diff --git a/Cargo.lock b/Cargo.lock
index 7dd0050f..5ec3dcd8 100644
--- a/Cargo.lock
+++ b/Cargo.lock
@@ -960,6 +960,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "bincode",
  "clap 3.2.20",
  "communication-layer-request-reply",
+ "ctrlc",
  "dora-core",
  "dora-download",
  "dora-node-api",
diff --git a/binaries/coordinator/Cargo.toml b/binaries/coordinator/Cargo.toml
index c1ee3e18..c75bc79b 100644
--- a/binaries/coordinator/Cargo.toml
+++ b/binaries/coordinator/Cargo.toml
@@ -30,3 +30,4 @@ dora-download = { path = "../../libraries/extensions/download" }
 which = "4.3.0"
 communication-layer-request-reply = { path = "../../libraries/communication-layer/request-reply" }
 thiserror = "1.0.37"
+ctrlc = "3.2.5"
diff --git a/binaries/coordinator/src/lib.rs b/binaries/coordinator/src/lib.rs
index db87a046..c45a977b 100644
--- a/binaries/coordinator/src/lib.rs
+++ b/binaries/coordinator/src/lib.rs
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ use std::{
     path::{Path, PathBuf},
     time::Duration,
 };
-use tokio::net::TcpStream;
+use tokio::{net::TcpStream, sync::mpsc};
 use tokio_stream::wrappers::{ReceiverStream, TcpListenerStream};
 use uuid::Uuid;
 
@@ -55,6 +55,9 @@ pub async fn run(args: Args) -> eyre::Result<()> {
 }
 
 async fn start(runtime_path: &Path) -> eyre::Result<()> {
+    let (ctrlc_tx, ctrlc_rx) = set_up_ctrlc_handler()?;
+    let mut ctrlc_tx_handle = Some(ctrlc_tx);
+
     let listener = listener::create_listener(DORA_COORDINATOR_PORT_DEFAULT).await?;
     let (new_daemon_connections, new_daemon_connections_abort) =
         futures::stream::abortable(TcpListenerStream::new(listener).map(|c| {
@@ -76,12 +79,14 @@ async fn start(runtime_path: &Path) -> eyre::Result<()> {
     let daemon_watchdog_interval =
         tokio_stream::wrappers::IntervalStream::new(tokio::time::interval(Duration::from_secs(1)))
             .map(|_| Event::DaemonWatchdogInterval);
+    let ctrlc_events = ReceiverStream::new(ctrlc_rx);
 
     let mut events = (
         new_daemon_connections,
         daemon_events,
         control_events,
         daemon_watchdog_interval,
+        ctrlc_events,
     )
         .merge();
 
@@ -249,20 +254,15 @@ async fn start(runtime_path: &Path) -> eyre::Result<()> {
                         ControlRequest::Destroy => {
                             tracing::info!("Received destroy command");
 
-                            control_events_abort.abort();
-
-                            // stop all running dataflows
-                            for &uuid in running_dataflows.keys() {
-                                stop_dataflow(&running_dataflows, uuid, &mut daemon_connections)
-                                    .await?;
-                            }
-
-                            // destroy all connected daemons
-                            destroy_daemons(&mut daemon_connections).await?;
-
-                            // prevent the creation of new daemon connections
-                            new_daemon_connections_abort.abort();
-                            daemon_events_tx = None;
+                            handle_destroy(
+                                &control_events_abort,
+                                &running_dataflows,
+                                &mut daemon_connections,
+                                &new_daemon_connections_abort,
+                                &mut daemon_events_tx,
+                                &mut ctrlc_tx_handle,
+                            )
+                            .await?;
 
                             b"ok".as_slice().into()
                         }
@@ -313,6 +313,18 @@ async fn start(runtime_path: &Path) -> eyre::Result<()> {
                     }
                 }
             }
+            Event::CtrlC => {
+                tracing::info!("Destroying coordinator after receiving Ctrl-C signal");
+                handle_destroy(
+                    &control_events_abort,
+                    &running_dataflows,
+                    &mut daemon_connections,
+                    &new_daemon_connections_abort,
+                    &mut daemon_events_tx,
+                    &mut ctrlc_tx_handle,
+                )
+                .await?;
+            }
         }
     }
 
@@ -321,6 +333,49 @@ async fn start(runtime_path: &Path) -> eyre::Result<()> {
     Ok(())
 }
 
+fn set_up_ctrlc_handler() -> Result<(mpsc::Sender<Event>, mpsc::Receiver<Event>), eyre::ErrReport> {
+    let (ctrlc_tx, ctrlc_rx) = mpsc::channel(1);
+
+    let ctrlc_tx_weak = ctrlc_tx.downgrade();
+    let mut ctrlc_sent = false;
+    ctrlc::set_handler(move || {
+        if ctrlc_sent {
+            tracing::warn!("received second ctrlc signal -> aborting immediately");
+            std::process::abort();
+        } else {
+            tracing::info!("received ctrlc signal");
+            if let Some(ctrlc_tx) = ctrlc_tx_weak.upgrade() {
+                if ctrlc_tx.blocking_send(Event::CtrlC).is_err() {
+                    tracing::error!("failed to report ctrl-c event to dora-coordinator");
+                }
+            }
+            ctrlc_sent = true;
+        }
+    })
+    .wrap_err("failed to set ctrl-c handler")?;
+
+    Ok((ctrlc_tx, ctrlc_rx))
+}
+
+async fn handle_destroy(
+    control_events_abort: &futures::stream::AbortHandle,
+    running_dataflows: &HashMap<Uuid, RunningDataflow>,
+    daemon_connections: &mut HashMap<String, TcpStream>,
+    new_daemon_connections_abort: &futures::stream::AbortHandle,
+    daemon_events_tx: &mut Option<mpsc::Sender<Event>>,
+    ctrlc_tx: &mut Option<mpsc::Sender<Event>>,
+) -> Result<(), eyre::ErrReport> {
+    control_events_abort.abort();
+    for &uuid in running_dataflows.keys() {
+        stop_dataflow(running_dataflows, uuid, daemon_connections).await?;
+    }
+    destroy_daemons(daemon_connections).await?;
+    new_daemon_connections_abort.abort();
+    *daemon_events_tx = None;
+    *ctrlc_tx = None;
+    Ok(())
+}
+
 async fn send_watchdog_message(connection: &mut TcpStream) -> eyre::Result<()> {
     let message = serde_json::to_vec(&DaemonCoordinatorEvent::Watchdog).unwrap();
 
@@ -447,7 +502,9 @@ pub enum Event {
     Control(ControlEvent),
     Daemon(DaemonEvent),
     DaemonWatchdogInterval,
+    CtrlC,
 }
+
 impl Event {
     /// Whether this event should be logged.
     #[allow(clippy::match_like_matches_macro)]