diff --git a/packages/nuxi/src/dev/index.ts b/packages/nuxi/src/dev/index.ts
index 1152b1b38..7d3e89583 100644
--- a/packages/nuxi/src/dev/index.ts
+++ b/packages/nuxi/src/dev/index.ts
@@ -109,7 +109,10 @@ export async function initialize(devContext: NuxtDevContext, ctx: InitializeOpti
 
   return {
     listener: devServer.listener,
-    close: () => devServer.close(),
+    close: () => {
+      devServer.closeWatchers()
+      devServer.close()
+    },
     onReady: (callback: (address: string) => void) => {
       if (address) {
         callback(address)
diff --git a/packages/nuxi/src/dev/utils.ts b/packages/nuxi/src/dev/utils.ts
index 2953498e1..641efbcfc 100644
--- a/packages/nuxi/src/dev/utils.ts
+++ b/packages/nuxi/src/dev/utils.ts
@@ -181,11 +181,11 @@ export class NuxtDevServer extends EventEmitter<DevServerEventMap> {
   async init() {
     await this.load()
     this._watchConfig()
+  }
 
-    process.on('exit', () => {
-      this._distWatcher?.close()
-      this._configWatcher?.()
-    })
+  closeWatchers() {
+    this._distWatcher?.close()
+    this._configWatcher?.()
   }
 
   async load(reload?: boolean, reason?: string) {