diff --git a/internal/util-logging/src/main/scala/sbt/internal/util/Terminal.scala b/internal/util-logging/src/main/scala/sbt/internal/util/Terminal.scala
index b1aa51318..bd0fb7774 100644
--- a/internal/util-logging/src/main/scala/sbt/internal/util/Terminal.scala
+++ b/internal/util-logging/src/main/scala/sbt/internal/util/Terminal.scala
@@ -538,6 +538,7 @@ object Terminal {
         case _ => None
       }
   }
+  private[sbt] def startedByRemoteClient = props.isDefined
 
   /**
    * Creates an instance of [[Terminal]] that delegates most of its methods to an underlying
diff --git a/main/src/main/scala/sbt/Main.scala b/main/src/main/scala/sbt/Main.scala
index a2c85eb6e..58f2e20cd 100644
--- a/main/src/main/scala/sbt/Main.scala
+++ b/main/src/main/scala/sbt/Main.scala
@@ -1019,22 +1019,31 @@ object BuiltinCommands {
     val exchange = StandardMain.exchange
     val welcomeState = displayWelcomeBanner(s0)
     val s1 = exchange run welcomeState
-    exchange prompt ConsolePromptEvent(s0)
-    val minGCInterval = Project
-      .extract(s1)
-      .getOpt(Keys.minForcegcInterval)
-      .getOrElse(GCUtil.defaultMinForcegcInterval)
-    val exec: Exec = getExec(s1, minGCInterval)
-    val newState = s1
-      .copy(
-        onFailure = Some(Exec(Shell, None)),
-        remainingCommands = exec +: Exec(Shell, None) +: s1.remainingCommands
-      )
-      .setInteractive(true)
-    val res =
-      if (exec.commandLine.trim.isEmpty) newState
-      else newState.clearGlobalLog
-    res
+    /*
+     * It is possible for sbt processes to leak if two are started simultaneously
+     * by a remote client and only one is able to start a server. This seems to
+     * happen primarily on windows.
+     */
+    if (Terminal.startedByRemoteClient && !exchange.hasServer) {
+      Exec("shutdown", None) +: s1
+    } else {
+      exchange prompt ConsolePromptEvent(s0)
+      val minGCInterval = Project
+        .extract(s1)
+        .getOpt(Keys.minForcegcInterval)
+        .getOrElse(GCUtil.defaultMinForcegcInterval)
+      val exec: Exec = getExec(s1, minGCInterval)
+      val newState = s1
+        .copy(
+          onFailure = Some(Exec(Shell, None)),
+          remainingCommands = exec +: Exec(Shell, None) +: s1.remainingCommands
+        )
+        .setInteractive(true)
+      val res =
+        if (exec.commandLine.trim.isEmpty) newState
+        else newState.clearGlobalLog
+      res
+    }
   }
 
   def startServer: Command =
diff --git a/main/src/main/scala/sbt/internal/CommandExchange.scala b/main/src/main/scala/sbt/internal/CommandExchange.scala
index aa35b0cf6..25f74d7e1 100644
--- a/main/src/main/scala/sbt/internal/CommandExchange.scala
+++ b/main/src/main/scala/sbt/internal/CommandExchange.scala
@@ -53,6 +53,7 @@ private[sbt] final class CommandExchange {
   private val nextChannelId: AtomicInteger = new AtomicInteger(0)
   private[this] val lastState = new AtomicReference[State]
   private[this] val currentExecRef = new AtomicReference[Exec]
+  private[sbt] def hasServer = server.isDefined
 
   def channels: List[CommandChannel] = channelBuffer.toList