diff --git a/backend/dockerman.py b/backend/dockerman.py
index 7f420607..c5eb2dc9 100644
--- a/backend/dockerman.py
+++ b/backend/dockerman.py
@@ -227,7 +227,8 @@ class DockerManager:
         return running
 
     async def stop_crawl(self, crawl_id, aid, graceful=True):
-        """ Stop crawl, if not graceful, issue SIGUSR1 to indicate cancelation """
+        """Stop crawl, if not graceful, issue SIGABRT to indicate immediate
+        cancelation on next SIGTERM"""
 
         result = None
 
@@ -238,7 +239,7 @@ class DockerManager:
                 return None
 
             if not graceful:
-                await container.kill(signal="SIGUSR1")
+                await container.kill(signal="SIGABRT")
                 result = self._make_crawl_for_container(container, "canceled", True)
             else:
                 result = True
diff --git a/backend/k8sman.py b/backend/k8sman.py
index 89184005..2df34234 100644
--- a/backend/k8sman.py
+++ b/backend/k8sman.py
@@ -381,7 +381,7 @@ class K8SManager:
         """Attempt to stop crawl, either gracefully by issuing a SIGTERM which
         will attempt to finish current pages
 
-        OR, abruptly by first issueing a SIGINT, followed by SIGTERM, which
+        OR, abruptly by first issueing a SIGABRT, followed by SIGTERM, which
         will terminate immediately"""
 
         job = await self.batch_api.read_namespaced_job(
@@ -531,7 +531,7 @@ class K8SManager:
         return suspend, schedule
 
     async def _send_sig_to_pods(self, pods, aid):
-        command = ["kill", "-s", "SIGUSR1", "1"]
+        command = ["kill", "-s", "SIGABRT", "1"]
         interrupted = False
 
         try: