diff --git a/scripts/lib/qmd.py b/scripts/lib/qmd.py
index 22afc36..2501ee5 100644
--- a/scripts/lib/qmd.py
+++ b/scripts/lib/qmd.py
@@ -87,6 +87,17 @@ class Setup:
         if not node_version_ok(self.run(['node', '--version'])):
             raise ValueError('QMD local search needs Node.js 22 or newer.')
 
+    def stop_legacy_daemon(self, legacy):
+        """Ask the old Python daemon to exit so its files can be deleted (Windows keeps open files locked)."""
+        python = legacy / '.venv' / ('Scripts/python.exe' if WINDOWS else 'bin/python')
+        server = legacy / 'server.py'
+        if python.is_file() and server.is_file():
+            try:
+                self.run([str(python), str(server), 'stop', '--data-dir', str(legacy / 'data'),
+                          '--model-cache', str(legacy / 'model-cache')], timeout=60, check=False)
+            except (ValueError, OSError, subprocess.SubprocessError):
+                pass
+
     def migrate(self, state=None):
         state = self.load() if state is None else state
         legacy_state = self.base / 'semantic-retrieval.json'
@@ -95,6 +106,7 @@ class Setup:
             if legacy.is_symlink():
                 raise ValueError('Legacy semantic retrieval directory must not be a symbolic link.')
             if legacy.exists():
+                self.stop_legacy_daemon(legacy)
                 shutil.rmtree(legacy)
             legacy_state.unlink(missing_ok=True)
             self.say('Removed the previous Python semantic retrieval installation.')
diff --git a/scripts/tests/test-qmd-setup.py b/scripts/tests/test-qmd-setup.py
index 9a61207..cbfbac4 100644
--- a/scripts/tests/test-qmd-setup.py
+++ b/scripts/tests/test-qmd-setup.py
@@ -267,6 +267,29 @@ class SetupTest(unittest.TestCase):
         self.setup(FakeRunner(fail=('--detect',))).enable(['claude'])
         self.assertEqual(self.state()['device'], 'cpu')
 
+    def legacy_install(self):
+        legacy = self.home / '.my-ai-configuration/semantic-retrieval'
+        python = legacy / '.venv' / ('Scripts/python.exe' if os.name == 'nt' else 'bin/python')
+        python.parent.mkdir(parents=True)
+        python.write_text('')
+        (legacy / 'server.py').write_text('')
+        return legacy, python
+
+    def test_migration_stops_the_legacy_daemon_before_removal(self):
+        legacy, python = self.legacy_install()
+        seen = []
+        runner = FakeRunner(installed=True, on_call=lambda a: seen.append(legacy.exists()) if 'server.py' in ' '.join(a) else None)
+        self.setup(runner).enable(['claude'])
+        self.assertIn([str(python), str(legacy / 'server.py'), 'stop', '--data-dir', str(legacy / 'data'),
+                       '--model-cache', str(legacy / 'model-cache')], runner.calls)
+        self.assertEqual(seen, [True], 'stop runs while the legacy directory still exists')
+        self.assertFalse(legacy.exists())
+
+    def test_failing_legacy_stop_does_not_block_migration(self):
+        legacy, _ = self.legacy_install()
+        self.setup(FakeRunner(installed=True, fail=('server.py',))).enable(['claude'])
+        self.assertFalse(legacy.exists())
+
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':
     unittest.main()