diff --git a/sunspot_solr/lib/sunspot/solr/server.rb b/sunspot_solr/lib/sunspot/solr/server.rb
index 14d394558..fd0e42452 100644
--- a/sunspot_solr/lib/sunspot/solr/server.rb
+++ b/sunspot_solr/lib/sunspot/solr/server.rb
@@ -115,8 +115,11 @@ def run
       def stop
         if File.exist?(pid_path)
           pid = IO.read(pid_path).to_i
+          pgpid = Process.getpgid(pid) # process group id for started process
+                                       # required to kill child processes
           begin
-            Process.kill('TERM', pid)
+            Process.kill('TERM', -pgpid) # negative argument means that
+                                         # process group is killed
           rescue Errno::ESRCH
             raise NotRunningError, "Process with PID #{pid} is no longer running"
           ensure
diff --git a/sunspot_solr/spec/server_spec.rb b/sunspot_solr/spec/server_spec.rb
index 1c0056860..2622e1af1 100644
--- a/sunspot_solr/spec/server_spec.rb
+++ b/sunspot_solr/spec/server_spec.rb
@@ -35,14 +35,14 @@
   end
 
   it 'runs Solr with specified data dir' do
-    @server.solr_data_dir = '/var/solr/data'
-    @server.should_receive(:exec).with(%r(-Dsolr\.data\.dir=/var/solr/data))
+    @server.solr_data_dir = '/tmp/solr/data'
+    @server.should_receive(:exec).with(%r(-Dsolr\.data\.dir=/tmp/solr/data))
     @server.run
   end
 
   it 'runs Solr with specified Solr home' do
-    @server.solr_home = '/var/solr'
-    @server.should_receive(:exec).with(%r(-Dsolr\.solr\.home=/var/solr))
+    @server.solr_home = '/tmp/solr'
+    @server.should_receive(:exec).with(%r(-Dsolr\.solr\.home=/tmp/solr))
     @server.run
   end
 
@@ -59,6 +59,28 @@
     }.to raise_error(Sunspot::Solr::Server::JavaMissing)
   end
 
+  context 'when solr process already exists' do
+    let(:pid_path) { @server.pid_path }
+
+    before do
+      File.stub(:exist?)
+          .with(pid_path)
+          .and_return(true)
+      IO.stub(:read)
+        .with(pid_path)
+        .and_return(8000)
+    end
+    it 'kills solr process and child processes on stop' do
+      FileUtils.should_receive(:rm).with(pid_path)
+      Process.should_receive(:getpgid)
+             .with(8000)
+             .and_return(8001)
+      Process.should_receive(:kill).with("TERM", -8001)
+
+      @server.stop
+    end
+  end
+
   describe 'with logging' do
     before :each do
       @server.log_level = 'info'