diff --git a/tractor/_spawn.py b/tractor/_spawn.py
index bca812d..4fb05d7 100644
--- a/tractor/_spawn.py
+++ b/tractor/_spawn.py
@@ -295,7 +295,17 @@ async def new_proc(
                 # ``trio.Process.__aexit__()`` (it tears down stdio
                 # which will kill any waiting remote pdb trace).
                 # This is a "soft" (cancellable) join/reap.
-                await proc.wait()
+                try:
+                    await proc.wait()
+                except trio.Cancelled:
+                    # if cancelled during a soft wait cancel the child
+                    # actor before entering the hard reap
+                    # sequence below. This means we try to do a
+                    # graceful teardown before getting out zombie
+                    # killing tools.
+                    with trio.CancelScope(shield=True):
+                        await portal.cancel_actor()
+                    raise
 
                 # cancel result waiter that may have been spawned in
                 # tandem if not done already