diff --git a/gateway/platforms/whatsapp.py b/gateway/platforms/whatsapp.py
index e1ccd2234c..767908023e 100644
--- a/gateway/platforms/whatsapp.py
+++ b/gateway/platforms/whatsapp.py
@@ -66,6 +66,37 @@ def _kill_port_process(port: int) -> None:
     except Exception:
         pass
 
+
+def _terminate_bridge_process(proc, *, force: bool = False) -> None:
+    """Terminate the bridge process using process-tree semantics where possible."""
+    if _IS_WINDOWS:
+        cmd = ["taskkill", "/PID", str(proc.pid), "/T"]
+        if force:
+            cmd.append("/F")
+        try:
+            result = subprocess.run(
+                cmd,
+                capture_output=True,
+                text=True,
+                timeout=10,
+            )
+        except FileNotFoundError:
+            if force:
+                proc.kill()
+            else:
+                proc.terminate()
+            return
+
+        if result.returncode != 0:
+            details = (result.stderr or result.stdout or "").strip()
+            raise OSError(details or f"taskkill failed for PID {proc.pid}")
+        return
+
+    import signal
+
+    sig = signal.SIGTERM if not force else signal.SIGKILL
+    os.killpg(os.getpgid(proc.pid), sig)
+
 import sys
 sys.path.insert(0, str(Path(__file__).resolve().parents[2]))
 
@@ -537,22 +568,14 @@ class WhatsAppAdapter(BasePlatformAdapter):
         """Stop the WhatsApp bridge and clean up any orphaned processes."""
         if self._bridge_process:
             try:
-                # Kill the entire process group so child node processes die too
-                import signal
                 try:
-                    if _IS_WINDOWS:
-                        self._bridge_process.terminate()
-                    else:
-                        os.killpg(os.getpgid(self._bridge_process.pid), signal.SIGTERM)
+                    _terminate_bridge_process(self._bridge_process, force=False)
                 except (ProcessLookupError, PermissionError):
                     self._bridge_process.terminate()
                 await asyncio.sleep(1)
                 if self._bridge_process.poll() is None:
                     try:
-                        if _IS_WINDOWS:
-                            self._bridge_process.kill()
-                        else:
-                            os.killpg(os.getpgid(self._bridge_process.pid), signal.SIGKILL)
+                        _terminate_bridge_process(self._bridge_process, force=True)
                     except (ProcessLookupError, PermissionError):
                         self._bridge_process.kill()
             except Exception as e:
diff --git a/tests/gateway/test_whatsapp_connect.py b/tests/gateway/test_whatsapp_connect.py
index 60fff0bdc1..29f7eee3af 100644
--- a/tests/gateway/test_whatsapp_connect.py
+++ b/tests/gateway/test_whatsapp_connect.py
@@ -453,6 +453,33 @@ class TestKillPortProcess:
 class TestHttpSessionLifecycle:
     """Verify persistent aiohttp.ClientSession is created and cleaned up."""
 
+    @pytest.mark.asyncio
+    async def test_disconnect_uses_taskkill_tree_on_windows(self):
+        """Windows disconnect should target the bridge process tree, not just the parent PID."""
+        adapter = _make_adapter()
+        mock_proc = MagicMock()
+        mock_proc.pid = 12345
+        mock_proc.poll.side_effect = [0]
+        adapter._bridge_process = mock_proc
+        adapter._poll_task = None
+        adapter._http_session = None
+        adapter._running = True
+        adapter._session_lock_identity = None
+
+        with patch("gateway.platforms.whatsapp._IS_WINDOWS", True), \
+             patch("gateway.platforms.whatsapp.subprocess.run", return_value=MagicMock(returncode=0)) as mock_run, \
+             patch("gateway.platforms.whatsapp.asyncio.sleep", new_callable=AsyncMock):
+            await adapter.disconnect()
+
+        mock_run.assert_called_once_with(
+            ["taskkill", "/PID", "12345", "/T"],
+            capture_output=True,
+            text=True,
+            timeout=10,
+        )
+        mock_proc.terminate.assert_not_called()
+        mock_proc.kill.assert_not_called()
+
     @pytest.mark.asyncio
     async def test_session_closed_on_disconnect(self):
         """disconnect() should close self._http_session."""