diff --git a/Sources/Helpers/RuntimeLinux/RuntimeLinuxHelper.swift b/Sources/Helpers/RuntimeLinux/RuntimeLinuxHelper.swift
index 0529c562..554a9146 100644
--- a/Sources/Helpers/RuntimeLinux/RuntimeLinuxHelper.swift
+++ b/Sources/Helpers/RuntimeLinux/RuntimeLinuxHelper.swift
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ import Containerization
 import ContainerizationError
 import Foundation
 import Logging
+import NIO
 
 @main
 struct RuntimeLinuxHelper: AsyncParsableCommand {
@@ -57,6 +58,7 @@ struct RuntimeLinuxHelper: AsyncParsableCommand {
             log.info("stopping \(commandName)")
         }
 
+        let eventLoopGroup = MultiThreadedEventLoopGroup(numberOfThreads: System.coreCount)
         do {
             try adjustLimits()
             signal(SIGPIPE, SIG_IGN)
@@ -68,7 +70,7 @@ struct RuntimeLinuxHelper: AsyncParsableCommand {
             } else {
                 interfaceStrategy = IsolatedInterfaceStrategy()
             }
-            let server = SandboxService(root: .init(fileURLWithPath: root), interfaceStrategy: interfaceStrategy, log: log)
+            let server = SandboxService(root: .init(fileURLWithPath: root), interfaceStrategy: interfaceStrategy, eventLoopGroup: eventLoopGroup, log: log)
             let xpc = XPCServer(
                 identifier: machServiceLabel,
                 routes: [
@@ -89,6 +91,7 @@ struct RuntimeLinuxHelper: AsyncParsableCommand {
             try await xpc.listen()
         } catch {
             log.error("\(commandName) failed", metadata: ["error": "\(error)"])
+            try? await eventLoopGroup.shutdownGracefully()
             RuntimeLinuxHelper.exit(withError: error)
         }
     }
diff --git a/Sources/Services/ContainerSandboxService/SandboxService.swift b/Sources/Services/ContainerSandboxService/SandboxService.swift
index b61953fc..4d23830b 100644
--- a/Sources/Services/ContainerSandboxService/SandboxService.swift
+++ b/Sources/Services/ContainerSandboxService/SandboxService.swift
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ public actor SandboxService {
     private let interfaceStrategy: InterfaceStrategy
     private var container: ContainerInfo?
     private let monitor: ExitMonitor
-    private let eventLoopGroup: MultiThreadedEventLoopGroup
+    private let eventLoopGroup: any EventLoopGroup
     private var waiters: [String: [CheckedContinuation<Int32, Never>]] = [:]
     private let lock: AsyncLock = AsyncLock()
     private let log: Logging.Logger
@@ -54,12 +54,12 @@ public actor SandboxService {
     ///   - interfaceStrategy: The strategy for producing network interface
     ///     objects for each network to which the container attaches.
     ///   - log: The destination for log messages.
-    public init(root: URL, interfaceStrategy: InterfaceStrategy, log: Logger) {
+    public init(root: URL, interfaceStrategy: InterfaceStrategy, eventLoopGroup: any EventLoopGroup, log: Logger) {
         self.root = root
         self.interfaceStrategy = interfaceStrategy
         self.log = log
         self.monitor = ExitMonitor(log: log)
-        self.eventLoopGroup = MultiThreadedEventLoopGroup(numberOfThreads: System.coreCount)
+        self.eventLoopGroup = eventLoopGroup
     }
 
     /// Start the VM and the guest agent process for a container.