diff --git a/internal/cmd/down.go b/internal/cmd/down.go
index 63b3cc7c..41e47953 100644
--- a/internal/cmd/down.go
+++ b/internal/cmd/down.go
@@ -5,9 +5,9 @@ import (
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
-	"github.com/steveyegge/gastown/internal/boot"
 	"github.com/steveyegge/gastown/internal/daemon"
 	"github.com/steveyegge/gastown/internal/events"
+	"github.com/steveyegge/gastown/internal/session"
 	"github.com/steveyegge/gastown/internal/style"
 	"github.com/steveyegge/gastown/internal/tmux"
 	"github.com/steveyegge/gastown/internal/workspace"
@@ -73,35 +73,20 @@ func runDown(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 		}
 	}
 
-	// Get session names
-	mayorSession := getMayorSessionName()
-	deaconSession := getDeaconSessionName()
-
-	// 2. Stop Mayor
-	if err := stopSession(t, mayorSession); err != nil {
-		printDownStatus("Mayor", false, err.Error())
-		allOK = false
-	} else {
-		printDownStatus("Mayor", true, "stopped")
+	// 2. Stop town-level sessions (Mayor, Boot, Deacon) in correct order
+	for _, ts := range session.TownSessions() {
+		stopped, err := session.StopTownSession(t, ts, downForce)
+		if err != nil {
+			printDownStatus(ts.Name, false, err.Error())
+			allOK = false
+		} else if stopped {
+			printDownStatus(ts.Name, true, "stopped")
+		} else {
+			printDownStatus(ts.Name, true, "not running")
+		}
 	}
 
-	// 3. Stop Boot (Deacon's watchdog)
-	if err := stopSession(t, boot.SessionName); err != nil {
-		printDownStatus("Boot", false, err.Error())
-		allOK = false
-	} else {
-		printDownStatus("Boot", true, "stopped")
-	}
-
-	// 4. Stop Deacon
-	if err := stopSession(t, deaconSession); err != nil {
-		printDownStatus("Deacon", false, err.Error())
-		allOK = false
-	} else {
-		printDownStatus("Deacon", true, "stopped")
-	}
-
-	// 5. Stop Daemon last
+	// 3. Stop Daemon last
 	running, _, _ := daemon.IsRunning(townRoot)
 	if running {
 		if err := daemon.StopDaemon(townRoot); err != nil {
@@ -114,7 +99,7 @@ func runDown(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 		printDownStatus("Daemon", true, "not running")
 	}
 
-	// 6. Kill tmux server if --all
+	// 4. Kill tmux server if --all
 	if downAll {
 		if err := t.KillServer(); err != nil {
 			printDownStatus("Tmux server", false, err.Error())
diff --git a/internal/session/town.go b/internal/session/town.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..05fdd44d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/session/town.go
@@ -0,0 +1,53 @@
+// Package session provides polecat session lifecycle management.
+package session
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"time"
+
+	"github.com/steveyegge/gastown/internal/boot"
+	"github.com/steveyegge/gastown/internal/tmux"
+)
+
+// TownSession represents a town-level tmux session.
+type TownSession struct {
+	Name      string // Display name (e.g., "Mayor")
+	SessionID string // Tmux session ID (e.g., "gt-mayor")
+}
+
+// TownSessions returns the list of town-level sessions in shutdown order.
+// Order matters: Boot (Deacon's watchdog) must be stopped before Deacon,
+// otherwise Boot will try to restart Deacon.
+func TownSessions() []TownSession {
+	return []TownSession{
+		{"Mayor", MayorSessionName()},
+		{"Boot", boot.SessionName},
+		{"Deacon", DeaconSessionName()},
+	}
+}
+
+// StopTownSession stops a single town-level tmux session.
+// If force is true, skips graceful shutdown (Ctrl-C) and kills immediately.
+// Returns true if the session was running and stopped, false if not running.
+func StopTownSession(t *tmux.Tmux, ts TownSession, force bool) (bool, error) {
+	running, err := t.HasSession(ts.SessionID)
+	if err != nil {
+		return false, err
+	}
+	if !running {
+		return false, nil
+	}
+
+	// Try graceful shutdown first (unless forced)
+	if !force {
+		_ = t.SendKeysRaw(ts.SessionID, "C-c")
+		time.Sleep(100 * time.Millisecond)
+	}
+
+	// Kill the session
+	if err := t.KillSession(ts.SessionID); err != nil {
+		return false, fmt.Errorf("killing %s session: %w", ts.Name, err)
+	}
+
+	return true, nil
+}