--- a/server/mpm/event/event.c  
+++ a/server/mpm/event/event.c  
@@ -2735,6 +2735,7 @@ static int event_run(apr_pool_t * _pconf, apr_pool_t * plog, server_rec * s)
 
     /* we've been told to restart */
     apr_signal(SIGHUP, SIG_IGN);
+    apr_signal(AP_SIG_GRACEFUL, SIG_IGN);
 
     if (one_process) {
         /* not worth thinking about */