diff --git a/abstract_client.h b/abstract_client.h
--- a/abstract_client.h
+++ b/abstract_client.h
@@ -614,6 +614,13 @@
         return m_desktopFileName;
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Tries to terminate the process of this AbstractClient.
+     *
+     * Implementing subclasses can perform a windowing system solution for terminating.
+     **/
+    virtual void killWindow() = 0;
+
     // TODO: remove boolean trap
     static bool belongToSameApplication(const AbstractClient* c1, const AbstractClient* c2, bool active_hack = false);
 
diff --git a/autotests/integration/helper/CMakeLists.txt b/autotests/integration/helper/CMakeLists.txt
--- a/autotests/integration/helper/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/autotests/integration/helper/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -5,3 +5,7 @@
 add_executable(paste paste.cpp)
 target_link_libraries(paste Qt5::Gui)
 ecm_mark_as_test(paste)
+######################
+add_executable(kill kill.cpp)
+target_link_libraries(kill Qt5::Widgets)
+ecm_mark_as_test(kill)
diff --git a/autotests/integration/helper/kill.cpp b/autotests/integration/helper/kill.cpp
new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/autotests/integration/helper/kill.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+/********************************************************************
+KWin - the KDE window manager
+This file is part of the KDE project.
+
+Copyright (C) 2016 Martin Gräßlin <mgraesslin@kde.org>
+
+This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
+it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or
+(at your option) any later version.
+
+This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+GNU General Public License for more details.
+
+You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+*********************************************************************/
+#include <QApplication>
+#include <QWidget>
+
+int main(int argc, char *argv[])
+{
+    qputenv("QT_QPA_PLATFORM", QByteArrayLiteral("wayland"));
+    QApplication app(argc, argv);
+    QWidget w;
+    w.setGeometry(QRect(0, 0, 100, 200));
+    w.show();
+
+    return app.exec();
+}
diff --git a/autotests/integration/shell_client_test.cpp b/autotests/integration/shell_client_test.cpp
--- a/autotests/integration/shell_client_test.cpp
+++ b/autotests/integration/shell_client_test.cpp
@@ -33,8 +33,15 @@
 #include <KWayland/Client/surface.h>
 #include <KWayland/Client/xdgshell.h>
 
+#include <KWayland/Server/clientconnection.h>
+#include <KWayland/Server/display.h>
 #include <KWayland/Server/shell_interface.h>
 
+// system
+#include <sys/types.h>
+#include <sys/socket.h>
+#include <unistd.h>
+
 using namespace KWin;
 using namespace KWayland::Client;
 
@@ -64,6 +71,8 @@
     void testHidden();
     void testDesktopFileName();
     void testCaptionSimplified();
+    void testKillWindow_data();
+    void testKillWindow();
 };
 
 void TestShellClient::initTestCase()
@@ -633,5 +642,53 @@
     QCOMPARE(c->caption(), origTitle.simplified());
 }
 
+void TestShellClient::testKillWindow_data()
+{
+    QTest::addColumn<bool>("socketMode");
+
+    QTest::newRow("display") << false;
+    QTest::newRow("socket") << true;
+}
+
+void TestShellClient::testKillWindow()
+{
+    // this test verifies that killWindow properly terminates a process
+    // for this an external binary is launched
+    const QString kill = QFINDTESTDATA(QStringLiteral("helper/kill"));
+    QVERIFY(!kill.isEmpty());
+    QSignalSpy shellClientAddedSpy(waylandServer(), &WaylandServer::shellClientAdded);
+    QVERIFY(shellClientAddedSpy.isValid());
+
+    QScopedPointer<QProcess> process(new QProcess);
+    QProcessEnvironment env = QProcessEnvironment::systemEnvironment();
+    QFETCH(bool, socketMode);
+    if (socketMode) {
+        int sx[2];
+        QVERIFY(socketpair(AF_UNIX, SOCK_STREAM | SOCK_CLOEXEC, 0, sx) >= 0);
+        waylandServer()->display()->createClient(sx[0]);
+        int socket = dup(sx[1]);
+        QVERIFY(socket != -1);
+        env.insert(QStringLiteral("WAYLAND_SOCKET"), QByteArray::number(socket));
+        env.remove("WAYLAND_DISPLAY");
+    } else {
+        env.insert("WAYLAND_DISPLAY", s_socketName);
+    }
+    process->setProcessEnvironment(env);
+    process->setProcessChannelMode(QProcess::ForwardedChannels);
+    process->setProgram(kill);
+    process->start();
+    QVERIFY(process->waitForStarted());
+
+    AbstractClient *killClient = nullptr;
+    QVERIFY(shellClientAddedSpy.wait());
+    killClient = shellClientAddedSpy.first().first().value<AbstractClient*>();
+    QVERIFY(killClient);
+    QSignalSpy finishedSpy(process.data(), static_cast<void(QProcess::*)(int,QProcess::ExitStatus)>(&QProcess::finished));
+    QVERIFY(finishedSpy.isValid());
+    killClient->killWindow();
+    QVERIFY(finishedSpy.wait());
+    QVERIFY(!finishedSpy.isEmpty());
+}
+
 WAYLANDTEST_MAIN(TestShellClient)
 #include "shell_client_test.moc"
diff --git a/client.h b/client.h
--- a/client.h
+++ b/client.h
@@ -249,7 +249,7 @@
     static bool belongToSameApplication(const Client* c1, const Client* c2, bool active_hack = false);
     static bool sameAppWindowRoleMatch(const Client* c1, const Client* c2, bool active_hack);
 
-    void killWindow();
+    void killWindow() override;
     void toggleShade();
     void showContextHelp() override;
     void cancelShadeHoverTimer();
diff --git a/killwindow.cpp b/killwindow.cpp
--- a/killwindow.cpp
+++ b/killwindow.cpp
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@
 along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 *********************************************************************/
 #include "killwindow.h"
-#include "client.h"
+#include "abstract_client.h"
 #include "main.h"
 #include "platform.h"
 #include "unmanaged.h"
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@
             if (!t) {
                 return;
             }
-            if (Client *c = qobject_cast<Client*>(t)) {
+            if (AbstractClient *c = qobject_cast<AbstractClient*>(t)) {
                 c->killWindow();
             } else if (Unmanaged *u = qobject_cast<Unmanaged*>(t)) {
                 xcb_kill_client(connection(), u->window());
diff --git a/shell_client.h b/shell_client.h
--- a/shell_client.h
+++ b/shell_client.h
@@ -132,6 +132,8 @@
 
     void showOnScreenEdge() override;
 
+    void killWindow() override;
+
     // TODO: const-ref
     void placeIn(QRect &area);
 
diff --git a/shell_client.cpp b/shell_client.cpp
--- a/shell_client.cpp
+++ b/shell_client.cpp
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@
 #include <KDecoration2/DecoratedClient>
 
 #include <KWayland/Client/surface.h>
+#include <KWayland/Server/clientconnection.h>
 #include <KWayland/Server/seat_interface.h>
 #include <KWayland/Server/shell_interface.h>
 #include <KWayland/Server/surface_interface.h>
@@ -48,6 +49,10 @@
 #include <QOpenGLFramebufferObject>
 #include <QWindow>
 
+#include <sys/types.h>
+#include <unistd.h>
+#include <signal.h>
+
 using namespace KWayland::Server;
 
 static const QByteArray s_schemePropertyName = QByteArrayLiteral("KDE_COLOR_SCHEME_PATH");
@@ -1380,4 +1385,22 @@
     return false;
 }
 
+void ShellClient::killWindow()
+{
+    if (isInternal()) {
+        return;
+    }
+    if (!surface()) {
+        return;
+    }
+    auto c = surface()->client();
+    if (c->processId() == getpid()) {
+        c->destroy();
+        return;
+    }
+    ::kill(c->processId(), SIGTERM);
+    // give it time to terminate and only if terminate fails, try destroy Wayland connection
+    QTimer::singleShot(5000, c, &ClientConnection::destroy);
+}
+
 }