diff --git a/contentcuration/contentcuration/settings.py b/contentcuration/contentcuration/settings.py
index 0f18ed0131..285e7bef76 100644
--- a/contentcuration/contentcuration/settings.py
+++ b/contentcuration/contentcuration/settings.py
@@ -348,6 +348,11 @@ def gettext(s):
     "result_serializer": "json",
     "result_extended": True,
     "worker_send_task_events": True,
+    # Graceful shutdown: allow 28 seconds for tasks to complete before forced termination
+    # This is 2 seconds less than Kubernetes terminationGracePeriodSeconds (30s)
+    "worker_soft_shutdown_timeout": int(
+        os.getenv("CELERY_WORKER_SOFT_SHUTDOWN_TIMEOUT", "28")
+    ),
 }
 
 # When cleaning up orphan nodes, only clean up any that have been last modified
diff --git a/docker-compose.yml b/docker-compose.yml
index 68bb5e2500..719fc797ed 100644
--- a/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/docker-compose.yml
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ x-studio-environment:
     CELERY_BROKER_ENDPOINT: redis
     CELERY_RESULT_BACKEND_ENDPOINT: redis
     CELERY_REDIS_PASSWORD: ""
+    REMAP_SIGTERM: "SIGQUIT"
     PROBER_STUDIO_BASE_URL: http://studio-app:8080/{path}
 
 x-studio-worker: