diff --git a/src/NATS.Server/NatsClient.cs b/src/NATS.Server/NatsClient.cs
index 0e58d82..43f2e28 100644
--- a/src/NATS.Server/NatsClient.cs
+++ b/src/NATS.Server/NatsClient.cs
@@ -563,6 +563,31 @@ public sealed class NatsClient : IDisposable
         _logger.LogDebug("Client {ClientId} connection closed: {CloseReason}", Id, reason);
     }
 
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Flushes pending data (unless skip-flush is set) and closes the connection.
+    /// </summary>
+    public async Task FlushAndCloseAsync(bool minimalFlush = false)
+    {
+        if (!ShouldSkipFlush)
+        {
+            try
+            {
+                using var flushCts = new CancellationTokenSource(minimalFlush
+                    ? TimeSpan.FromMilliseconds(100)
+                    : TimeSpan.FromSeconds(1));
+                await _stream.FlushAsync(flushCts.Token);
+            }
+            catch (Exception)
+            {
+                // Best effort flush — don't let it prevent close
+            }
+        }
+
+        try { _socket.Shutdown(SocketShutdown.Both); }
+        catch (SocketException) { }
+        catch (ObjectDisposedException) { }
+    }
+
     public void RemoveAllSubscriptions(SubList subList)
     {
         foreach (var sub in _subs.Values)
diff --git a/src/NATS.Server/NatsServer.cs b/src/NATS.Server/NatsServer.cs
index 2a33091..199f3cd 100644
--- a/src/NATS.Server/NatsServer.cs
+++ b/src/NATS.Server/NatsServer.cs
@@ -86,11 +86,14 @@ public sealed class NatsServer : IMessageRouter, ISubListAccess, IDisposable
         // Wait for accept loop to exit
         await _acceptLoopExited.Task.WaitAsync(TimeSpan.FromSeconds(5)).ConfigureAwait(ConfigureAwaitOptions.SuppressThrowing);
 
-        // Close all client connections
+        // Close all client connections — flush first, then mark closed
+        var flushTasks = new List<Task>();
         foreach (var client in _clients.Values)
         {
             client.MarkClosed(ClosedState.ServerShutdown);
+            flushTasks.Add(client.FlushAndCloseAsync(minimalFlush: true));
         }
+        await Task.WhenAll(flushTasks).WaitAsync(TimeSpan.FromSeconds(2)).ConfigureAwait(ConfigureAwaitOptions.SuppressThrowing);
 
         // Wait for active client tasks to drain (with timeout)
         if (Volatile.Read(ref _activeClientCount) > 0)
diff --git a/tests/NATS.Server.Tests/ServerTests.cs b/tests/NATS.Server.Tests/ServerTests.cs
index caa4d36..8f39a8c 100644
--- a/tests/NATS.Server.Tests/ServerTests.cs
+++ b/tests/NATS.Server.Tests/ServerTests.cs
@@ -548,6 +548,75 @@ public class ServerIdentityTests
     }
 }
 
+public class FlushBeforeCloseTests
+{
+    private static int GetFreePort()
+    {
+        using var sock = new Socket(AddressFamily.InterNetwork, SocketType.Stream, ProtocolType.Tcp);
+        sock.Bind(new IPEndPoint(IPAddress.Loopback, 0));
+        return ((IPEndPoint)sock.LocalEndPoint!).Port;
+    }
+
+    private static async Task<string> ReadUntilAsync(Socket sock, string expected, int timeoutMs = 5000)
+    {
+        using var cts = new CancellationTokenSource(timeoutMs);
+        var sb = new StringBuilder();
+        var buf = new byte[4096];
+        while (!sb.ToString().Contains(expected))
+        {
+            var n = await sock.ReceiveAsync(buf, SocketFlags.None, cts.Token);
+            if (n == 0) break;
+            sb.Append(Encoding.ASCII.GetString(buf, 0, n));
+        }
+        return sb.ToString();
+    }
+
+    [Fact]
+    public async Task Shutdown_flushes_pending_data_to_clients()
+    {
+        var port = GetFreePort();
+        var server = new NatsServer(new NatsOptions { Port = port }, NullLoggerFactory.Instance);
+        _ = server.StartAsync(CancellationToken.None);
+        await server.WaitForReadyAsync();
+
+        try
+        {
+            // Connect a subscriber via raw socket
+            using var sub = new Socket(AddressFamily.InterNetwork, SocketType.Stream, ProtocolType.Tcp);
+            await sub.ConnectAsync(IPAddress.Loopback, port);
+
+            // Read INFO
+            var buf = new byte[4096];
+            await sub.ReceiveAsync(buf, SocketFlags.None);
+
+            // Subscribe to "foo"
+            await sub.SendAsync(Encoding.ASCII.GetBytes("CONNECT {}\r\nSUB foo 1\r\nPING\r\n"));
+            var pong = await ReadUntilAsync(sub, "PONG");
+            pong.ShouldContain("PONG");
+
+            // Connect a publisher
+            using var pub = new Socket(AddressFamily.InterNetwork, SocketType.Stream, ProtocolType.Tcp);
+            await pub.ConnectAsync(IPAddress.Loopback, port);
+            await pub.ReceiveAsync(buf, SocketFlags.None); // INFO
+
+            // Publish "Hello" to "foo"
+            await pub.SendAsync(Encoding.ASCII.GetBytes("CONNECT {}\r\nPUB foo 5\r\nHello\r\n"));
+
+            // Wait briefly for delivery
+            await Task.Delay(200);
+
+            // Read from subscriber to verify MSG was received
+            var msg = await ReadUntilAsync(sub, "Hello\r\n");
+            msg.ShouldContain("MSG foo 1 5\r\nHello\r\n");
+        }
+        finally
+        {
+            await server.ShutdownAsync();
+            server.Dispose();
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 public class GracefulShutdownTests
 {
     private static int GetFreePort()