diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 96474d3..8e7e3ae 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -13,6 +13,8 @@ All notable changes to this project will be documented in this file.
 
 ### Fixed
 
+- Exit the REPL on Ctrl+C and complete the WebSocket close handshake instead
+  of returning to the prompt.
 - Complete the WebSocket close handshake when the CLI exits, preventing normal
   disconnects from producing a connection-reset protocol error on the server.
 
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 8a16ef6..d3ab0ec 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -63,7 +63,8 @@ mise run repl
 The REPL defaults to `127.0.0.1:3737`. To select another loopback endpoint,
 use `cargo run -p runa-cli -- --connect 127.0.0.1:4000 repl` and start the server with
 the corresponding `--listen` address. Quitting the REPL disconnects only that
-client; actors and source files survive until the server exits.
+client; actors and source files survive until the server exits. Ctrl+C and
+Ctrl+D also exit the REPL and complete the WebSocket close handshake.
 Reconnect and use `ps` to recover their references. REPL bindings and
 command history are session-local and are not restored on reconnect.
 
diff --git a/crates/runa-cli/src/main.rs b/crates/runa-cli/src/main.rs
index 2824c81..654a771 100644
--- a/crates/runa-cli/src/main.rs
+++ b/crates/runa-cli/src/main.rs
@@ -420,7 +420,10 @@ fn run_interactive_repl(server: &mut dyn Connection) -> Result<(), Box<dyn std::
                     break;
                 }
             }
-            Err(ReadlineError::Interrupted) => writeln!(output, "^C")?,
+            Err(ReadlineError::Interrupted) => {
+                writeln!(output, "^C")?;
+                break;
+            }
             Err(ReadlineError::Eof) => {
                 writeln!(output)?;
                 break;
diff --git a/docs/protocol.md b/docs/protocol.md
index 5f35b33..6205235 100644
--- a/docs/protocol.md
+++ b/docs/protocol.md
@@ -154,7 +154,7 @@ the actor tree and open snapshot documents. Manual refresh remains available.
 
 ## WebSocket transport and notifications
 
-On `quit`, `exit`, or end-of-input, the CLI completes the WebSocket close
+On `quit`, `exit`, Ctrl+C, or end-of-input, the CLI completes the WebSocket close
 handshake with a 5-second deadline before releasing the connection. A failed
 handshake is reported rather than treating an abrupt reset as a normal close.
 
diff --git a/vscode/integration/repl.test.ts b/vscode/integration/repl.test.ts
index 155abc3..dd9bfc1 100644
--- a/vscode/integration/repl.test.ts
+++ b/vscode/integration/repl.test.ts
@@ -7,6 +7,56 @@ import { promisify } from "node:util";
 import { ImageClient } from "../src/client";
 import { startImage } from "./server";
 
+test(
+  "Ctrl+C exits a terminal REPL with a clean WebSocket handshake",
+  { timeout: 10000, skip: process.platform !== "linux" },
+  async (t) => {
+    const image = await startImage();
+    t.after(() => image.stop());
+    const executable = resolve(__dirname, "../../../target/debug/runa-cli");
+    const terminal = spawn("script", ["-q", "-e", "-c", '"$RUNA_CLI_TEST" repl', "/dev/null"], {
+      env: {
+        ...process.env,
+        TERM: "xterm",
+        RUNA_CONNECT: image.address,
+        RUNA_CLI_TEST: executable,
+      },
+      stdio: ["pipe", "pipe", "pipe"],
+    });
+    t.after(() => {
+      if (terminal.exitCode === null && terminal.signalCode === null) terminal.kill();
+    });
+    let stdout = "";
+    let stderr = "";
+    let interrupted = false;
+    terminal.stdout.on("data", (chunk: Buffer) => {
+      stdout += chunk.toString();
+      if (!interrupted && stdout.includes("runa> ")) {
+        interrupted = true;
+        terminal.stdin.write("\x03");
+      }
+    });
+    terminal.stderr.on("data", (chunk: Buffer) => {
+      stderr += chunk.toString();
+    });
+    const [code] = await once(terminal, "exit");
+    assert.ok(interrupted, stdout + stderr);
+    assert.equal(code, 0, stdout + stderr);
+    assert.equal(stderr, "");
+    assert.match(stdout, /\^C/);
+    assert.doesNotMatch(stdout, /protocol error|reset without closing handshake/i);
+    assert.doesNotMatch(image.diagnostics(), /protocol error|reset without closing handshake/i);
+    const inspector = await ImageClient.connect(image.address, (error) => {
+      assert.equal(error, undefined);
+    });
+    try {
+      assert.deepEqual(await inspector.listActors(), []);
+    } finally {
+      inspector.close();
+    }
+  },
+);
+
 test(
   "one-shot CLI commands share the image, report errors, and close cleanly",
   { timeout: 15000 },