diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index c11282f..3fc70f7 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](http://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0.
 - put two timestamps in connection health file; start conn and current
 - change health file update interval to 240sec
 - sendMessage to check cloud status == ONLINE before sending
+- when killed with SIGTERM, close will use msg in close reason file.
 
 ## [1.0.2] - 2019-02-08
 - Refactored connection.c and updated corresponding unit tests
diff --git a/src/ParodusInternal.c b/src/ParodusInternal.c
index d540bca..054f25a 100644
--- a/src/ParodusInternal.c
+++ b/src/ParodusInternal.c
@@ -131,6 +131,27 @@ char* getWebpaConveyHeader()
     return NULL;
 }
 
+int readFromFile(const char *file_name, char **data)
+{
+	FILE *fp;
+	int ch_count = 0;
+	fp = fopen(file_name, "r+");
+	if (fp == NULL)
+	{
+		ParodusError("Failed to open file %s (errno %d)\n", file_name, errno);
+		return 0;
+	}
+	fseek(fp, 0, SEEK_END);
+	ch_count = ftell(fp);
+	fseek(fp, 0, SEEK_SET);
+	*data = (char *) malloc(sizeof(char) * (ch_count + 1));
+	fread(*data, 1, ch_count,fp);
+	(*data)[ch_count] ='\0';
+	fclose(fp);
+	return 1;
+}
+
+
 void timespec_diff(struct timespec *start, struct timespec *stop,
                    struct timespec *diff)
 {
diff --git a/src/ParodusInternal.h b/src/ParodusInternal.h
index 8d40716..7cc6259 100644
--- a/src/ParodusInternal.h
+++ b/src/ParodusInternal.h
@@ -157,6 +157,8 @@ char* getWebpaConveyHeader();
 void *CRUDHandlerTask();
 void addCRUDmsgToQueue(wrp_msg_t *crudMsg);
 
+int readFromFile(const char *file_name, char **data);
+
 void timespec_diff(struct timespec *start, struct timespec *stop,
                    struct timespec *result);
 
diff --git a/src/config.c b/src/config.c
index be09283..35b0f5b 100644
--- a/src/config.c
+++ b/src/config.c
@@ -366,6 +366,7 @@ int parseCommandLine(int argc,char **argv,ParodusCfg * cfg)
 	{"token-server-url",        required_argument, 0, 'U'},
 	{"crud-config-file",        required_argument, 0, 'C'},
 	{"connection-health-file",  required_argument, 0, 'S'},
+	{"close-reason-file",  		required_argument, 0, 'R'},
 	{"mtls-client-key-path",    required_argument, 0, 'K'},
 	{"mtls-client-cert-path",    required_argument, 0,'M'},
         {0, 0, 0, 0}
@@ -384,6 +385,7 @@ int parseCommandLine(int argc,char **argv,ParodusCfg * cfg)
 	parStrncpy (cfg->jwt_key, "", sizeof(cfg->jwt_key));
 	cfg->crud_config_file = NULL;
 	cfg->connection_health_file = NULL;
+	cfg->close_reason_file = NULL;
 	cfg->client_cert_path = NULL;
 	cfg->token_server_url = NULL;
 	cfg->cloud_status = NULL;
@@ -394,8 +396,9 @@ int parseCommandLine(int argc,char **argv,ParodusCfg * cfg)
 
       /* getopt_long stores the option index here. */
       int option_index = 0;
-      c = getopt_long (argc, argv, "m:s:f:d:r:n:b:u:t:o:i:l:p:e:D:j:a:k:c:T:w:J:46:C:S:K:M",
-				long_options, &option_index);
+      c = getopt_long (argc, argv, 
+			"m:s:f:d:r:n:b:u:t:o:i:l:p:e:D:j:a:k:c:T:w:J:46:C:S:R:K:M",
+			long_options, &option_index);
 
       /* Detect the end of the options. */
       if (c == -1)
@@ -538,17 +541,22 @@ int parseCommandLine(int argc,char **argv,ParodusCfg * cfg)
 	  ParodusInfo("connection_health_file is %s\n", cfg->connection_health_file);
 	  break;
 
+	case 'R':
+	  cfg->close_reason_file = strdup(optarg);
+	  ParodusInfo("sigterm_close_reason_file is %s\n", cfg->close_reason_file);
+	  break;
+
 	case 'C':
 	  cfg->crud_config_file = strdup(optarg);
 	  ParodusInfo("crud_config_file is %s\n", cfg->crud_config_file);
 	  break;
 
-		case 'P':
+	case 'P':
 		cfg->client_cert_path = strdup(optarg);
 		ParodusInfo("client_cert_path is %s\n", cfg->client_cert_path);
 		break;
 
-		case 'U':
+	case 'U':
 		cfg->token_server_url = strdup(optarg);
 		ParodusInfo("token_server_url is %s\n", cfg->token_server_url);
 		break;
@@ -637,6 +645,7 @@ void setDefaultValuesToCfg(ParodusCfg *cfg)
     ParodusPrint("cfg->webpa_uuid is :%s\n", cfg->webpa_uuid);
     cfg->crud_config_file = NULL;
     cfg->connection_health_file = NULL;
+    cfg->close_reason_file = NULL;
     cfg->client_cert_path = NULL;
     cfg->token_server_url = NULL;
 	
@@ -797,6 +806,15 @@ void loadParodusCfg(ParodusCfg * config,ParodusCfg *cfg)
         ParodusPrint("connection_health_file is NULL. set to empty\n");
     }
 
+    if(config->close_reason_file != NULL)
+    {
+        cfg->close_reason_file = strdup(config->close_reason_file);
+    }
+    else
+    {
+        ParodusPrint("close_reason_file is NULL. set to empty\n");
+    }
+
     if(config->crud_config_file != NULL)
     {
         cfg->crud_config_file = strdup(config->crud_config_file);
diff --git a/src/config.h b/src/config.h
index 027068d..4bf5668 100644
--- a/src/config.h
+++ b/src/config.h
@@ -102,6 +102,7 @@ typedef struct
     char *client_cert_path;
     char *token_server_url;
     char *connection_health_file;
+    char *close_reason_file;
     char *mtls_client_key_path;
     char *mtls_client_cert_path;
 	char *crud_config_file;
diff --git a/src/connection.c b/src/connection.c
index 07ae9f0..63e97f7 100644
--- a/src/connection.c
+++ b/src/connection.c
@@ -804,19 +804,37 @@ static noPollConnOpts * createConnOpts (char * extra_headers, bool secure)
 	return opts;   
 }
 
-
+static void close_conn ( noPollConn *conn, const char *specified_reason)
+{
+	const char *effective_reason = specified_reason;
+	
+	if (NULL == effective_reason) {
+          effective_reason = SHUTDOWN_REASON_SYSTEM_RESTART;
+    }
+    else if (strcmp (effective_reason, SHUTDOWN_REASON_SIGTERM) == 0) {
+		char *sigterm_reason;
+        if (readFromFile (get_parodus_cfg()->close_reason_file, &sigterm_reason) &&
+            (strlen(sigterm_reason) != 0)) 
+        {
+          nopoll_conn_close_ext(conn, CloseNormalClosure, sigterm_reason, 
+			strlen (sigterm_reason));
+		  ParodusInfo ("Closed by SIGTERM, reason: %s\n", sigterm_reason);
+		  free (sigterm_reason);
+		  return;
+		}
+		/* file could not be read. use canned message. */
+        effective_reason = SHUTDOWN_REASON_SYSTEM_RESTART;
+        ParodusError ("Closed by SIGTERM, but no reason file\n");
+    }
+    nopoll_conn_close_ext(conn, CloseNormalClosure, effective_reason, 
+      strlen (effective_reason)); 
+}    		
+		
 void close_and_unref_connection(noPollConn *conn)
 {
     if (conn) {
-      const char *reason = get_global_shutdown_reason();
-      int reason_len = 0;
-      int status = CloseNoStatus;
-      if (NULL != reason) {
-	reason_len = (int) strlen (reason);
-	status = CloseNormalClosure;
-      }
+      close_conn (conn, get_global_shutdown_reason ());
       get_parodus_cfg()->cloud_status = CLOUD_STATUS_OFFLINE;
-      nopoll_conn_close_ext(conn, status, reason, reason_len);
       ParodusInfo("cloud_status set as %s after connection close\n", get_parodus_cfg()->cloud_status);
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/connection.h b/src/connection.h
index 3bb049a..e1bcaf9 100644
--- a/src/connection.h
+++ b/src/connection.h
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ extern "C" {
 /*----------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
 #define SHUTDOWN_REASON_PARODUS_STOP    "parodus_stopping"
 #define SHUTDOWN_REASON_SYSTEM_RESTART  "system_restarting"
+#define SHUTDOWN_REASON_SIGTERM 		"SIGTERM"
 
 /**
 * parodusOnPingStatusChangeHandler - Function pointer
diff --git a/src/crud_internal.c b/src/crud_internal.c
index 45459d6..62c9e70 100644
--- a/src/crud_internal.c
+++ b/src/crud_internal.c
@@ -58,22 +58,7 @@ int writeToJSON(char *data)
 
 int readFromJSON(char **data)
 {
-	FILE *fp;
-	int ch_count = 0;
-	fp = fopen(get_parodus_cfg()->crud_config_file, "r+");
-	if (fp == NULL)
-	{
-		ParodusError("Failed to open file %s\n", get_parodus_cfg()->crud_config_file);
-		return 0;
-	}
-	fseek(fp, 0, SEEK_END);
-	ch_count = ftell(fp);
-	fseek(fp, 0, SEEK_SET);
-	*data = (char *) malloc(sizeof(char) * (ch_count + 1));
-	fread(*data, 1, ch_count,fp);
-	(*data)[ch_count] ='\0';
-	fclose(fp);
-	return 1;
+	return readFromFile (get_parodus_cfg()->crud_config_file, data);
 }
 /*
 *	@res_obj 	json object to add it in crud config json file
diff --git a/src/main.c b/src/main.c
index c7b9d0b..8d26ced 100644
--- a/src/main.c
+++ b/src/main.c
@@ -137,8 +137,15 @@ static void sig_handler(int sig)
 	}
 	else if ( sig == SIGUSR2 ) 
 	{
+		signal(SIGUSR2, sig_handler); /* reset it to this function */
 		ParodusInfo("SIGUSR2 received!\n");
 	}
+	else if ( sig == SIGTERM ) 
+	{
+		signal(SIGTERM, sig_handler); /* reset it to this function */
+		ParodusInfo("SIGTERM received!\n");
+		shutdownSocketConnection(SHUTDOWN_REASON_SIGTERM);
+	}
 	else if ( sig == SIGCHLD ) 
 	{
 		signal(SIGCHLD, sig_handler); /* reset it to this function */
diff --git a/tests/CMakeLists.txt b/tests/CMakeLists.txt
index 0c594ff..616195f 100644
--- a/tests/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/tests/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -224,7 +224,8 @@ target_link_libraries (test_crud_tasks -lcmocka ${PARODUS_COMMON_LIBS} )
 #   test_crud_internal
 #-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 add_test(NAME test_crud_internal COMMAND ${MEMORY_CHECK} ./test_crud_internal)
-add_executable(test_crud_internal test_crud_internal.c ../src/config.c ../src/close_retry.c ../src/string_helpers.c ../src/crud_internal.c )
+add_executable(test_crud_internal test_crud_internal.c ../src/config.c ../src/close_retry.c 
+  ../src/ParodusInternal.c ../src/string_helpers.c ../src/crud_internal.c )
 target_link_libraries (test_crud_internal -lcmocka ${PARODUS_COMMON_LIBS} -lcurl -luuid)
 
 #-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/tests/test_conn_interface.c b/tests/test_conn_interface.c
index d553e70..36262d2 100644
--- a/tests/test_conn_interface.c
+++ b/tests/test_conn_interface.c
@@ -196,6 +196,13 @@ void close_and_unref_connection(noPollConn *conn)
     function_called();
 }
 
+int readFromFile(const char *file_name, char **data)
+{
+	UNUSED(file_name);
+	*data = strdup ("parodus_stopping");
+	return 1;
+}
+
 void nopoll_cleanup_library	()	
 {
     function_called();
diff --git a/tests/test_connection.c b/tests/test_connection.c
index bca9dbb..2713241 100644
--- a/tests/test_connection.c
+++ b/tests/test_connection.c
@@ -111,6 +111,13 @@ pthread_mutex_t *get_interface_down_mut(void)
     return &interface_down_mut;
 }
 
+int readFromFile(const char *file_name, char **data)
+{
+	UNUSED(file_name);
+	*data = strdup ("parodus_stopping");
+	return 1;
+}
+
 noPollConn * nopoll_conn_new_opts (noPollCtx  * ctx, noPollConnOpts  * opts, const char  * host_ip, const char  * host_port, const char  * host_name,const char  * get_url,const char  * protocols, const char * origin)
 {
     UNUSED(host_port); UNUSED(host_name); UNUSED(get_url); UNUSED(protocols); 
diff --git a/tests/test_crud_internal.c b/tests/test_crud_internal.c
index b517de3..465ae76 100644
--- a/tests/test_crud_internal.c
+++ b/tests/test_crud_internal.c
@@ -35,6 +35,11 @@
 bool LastReasonStatus;
 pthread_mutex_t close_mut;
 
+char *get_global_reconnect_reason()
+{
+    return "parodus_stopping";
+}
+
 void set_global_reconnect_reason(char *reason)
 {
 	UNUSED(reason);