diff --git a/scripts/package-openclaw-for-docker.mjs b/scripts/package-openclaw-for-docker.mjs
index 017d1032a7ff..c403a4539bca 100644
--- a/scripts/package-openclaw-for-docker.mjs
+++ b/scripts/package-openclaw-for-docker.mjs
@@ -142,10 +142,27 @@ function run(command, args, cwd, options = {}) {
       }
       child.kill(signal);
     };
+    const processGroupAlive = () => {
+      if (!useProcessGroup || !child.pid) {
+        return false;
+      }
+      try {
+        process.kill(-child.pid, 0);
+        return true;
+      } catch (error) {
+        return error?.code === "EPERM";
+      }
+    };
     const terminateChild = () => {
       killChild("SIGTERM");
       forceKillTimeout = setTimeout(
-        () => killChild("SIGKILL"),
+        () => {
+          forceKillTimeout = undefined;
+          if (settled && !processGroupAlive()) {
+            return;
+          }
+          killChild("SIGKILL");
+        },
         options.killAfterMs ?? DEFAULT_TIMEOUT_KILL_AFTER_MS,
       );
       forceKillTimeout.unref?.();
diff --git a/test/scripts/package-openclaw-for-docker.test.ts b/test/scripts/package-openclaw-for-docker.test.ts
index 302849ab6295..632104af3cbe 100644
--- a/test/scripts/package-openclaw-for-docker.test.ts
+++ b/test/scripts/package-openclaw-for-docker.test.ts
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ import fs from "node:fs";
 import os from "node:os";
 import path from "node:path";
 import { pathToFileURL } from "node:url";
-import { describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
+import { describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
 import {
   buildPackageArtifacts,
   packOpenClawPackageForDocker,
@@ -246,6 +246,37 @@ describe("package-openclaw-for-docker", () => {
     }
   });
 
+  it("does not fire delayed SIGKILL after a timed-out child exits during grace", async () => {
+    if (process.platform === "win32") {
+      return;
+    }
+
+    const killSpy = vi.spyOn(process, "kill");
+    try {
+      const script = [
+        "process.on('SIGTERM', () => process.exit(0));",
+        "setInterval(() => {}, 1000);",
+      ].join("");
+
+      await expect(
+        runCommandForTest(process.execPath, ["-e", script], process.cwd(), {
+          killAfterMs: 100,
+          timeoutMs: 25,
+        }),
+      ).rejects.toThrow(/timed out after 25ms/u);
+
+      const sigkillCallsAfterExit = killSpy.mock.calls.filter(
+        ([, signal]) => signal === "SIGKILL",
+      ).length;
+      await sleep(150);
+      expect(killSpy.mock.calls.filter(([, signal]) => signal === "SIGKILL")).toHaveLength(
+        sigkillCallsAfterExit,
+      );
+    } finally {
+      killSpy.mockRestore();
+    }
+  });
+
   it("fails captured commands that exceed the stdout limit", async () => {
     const script = [
       "process.stdout.write('x'.repeat(2048));",