diff --git a/evennia/server/evennia_launcher.py b/evennia/server/evennia_launcher.py
index 6bec3bc0f..4215bcca5 100644
--- a/evennia/server/evennia_launcher.py
+++ b/evennia/server/evennia_launcher.py
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ import shutil
 import importlib
 from argparse import ArgumentParser
 from subprocess import Popen, check_output, call, CalledProcessError, STDOUT
+import twisted
 import django
 
 # Signal processing
@@ -325,6 +326,11 @@ ERROR_NODJANGO = \
     ERROR: Django does not seem to be installed.
     """
 
+NOTE_KEYBOARDINTERRUPT = \
+    """
+    STOP: Caught keyboard interrupt while in interactive mode.
+    """
+
 #------------------------------------------------------------
 #
 # Functions
@@ -1039,8 +1045,10 @@ def server_operation(mode, service, interactive, profiler):
             try:
                 process.wait()
             except KeyboardInterrupt:
-                print "\nKeyboard interrupt sent in interactive mode.\n"
-
+                server_operation("stop", "portal", False, False)
+                return
+            finally:
+                print NOTE_KEYBOARDINTERRUPT
 
     elif mode == 'reload':
         # restarting services
diff --git a/evennia/server/evennia_runner.py b/evennia/server/evennia_runner.py
index aa4435350..8477f84e8 100644
--- a/evennia/server/evennia_runner.py
+++ b/evennia/server/evennia_runner.py
@@ -187,6 +187,7 @@ def start_services(server_argv, portal_argv):
         try:
             message, rc = processes.get()
         except KeyboardInterrupt:
+            # this only matters in interactive mode
             break
 
         # restart only if process stopped cleanly