diff --git a/code/ARAX/ARAXQuery/ARAX_background_tasker.py b/code/ARAX/ARAXQuery/ARAX_background_tasker.py
index d43c2ac34..4b3d7cbbb 100644
--- a/code/ARAX/ARAXQuery/ARAX_background_tasker.py
+++ b/code/ARAX/ARAXQuery/ARAX_background_tasker.py
@@ -22,8 +22,10 @@ def eprint(*args, **kwargs): print(*args, file=sys.stderr, **kwargs)
 
 class ARAXBackgroundTasker:
 
-    def __init__(self, run_kp_info_cacher=True):
+    def __init__(self, parent_pid: int,
+                 run_kp_info_cacher: bool = True):
         self.run_kp_info_cacher = run_kp_info_cacher
+        self.parent_pid = parent_pid
         timestamp = str(datetime.datetime.now().isoformat())
         eprint(f"{timestamp}: INFO: ARAXBackgroundTasker created")
 
@@ -116,6 +118,10 @@ def run_tasks(self):
         # Loop forever doing various things
         my_pid = os.getpid()
         while True:
+            if not psutil.pid_exists(self.parent_pid):
+                eprint("INFO: ARAXBackgroundTasker: parent process "
+                       f"{self.parent_pid} has gone away; exiting")
+                sys.exit(0)
 
             # Run the KP Info Cacher less frequently
             if self.run_kp_info_cacher:
@@ -159,7 +165,7 @@ def run_tasks(self):
 
 
 def main():
-    background_tasker = ARAXBackgroundTasker()
+    background_tasker = ARAXBackgroundTasker(os.getpid())
     background_tasker.run_tasks()
 
 
diff --git a/code/UI/OpenAPI/python-flask-server/KG2/openapi_server/__main__.py b/code/UI/OpenAPI/python-flask-server/KG2/openapi_server/__main__.py
index a020b7be3..362696622 100644
--- a/code/UI/OpenAPI/python-flask-server/KG2/openapi_server/__main__.py
+++ b/code/UI/OpenAPI/python-flask-server/KG2/openapi_server/__main__.py
@@ -19,9 +19,13 @@ def eprint(*args, **kwargs): print(*args, file=sys.stderr, **kwargs)
 
 
 FLASK_DEFAULT_TCP_PORT = 5008
+global child_pid
 child_pid = None
+global parent_pid
 parent_pid = None
 
+CONFIG_FILE = 'openapi_server/flask_config.json'
+
 
 def main():
 
@@ -42,13 +46,15 @@ def main():
 
     # Read any load configuration details for this instance
     try:
-        with open('openapi_server/flask_config.json') as infile:
+        with open(CONFIG_FILE, 'r') as infile:
             local_config = json.load(infile)
     except Exception:
-        eprint(f"Error loading config file: {infile}")
+        eprint(f"Error loading config file: {CONFIG_FILE}")
         local_config = {"port": FLASK_DEFAULT_TCP_PORT}
     tcp_port = local_config['port']
 
+    parent_pid = os.getpid()
+
     pid = os.fork()
     if pid == 0:  # I am the child process
         from ARAX_background_tasker import ARAXBackgroundTasker
@@ -58,7 +64,8 @@ def main():
                                   f"::run_tasks [port={tcp_port}]")
         eprint("Starting background tasker in a child process")
         try:
-            ARAXBackgroundTasker(run_kp_info_cacher=False).run_tasks()
+            ARAXBackgroundTasker(parent_pid,
+                                 run_kp_info_cacher=False).run_tasks()
         except Exception as e:
             eprint("Error in ARAXBackgroundTasker.run_tasks()")
             eprint(traceback.format_exc())
@@ -113,10 +120,7 @@ def receive_sigpipe(signal_number, frame):
 
         # Start the service
         eprint(f"Background tasker is running in child process {pid}")
-        global child_pid
         child_pid = pid
-        global parent_pid
-        parent_pid = os.getpid()
         signal.signal(signal.SIGCHLD, receive_sigchld)
         signal.signal(signal.SIGPIPE, receive_sigpipe)
         signal.signal(signal.SIGTERM, receive_sigterm)
diff --git a/code/UI/OpenAPI/python-flask-server/openapi_server/__main__.py b/code/UI/OpenAPI/python-flask-server/openapi_server/__main__.py
index 66e2f7db5..a06be9b02 100644
--- a/code/UI/OpenAPI/python-flask-server/openapi_server/__main__.py
+++ b/code/UI/OpenAPI/python-flask-server/openapi_server/__main__.py
@@ -19,9 +19,13 @@ def eprint(*args, **kwargs): print(*args, file=sys.stderr, **kwargs)
 
 
 FLASK_DEFAULT_TCP_PORT = 5000
+global child_pid
 child_pid = None
+global parent_pid
 parent_pid = None
 
+CONFIG_FILE = 'openapi_server/flask_config.json'
+
 
 def main():
 
@@ -42,13 +46,15 @@ def main():
 
     # Read any load configuration details for this instance
     try:
-        with open('openapi_server/flask_config.json') as infile:
+        with open(CONFIG_FILE, 'r') as infile:
             local_config = json.load(infile)
     except Exception:
-        eprint(f"Error loading config file: {infile}")
+        eprint(f"Error loading config file: {CONFIG_FILE}")
         local_config = {"port": FLASK_DEFAULT_TCP_PORT}
     tcp_port = local_config['port']
 
+    parent_pid = os.getpid()
+
     pid = os.fork()
     if pid == 0:  # I am the child process
         from ARAX_background_tasker import ARAXBackgroundTasker
@@ -58,7 +64,7 @@ def main():
                                   f"::run_tasks [port={tcp_port}]")
         eprint("Starting background tasker in a child process")
         try:
-            ARAXBackgroundTasker().run_tasks()
+            ARAXBackgroundTasker(parent_pid).run_tasks()
         except Exception as e:
             eprint("Error in ARAXBackgroundTasker.run_tasks()")
             eprint(traceback.format_exc())
@@ -113,10 +119,7 @@ def receive_sigpipe(signal_number, frame):
 
         # Start the service
         eprint(f"Background tasker is running in child process {pid}")
-        global child_pid
         child_pid = pid
-        global parent_pid
-        parent_pid = os.getpid()
         signal.signal(signal.SIGCHLD, receive_sigchld)
         signal.signal(signal.SIGPIPE, receive_sigpipe)
         signal.signal(signal.SIGTERM, receive_sigterm)