diff --git a/gateway/run.py b/gateway/run.py
index 08c6a35cda5eb..8b600f5456679 100644
--- a/gateway/run.py
+++ b/gateway/run.py
@@ -19872,6 +19872,15 @@ def shutdown_signal_handler(received_signal=None):
         planned_stop = False
         if received_signal == signal.SIGINT:
             planned_stop = True
+        elif (
+            received_signal == signal.SIGTERM
+            and os.environ.get("INVOCATION_ID")
+        ):
+            # Under systemd, SIGTERM is an intentional stop (systemctl stop,
+            # system shutdown, etc.).  Exit 0 so the unit reports "inactive"
+            # instead of "failed".  systemd's Restart=always (which the
+            # installed unit uses) restarts on any exit, so exit 0 is safe.
+            planned_stop = True
         elif not planned_takeover:
             try:
                 from gateway.status import consume_planned_stop_marker_for_self
diff --git a/tests/gateway/test_systemd_sigterm_exit.py b/tests/gateway/test_systemd_sigterm_exit.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..81f5297def9ae
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/gateway/test_systemd_sigterm_exit.py
@@ -0,0 +1,118 @@
+"""Tests for gateway SIGTERM handling under systemd.
+
+When the gateway runs under a systemd unit, SIGTERM from ``systemctl stop``
+must be treated as a planned stop (exit 0) so the unit reports "inactive"
+instead of "failed" (issue #41631).
+"""
+
+import os
+import signal
+
+import pytest
+
+
+class TestSystemdSigtermPlannedStop:
+    """Verify that SIGTERM under systemd is treated as a planned stop."""
+
+    def test_sigterm_under_systemd_sets_planned_stop(self, monkeypatch):
+        """When INVOCATION_ID is set (systemd-managed), SIGTERM should be
+        treated as a planned stop — the handler must NOT set
+        _signal_initiated_shutdown to True."""
+        monkeypatch.setenv("INVOCATION_ID", "test-invocation-123")
+        # Import the module to access internal state
+        from gateway import status as status_mod
+        monkeypatch.setattr(status_mod, "consume_planned_stop_marker_for_self", lambda: False)
+        monkeypatch.setattr(status_mod, "consume_takeover_marker_for_self", lambda: False)
+
+        # Simulate the signal handler's decision logic
+        # (mirrors shutdown_signal_handler in gateway/run.py)
+        _signal_initiated_shutdown = False
+        planned_stop = False
+        planned_takeover = False
+        received_signal = signal.SIGTERM
+
+        if received_signal == signal.SIGINT:
+            planned_stop = True
+        elif (
+            received_signal == signal.SIGTERM
+            and os.environ.get("INVOCATION_ID")
+        ):
+            planned_stop = True
+        elif not planned_takeover:
+            planned_stop = False  # no marker
+
+        if not planned_takeover and not planned_stop:
+            _signal_initiated_shutdown = True
+
+        assert planned_stop is True, "SIGTERM under systemd should be planned stop"
+        assert _signal_initiated_shutdown is False, (
+            "_signal_initiated_shutdown must be False under systemd"
+        )
+
+    def test_sigterm_without_systemd_not_planned_by_default(self, monkeypatch):
+        """When INVOCATION_ID is not set (non-systemd), SIGTERM without a
+        planned-stop marker should NOT be treated as a planned stop."""
+        monkeypatch.delenv("INVOCATION_ID", raising=False)
+        from gateway import status as status_mod
+        monkeypatch.setattr(status_mod, "consume_planned_stop_marker_for_self", lambda: False)
+        monkeypatch.setattr(status_mod, "consume_takeover_marker_for_self", lambda: False)
+
+        _signal_initiated_shutdown = False
+        planned_stop = False
+        planned_takeover = False
+        received_signal = signal.SIGTERM
+
+        if received_signal == signal.SIGINT:
+            planned_stop = True
+        elif (
+            received_signal == signal.SIGTERM
+            and os.environ.get("INVOCATION_ID")
+        ):
+            planned_stop = True
+        elif not planned_takeover:
+            planned_stop = False  # no marker
+
+        if not planned_takeover and not planned_stop:
+            _signal_initiated_shutdown = True
+
+        assert planned_stop is False
+        assert _signal_initiated_shutdown is True, (
+            "SIGTERM without systemd and without marker should trigger exit 1"
+        )
+
+    def test_sigint_always_planned_regardless_of_systemd(self, monkeypatch):
+        """SIGINT (Ctrl+C) is always a planned stop, systemd or not."""
+        monkeypatch.delenv("INVOCATION_ID", raising=False)
+        from gateway import status as status_mod
+        monkeypatch.setattr(status_mod, "consume_planned_stop_marker_for_self", lambda: False)
+
+        planned_stop = False
+        received_signal = signal.SIGINT
+
+        if received_signal == signal.SIGINT:
+            planned_stop = True
+
+        assert planned_stop is True
+
+    def test_planned_marker_takes_precedence_over_systemd_fallback(self, monkeypatch):
+        """When a planned-stop marker exists, it still works under systemd."""
+        monkeypatch.setenv("INVOCATION_ID", "test-invocation-456")
+        from gateway import status as status_mod
+        monkeypatch.setattr(status_mod, "consume_planned_stop_marker_for_self", lambda: True)
+        monkeypatch.setattr(status_mod, "consume_takeover_marker_for_self", lambda: False)
+
+        # Both the systemd check and marker check would set planned_stop=True.
+        # The systemd check fires first (elif chain), so marker is never checked.
+        # This is fine — both paths lead to the same outcome.
+        planned_stop = False
+        received_signal = signal.SIGTERM
+
+        if received_signal == signal.SIGINT:
+            planned_stop = True
+        elif (
+            received_signal == signal.SIGTERM
+            and os.environ.get("INVOCATION_ID")
+        ):
+            planned_stop = True
+
+        assert planned_stop is True