3b0ef..3824ac7 100644
--- a/service_test.go
+++ b/service_test.go
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import (
 	"os/exec"
 	"strings"
 	"sync"
+	"syscall"
 	"testing"
 	"time"
 
@@ -467,7 +468,7 @@ func TestService_Kill(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestService_KillPID(t *testing.T) {
-	t.Run("force kills unmanaged process", func(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Run("terminates unmanaged process with SIGTERM", func(t *testing.T) {
 		svc, _ := newTestService(t)
 
 		cmd := exec.Command("sleep", "60")
@@ -494,6 +495,12 @@ func TestService_KillPID(t *testing.T) {
 		select {
 		case err := <-waitCh:
 			require.Error(t, err)
+			var exitErr *exec.ExitError
+			require.ErrorAs(t, err, &exitErr)
+			ws, ok := exitErr.Sys().(syscall.WaitStatus)
+			require.True(t, ok)
+			assert.True(t, ws.Signaled())
+			assert.Equal(t, syscall.SIGTERM, ws.Signal())
 		case <-time.After(2 * time.Second):
 			t.Fatal("unmanaged process should have been killed")
 		}