diff --git a/core/src/main/java/hudson/lifecycle/ExitLifecycle.java b/core/src/main/java/hudson/lifecycle/ExitLifecycle.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..4d15a575a3
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+++ b/core/src/main/java/hudson/lifecycle/ExitLifecycle.java
@@ -0,0 +1,75 @@
+/*
+ * The MIT License
+ *
+ * Copyright 2018 Alon Bar-Lev <alon.barlev@gmail.com>
+ *
+ * Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy
+ * of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal
+ * in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights
+ * to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell
+ * copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is
+ * furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:
+ *
+ * The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in
+ * all copies or substantial portions of the Software.
+ *
+ * THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR
+ * IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY,
+ * FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE
+ * AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER
+ * LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM,
+ * OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN
+ * THE SOFTWARE.
+ */
+package hudson.lifecycle;
+
+import hudson.Extension;
+
+import org.kohsuke.accmod.Restricted;
+import org.kohsuke.accmod.restrictions.NoExternalUse;
+
+import java.util.logging.Level;
+import java.util.logging.Logger;
+
+import jenkins.model.Configuration;
+import jenkins.model.Jenkins;
+
+/**
+ * {@link Lifecycle} that delegates the responsibility to restart Jenkins to an external
+ * watchdog such as SystemD or OpenRC.
+ *
+ * <p>
+ * Restart by exit with specific code.
+ *
+ * @author Alon Bar-Lev
+ */
+@Restricted(NoExternalUse.class)
+@Extension
+public class ExitLifecycle extends Lifecycle {
+
+    private static final Logger LOGGER = Logger.getLogger(ExitLifecycle.class.getName());
+
+    private static final String EXIT_CODE_ON_RESTART = "exitCodeOnRestart";
+    private static final String DEFAULT_EXIT_CODE = "5";
+
+    private Integer exitOnRestart;
+
+    public ExitLifecycle() {
+        exitOnRestart = Integer.parseInt(Configuration.getStringConfigParameter(EXIT_CODE_ON_RESTART, DEFAULT_EXIT_CODE));
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public void restart() {
+        Jenkins jenkins = Jenkins.getInstanceOrNull(); // guard against repeated concurrent calls to restart
+
+        try {
+            if (jenkins != null) {
+                jenkins.cleanUp();
+            }
+        } catch (Exception e) {
+            LOGGER.log(Level.SEVERE, "Failed to clean up. Restart will continue.", e);
+        }
+
+        System.exit(exitOnRestart);
+    }
+}