diff --git a/tests/integration/integration.go b/tests/integration/integration.go
index a0256cffd7ce..28f18ac8e322 100644
--- a/tests/integration/integration.go
+++ b/tests/integration/integration.go
@@ -229,7 +229,23 @@ func K3sStartServer(inputArgs ...string) (*K3sServer, error) {
 	return &K3sServer{cmd, f}, err
 }
 
-// K3sKillServer terminates the running K3s server and its children
+// K3sStopServer gracefully stops the running K3s server and does not kill its children.
+// Equivalent to stoping the K3s service
+func K3sStopServer(server *K3sServer) error {
+	if server.log != nil {
+		server.log.Close()
+	}
+	if err := server.cmd.Process.Kill(); err != nil {
+		return errors.Wrap(err, "failed to kill k3s process")
+	}
+	if _, err := server.cmd.Process.Wait(); err != nil {
+		return errors.Wrap(err, "failed to wait for k3s process exit")
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
+// K3sKillServer terminates the running K3s server and its children.
+// Equivalent to k3s-killall.sh
 func K3sKillServer(server *K3sServer) error {
 	if server.log != nil {
 		server.log.Close()
diff --git a/tests/integration/startup/startup_int_test.go b/tests/integration/startup/startup_int_test.go
index e01257e368d3..e161ba0280c5 100644
--- a/tests/integration/startup/startup_int_test.go
+++ b/tests/integration/startup/startup_int_test.go
@@ -226,11 +226,11 @@ var _ = Describe("startup tests", Ordered, func() {
 				To(ContainSubstring("pod/dummy created"))
 			Eventually(func() (string, error) {
 				return testutil.K3sCmd("kubectl get event -n kube-system --field-selector involvedObject.name=dummy")
-			}, "20s", "4s").Should(ContainSubstring("Started container dummy"))
+			}, "60s", "5s").Should(ContainSubstring("Started container dummy"))
 		})
 		It("restarts the server", func() {
 			var err error
-			Expect(testutil.K3sKillServer(startupServer)).To(Succeed())
+			Expect(testutil.K3sStopServer(startupServer)).To(Succeed())
 			startupServer, err = testutil.K3sStartServer(startupServerArgs...)
 			Expect(err).ToNot(HaveOccurred())
 			Eventually(func() error {
@@ -260,7 +260,7 @@ var _ = AfterEach(func() {
 var _ = AfterSuite(func() {
 	if !testutil.IsExistingServer() {
 		if failed {
-			testutil.K3sDumpLog(startupServer)
+			testutil.K3sSaveLog(startupServer, false)
 			Expect(testutil.K3sKillServer(startupServer)).To(Succeed())
 		}
 		Expect(testutil.K3sCleanup(testLock, "")).To(Succeed())