diff --git a/IPython/frontend/qt/console/frontend_widget.py b/IPython/frontend/qt/console/frontend_widget.py
index 2afb8e4..fdd9f1d 100644
--- a/IPython/frontend/qt/console/frontend_widget.py
+++ b/IPython/frontend/qt/console/frontend_widget.py
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ from __future__ import print_function
 # Standard library imports
 from collections import namedtuple
 import sys
+import time
 
 # System library imports
 from pygments.lexers import PythonLexer
@@ -361,6 +362,19 @@ class FrontendWidget(HistoryConsoleWidget, BaseFrontendMixin):
             self._append_plain_text(text)
             self._control.moveCursor(QtGui.QTextCursor.End)
 
+    def _handle_shutdown_reply(self, msg):
+        """ Handle shutdown signal, only if from other console.
+        """
+        if not self._hidden and not self._is_from_this_session(msg):
+            if not msg['content']['restart']:
+                sys.exit(0)
+            else:
+                # we just got notified of a restart!
+                time.sleep(0.25) # wait 1/4 sec to reest
+                                 # lest the request for a new prompt
+                                 # goes to the old kernel
+                self.reset()
+
     def _started_channels(self):
         """ Called when the KernelManager channels have started listening or 
             when the frontend is assigned an already listening KernelManager.
diff --git a/IPython/frontend/qt/console/ipythonqt.py b/IPython/frontend/qt/console/ipythonqt.py
index 5a7efe2..bccf5a0 100644
--- a/IPython/frontend/qt/console/ipythonqt.py
+++ b/IPython/frontend/qt/console/ipythonqt.py
@@ -31,11 +31,12 @@ class MainWindow(QtGui.QMainWindow):
     # 'object' interface
     #---------------------------------------------------------------------------
     
-    def __init__(self, frontend):
+    def __init__(self, frontend, existing=False):
         """ Create a MainWindow for the specified FrontendWidget.
         """
         super(MainWindow, self).__init__()
         self._frontend = frontend
+        self._existing = existing
         self._frontend.exit_requested.connect(self.close)
         self.setCentralWidget(frontend)
     
@@ -50,15 +51,19 @@ class MainWindow(QtGui.QMainWindow):
         if kernel_manager and kernel_manager.channels_running:
             title = self.window().windowTitle()
             reply = QtGui.QMessageBox.question(self, title,
-                'Closing console. Leave Kernel alive?', 
+                "Closing console. Shutdown kernel as well?\n"+
+                "'Yes' will close the kernel and all connected consoles.", 
                 QtGui.QMessageBox.Yes, QtGui.QMessageBox.No, QtGui.QMessageBox.Cancel)
             if reply == QtGui.QMessageBox.Yes:
-                self.destroy()
-                event.ignore()
-            elif reply == QtGui.QMessageBox.No:
                 kernel_manager.shutdown_kernel()
                 #kernel_manager.stop_channels()
                 event.accept()
+            elif reply == QtGui.QMessageBox.No:
+                if self._existing:
+                    event.accept()
+                else:
+                    self.destroy()
+                    event.ignore()
             else:
                 event.ignore()
 
@@ -136,7 +141,7 @@ def main():
     widget.kernel_manager = kernel_manager
 
     # Create the main window.
-    window = MainWindow(widget)
+    window = MainWindow(widget, args.existing)
     window.setWindowTitle('Python' if args.pure else 'IPython')
     window.show()
 
diff --git a/IPython/frontend/qt/kernelmanager.py b/IPython/frontend/qt/kernelmanager.py
index 09e7fa6..98df284 100644
--- a/IPython/frontend/qt/kernelmanager.py
+++ b/IPython/frontend/qt/kernelmanager.py
@@ -105,6 +105,9 @@ class QtSubSocketChannel(SocketChannelQObject, SubSocketChannel):
     # last-resort sys.excepthook.
     crash_received = QtCore.pyqtSignal(object)
 
+    # Emitted when a shutdown is noticed.
+    shutdown_reply_received = QtCore.pyqtSignal(object)
+
     #---------------------------------------------------------------------------
     # 'SubSocketChannel' interface
     #---------------------------------------------------------------------------