diff --git a/src/cloudai/systems/standalone/standalone_system.py b/src/cloudai/systems/standalone/standalone_system.py
index 51c146a42..57d99487d 100644
--- a/src/cloudai/systems/standalone/standalone_system.py
+++ b/src/cloudai/systems/standalone/standalone_system.py
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 # SPDX-FileCopyrightText: NVIDIA CORPORATION & AFFILIATES
-# Copyright (c) 2024-2025 NVIDIA CORPORATION & AFFILIATES. All rights reserved.
+# Copyright (c) 2024-2026 NVIDIA CORPORATION & AFFILIATES. All rights reserved.
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
 #
 # Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
@@ -78,6 +78,22 @@ def kill(self, job: BaseJob) -> None:
         Args:
             job (BaseJob): The job to be terminated.
         """
-        cmd = f"kill -9 {job.id}"
-        logging.debug(f"Executing termination command for job {job.id}: {cmd}")
+        try:
+            pid = int(str(job.id).strip())
+        except ValueError:
+            logging.warning(
+                "Skipping termination for standalone job %s because it is not a valid process ID.",
+                job.id,
+            )
+            return
+
+        if pid <= 0:
+            logging.warning(
+                "Skipping termination for standalone job %s because it does not reference a launched process.",
+                job.id,
+            )
+            return
+
+        cmd = f"kill -9 {pid}"
+        logging.debug(f"Executing termination command for job {pid}: {cmd}")
         self.cmd_shell.execute(cmd)
diff --git a/tests/systems/standalone/test_system.py b/tests/systems/standalone/test_system.py
index 9dd252026..3d66a8eb6 100644
--- a/tests/systems/standalone/test_system.py
+++ b/tests/systems/standalone/test_system.py
@@ -108,3 +108,39 @@ def test_kill_job(mock_execute, standalone_system, standalone_job):
     kill_command = f"kill -9 {standalone_job.id}"
 
     mock_execute.assert_called_once_with(kill_command)
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("job_id", [0, "0", "00", "+0", "-0", -1, "-1", "not-a-pid"])
+@patch("cloudai.util.CommandShell.execute")
+def test_kill_job_skips_invalid_pid(mock_execute, standalone_system, mock_test, job_id):
+    """
+    Test that standalone dry-run sentinel IDs and invalid PIDs are not killed.
+
+    Args:
+        mock_execute (MagicMock): Mocked CommandShell execute method.
+        standalone_system (StandaloneSystem): Instance of the system under test.
+        mock_test (Test): The mock test instance associated with the job.
+        job_id (int | str): Job ID that must not be killed.
+    """
+    job = StandaloneJob(mock_test, id=job_id)
+
+    standalone_system.kill(job)
+
+    mock_execute.assert_not_called()
+
+
+@patch("cloudai.util.CommandShell.execute")
+def test_kill_job_normalizes_numeric_pid(mock_execute, standalone_system, mock_test):
+    """
+    Test that standalone termination uses a validated numeric process ID.
+
+    Args:
+        mock_execute (MagicMock): Mocked CommandShell execute method.
+        standalone_system (StandaloneSystem): Instance of the system under test.
+        mock_test (Test): The mock test instance associated with the job.
+    """
+    job = StandaloneJob(mock_test, id="0012345")
+
+    standalone_system.kill(job)
+
+    mock_execute.assert_called_once_with("kill -9 12345")