diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index c978c18..6383027 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -5,6 +5,22 @@ All notable changes to this project are documented in this file.
 The format is based on [Keep a Changelog](https://keepachangelog.com/en/1.1.0/),
 and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0.html).
 
+## [Unreleased]
+
+### Fixed
+
+- **The `graceful shutdown: complete` line could say `reason: "drained"` next
+  to a non-zero exit code.** When cleanup timed out or failed it set the exit
+  code but not the reason, so the one line an operator alerts on contradicted
+  itself. `reason` now names whatever decided the exit code
+  (`cleanup-timeout` / `cleanup-failed`) and the drain outcome keeps its own
+  `drain` key, so the shape stays stable and neither fact is lost. Shipped in
+  0.5.0; found reviewing the same code in
+  [auth.provider#511](https://github.com/o3co/auth.provider/pull/511).
+
+- The `exit` option's doc said it defaults to `process.exit` after the default
+  became `deferExit`.
+
 ## [0.5.0] — 2026-09-06
 
 ### Security
diff --git a/src/__tests__/shutdown.test.mts b/src/__tests__/shutdown.test.mts
index 52d5331..649ca5a 100644
--- a/src/__tests__/shutdown.test.mts
+++ b/src/__tests__/shutdown.test.mts
@@ -250,6 +250,34 @@ describe("installGracefulShutdown", () => {
 		expect(exitProcess).toHaveBeenCalledWith(3);
 	});
 
+	it("reports the cleanup outcome as the reason, not the drain that preceded it", async () => {
+		// `exitCode` became 1 while `reason` still said "drained", so the one line
+		// an operator alerts on contradicted itself. The drain outcome is still
+		// carried, under its own key, so neither fact is lost.
+		const { signals, finishDraining, logger, exit } = install({
+			cleanup: () => Promise.reject(new Error("teardown failed")),
+		});
+		signals.get("SIGTERM")?.();
+		finishDraining();
+		await settle();
+		expect(logger.info).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+			{ reason: "cleanup-failed", drain: "drained", exitCode: 1 },
+			"graceful shutdown: complete",
+		);
+		expect(exit).toHaveBeenCalledWith(1);
+	});
+
+	it("keeps reason and drain identical when cleanup succeeds", async () => {
+		const { signals, finishDraining, logger } = install({ cleanup: () => Promise.resolve() });
+		signals.get("SIGTERM")?.();
+		finishDraining();
+		await settle();
+		expect(logger.info).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+			{ reason: "drained", drain: "drained", exitCode: 0 },
+			"graceful shutdown: complete",
+		);
+	});
+
 	it("removes its own signal listeners once shutting down", () => {
 		const { signals } = install();
 		signals.get("SIGTERM")?.();
diff --git a/src/shutdown.mts b/src/shutdown.mts
index 6f2c870..97f3f86 100644
--- a/src/shutdown.mts
+++ b/src/shutdown.mts
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ export interface GracefulShutdownOptions {
 	 * sequence — size both against the orchestrator's grace period, not one.
 	 */
 	readonly cleanupTimeoutMs?: number;
-	/** Injected in tests; defaults to `process.exit`. */
+	/** Injected in tests; defaults to {@link deferExit}. */
 	readonly exit?: (code: number) => void;
 	/** Injected in tests; defaults to `process.on`. */
 	readonly onSignal?: (signal: NodeJS.Signals, handler: () => void) => void;
@@ -146,10 +146,16 @@ export function installGracefulShutdown(server: Server, options: GracefulShutdow
 		if (finished) return;
 		finished = true;
 		let exitCode = code;
+		// `reason` names whatever decided the exit code, so the line an operator
+		// alerts on cannot say "drained" next to a non-zero code. The drain
+		// outcome keeps its own key rather than being overwritten — both facts
+		// are wanted, and a stable shape is what makes the line queryable.
+		let outcome = reason;
 		try {
 			if ((await runCleanup()) === CLEANUP_TIMED_OUT) {
 				logger.error({ cleanupTimeoutMs }, "graceful shutdown: cleanup timed out");
 				exitCode = 1;
+				outcome = "cleanup-timeout";
 			}
 		} catch (err) {
 			// Through the app logger, not `console.error`: a shutdown that
@@ -158,8 +164,9 @@ export function installGracefulShutdown(server: Server, options: GracefulShutdow
 			// drops.
 			logger.error({ err }, "graceful shutdown: cleanup failed");
 			exitCode = 1;
+			outcome = "cleanup-failed";
 		}
-		logger.info({ reason, exitCode }, "graceful shutdown: complete");
+		logger.info({ reason: outcome, drain: reason, exitCode }, "graceful shutdown: complete");
 		exit(exitCode);
 	};