diff --git a/src/cryptonote_core/cryptonote_core.cpp b/src/cryptonote_core/cryptonote_core.cpp
index c83e6e0a..d9d8a7fa 100644
--- a/src/cryptonote_core/cryptonote_core.cpp
+++ b/src/cryptonote_core/cryptonote_core.cpp
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ using namespace epee;
 #include "cryptonote_config.h"
 #include "cryptonote_format_utils.h"
 #include "misc_language.h"
+#include <csignal>
 
 DISABLE_VS_WARNINGS(4355)
 
@@ -98,6 +99,12 @@ namespace cryptonote
       res = m_blockchain_storage.update_checkpoints(m_checkpoints_path, false);
       m_last_json_checkpoints_update = time(NULL);
     }
+
+    // if anything fishy happened getting new checkpoints, bring down the house
+    if (!res)
+    {
+      graceful_exit();
+    }
     return res;
   }
   //-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -583,4 +590,9 @@ namespace cryptonote
   uint64_t core::get_target_blockchain_height() const {
     return m_target_blockchain_height;
   }
+  //-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+  void core::graceful_exit()
+  {
+    raise(SIGTERM);
+  }
 }
diff --git a/src/cryptonote_core/cryptonote_core.h b/src/cryptonote_core/cryptonote_core.h
index 0c697df8..10522451 100644
--- a/src/cryptonote_core/cryptonote_core.h
+++ b/src/cryptonote_core/cryptonote_core.h
@@ -145,6 +145,7 @@ namespace cryptonote
      bool handle_command_line(const boost::program_options::variables_map& vm, bool testnet);
      bool on_update_blocktemplate_interval();
      bool check_tx_inputs_keyimages_diff(const transaction& tx);
+     void graceful_exit();
 
 
      tx_memory_pool m_mempool;