diff --git a/__init__.py b/__init__.py
index 1eab375..3f3774b 100644
--- a/__init__.py
+++ b/__init__.py
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ from mycroft import MycroftSkill, intent_handler
 from urllib.parse import quote
 from gi.repository import Gio as gio
 
-IFL_TEMPLATE = 'http://www.google.com/search?&sourceid=navclient&btnI=I&q=%s'
+IFL_TEMPLATE = "http://www.google.com/search?&sourceid=navclient&btnI=I&q=%s"
 
 
 class DesktopLauncherSkill(MycroftSkill):
@@ -45,55 +45,77 @@ class DesktopLauncherSkill(MycroftSkill):
             else:
                 self.appmap[name] = entry
 
-            self.register_vocabulary(name, 'Application')
+            self.register_vocabulary(name, "Application")
             if name != tokenized_name:
-                self.register_vocabulary(tokenized_name, 'Application')
+                self.register_vocabulary(tokenized_name, "Application")
                 if tokenized_name in self.appmap:
                     self.appmap[tokenized_name] += entry
                 else:
                     self.appmap[tokenized_name] = entry
 
-    @intent_handler(IntentBuilder('LaunchDesktopApplicationIntent')
-                    .require('LaunchKeyword')
-                    .require('Application'))
+    @intent_handler(
+        IntentBuilder("LaunchDesktopApplicationIntent")
+        .require("LaunchKeyword")
+        .require("Application")
+    )
     def handle_launch_desktop_app(self, message):
         """Launch a dektop application using Desktop file."""
-        app_name = message.data.get('Application')
+        app_name = message.data.get("Application")
         apps = self.appmap.get(app_name)
         if apps and len(apps) > 0:
-            self.log.info('Launching {}'.format(app_name))
+            self.log.info("Launching {}".format(app_name))
             apps[0].launch()
 
-    @intent_handler(IntentBuilder('CloseDesktopApplicationIntent')
-                    .require('CloseKeyword').require('Application'))
+    @intent_handler(
+        IntentBuilder("CloseDesktopApplicationIntent")
+        .require("CloseKeyword")
+        .require("Application")
+    )
     def handle_close_desktop_app(self, message):
-        """Close application using killall -9."""
-        app_name = message.data.get('Application')
+        """ Close application using killall """
+        app_name = message.data.get("Application")
 
-        self.log.info('Killing {}'.format(app_name))
-        if subprocess.call(['killall', '-9', app_name]):
-            # Couldn't be killed try to get executable from desktop file
+        if not self.kill_process_by_name(app_name):
+            self.log.info(
+                "Couldn't kill {} try to get executable from desktop file".format(
+                    app_name
+                )
+            )
             apps = self.appmap.get(app_name)
-            # Try to find executable name
             if apps:
-                app_name = apps[0].get_string('Exec')
-                subprocess.call(['killall', '-9', app_name])
+                app_name = apps[0].get_string("Exec")
+                if not self.kill_process_by_name(app_name):
+                    self.speak("failed to close {}".format(app_name))
 
-    @intent_handler(IntentBuilder('LaunchWebsiteIntent')
-                    .require('LaunchKeyword').require('Website'))
+    def kill_process_by_name(self, process_name):
+        """ Kill a process using the least powerful signal that works """
+        self.log.info("Killing {}".format(app_name))
+        for signal in ["SIGINT", "SIGQUIT", "SIGTERM", "SIGKILL"]:
+            if subprocess.call(["killall", "-s", signal, app_name]) == 0:
+                self.log.info("Killed {} using {}".format(app_name, signal))
+                return True
+
+        return False
+
+    @intent_handler(
+        IntentBuilder("LaunchWebsiteIntent").require("LaunchKeyword").require("Website")
+    )
     def handle_launch_website(self, message):
         """Open a website in the selected webbrowser."""
         site = message.data.get("Website")
         webbrowser.open(IFL_TEMPLATE % (quote(site)))
 
-    @intent_handler(IntentBuilder('SearchWebsiteIntent')
-                    .require('SearchKeyword').require('Website')
-                    .require('SearchTerms'))
+    @intent_handler(
+        IntentBuilder("SearchWebsiteIntent")
+        .require("SearchKeyword")
+        .require("Website")
+        .require("SearchTerms")
+    )
     def handle_search_website(self, message):
         """Open a webbrowser searching for query."""
-        site = message.data.get('Website')
-        search_terms = message.data.get('SearchTerms')
-        search_str = '{} {}'.format(site, search_terms)
+        site = message.data.get("Website")
+        search_terms = message.data.get("SearchTerms")
+        search_str = "{} {}".format(site, search_terms)
         webbrowser.open(IFL_TEMPLATE % (quote(search_str)))