diff --git a/tools/process_registry.py b/tools/process_registry.py
index 8bbe1f56b7c..5efebd98d19 100644
--- a/tools/process_registry.py
+++ b/tools/process_registry.py
@@ -585,7 +585,8 @@ class ProcessRegistry:
             try:
                 if not _IS_WINDOWS:
                     try:
-                        os.killpg(os.getpgid(proc.pid), signal.SIGKILL)
+                        kill_signal = getattr(signal, "SIGKILL", signal.SIGTERM)
+                        os.killpg(os.getpgid(proc.pid), kill_signal)  # windows-footgun: ok - guarded by _IS_WINDOWS above
                     except (ProcessLookupError, PermissionError, OSError):
                         proc.kill()
                 else: