diff --git a/tests/tools/test_approval.py b/tests/tools/test_approval.py
index b973cb0f0..0d48b7c1f 100644
--- a/tests/tools/test_approval.py
+++ b/tests/tools/test_approval.py
@@ -512,6 +512,30 @@ class TestGatewayProtection:
         dangerous, key, desc = detect_dangerous_command(cmd)
         assert dangerous is False
 
+    def test_pkill_hermes_detected(self):
+        """pkill targeting hermes/gateway processes must be caught."""
+        cmd = 'pkill -f "cli.py --gateway"'
+        dangerous, key, desc = detect_dangerous_command(cmd)
+        assert dangerous is True
+        assert "self-termination" in desc
+
+    def test_killall_hermes_detected(self):
+        cmd = "killall hermes"
+        dangerous, key, desc = detect_dangerous_command(cmd)
+        assert dangerous is True
+        assert "self-termination" in desc
+
+    def test_pkill_gateway_detected(self):
+        cmd = "pkill -f gateway"
+        dangerous, key, desc = detect_dangerous_command(cmd)
+        assert dangerous is True
+
+    def test_pkill_unrelated_not_flagged(self):
+        """pkill targeting unrelated processes should not be flagged."""
+        cmd = "pkill -f nginx"
+        dangerous, key, desc = detect_dangerous_command(cmd)
+        assert dangerous is False
+
 
 class TestNormalizationBypass:
     """Obfuscation techniques must not bypass dangerous command detection."""
diff --git a/tools/approval.py b/tools/approval.py
index 4229164b4..ee74b1134 100644
--- a/tools/approval.py
+++ b/tools/approval.py
@@ -53,6 +53,8 @@ DANGEROUS_PATTERNS = [
     # Gateway protection: never start gateway outside systemd management
     (r'gateway\s+run\b.*(&\s*$|&\s*;|\bdisown\b|\bsetsid\b)', "start gateway outside systemd (use 'systemctl --user restart hermes-gateway')"),
     (r'\bnohup\b.*gateway\s+run\b', "start gateway outside systemd (use 'systemctl --user restart hermes-gateway')"),
+    # Self-termination protection: prevent agent from killing its own process
+    (r'\b(pkill|killall)\b.*\b(hermes|gateway|cli\.py)\b', "kill hermes/gateway process (self-termination)"),
 ]