diff --git a/api/main.go b/api/main.go
index a395a2c..43f8b60 100644
--- a/api/main.go
+++ b/api/main.go
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ func main() {
 	exitIfError(smtpConfigure())
 	exitIfError(oauthConfigure())
 	exitIfError(createMarkdownRenderer())
+	exitIfError(setupSigintCleanup())
 
 	exitIfError(serveRoutes())
 }
diff --git a/api/sigint.go b/api/sigint.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5b91edf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/api/sigint.go
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+package main
+
+import (
+	"os"
+	"os/signal"
+	"syscall"
+)
+
+func sigintCleanup() int {
+	// TODO: close the database connection and do other cleanup jobs
+	return 0
+}
+
+func setupSigintCleanup() error {
+	logger.Infof("setting up SIGINT cleanup")
+
+	c := make(chan os.Signal)
+	signal.Notify(c, os.Interrupt, syscall.SIGINT)
+	go func() {
+		<-c
+		os.Exit(sigintCleanup())
+	}()
+
+	return nil
+}