diff --git a/tools/frrcommon.sh.in b/tools/frrcommon.sh.in
index 44d41956b3a3..5cf7a24a494f 100755
--- a/tools/frrcommon.sh.in
+++ b/tools/frrcommon.sh.in
@@ -212,8 +212,10 @@ daemon_stop() {
 		return 1
 	fi
 
-	debug "kill -2 $pid"
-	kill -2 "$pid"
+	[ "$2" = "SIGKILL" ] && signal=-9 || signal=-2
+
+	debug "kill $signal $pid"
+	kill "$signal" "$pid"
 	cnt=1200
 	while kill -0 "$pid" 2>/dev/null; do
 		sleep .1
diff --git a/watchfrr/watchfrr.c b/watchfrr/watchfrr.c
index acc612c0a858..417769143efd 100644
--- a/watchfrr/watchfrr.c
+++ b/watchfrr/watchfrr.c
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@
 #define DEFAULT_MAX_RESTART	600
 #define DEFAULT_OPERATIONAL_TIMEOUT 60
 
-#define DEFAULT_RESTART_CMD	WATCHFRR_SH_PATH " restart %s"
+#define DEFAULT_RESTART_CMD	WATCHFRR_SH_PATH " restart %s SIGKILL"
 #define DEFAULT_START_CMD	WATCHFRR_SH_PATH " start %s"
 #define DEFAULT_STOP_CMD	WATCHFRR_SH_PATH " stop %s"