diff --git a/packages/electron-builder-lib/templates/nsis/include/allowOnlyOneInstallerInstance.nsh b/packages/electron-builder-lib/templates/nsis/include/allowOnlyOneInstallerInstance.nsh
index e02af56167a..a907f972464 100644
--- a/packages/electron-builder-lib/templates/nsis/include/allowOnlyOneInstallerInstance.nsh
+++ b/packages/electron-builder-lib/templates/nsis/include/allowOnlyOneInstallerInstance.nsh
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 !include "getProcessInfo.nsh"
+!include "nsProcess.nsh"
 
 # http://nsis.sourceforge.net/Allow_only_one_installer_instance
 !macro ALLOW_ONLY_ONE_INSTALLER_INSTANCE
@@ -27,10 +28,13 @@ Var pid
 !macro CHECK_APP_RUNNING
   ${GetProcessInfo} 0 $pid $1 $2 $3 $4
   ${if} $3 != "${APP_EXECUTABLE_FILENAME}"
-    nsProcess::_FindProcess /NOUNLOAD "${APP_EXECUTABLE_FILENAME}"
-    Pop $R0
-    nsProcess::_Unload
-    ${If} $R0 == 0
+    ${if} ${isUpdated}
+      # allow app to exit without explicit kill
+      Sleep 100
+    ${endIf}
+
+    ${nsProcess::FindProcess} "${APP_EXECUTABLE_FILENAME}" $R0
+    ${if} $R0 == 0
       ${if} ${isUpdated}
         # allow app to exit without explicit kill
         Sleep 1000
@@ -38,16 +42,29 @@ Var pid
       ${endIf}
       MessageBox MB_OKCANCEL|MB_ICONEXCLAMATION "$(appRunning)" /SD IDOK IDOK doStopProcess
       Quit
+
       doStopProcess:
-        DetailPrint 'Closing running "${PRODUCT_NAME}"...'
-        ExecWait 'taskkill /f /t /im "${APP_EXECUTABLE_FILENAME}" /fi "PID ne $pid"' $R0
-        ${If} $R0 == 0
-          # to ensure that files are not "in-use"
-          Sleep 100
-        ${else}
+
+      DetailPrint 'Closing running "${PRODUCT_NAME}"...'
+
+      # https://github.com/electron-userland/electron-builder/issues/2516#issuecomment-372009092
+      ExecWait 'taskkill /im "${APP_EXECUTABLE_FILENAME}" /fi "PID ne $pid"' $R0
+      # to ensure that files are not "in-use"
+      Sleep 100
+
+      ${nsProcess::FindProcess} "${APP_EXECUTABLE_FILENAME}" $R0
+      ${if} $R0 == 0
+        # wait to give a chance to exit gracefully
+        Sleep 1000
+        # do not use /t tree kill - app was killed softly already
+        ExecWait 'taskkill /f /im "${APP_EXECUTABLE_FILENAME}" /fi "PID ne $pid"' $R0
+        ${If} $R0 != 0
           DetailPrint 'Waiting for "${PRODUCT_NAME}" to close (taskkill exit code $R0).'
           Sleep 2000
         ${endIf}
+      ${endIf}
     ${endIf}
   ${endIf}
+
+  ${nsProcess::Unload}
 !macroend
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/packages/electron-builder-lib/templates/nsis/include/nsProcess.nsh b/packages/electron-builder-lib/templates/nsis/include/nsProcess.nsh
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..9ef6098d226
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/electron-builder-lib/templates/nsis/include/nsProcess.nsh
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+!define nsProcess::FindProcess `!insertmacro nsProcess::FindProcess`
+
+!macro nsProcess::FindProcess _FILE _ERR
+	nsProcess::_FindProcess /NOUNLOAD `${_FILE}`
+	Pop ${_ERR}
+!macroend
+
+
+!define nsProcess::KillProcess `!insertmacro nsProcess::KillProcess`
+
+!macro nsProcess::KillProcess _FILE _ERR
+	nsProcess::_KillProcess /NOUNLOAD `${_FILE}`
+	Pop ${_ERR}
+!macroend
+
+!define nsProcess::CloseProcess `!insertmacro nsProcess::CloseProcess`
+
+!macro nsProcess::CloseProcess _FILE _ERR
+	nsProcess::_CloseProcess /NOUNLOAD `${_FILE}`
+	Pop ${_ERR}
+!macroend
+
+
+!define nsProcess::Unload `!insertmacro nsProcess::Unload`
+
+!macro nsProcess::Unload
+	nsProcess::_Unload
+!macroend