diff --git a/docs/CONFIGURATION.md b/docs/CONFIGURATION.md
index f8c7fd9..aa74341 100644
--- a/docs/CONFIGURATION.md
+++ b/docs/CONFIGURATION.md
@@ -712,6 +712,14 @@ The SDK restores its background state after `fork` on Ruby 3.2 and later. This a
 
 The parent keeps its original queue and worker objects. Shutdown remains independent in each process.
 
+## Process Exit
+
+The SDK automatically flushes pending spans and scores during normal process exit. One-off scripts and short-lived tasks do not need to register an `at_exit` callback.
+
+Call `Langfuse.shutdown` when the application must flush before process exit. An explicit shutdown disables the pending exit callback. `Langfuse.reset!` also disables the callback until the next SDK configuration lifecycle begins.
+
+The exit callback runs once and does not allow shutdown errors to escape the process-exit path. Abrupt termination, such as `SIGKILL`, cannot run process-exit callbacks.
+
 ## Configuration by Environment
 
 ### Development
diff --git a/lib/langfuse.rb b/lib/langfuse.rb
index 85ba6e4..c9a223a 100644
--- a/lib/langfuse.rb
+++ b/lib/langfuse.rb
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ class UnauthorizedError < ApiError; end
 
 require_relative "langfuse/config"
 require_relative "langfuse/fork_safety"
+require_relative "langfuse/exit_hook"
 require_relative "langfuse/cache_constants"
 require_relative "langfuse/prompt_cache"
 require_relative "langfuse/prompt_fetch_result"
@@ -81,14 +82,21 @@ class UnauthorizedError < ApiError; end
 module Langfuse
   # rubocop:disable Metrics/ClassLength
   class << self
+    # Set the global configuration object and start its process-exit lifecycle.
+    #
     # @param configuration [Config] the global configuration object
-    attr_writer :configuration
+    # @return [Config] the assigned configuration
+    def configuration=(configuration)
+      reset!
+      ExitHook.enable
+      @configuration = configuration
+    end
 
     # Returns the global configuration object
     #
     # @return [Config] the global configuration
     def configuration
-      @configuration ||= Config.new
+      @configuration ||= Config.new.tap { ExitHook.enable }
     end
 
     # Configure Langfuse globally
@@ -153,10 +161,11 @@ def tracer_provider
     # @param timeout [Integer] Timeout in seconds
     # @return [void]
     #
-    # @example In a Rails initializer or shutdown hook
-    #   at_exit { Langfuse.shutdown }
+    # @example Explicit early shutdown
+    #   Langfuse.shutdown
     #
     def shutdown(timeout: 30)
+      ExitHook.disable
       client.shutdown if @client
       OtelSetup.shutdown(timeout: timeout)
     end
@@ -409,6 +418,7 @@ def create_trace_id(seed: nil)
     #
     # @return [void]
     def reset!
+      ExitHook.disable
       client.shutdown if @client
       OtelSetup.shutdown(timeout: 5) if OtelSetup.initialized?
       @configuration = nil
diff --git a/lib/langfuse/exit_hook.rb b/lib/langfuse/exit_hook.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1454c6e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/langfuse/exit_hook.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,77 @@
+# frozen_string_literal: true
+
+require_relative "fork_safety"
+
+module Langfuse
+  # Flushes SDK telemetry during normal process exit.
+  #
+  # @api private
+  module ExitHook
+    class << self
+      # Install the process callback once and enable it.
+      #
+      # @return [void]
+      def install!
+        mutex.synchronize do
+          return if @installed
+
+          Kernel.at_exit { run }
+          @installed = true
+          @active = false
+        end
+      end
+
+      # Enable the installed callback for the current SDK lifecycle.
+      #
+      # @return [void]
+      def enable
+        mutex.synchronize { @active = true }
+      end
+
+      # Disable the callback after an explicit shutdown or reset.
+      #
+      # @return [void]
+      def disable
+        mutex.synchronize { @active = false }
+      end
+
+      # Run the callback once without allowing shutdown errors to escape.
+      #
+      # @return [void]
+      def run
+        return unless consume_active_hook
+
+        Langfuse.shutdown
+      rescue StandardError => e
+        warn_failure(e)
+      end
+
+      private
+
+      def consume_active_hook
+        mutex.synchronize do
+          active = @active
+          @active = false
+          active
+        end
+      end
+
+      def reset_after_fork
+        @mutex = Mutex.new
+      end
+
+      def mutex
+        @mutex ||= Mutex.new
+      end
+
+      def warn_failure(error)
+        Kernel.warn("Langfuse exit flush failed: #{error.class} - #{error.message}")
+      rescue StandardError
+        nil
+      end
+    end
+
+    install!
+    ForkSafety.register(self)
+  end
+end
diff --git a/spec/langfuse/exit_hook_spec.rb b/spec/langfuse/exit_hook_spec.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..aa6aaa8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/langfuse/exit_hook_spec.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,57 @@
+# frozen_string_literal: true
+
+require "spec_helper"
+
+RSpec.describe Langfuse::ExitHook do
+  after do
+    described_class.enable
+  end
+
+  describe ".install!" do
+    it "registers one process callback" do
+      installed = described_class.instance_variable_get(:@installed)
+      described_class.instance_variable_set(:@installed, false)
+      allow(Kernel).to receive(:at_exit)
+
+      described_class.install!
+      described_class.install!
+
+      expect(Kernel).to have_received(:at_exit).once
+    ensure
+      described_class.instance_variable_set(:@installed, installed)
+    end
+  end
+
+  describe ".run" do
+    it "runs shutdown once" do
+      described_class.enable
+      expect(Langfuse).to receive(:shutdown).once
+
+      described_class.run
+      described_class.run
+    end
+
+    it "warns without raising when shutdown fails" do
+      described_class.enable
+      allow(Langfuse).to receive(:shutdown).and_raise(Langfuse::ApiError, "unavailable")
+      expect(Kernel).to receive(:warn).with(/Langfuse exit flush failed: Langfuse::ApiError - unavailable/)
+
+      expect { described_class.run }.not_to raise_error
+    end
+  end
+
+  describe "fork safety" do
+    it "replaces the inherited hook mutex in a forked child" do
+      skip "fork is not available" unless Process.respond_to?(:fork)
+
+      parent_mutex = described_class.send(:mutex)
+      _child_pid, status, child_state = capture_forked_state do
+        { mutex_replaced: !described_class.send(:mutex).equal?(parent_mutex) }
+      end
+
+      expect(status).to be_success
+      expect(child_state).to eq(mutex_replaced: true)
+      expect(described_class.send(:mutex)).to equal(parent_mutex)
+    end
+  end
+end
diff --git a/spec/langfuse_spec.rb b/spec/langfuse_spec.rb
index 2a6b667..3c8d4da 100644
--- a/spec/langfuse_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/langfuse_spec.rb
@@ -27,6 +27,41 @@
       config2 = described_class.configuration
       expect(config1).to eq(config2)
     end
+
+    it "enables the process-exit callback when it builds a configuration" do
+      described_class.reset!
+      expect(Langfuse::ExitHook).to receive(:enable).and_call_original
+
+      described_class.configuration
+    end
+
+    it "does not re-enable the callback when it reads a cached configuration" do
+      configuration = described_class.configuration
+      Langfuse::ExitHook.disable
+      expect(Langfuse::ExitHook).not_to receive(:enable)
+
+      expect(described_class.configuration).to equal(configuration)
+    end
+
+    it "starts a new client lifecycle when configuration is replaced" do
+      previous_client = described_class.client
+      described_class.shutdown
+      replacement = Langfuse::Config.new do |config|
+        config.public_key = "replacement_pk"
+        config.secret_key = "replacement_sk"
+      end
+      request = stub_request(:post, "https://cloud.langfuse.com/api/public/ingestion")
+                .to_return(status: 200, body: "", headers: {})
+
+      described_class.configuration = replacement
+      replacement_client = described_class.client
+      replacement_client.create_score(name: "quality", value: 1)
+      replacement_client.flush_scores
+
+      expect(replacement_client).not_to equal(previous_client)
+      expect(replacement_client.config).to equal(replacement)
+      expect(request).to have_been_requested.once
+    end
   end
 
   describe ".configure" do
@@ -179,6 +214,12 @@
   end
 
   describe ".reset!" do
+    it "disables the process-exit callback" do
+      expect(Langfuse::ExitHook).to receive(:disable).and_call_original
+
+      described_class.reset!
+    end
+
     it "resets configuration and client" do
       described_class.configure { |c| c.public_key = "test" }
       described_class.reset!
@@ -225,6 +266,7 @@
     end
 
     it "calls OtelSetup.shutdown with timeout" do
+      expect(Langfuse::ExitHook).to receive(:disable).and_call_original
       expect(Langfuse::OtelSetup).to receive(:shutdown).with(timeout: 30)
       described_class.shutdown
     end