diff --git a/src/__tests__/unit/db-shutdown.test.ts b/src/__tests__/unit/db-shutdown.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2bd140a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/__tests__/unit/db-shutdown.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,102 @@
+/**
+ * Unit tests for database graceful shutdown.
+ *
+ * Run with: npx tsx --test src/__tests__/unit/db-shutdown.test.ts
+ *
+ * Tests verify that:
+ * 1. closeDb() closes the database without errors
+ * 2. closeDb() is idempotent (can be called multiple times)
+ * 3. getDb() re-opens the database after closeDb()
+ * 4. Data persists across close/reopen cycles
+ */
+
+import { describe, it, before, afterEach } from 'node:test';
+import assert from 'node:assert/strict';
+import path from 'path';
+import os from 'os';
+import fs from 'fs';
+
+// Set a temp data dir before importing db module
+const tmpDir = fs.mkdtempSync(path.join(os.tmpdir(), 'codepilot-db-test-'));
+process.env.CLAUDE_GUI_DATA_DIR = tmpDir;
+
+// Use require to avoid top-level await issues with CJS output
+/* eslint-disable @typescript-eslint/no-var-requires */
+const { getDb, closeDb, createSession, getSession } = require('../../lib/db') as typeof import('../../lib/db');
+
+describe('closeDb', () => {
+  afterEach(() => {
+    // Ensure DB is closed after each test
+    closeDb();
+  });
+
+  it('should close the database without errors', () => {
+    // First, ensure DB is open by calling getDb
+    const db = getDb();
+    assert.ok(db);
+
+    // Close should not throw
+    assert.doesNotThrow(() => closeDb());
+  });
+
+  it('should be idempotent (safe to call multiple times)', () => {
+    getDb(); // open
+    closeDb();
+    assert.doesNotThrow(() => closeDb()); // second call should be no-op
+    assert.doesNotThrow(() => closeDb()); // third call too
+  });
+
+  it('should allow re-opening the database after close', () => {
+    getDb(); // open
+    closeDb(); // close
+
+    // Re-open should work
+    const db = getDb();
+    assert.ok(db);
+  });
+
+  it('should persist data across close/reopen cycles', () => {
+    // Create a session
+    const session = createSession('Test Session', 'sonnet', '', tmpDir);
+    assert.ok(session);
+    assert.equal(session.title, 'Test Session');
+
+    const sessionId = session.id;
+
+    // Close and reopen
+    closeDb();
+    const db = getDb();
+    assert.ok(db);
+
+    // Session should still exist
+    const retrieved = getSession(sessionId);
+    assert.ok(retrieved);
+    assert.equal(retrieved!.title, 'Test Session');
+  });
+
+  it('should clean up WAL files after close', () => {
+    // Force some writes to create WAL
+    createSession('WAL Test 1');
+    createSession('WAL Test 2');
+    createSession('WAL Test 3');
+
+    const dbPath = path.join(tmpDir, 'codepilot.db');
+    assert.ok(fs.existsSync(dbPath));
+
+    // Close the database (should checkpoint WAL)
+    closeDb();
+
+    // After close, WAL file should either not exist or be empty
+    const walPath = dbPath + '-wal';
+    const walExists = fs.existsSync(walPath);
+    if (walExists) {
+      const walSize = fs.statSync(walPath).size;
+      assert.equal(walSize, 0, 'WAL file should be empty after graceful close');
+    }
+  });
+
+  it('cleanup test fixtures', () => {
+    closeDb();
+    fs.rmSync(tmpDir, { recursive: true, force: true });
+  });
+});
diff --git a/src/lib/db.ts b/src/lib/db.ts
index 5548b40..a13411b 100644
--- a/src/lib/db.ts
+++ b/src/lib/db.ts
@@ -483,3 +483,60 @@ export function deactivateAllProviders(): void {
   const db = getDb();
   db.prepare('UPDATE api_providers SET is_active = 0').run();
 }
+
+// ==========================================
+// Graceful Shutdown
+// ==========================================
+
+/**
+ * Close the database connection gracefully.
+ * In WAL mode, this ensures the WAL is checkpointed and the
+ * -wal/-shm files are cleaned up properly.
+ */
+export function closeDb(): void {
+  if (db) {
+    try {
+      db.close();
+      console.log('[db] Database closed gracefully');
+    } catch (err) {
+      console.warn('[db] Error closing database:', err);
+    }
+    db = null;
+  }
+}
+
+// Register shutdown handlers to close the database when the process exits.
+// This prevents WAL file accumulation and potential data loss.
+function registerShutdownHandlers(): void {
+  let shuttingDown = false;
+
+  const shutdown = (signal: string) => {
+    if (shuttingDown) return;
+    shuttingDown = true;
+    console.log(`[db] Received ${signal}, closing database...`);
+    closeDb();
+  };
+
+  // 'exit' fires synchronously when the process is about to exit
+  process.on('exit', () => shutdown('exit'));
+
+  // Handle termination signals (Docker stop, systemd, Ctrl+C, etc.)
+  process.on('SIGTERM', () => {
+    shutdown('SIGTERM');
+    process.exit(0);
+  });
+  process.on('SIGINT', () => {
+    shutdown('SIGINT');
+    process.exit(0);
+  });
+
+  // Handle Windows-specific close events
+  if (process.platform === 'win32') {
+    process.on('SIGHUP', () => {
+      shutdown('SIGHUP');
+      process.exit(0);
+    });
+  }
+}
+
+registerShutdownHandlers();