diff --git a/src/index.js b/src/index.js
index 985c4ef..03afe77 100644
--- a/src/index.js
+++ b/src/index.js
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 let metrics;
 let readinessChecks = [];
 let healthChecks = [];
+let isShuttingDown = false;
 
 const prometheusContentType = 'text/plain; version=0.0.4';
 
@@ -38,6 +39,10 @@ const getMiddleware = () => (req, res, next) => {
       return Promise.resolve().then(() => res.sendStatus(200));
     }
 
+    if (isShuttingDown) {
+      return Promise.resolve().then(() => res.sendStatus(500));
+    }
+
     const promisedChecks = readinessChecks.map((check) =>
       new Promise((resolve, reject) => doReadinessCheck(check)
         .then(resolve)
@@ -85,10 +90,16 @@ const getMiddleware = () => (req, res, next) => {
   return next();
 };
 
+// Listen for requests to kill the process and initiate the safe shutdown.
+process.on('SIGTERM', () => {
+  isShuttingDown = true;
+});
+
 const reset = () => {
   metrics = undefined;
   readinessChecks = [];
   healthChecks = [];
+  isShuttingDown = false;
 };
 
 module.exports = {
diff --git a/test/index.js b/test/index.js
index 07cf39d..0a07471 100644
--- a/test/index.js
+++ b/test/index.js
@@ -57,8 +57,8 @@ describe('bw-monitoring', () => {
     it('should return 500 if any check fails', (done) => {
       mon.addReadinessCheck({ name: 'bob', check: (ok) => ok() });
       mon.addReadinessCheck({ name: 'bob2', check: (ok, warning) => warning() });
-      mon.addReadinessCheck({ name: 'bob2', check: (ok, warning, critical) => critical() });
-      mon.addReadinessCheck({ name: 'bob2', check: (ok, warning, critical, unknown) => unknown() });
+      mon.addReadinessCheck({ name: 'bob3', check: (ok, warning, critical) => critical() });
+      mon.addReadinessCheck({ name: 'bob4', check: (ok, warning, critical, unknown) => unknown() });
       const mid = mon.getMiddleware();
       mid(req, res, next)
         .then(() => {
@@ -66,6 +66,25 @@ describe('bw-monitoring', () => {
           done();
         });
     });
+
+    it('should return 500 after receiving SIGTERM', (done) => {
+      mon.addReadinessCheck({ name: 'bob', check: (ok) => ok() });
+      const mid = mon.getMiddleware();
+      mid(req, res, next)
+        .then(() => {
+          assert(res.sendStatus.calledWith(200));
+        })
+        .then(() => {
+          process.once('SIGTERM', () => {
+            mid(req, res, next)
+              .then(() => {
+                assert(res.sendStatus.calledWith(500));
+                done();
+              });
+          });
+        });
+      process.kill(process.pid, 'SIGTERM');
+    });
   });
 
   describe('/checkz endpoint', () => {