diff --git a/src/index.ts b/src/index.ts
index 286730de8..60aea31e7 100644
--- a/src/index.ts
+++ b/src/index.ts
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ import { generateBuildClarificationMicrocopy, llm, type BuildClarificationMicroc
 import { sanitizeAndSplitTelegramText } from './outboundSanitize';
 import { applyPlainWordsSurfaceRequest } from './telegramSurface';
 import { installConsoleRedaction, redactIdentifier, redactText } from './redaction';
-import { readJsonFile } from './jsonState';
+import { readJsonFile, closeJsonState } from './jsonState';
 import {
   formatCreatorMissionExecutionSummary,
   formatCreatorMissionStatusSummary,
@@ -11630,6 +11630,7 @@ bot.on(message('audio'), handleVoiceMessage);
 process.once('SIGINT', () => {
   console.log('Shutting down...');
   void releaseGatewayOwnership();
+  closeJsonState();
   if (pollingActive) {
     bot.stop('SIGINT');
   }
@@ -11637,6 +11638,7 @@ process.once('SIGINT', () => {
 process.once('SIGTERM', () => {
   console.log('Shutting down...');
   void releaseGatewayOwnership();
+  closeJsonState();
   if (pollingActive) {
     bot.stop('SIGTERM');
   }
diff --git a/src/jsonState.ts b/src/jsonState.ts
index 853b40a34..e96bcc41a 100644
--- a/src/jsonState.ts
+++ b/src/jsonState.ts
@@ -70,6 +70,18 @@ export function resolveStatePath(filename: string): string {
   return path.join(stateDir || process.cwd(), filename);
 }
 
+export function closeJsonState(): void {
+  if (!db) return;
+  try {
+    db.exec('PRAGMA wal_checkpoint(TRUNCATE)');
+    db.close();
+  } catch {
+    // Best-effort cleanup
+  } finally {
+    db = null;
+  }
+}
+
 export function resetJsonStateForTests(): void {
   if (!db) return;
   try {