diff --git a/src/core/meta-context.c b/src/core/meta-context.c
index 5d7dcb806..abdd496a4 100644
--- a/src/core/meta-context.c
+++ b/src/core/meta-context.c
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@
 
 #include "core/meta-context-private.h"
 
+#include <glib-unix.h>
 #include <locale.h>
 
 #include "backends/meta-backend-private.h"
@@ -96,6 +97,36 @@ meta_context_configure (MetaContext   *context,
   return TRUE;
 }
 
+static gboolean
+on_sigterm (gpointer user_data)
+{
+  MetaContext *context = META_CONTEXT (user_data);
+
+  meta_context_terminate (context);
+
+  return G_SOURCE_REMOVE;
+}
+
+static void
+init_signal_handlers (MetaContext *context)
+{
+  struct sigaction act = { 0 };
+  sigset_t empty_mask;
+
+  sigemptyset (&empty_mask);
+  act.sa_handler = SIG_IGN;
+  act.sa_mask = empty_mask;
+  act.sa_flags = 0;
+  if (sigaction (SIGPIPE,  &act, NULL) < 0)
+    g_warning ("Failed to register SIGPIPE handler: %s", g_strerror (errno));
+#ifdef SIGXFSZ
+  if (sigaction (SIGXFSZ,  &act, NULL) < 0)
+    g_warning ("Failed to register SIGXFSZ handler: %s", g_strerror (errno));
+#endif
+
+  g_unix_signal_add (SIGTERM, on_sigterm, context);
+}
+
 static const char *
 compositor_type_to_description (MetaCompositorType compositor_type)
 {
@@ -131,6 +162,8 @@ meta_context_setup (MetaContext  *context,
       return FALSE;
     }
 
+  init_signal_handlers (context);
+
   compositor_type = meta_context_get_compositor_type (context);
   g_message ("Running %s (using mutter %s) as a %s",
              priv->name, VERSION,