diff --git a/src/api/signal.c b/src/api/signal.c
index 7dd183703242beaee6abf4090914dbdb671bf432..3c2917c225660936332dc6f0e0a4ef6ec8944cf7 100644
--- a/src/api/signal.c
+++ b/src/api/signal.c
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ static int _signal_batch_script_step(const resource_allocation_response_msg_t
 				     *allocation, uint32_t signal)
 {
 	slurm_msg_t msg;
-	kill_tasks_msg_t rpc;
+	signal_tasks_msg_t rpc;
 	int rc = SLURM_SUCCESS;
 	char *name = nodelist_nth_host(allocation->node_list, 0);
 	if (!name) {
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@ static int _signal_job_step(const job_step_info_t *step,
 			    const resource_allocation_response_msg_t *
 			    allocation, uint16_t signal)
 {
-	kill_tasks_msg_t rpc;
+	signal_tasks_msg_t rpc;
 	int rc = SLURM_SUCCESS;
 
 	/* same remote procedure call for each node */
@@ -137,7 +137,7 @@ static int _terminate_batch_script_step(const resource_allocation_response_msg_t
 					* allocation)
 {
 	slurm_msg_t msg;
-	kill_tasks_msg_t rpc;
+	signal_tasks_msg_t rpc;
 	int rc = SLURM_SUCCESS;
 	int i;
 	char *name = nodelist_nth_host(allocation->node_list, 0);
@@ -181,7 +181,7 @@ static int _terminate_job_step(const job_step_info_t *step,
 			       const resource_allocation_response_msg_t *
 			       allocation)
 {
-	kill_tasks_msg_t rpc;
+	signal_tasks_msg_t rpc;
 	int rc = SLURM_SUCCESS;
 
 	/*
@@ -211,7 +211,7 @@ slurm_signal_job (uint32_t job_id, uint16_t signal)
 {
 	int rc = SLURM_SUCCESS;
 	resource_allocation_response_msg_t *alloc_info = NULL;
-	kill_tasks_msg_t rpc;
+	signal_tasks_msg_t rpc;
 
 	if (slurm_allocation_lookup(job_id, &alloc_info)) {
 		rc = slurm_get_errno();
diff --git a/src/api/step_launch.c b/src/api/step_launch.c
index fa6cd9ca5a74b42c7300118cb63904c2d0a5732f..aa139c16aec4d8135a0d37400fd86cbc564fe30b 100644
--- a/src/api/step_launch.c
+++ b/src/api/step_launch.c
@@ -881,7 +881,7 @@ extern void slurm_step_launch_fwd_signal(slurm_step_ctx_t *ctx, int signo)
 {
 	int node_id, j, num_tasks;
 	slurm_msg_t req;
-	kill_tasks_msg_t msg;
+	signal_tasks_msg_t msg;
 	hostlist_t hl;
 	char *name = NULL;
 	List ret_list = NULL;
diff --git a/src/common/slurm_protocol_defs.c b/src/common/slurm_protocol_defs.c
index 09b935d62d890fee425883583d4e41d68454ce51..198c652a58dc5322a403044cde3d3cd1817eee4f 100644
--- a/src/common/slurm_protocol_defs.c
+++ b/src/common/slurm_protocol_defs.c
@@ -1334,7 +1334,7 @@ extern void slurm_free_reattach_tasks_response_msg(
 	}
 }
 
-extern void slurm_free_kill_tasks_msg(kill_tasks_msg_t * msg)
+extern void slurm_free_signal_tasks_msg(signal_tasks_msg_t *msg)
 {
 	xfree(msg);
 }
@@ -4165,7 +4165,7 @@ extern int slurm_free_msg_data(slurm_msg_type_t type, void *data)
 		break;
 	case REQUEST_SIGNAL_TASKS:
 	case REQUEST_TERMINATE_TASKS:
-		slurm_free_kill_tasks_msg(data);
+		slurm_free_signal_tasks_msg(data);
 		break;
 	case REQUEST_CHECKPOINT_TASKS:
 		slurm_free_checkpoint_tasks_msg(data);
diff --git a/src/common/slurm_protocol_defs.h b/src/common/slurm_protocol_defs.h
index e386da603d49edb765e860553556b522b1f870c9..a7609d25dcc06446f6fca309e3368d1d5fb468c5 100644
--- a/src/common/slurm_protocol_defs.h
+++ b/src/common/slurm_protocol_defs.h
@@ -659,12 +659,12 @@ typedef struct step_complete_msg {
 	jobacctinfo_t *jobacct;
 } step_complete_msg_t;
 
-typedef struct kill_tasks_msg {
+typedef struct signal_tasks_msg {
 	uint16_t flags;
 	uint32_t job_id;
 	uint32_t job_step_id;
 	uint16_t signal;
-} kill_tasks_msg_t;
+} signal_tasks_msg_t;
 
 typedef struct checkpoint_tasks_msg {
 	uint32_t job_id;
@@ -1362,7 +1362,7 @@ extern void slurm_free_launch_tasks_response_msg(
 extern void slurm_free_task_user_managed_io_stream_msg(
 		task_user_managed_io_msg_t *msg);
 extern void slurm_free_task_exit_msg(task_exit_msg_t * msg);
-extern void slurm_free_kill_tasks_msg(kill_tasks_msg_t * msg);
+extern void slurm_free_signal_tasks_msg(signal_tasks_msg_t * msg);
 extern void slurm_free_reattach_tasks_request_msg(
 		reattach_tasks_request_msg_t * msg);
 extern void slurm_free_reattach_tasks_response_msg(
diff --git a/src/common/slurm_protocol_pack.c b/src/common/slurm_protocol_pack.c
index d583b6f68c8c3e63c11838ea40908757c2caecc7..583a18c04bca67687b8566a397afaa43e62e1193 100644
--- a/src/common/slurm_protocol_pack.c
+++ b/src/common/slurm_protocol_pack.c
@@ -276,9 +276,9 @@ static int _unpack_task_user_managed_io_stream_msg(task_user_managed_io_msg_t **
 						   msg_ptr, Buf buffer,
 						   uint16_t protocol_version);
 
-static void _pack_cancel_tasks_msg(kill_tasks_msg_t * msg, Buf buffer,
+static void _pack_cancel_tasks_msg(signal_tasks_msg_t *msg, Buf buffer,
 				   uint16_t protocol_version);
-static int _unpack_cancel_tasks_msg(kill_tasks_msg_t ** msg_ptr, Buf buffer,
+static int _unpack_cancel_tasks_msg(signal_tasks_msg_t **msg_ptr, Buf buffer,
 				    uint16_t protocol_version);
 
 static void _pack_checkpoint_tasks_msg(checkpoint_tasks_msg_t * msg, Buf buffer,
@@ -1118,7 +1118,7 @@ pack_msg(slurm_msg_t const *msg, Buf buffer)
 		break;
 	case REQUEST_SIGNAL_TASKS:
 	case REQUEST_TERMINATE_TASKS:
-		_pack_cancel_tasks_msg((kill_tasks_msg_t *) msg->data,
+		_pack_cancel_tasks_msg((signal_tasks_msg_t *) msg->data,
 				       buffer,
 				       msg->protocol_version);
 		break;
@@ -1817,7 +1817,7 @@ unpack_msg(slurm_msg_t * msg, Buf buffer)
 		break;
 	case REQUEST_SIGNAL_TASKS:
 	case REQUEST_TERMINATE_TASKS:
-		rc = _unpack_cancel_tasks_msg((kill_tasks_msg_t **) &
+		rc = _unpack_cancel_tasks_msg((signal_tasks_msg_t **) &
 					      (msg->data), buffer,
 					      msg->protocol_version);
 		break;
@@ -10904,7 +10904,7 @@ unpack_error:
 }
 
 static void
-_pack_cancel_tasks_msg(kill_tasks_msg_t * msg, Buf buffer,
+_pack_cancel_tasks_msg(signal_tasks_msg_t *msg, Buf buffer,
 		       uint16_t protocol_version)
 {
 	if (protocol_version >= SLURM_17_11_PROTOCOL_VERSION) {
@@ -10924,12 +10924,12 @@ _pack_cancel_tasks_msg(kill_tasks_msg_t * msg, Buf buffer,
 }
 
 static int
-_unpack_cancel_tasks_msg(kill_tasks_msg_t ** msg_ptr, Buf buffer,
+_unpack_cancel_tasks_msg(signal_tasks_msg_t **msg_ptr, Buf buffer,
 			 uint16_t protocol_version)
 {
-	kill_tasks_msg_t *msg;
+	signal_tasks_msg_t *msg;
 
-	msg = xmalloc(sizeof(kill_tasks_msg_t));
+	msg = xmalloc(sizeof(signal_tasks_msg_t));
 	*msg_ptr = msg;
 
 	if (protocol_version >= SLURM_17_11_PROTOCOL_VERSION) {
@@ -10952,7 +10952,7 @@ _unpack_cancel_tasks_msg(kill_tasks_msg_t ** msg_ptr, Buf buffer,
 	return SLURM_SUCCESS;
 
 unpack_error:
-	slurm_free_kill_tasks_msg(msg);
+	slurm_free_signal_tasks_msg(msg);
 	*msg_ptr = NULL;
 	return SLURM_ERROR;
 }
diff --git a/src/plugins/checkpoint/blcr/checkpoint_blcr.c b/src/plugins/checkpoint/blcr/checkpoint_blcr.c
index 5c9925bb5709e3f89fd0fb65ca9b5dbe6740d00c..c1f5d1e1223785fe8256cf1ad20b2c6ce9628407 100644
--- a/src/plugins/checkpoint/blcr/checkpoint_blcr.c
+++ b/src/plugins/checkpoint/blcr/checkpoint_blcr.c
@@ -576,20 +576,20 @@ static void _send_sig(uint32_t job_id, uint32_t step_id, uint16_t signal,
 		      char *nodelist)
 {
 	agent_arg_t *agent_args;
-	kill_tasks_msg_t *kill_tasks_msg;
+	signal_tasks_msg_t *signal_tasks_msg;
 	hostlist_iterator_t hi;
 	char *host;
 	struct node_record *node_ptr;
 
-	kill_tasks_msg = xmalloc(sizeof(kill_tasks_msg_t));
-	kill_tasks_msg->job_id		= job_id;
-	kill_tasks_msg->job_step_id	= step_id;
-	kill_tasks_msg->signal		= signal;
+	signal_tasks_msg = xmalloc(sizeof(signal_tasks_msg_t));
+	signal_tasks_msg->job_id		= job_id;
+	signal_tasks_msg->job_step_id	= step_id;
+	signal_tasks_msg->signal		= signal;
 
 	agent_args = xmalloc(sizeof(agent_arg_t));
 	agent_args->msg_type		= REQUEST_SIGNAL_TASKS;
 	agent_args->retry		= 1;
-	agent_args->msg_args		= kill_tasks_msg;
+	agent_args->msg_args		= signal_tasks_msg;
 	agent_args->hostlist		= hostlist_create(nodelist);
 	agent_args->node_count		= hostlist_count(agent_args->hostlist);
 	agent_args->protocol_version = SLURM_PROTOCOL_VERSION;
diff --git a/src/plugins/checkpoint/poe/checkpoint_poe.c b/src/plugins/checkpoint/poe/checkpoint_poe.c
index 62cc7cea46ca8cef245ecaf3518a8a542f0f9da3..58cbd6f3c6f31473dfc3aa6a914222e17c2c875d 100644
--- a/src/plugins/checkpoint/poe/checkpoint_poe.c
+++ b/src/plugins/checkpoint/poe/checkpoint_poe.c
@@ -394,17 +394,17 @@ static void _send_sig(uint32_t job_id, uint32_t step_id, uint16_t signal,
 		char *node_name, slurm_addr_t node_addr)
 {
 	agent_arg_t *agent_args;
-	kill_tasks_msg_t *kill_tasks_msg;
+	signal_tasks_msg_t *signal_tasks_msg;
 
-	kill_tasks_msg = xmalloc(sizeof(kill_tasks_msg_t));
-	kill_tasks_msg->job_id		= job_id;
-	kill_tasks_msg->job_step_id	= step_id;
-	kill_tasks_msg->signal		= signal;
+	signal_tasks_msg = xmalloc(sizeof(signal_tasks_msg_t));
+	signal_tasks_msg->job_id		= job_id;
+	signal_tasks_msg->job_step_id	= step_id;
+	signal_tasks_msg->signal		= signal;
 
 	agent_args = xmalloc(sizeof(agent_arg_t));
 	agent_args->msg_type		= REQUEST_SIGNAL_TASKS;
 	agent_args->retry		= 1;
-	agent_args->msg_args		= kill_tasks_msg;
+	agent_args->msg_args		= signal_tasks_msg;
 	agent_args->hostlist = hostlist_create(node_name);
 	agent_args->node_count		= 1;
 
diff --git a/src/slurmctld/job_mgr.c b/src/slurmctld/job_mgr.c
index 032de392168aeeb4ceda6f04f613c7f55df52058..a9e3d40df83dcbd45f5c16a71c53bbc33804698c 100644
--- a/src/slurmctld/job_mgr.c
+++ b/src/slurmctld/job_mgr.c
@@ -5260,7 +5260,7 @@ static void
 _signal_batch_job(struct job_record *job_ptr, uint16_t signal, uint16_t flags)
 {
 	bitoff_t i;
-	kill_tasks_msg_t *kill_tasks_msg = NULL;
+	signal_tasks_msg_t *signal_tasks_msg = NULL;
 	agent_arg_t *agent_args = NULL;
 
 	xassert(job_ptr);
@@ -5286,17 +5286,17 @@ _signal_batch_job(struct job_record *job_ptr, uint16_t signal, uint16_t flags)
 		agent_args->protocol_version = node_ptr->protocol_version;
 #endif
 	agent_args->hostlist	= hostlist_create(job_ptr->batch_host);
-	kill_tasks_msg = xmalloc(sizeof(kill_tasks_msg_t));
-	kill_tasks_msg->job_id      = job_ptr->job_id;
-	kill_tasks_msg->job_step_id = NO_VAL;
+	signal_tasks_msg = xmalloc(sizeof(signal_tasks_msg_t));
+	signal_tasks_msg->job_id      = job_ptr->job_id;
+	signal_tasks_msg->job_step_id = NO_VAL;
 
 	if (flags == KILL_FULL_JOB ||
 	    flags == KILL_JOB_BATCH ||
 	    flags == KILL_STEPS_ONLY)
-		kill_tasks_msg->flags = flags;
-	kill_tasks_msg->signal = signal;
+		signal_tasks_msg->flags = flags;
+	signal_tasks_msg->signal = signal;
 
-	agent_args->msg_args = kill_tasks_msg;
+	agent_args->msg_args = signal_tasks_msg;
 	agent_queue_request(agent_args);
 	return;
 }
@@ -14335,7 +14335,7 @@ static void _signal_job(struct job_record *job_ptr, int signal, uint16_t flags)
 	int i;
 #endif
 	agent_arg_t *agent_args = NULL;
-	kill_tasks_msg_t *signal_job_msg = NULL;
+	signal_tasks_msg_t *signal_job_msg = NULL;
 	static int notify_srun_static = -1;
 	int notify_srun = 0;
 
@@ -14378,7 +14378,7 @@ static void _signal_job(struct job_record *job_ptr, int signal, uint16_t flags)
 	agent_args->msg_type = REQUEST_SIGNAL_TASKS;
 	agent_args->retry = 1;
 	agent_args->hostlist = hostlist_create(NULL);
-	signal_job_msg = xmalloc(sizeof(kill_tasks_msg_t));
+	signal_job_msg = xmalloc(sizeof(signal_tasks_msg_t));
 	signal_job_msg->job_id = job_ptr->job_id;
 
 	/*
diff --git a/src/slurmctld/step_mgr.c b/src/slurmctld/step_mgr.c
index 2d1e8ee8a142486b3eca64d91a0f7b322f8bd197..90e8b3b272e4473db97d1e2405ed8708d3662b91 100644
--- a/src/slurmctld/step_mgr.c
+++ b/src/slurmctld/step_mgr.c
@@ -649,7 +649,7 @@ void signal_step_tasks(struct step_record *step_ptr, uint16_t signal,
 #ifndef HAVE_FRONT_END
 	int i;
 #endif
-	kill_tasks_msg_t *kill_tasks_msg;
+	signal_tasks_msg_t *signal_tasks_msg;
 	agent_arg_t *agent_args = NULL;
 
 	xassert(step_ptr);
@@ -657,10 +657,10 @@ void signal_step_tasks(struct step_record *step_ptr, uint16_t signal,
 	agent_args->msg_type = msg_type;
 	agent_args->retry    = 1;
 	agent_args->hostlist = hostlist_create(NULL);
-	kill_tasks_msg = xmalloc(sizeof(kill_tasks_msg_t));
-	kill_tasks_msg->job_id      = step_ptr->job_ptr->job_id;
-	kill_tasks_msg->job_step_id = step_ptr->step_id;
-	kill_tasks_msg->signal      = signal;
+	signal_tasks_msg = xmalloc(sizeof(signal_tasks_msg_t));
+	signal_tasks_msg->job_id      = step_ptr->job_ptr->job_id;
+	signal_tasks_msg->job_step_id = step_ptr->step_id;
+	signal_tasks_msg->signal      = signal;
 
 #ifdef HAVE_FRONT_END
 	xassert(step_ptr->job_ptr->batch_host);
@@ -685,13 +685,13 @@ void signal_step_tasks(struct step_record *step_ptr, uint16_t signal,
 #endif
 
 	if (agent_args->node_count == 0) {
-		xfree(kill_tasks_msg);
+		xfree(signal_tasks_msg);
 		hostlist_destroy(agent_args->hostlist);
 		xfree(agent_args);
 		return;
 	}
 
-	agent_args->msg_args = kill_tasks_msg;
+	agent_args->msg_args = signal_tasks_msg;
 	agent_queue_request(agent_args);
 	return;
 }
@@ -707,7 +707,7 @@ void signal_step_tasks(struct step_record *step_ptr, uint16_t signal,
 void signal_step_tasks_on_node(char* node_name, struct step_record *step_ptr,
 			       uint16_t signal, slurm_msg_type_t msg_type)
 {
-	kill_tasks_msg_t *kill_tasks_msg;
+	signal_tasks_msg_t *signal_tasks_msg;
 	agent_arg_t *agent_args = NULL;
 
 	xassert(step_ptr);
@@ -732,11 +732,11 @@ void signal_step_tasks_on_node(char* node_name, struct step_record *step_ptr,
 	if (!agent_args->hostlist)
 		fatal("Invalid node_name: %s", node_name);
 #endif
-	kill_tasks_msg = xmalloc(sizeof(kill_tasks_msg_t));
-	kill_tasks_msg->job_id      = step_ptr->job_ptr->job_id;
-	kill_tasks_msg->job_step_id = step_ptr->step_id;
-	kill_tasks_msg->signal      = signal;
-	agent_args->msg_args = kill_tasks_msg;
+	signal_tasks_msg = xmalloc(sizeof(signal_tasks_msg_t));
+	signal_tasks_msg->job_id      = step_ptr->job_ptr->job_id;
+	signal_tasks_msg->job_step_id = step_ptr->step_id;
+	signal_tasks_msg->signal      = signal;
+	agent_args->msg_args = signal_tasks_msg;
 	agent_queue_request(agent_args);
 	return;
 }
diff --git a/src/slurmd/slurmd/req.c b/src/slurmd/slurmd/req.c
index 78c9ce9c934aefcc5a31433a7114878661e922e9..895762463068e0f45f3628028c58b8c0f0451196 100644
--- a/src/slurmd/slurmd/req.c
+++ b/src/slurmd/slurmd/req.c
@@ -3103,7 +3103,7 @@ static void
 _rpc_signal_tasks(slurm_msg_t *msg)
 {
 	int               rc = SLURM_SUCCESS;
-	kill_tasks_msg_t *req = (kill_tasks_msg_t *) msg->data;
+	signal_tasks_msg_t *req = (signal_tasks_msg_t *) msg->data;
 
 	/* security is handled when communicating with the stepd */
 	if (req->flags & KILL_FULL_JOB) {
@@ -3176,7 +3176,7 @@ done:
 static void
 _rpc_terminate_tasks(slurm_msg_t *msg)
 {
-	kill_tasks_msg_t *req = (kill_tasks_msg_t *) msg->data;
+	signal_tasks_msg_t *req = (signal_tasks_msg_t *) msg->data;
 	int               rc = SLURM_SUCCESS;
 	int               fd;
 	uid_t             req_uid, uid;