diff --git a/dist/commands/build/index.js b/dist/commands/build/index.js
index 4b50ac4..cd64ca2 100644
--- a/dist/commands/build/index.js
+++ b/dist/commands/build/index.js
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import { rmSync, writeFileSync } from "fs";
 import bunextInit from "../../functions/bunext-init";
 import { v4 } from "uuid";
 import { updatePageLastmodRecord } from "../../utils/page-lastmod-record";
+import disposeBundlerContexts from "../../functions/bundler/dispose-bundler-contexts";
 const { HYDRATION_DST_DIR, BUNX_CWD_PAGES_REWRITE_DIR, BUNDLER_CTX_MAP_JSON, SSR_BUNDLER_CTX_MAP_JSON, BUNX_CWD_MODULE_CACHE_DIR, BUILD_INFO_JSON, } = grabDirNames();
 export default function () {
     return new Command("build")
@@ -21,6 +22,7 @@ export default function () {
         catch (error) { }
         global.BUNEXT_SKIPPED_BROWSER_MODULES = new Set();
         await bunextInit({ build_only: true });
+        await disposeBundlerContexts({ stop_service: true });
         // A failed bundle must fail the command: CI and scripts rely on
         // the exit code instead of grepping logs.
         if (global.BUNEXT_BUILD_FAILED) {
diff --git a/dist/functions/bundler/dispose-bundler-contexts.d.ts b/dist/functions/bundler/dispose-bundler-contexts.d.ts
index d3e581e..6b463d7 100644
--- a/dist/functions/bundler/dispose-bundler-contexts.d.ts
+++ b/dist/functions/bundler/dispose-bundler-contexts.d.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,15 @@
+type Params = {
+    /**
+     * Also stop esbuild's service process. Only safe when no other esbuild
+     * call can be in flight (e.g. before exiting, or right after the startup
+     * build). The service restarts on the next esbuild call.
+     */
+    stop_service?: boolean;
+};
 /**
  * Disposes the hydration and SSR esbuild contexts, releasing the incremental
  * build state esbuild keeps in memory for them. The bundlers re-create the
  * contexts on their next run.
  */
-export default function disposeBundlerContexts(): Promise<void>;
+export default function disposeBundlerContexts(params?: Params): Promise<void>;
+export {};
diff --git a/dist/functions/bundler/dispose-bundler-contexts.js b/dist/functions/bundler/dispose-bundler-contexts.js
index 1aa725f..9473869 100644
--- a/dist/functions/bundler/dispose-bundler-contexts.js
+++ b/dist/functions/bundler/dispose-bundler-contexts.js
@@ -1,9 +1,10 @@
+import * as esbuild from "esbuild";
 /**
  * Disposes the hydration and SSR esbuild contexts, releasing the incremental
  * build state esbuild keeps in memory for them. The bundlers re-create the
  * contexts on their next run.
  */
-export default async function disposeBundlerContexts() {
+export default async function disposeBundlerContexts(params) {
     try {
         await global.BUNEXT_BUNDLER_CTX?.dispose();
     }
@@ -14,4 +15,13 @@ export default async function disposeBundlerContexts() {
     }
     catch (error) { }
     global.BUNEXT_SSR_BUNDLER_CTX = undefined;
+    if (params?.stop_service) {
+        // Exiting while the service is still running can leave it orphaned
+        // with an unanswered ping, which crashes it with "all goroutines are
+        // asleep - deadlock!".
+        try {
+            await esbuild.stop();
+        }
+        catch (error) { }
+    }
 }
diff --git a/dist/functions/bunext-init.js b/dist/functions/bunext-init.js
index 0645e8e..eb0e0ef 100644
--- a/dist/functions/bunext-init.js
+++ b/dist/functions/bunext-init.js
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ export default async function bunextInit(params) {
             await allPagesESBuildContextBundler({ start: true });
             // The server only needs the artifact maps; don't keep
             // esbuild's build state alive for the rest of the process.
-            await disposeBundlerContexts();
+            await disposeBundlerContexts({ stop_service: true });
         }
         cron();
     }
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 91dd4f8..d907ca6 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
     "name": "@moduletrace/bunext",
-    "version": "1.3.2",
+    "version": "1.3.3",
     "main": "dist/index.js",
     "module": "index.ts",
     "dependencies": {
diff --git a/src/commands/build/index.ts b/src/commands/build/index.ts
index ee08b8f..b07e03e 100644
--- a/src/commands/build/index.ts
+++ b/src/commands/build/index.ts
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import bunextInit from "../../functions/bunext-init";
 import type { BuildDataType } from "../../types";
 import { v4 } from "uuid";
 import { updatePageLastmodRecord } from "../../utils/page-lastmod-record";
+import disposeBundlerContexts from "../../functions/bundler/dispose-bundler-contexts";
 
 const {
     HYDRATION_DST_DIR,
@@ -33,6 +34,8 @@ export default function () {
 
             await bunextInit({ build_only: true });
 
+            await disposeBundlerContexts({ stop_service: true });
+
             // A failed bundle must fail the command: CI and scripts rely on
             // the exit code instead of grepping logs.
             if (global.BUNEXT_BUILD_FAILED) {
diff --git a/src/functions/bundler/dispose-bundler-contexts.ts b/src/functions/bundler/dispose-bundler-contexts.ts
index 81d82da..0911d8a 100644
--- a/src/functions/bundler/dispose-bundler-contexts.ts
+++ b/src/functions/bundler/dispose-bundler-contexts.ts
@@ -1,9 +1,20 @@
+import * as esbuild from "esbuild";
+
+type Params = {
+    /**
+     * Also stop esbuild's service process. Only safe when no other esbuild
+     * call can be in flight (e.g. before exiting, or right after the startup
+     * build). The service restarts on the next esbuild call.
+     */
+    stop_service?: boolean;
+};
+
 /**
  * Disposes the hydration and SSR esbuild contexts, releasing the incremental
  * build state esbuild keeps in memory for them. The bundlers re-create the
  * contexts on their next run.
  */
-export default async function disposeBundlerContexts() {
+export default async function disposeBundlerContexts(params?: Params) {
     try {
         await global.BUNEXT_BUNDLER_CTX?.dispose();
     } catch (error) {}
@@ -13,4 +24,13 @@ export default async function disposeBundlerContexts() {
         await global.BUNEXT_SSR_BUNDLER_CTX?.dispose();
     } catch (error) {}
     global.BUNEXT_SSR_BUNDLER_CTX = undefined;
+
+    if (params?.stop_service) {
+        // Exiting while the service is still running can leave it orphaned
+        // with an unanswered ping, which crashes it with "all goroutines are
+        // asleep - deadlock!".
+        try {
+            await esbuild.stop();
+        } catch (error) {}
+    }
 }
diff --git a/src/functions/bunext-init.ts b/src/functions/bunext-init.ts
index 4811ec9..cc0710e 100644
--- a/src/functions/bunext-init.ts
+++ b/src/functions/bunext-init.ts
@@ -165,7 +165,7 @@ export default async function bunextInit(params?: Params) {
             await allPagesESBuildContextBundler({ start: true });
             // The server only needs the artifact maps; don't keep
             // esbuild's build state alive for the rest of the process.
-            await disposeBundlerContexts();
+            await disposeBundlerContexts({ stop_service: true });
         }
 
         cron();