diff --git a/mcp-server/src/legal_mcp/court_fetch_service/server.py b/mcp-server/src/legal_mcp/court_fetch_service/server.py
index a7e455a..c1c6c40 100644
--- a/mcp-server/src/legal_mcp/court_fetch_service/server.py
+++ b/mcp-server/src/legal_mcp/court_fetch_service/server.py
@@ -121,6 +121,10 @@ async def pm2_status(request: web.Request) -> web.Response:
 # Whitelisted to ``legal-`` names only — never paperclip or arbitrary processes.
 _PM2_ACTIONS = {"restart", "stop", "start"}
 
+# Our own pm2 process name. Restarting/stopping ourselves kills this process
+# mid-reply, so those self-actions are detached (see pm2_control).
+_OWN_PM2_NAME = os.environ.get("COURT_FETCH_SERVICE_PM2_NAME", "legal-court-fetch-service")
+
 
 async def pm2_control(request: web.Request) -> web.Response:
     """Run ``pm2 <action> <name>`` for a whitelisted legal-* process."""
@@ -143,6 +147,18 @@ async def pm2_control(request: web.Request) -> web.Response:
             {"error": "name must be a legal-* process"}, status=403
         )
 
+    # Self restart/stop kills this process before it can reply (client sees a
+    # dropped connection / 502) even though pm2 does perform the action. Detach
+    # it with a brief delay so the HTTP response flushes first, then report
+    # success optimistically.
+    if name == _OWN_PM2_NAME and action in ("restart", "stop"):
+        import asyncio as _asyncio
+
+        await _asyncio.create_subprocess_shell(f"sleep 1; pm2 {action} {name} --silent")
+        return web.json_response(
+            {"ok": True, "action": action, "deferred": True, "service": None}
+        )
+
     try:
         rc, out, err = await _pm2_run(action, name, "--silent", timeout=30)
         if rc != 0: