diff --git a/core/dnsserver/server.go b/core/dnsserver/server.go
index da52ff721..89ee5f31f 100644
--- a/core/dnsserver/server.go
+++ b/core/dnsserver/server.go
@@ -50,6 +50,10 @@ type Server struct {
 	classChaos   bool                 // allow non-INET class queries
 
 	tsigSecret map[string]string
+
+	// Ensure Stop is idempotent when invoked concurrently (e.g., during reload and SIGTERM).
+	stopOnce   sync.Once
+	wgDoneOnce sync.Once
 }
 
 // MetadataCollector is a plugin that can retrieve metadata functions from all metadata providing plugins
@@ -212,33 +216,37 @@ func (s *Server) ListenPacket() (net.PacketConn, error) {
 // immediately.
 // This implements Caddy.Stopper interface.
 func (s *Server) Stop() (err error) {
-	if runtime.GOOS != "windows" {
-		// force connections to close after timeout
-		done := make(chan struct{})
-		go func() {
-			s.dnsWg.Done() // decrement our initial increment used as a barrier
-			s.dnsWg.Wait()
-			close(done)
-		}()
+	var onceErr error
+	s.stopOnce.Do(func() {
+		if runtime.GOOS != "windows" {
+			// force connections to close after timeout
+			done := make(chan struct{})
+			go func() {
+				// decrement our initial increment used as a barrier, but only once
+				s.wgDoneOnce.Do(func() { s.dnsWg.Done() })
+				s.dnsWg.Wait()
+				close(done)
+			}()
 
-		// Wait for remaining connections to finish or
-		// force them all to close after timeout
-		select {
-		case <-time.After(s.graceTimeout):
-		case <-done:
+			// Wait for remaining connections to finish or
+			// force them all to close after timeout
+			select {
+			case <-time.After(s.graceTimeout):
+			case <-done:
+			}
 		}
-	}
 
-	// Close the listener now; this stops the server without delay
-	s.m.Lock()
-	for _, s1 := range s.server {
-		// We might not have started and initialized the full set of servers
-		if s1 != nil {
-			err = s1.Shutdown()
+		// Close the listener now; this stops the server without delay
+		s.m.Lock()
+		for _, s1 := range s.server {
+			// We might not have started and initialized the full set of servers
+			if s1 != nil {
+				onceErr = s1.Shutdown()
+			}
 		}
-	}
-	s.m.Unlock()
-	return
+		s.m.Unlock()
+	})
+	return onceErr
 }
 
 // Address together with Stop() implement caddy.GracefulServer.
diff --git a/core/dnsserver/server_test.go b/core/dnsserver/server_test.go
index 1e7e1ea14..8eca39b78 100644
--- a/core/dnsserver/server_test.go
+++ b/core/dnsserver/server_test.go
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package dnsserver
 
 import (
 	"context"
+	"sync"
 	"testing"
 
 	"github.com/coredns/coredns/plugin"
@@ -120,3 +121,22 @@ func BenchmarkCoreServeDNS(b *testing.B) {
 		s.ServeDNS(ctx, w, m)
 	}
 }
+
+// Validates Stop is idempotent and safe under concurrent calls.
+func TestStopIsIdempotent(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	s := &Server{}
+	s.dnsWg.Add(1)
+
+	const n = 10
+	var wg sync.WaitGroup
+	wg.Add(n)
+	for range n {
+		go func() {
+			defer wg.Done()
+			_ = s.Stop()
+		}()
+	}
+	wg.Wait()
+}
diff --git a/plugin/reload/reload.go b/plugin/reload/reload.go
index 1793abd91..af8289d30 100644
--- a/plugin/reload/reload.go
+++ b/plugin/reload/reload.go
@@ -105,6 +105,10 @@ func hook(event caddy.EventName, info any) error {
 					// now lets consider that plugin will not be reload, unless appear in next config file
 					// change status of usage will be reset in setup if the plugin appears in config file
 					r.setUsage(maybeUsed)
+					// If shutdown is in progress, avoid attempting a restart.
+					if shutdownRequested(r.quit) {
+						return
+					}
 					_, err := instance.Restart(corefile)
 					reloadInfo.WithLabelValues("sha512", hex.EncodeToString(sha512sum[:])).Set(1)
 					if err != nil {
@@ -126,3 +130,14 @@ func hook(event caddy.EventName, info any) error {
 
 	return nil
 }
+
+// shutdownRequested reports whether a shutdown has been requested via quit channel.
+// helps with unit testing of the shutdown gate logic.
+func shutdownRequested(quit <-chan bool) bool {
+	select {
+	case <-quit:
+		return true
+	default:
+		return false
+	}
+}
diff --git a/plugin/reload/reload_test.go b/plugin/reload/reload_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..48cb42137
--- /dev/null
+++ b/plugin/reload/reload_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
+package reload
+
+import (
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/coredns/caddy"
+)
+
+// fakeInput implements caddy.Input for testing parse().
+type fakeInput struct {
+	p string
+	b []byte
+}
+
+func (f fakeInput) ServerType() string { return "dns" }
+func (f fakeInput) Body() []byte       { return f.b }
+func (f fakeInput) Path() string       { return f.p }
+
+// TestParseInvalidCorefile ensures parse returns an error for invalid Corefile syntax.
+func TestParseInvalidCorefile(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	broken := fakeInput{p: "Corefile", b: []byte(". { errors\n")}
+	if _, err := parse(broken); err == nil {
+		t.Fatalf("expected parse error for invalid Corefile, got nil")
+	}
+}
+
+// TestShutdownGate ensures the shutdown gate helper recognizes when shutdown is requested.
+func TestShutdownGate(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	q := make(chan bool, 1)
+	if shutdownRequested(q) {
+		t.Fatalf("expected no shutdown before signal")
+	}
+	q <- true
+	if !shutdownRequested(q) {
+		t.Fatalf("expected shutdown after signal")
+	}
+}
+
+// TestHookIgnoresNonStartupEvent ensures hook is a no-op for non-startup events.
+func TestHookIgnoresNonStartupEvent(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	if err := hook(caddy.EventName("not-startup"), nil); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("expected no error for non-startup event, got %v", err)
+	}
+}
diff --git a/plugin/reload/setup.go b/plugin/reload/setup.go
index 6df323431..0cbecc6a4 100644
--- a/plugin/reload/setup.go
+++ b/plugin/reload/setup.go
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ func init() { plugin.Register("reload", setup) }
 // channel for QUIT is never changed in purpose.
 // WARNING: this data may be unsync after an invalid attempt of reload Corefile.
 var (
-	r              = reload{dur: defaultInterval, u: unused, quit: make(chan bool)}
+	r              = reload{dur: defaultInterval, u: unused, quit: make(chan bool, 1)}
 	once, shutOnce sync.Once
 )
 
diff --git a/test/reload_test.go b/test/reload_test.go
index b93209483..35edaec0f 100644
--- a/test/reload_test.go
+++ b/test/reload_test.go
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import (
 	"net/http"
 	"strings"
 	"testing"
+	"time"
 
 	"github.com/coredns/caddy"
 	"github.com/coredns/coredns/core/dnsserver"
@@ -380,6 +381,59 @@ func TestReloadUnreadyPlugin(t *testing.T) {
 	c1.Stop()
 }
 
+// TestReloadConcurrentRestartAndStop ensures there is no deadlock when a restart
+// races with a shutdown (issue #7314).
+func TestReloadConcurrentRestartAndStop(t *testing.T) {
+	corefileA := `.:0 {
+		reload 2s 1s
+		whoami
+	}`
+	corefileB := `.:0 {
+		reload 2s 1s
+		whoami
+		# change to trigger different config
+	}`
+
+	c, err := CoreDNSServer(corefileA)
+	if err != nil {
+		if strings.Contains(err.Error(), inUse) {
+			return
+		}
+		t.Fatalf("Could not start CoreDNS instance: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	restartErr := make(chan error, 1)
+	stopDone := make(chan struct{})
+
+	go func() {
+		_, err := c.Restart(NewInput(corefileB))
+		restartErr <- err
+	}()
+
+	// Small delay to increase overlap window
+	time.Sleep(50 * time.Millisecond)
+
+	go func() {
+		c.Stop()
+		close(stopDone)
+	}()
+
+	// Both operations should complete promptly; if not, we may be deadlocked.
+	select {
+	case <-stopDone:
+		// ok
+	case <-time.After(5 * time.Second):
+		t.Fatalf("Stop did not complete in time (possible deadlock)")
+	}
+	select {
+	case <-restartErr:
+		// ok: restart either succeeded or returned an error
+		// we only care about not hanging
+	case <-time.After(5 * time.Second):
+		t.Fatalf("Restart did not complete in time (possible deadlock)")
+	}
+}
+
 type unready struct {
 	next plugin.Handler
 }