diff --git a/transformer_sidecar/src/transformer_sidecar/object_store_uploader.py b/transformer_sidecar/src/transformer_sidecar/object_store_uploader.py
index 25944e52..11389826 100644
--- a/transformer_sidecar/src/transformer_sidecar/object_store_uploader.py
+++ b/transformer_sidecar/src/transformer_sidecar/object_store_uploader.py
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@
 # OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
 import logging
 import os
+import signal
 from multiprocessing import Process
 from pathlib import Path
 from queue import Queue
@@ -58,12 +59,23 @@ class ObjectStoreUploader(Process):
     def __init__(self, request_id: str, input_queue: Queue,
                  logger: logging.Logger,
                  convert_root_to_parquet: bool):
+
         super().__init__(target=self.service_work_queue)
         self.request_id = request_id
         self.input_queue = input_queue
         self.logger = logger
         self.convert_root_to_parquet = convert_root_to_parquet
 
+        signal.signal(signal.SIGTERM, self.handle_sigterm)
+
+    def handle_sigterm(self, signum, frame):
+        # This method will be called when SIGTERM is received
+        self.logger.debug(
+            "SIGTERM received, but ignored",
+            extra={'requestId': self.request_id,
+                   "place": PLACE,
+                   "qsize": self.input_queue.qsize()})
+
     def service_work_queue(self):
         import time
         self.logger.debug("Object store uploader starting.",
diff --git a/transformer_sidecar/src/transformer_sidecar/transformer.py b/transformer_sidecar/src/transformer_sidecar/transformer.py
index 1fc64187..1350fff2 100644
--- a/transformer_sidecar/src/transformer_sidecar/transformer.py
+++ b/transformer_sidecar/src/transformer_sidecar/transformer.py
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@
 import json
 import os
 import shutil
+import sys
 import timeit
 from argparse import Namespace
 from hashlib import sha1, sha256
@@ -42,7 +43,8 @@
 import time
 from celery import Celery, shared_task
 
-from transformer_sidecar.science_container_command import ScienceContainerCommand
+from transformer_sidecar.science_container_command import ScienceContainerCommand, \
+    ScienceContainerException
 from transformer_sidecar.transformer_logging import initialize_logging
 from transformer_sidecar.transformer_stats import TransformerStats
 from transformer_sidecar.transformer_stats.aod_stats import AODStats  # NOQA: 401
@@ -82,7 +84,7 @@
 logger = initialize_logging()
 
 
-@shared_task
+@shared_task(acks_late=True)
 def transform_file(
         request_id,
         file_id,
@@ -276,6 +278,9 @@ def transform_file(
             },
         )
 
+    except ScienceContainerException:
+        logger.exception("Science container not responding. Shutting down this transformer.")
+        sys.exit(0)
     except Exception as error:
         logger.exception(f"Received exception doing transform: {error}")
         rec = FileCompleteRecord(
@@ -503,6 +508,8 @@ def prepend_xcache(file_paths: list[str]) -> list[str]:
     app.conf.task_create_missing_queues = False
     app.conf.worker_hijack_root_logger = False
     app.conf.worker_redirect_stdouts_level = 'DEBUG'
+    app.conf.worker_prefetch_multiplier = 1
+    app.conf.broker_connection_retry_on_startup = True
     init(_args, app)
 
     logger.debug(