diff --git a/tools/frrcommon.sh.in b/tools/frrcommon.sh.in
index 658a625dd96b..cd47fa85172c 100755
--- a/tools/frrcommon.sh.in
+++ b/tools/frrcommon.sh.in
@@ -201,7 +201,10 @@ daemon_stop() {
 	is_user_root || exit 1
 
 	all=false
+	sig=INT
+	# these can't be used at the same time anyway
 	[ "$2" = "--reallyall" ] && all=true
+	[ "$2" = "--reload" ] && sig=USR1
 
 	pidfile="$V_PATH/$daemon${inst:+-$inst}.pid"
 	vtyfile="$V_PATH/$daemon${inst:+-$inst}.vty"
@@ -217,8 +220,14 @@ daemon_stop() {
 		return 1
 	fi
 
-	debug "kill -2 $pid"
-	kill -2 "$pid"
+	if [ "$FRR_COLLECT_CORE" = "1" ]; then
+		debug "kill -6 $pid"
+		kill -6 "$pid"
+	else
+		debug "kill -$sig $pid"
+		kill -$sig "$pid"
+	fi
+
 	cnt=1200
 	while kill -0 "$pid" 2>/dev/null; do
 		sleep .1
diff --git a/tools/frrinit.sh.in b/tools/frrinit.sh.in
index 4b4fd2a58943..2ab0b3ac6aab 100644
--- a/tools/frrinit.sh.in
+++ b/tools/frrinit.sh.in
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ reload)
 	# NB: This will NOT cause the other daemons to be restarted.
 	daemon_list enabled_daemons disabled_daemons
 	watchfrr_options="$watchfrr_options $enabled_daemons"
-	daemon_stop watchfrr && \
+	daemon_stop watchfrr --reload && \
 		daemon_start watchfrr
 
 	# If we disable an arbitrary daemon and do reload,
diff --git a/watchfrr/watchfrr.c b/watchfrr/watchfrr.c
index 391f3ac7d15e..8387ff4449b0 100644
--- a/watchfrr/watchfrr.c
+++ b/watchfrr/watchfrr.c
@@ -1097,6 +1097,13 @@ static FRR_NORETURN void sigint(void)
 	exit(0);
 }
 
+static FRR_NORETURN void sigusr1(void)
+{
+	zlog_notice("Terminating to handle reload (SIGUSR1)");
+	systemd_send_status("watchfrr restarting to handle changes in daemons");
+	exit(0);
+}
+
 static int valid_command(const char *cmd)
 {
 	char *p;
@@ -1352,6 +1359,10 @@ static struct frr_signal_t watchfrr_signals[] = {
 		.signal = SIGCHLD,
 		.handler = sigchild,
 	},
+	{
+		.signal = SIGUSR1,
+		.handler = sigusr1,
+	},
 };
 
 /* clang-format off */