diff --git a/asterixdb/asterix-server/src/main/opt/local/bin/stop-sample-cluster.sh b/asterixdb/asterix-server/src/main/opt/local/bin/stop-sample-cluster.sh
index dbce377..f33f403 100755
--- a/asterixdb/asterix-server/src/main/opt/local/bin/stop-sample-cluster.sh
+++ b/asterixdb/asterix-server/src/main/opt/local/bin/stop-sample-cluster.sh
@@ -25,6 +25,16 @@
   echo "  -f[orce]  : Forcibly terminates any running ${PRODUCT} processes (after shutting down cluster, if running)"
 }
 
+function kill_procs() {
+  cat /tmp/$$_pids | while read line; do
+    if [ $minus_nine ]; then
+       echo $line | awk '{ print $2 }' | xargs -n1 kill -9
+    else
+       echo $line | awk '{ print $2 }' | xargs -n1 kill
+    fi
+  done
+}
+
 while [ -n "$1" ]; do
   case $1 in
     -f|-force) force=1;;
@@ -58,7 +68,10 @@
 INSTALLDIR=$(cd "$CLUSTERDIR/../.."; echo $PWD)
 "$INSTALLDIR/bin/${HELPER_COMMAND}" get_cluster_state -quiet
 if [ $? -ne 1 ]; then
-  "$INSTALLDIR/bin/${HELPER_COMMAND}" shutdown_cluster_all
+  if ps -ef | grep 'java.*org\.apache\.hyracks\.control\.[cn]c\.\([CN]CDriver\|service\.NCService\)' > /tmp/$$_pids; then
+    minus_nine=0;
+    kill_procs;
+  fi
   first=1
   tries=0
   echo -n "INFO: Waiting up to 60s for cluster to shutdown"
@@ -79,12 +92,8 @@
 if ps -ef | grep 'java.*org\.apache\.hyracks\.control\.[cn]c\.\([CN]CDriver\|service\.NCService\)' > /tmp/$$_pids; then
   echo -n "WARNING: ${PRODUCT} processes remain after cluster shutdown; "
   if [ $force ]; then
-    echo "-f[orce] specified, forcibly terminating ${PRODUCT} processes:"
-    cat /tmp/$$_pids | while read line; do
-      echo -n "   - $line..."
-      echo $line | awk '{ print $2 }' | xargs -n1 kill -9
-      echo "killed"
-    done
+    minus_nine=1;
+    kill_procs;
   else
     echo "re-run with -f|-force to forcibly terminate all ${PRODUCT} processes:"
     cat /tmp/pids |  sed 's/^ *[0-9]* \([0-9]*\).*org\.apache\.hyracks\.control\.[cn]c[^ ]*\.\([^ ]*\) .*/\1 - \2/'