diff --git a/packages/nuxi/src/dev/utils.ts b/packages/nuxi/src/dev/utils.ts
index edc360cdf..2953498e1 100644
--- a/packages/nuxi/src/dev/utils.ts
+++ b/packages/nuxi/src/dev/utils.ts
@@ -181,6 +181,11 @@ export class NuxtDevServer extends EventEmitter<DevServerEventMap> {
   async init() {
     await this.load()
     this._watchConfig()
+
+    process.on('exit', () => {
+      this._distWatcher?.close()
+      this._configWatcher?.()
+    })
   }
 
   async load(reload?: boolean, reason?: string) {
@@ -198,8 +203,6 @@ export class NuxtDevServer extends EventEmitter<DevServerEventMap> {
   }
 
   async close() {
-    this._distWatcher?.close()
-    this._configWatcher?.()
     if (this._currentNuxt) {
       await this._currentNuxt.close()
     }