diff --git a/tests/travis/setup_arangodb.sh b/tests/travis/setup_arangodb.sh
index a4c6ce749..3e1f24748 100755
--- a/tests/travis/setup_arangodb.sh
+++ b/tests/travis/setup_arangodb.sh
@@ -36,6 +36,10 @@ ${ARANGOD} \
     --javascript.startup-directory ${ARANGODB_DIR}/js \
     --server.authentication=true &
 
+ARANGOD_PID="$!"
+echo "pid is $ARANGOD_PID"
+trap "echo 'shutting down arangod'; kill -TERM $ARANGOD_PID; sleep 5" exit TERM HUP INT
+
 sleep 2
 
 echo "Check for arangod process"