diff --git a/.changeset/fix-process-group-nonzero-exit-cleanup.md b/.changeset/fix-process-group-nonzero-exit-cleanup.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..04ddefebad8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/fix-process-group-nonzero-exit-cleanup.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+"@effect/platform-node-shared": patch
+---
+
+Honor `forceKillAfter` during scope release after a command leader exits with a non-zero code, so surviving descendants that ignore the termination signal are forcefully killed.
diff --git a/packages/platform/node-shared/src/NodeChildProcessSpawner.ts b/packages/platform/node-shared/src/NodeChildProcessSpawner.ts
index e5f7a0dd7eb..26143d53daa 100644
--- a/packages/platform/node-shared/src/NodeChildProcessSpawner.ts
+++ b/packages/platform/node-shared/src/NodeChildProcessSpawner.ts
@@ -547,7 +547,7 @@ const make = Effect.gen(function*() {
             if (exited) {
               const [code] = yield* Deferred.await(exitSignal)
               if (code !== 0 && Predicate.isNotNull(code)) {
-                yield* Effect.ignore(killProcessGroup(cmd, childProcess, cmd.options.killSignal ?? "SIGTERM"))
+                yield* Effect.ignore(terminateProcessGroup(cmd, childProcess, exitSignal, cmd.options))
               } else if (isReferenced && process.platform !== "win32" && cmd.options.detached !== false) {
                 yield* Effect.ignore(terminateProcessGroup(cmd, childProcess, exitSignal, cmd.options))
               }
diff --git a/packages/platform/node-shared/test/NodeChildProcessSpawner.test.ts b/packages/platform/node-shared/test/NodeChildProcessSpawner.test.ts
index e0dc3d52b62..19787f6b9a5 100644
--- a/packages/platform/node-shared/test/NodeChildProcessSpawner.test.ts
+++ b/packages/platform/node-shared/test/NodeChildProcessSpawner.test.ts
@@ -189,6 +189,22 @@ describe.skipIf(process.platform === "win32")("process group cleanup", () => {
       assert.strictEqual(yield* fs.readFileString(marker), "exited")
     }).pipe(Effect.scoped, Effect.provide(NodeServices)))
 
+  it.live("scope release force kills descendants after the leader exits with a non-zero code", () =>
+    Effect.gen(function*() {
+      const { descendantPid, handle, marker, scope } = yield* startProcessGroup("ignore-signal", {
+        stdin: "pipe",
+        forceKillAfter: "200 millis"
+      })
+      yield* Effect.addFinalizer(() => killDescendant(descendantPid))
+
+      yield* Stream.run(Stream.make(new TextEncoder().encode("exit 1\n")), handle.stdin)
+      assert.strictEqual(yield* handle.exitCode, 1)
+
+      yield* Scope.close(scope, Exit.void).pipe(liveTimeout(2_000))
+
+      yield* assertHeartbeatStopped(marker)
+    }).pipe(Effect.scoped, Effect.provide(NodeServices)))
+
   it.live("scope release cleans descendants after the leader is killed externally", () =>
     Effect.gen(function*() {
       const fs = yield* FileSystem.FileSystem
diff --git a/packages/platform/node-shared/test/fixtures/process-group.ts b/packages/platform/node-shared/test/fixtures/process-group.ts
index 7c35be6754f..3f7c66ba7a0 100644
--- a/packages/platform/node-shared/test/fixtures/process-group.ts
+++ b/packages/platform/node-shared/test/fixtures/process-group.ts
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ if (role === "leader") {
   spawn(process.execPath, [process.argv[1], "descendant", mode, marker], {
     stdio: ["ignore", "inherit", "inherit"]
   })
-  process.stdin.once("data", () => process.exit(0))
+  process.stdin.once("data", (data) => process.exit(data.toString().trim() === "exit 1" ? 1 : 0))
   setInterval(() => {}, 1_000)
 } else {
   if (mode === "exit-on-signal") {