diff --git a/docs/source/operators/config-env-debug.md b/docs/source/operators/config-env-debug.md
index 79bae20aa..4ab98dc13 100644
--- a/docs/source/operators/config-env-debug.md
+++ b/docs/source/operators/config-env-debug.md
@@ -27,6 +27,10 @@ The following environment variables may be useful for troubleshooting:
   EG_POLL_INTERVAL=0.5
     The interval (in seconds) to wait before checking poll results again.
 
+  EG_RESTART_STATUS_POLL_INTERVAL=1.0
+    The interval (in seconds) to wait before polling for the restart status again when duplicate restart request
+    for the same kernel is received or when a shutdown request is received while kernel is still restarting.
+
   EG_REMOVE_CONTAINER=True
     Used by launch_docker.py, indicates whether the kernel's docker container should be
     removed following its shutdown.  Set this value to 'False' if you want the container
diff --git a/enterprise_gateway/services/kernels/remotemanager.py b/enterprise_gateway/services/kernels/remotemanager.py
index 5a3e38dfe..0971d3f2c 100644
--- a/enterprise_gateway/services/kernels/remotemanager.py
+++ b/enterprise_gateway/services/kernels/remotemanager.py
@@ -1,10 +1,11 @@
 # Copyright (c) Jupyter Development Team.
 # Distributed under the terms of the Modified BSD License.
 """Kernel managers that operate against a remote process."""
-
+import asyncio
 import os
 import re
 import signal
+import time
 import uuid
 
 from jupyter_client.ioloop.manager import AsyncIOLoopKernelManager
@@ -18,6 +19,9 @@
 from ..processproxies.processproxy import LocalProcessProxy, RemoteProcessProxy
 from ..sessions.kernelsessionmanager import KernelSessionManager
 
+default_kernel_launch_timeout = float(os.getenv("EG_KERNEL_LAUNCH_TIMEOUT", "30"))
+kernel_restart_status_poll_interval = float(os.getenv("EG_RESTART_STATUS_POLL_INTERVAL", 1.0))
+
 
 def import_item(name):
     """Import and return ``bar`` given the string ``foo.bar``.
@@ -189,6 +193,47 @@ async def start_kernel(self, *args, **kwargs):
         self.parent.kernel_session_manager.create_session(kernel_id, **kwargs)
         return kernel_id
 
+    async def restart_kernel(self, kernel_id):
+        kernel = self.get_kernel(kernel_id)
+        if kernel.restarting:  # assuming duplicate request.
+            await self.wait_for_restart_finish(kernel_id, "restart")
+            self.log.info("Skipping kernel restart as this was duplicate request.")
+            return
+        try:
+            kernel.restarting = True  # Moved in out of RemoteKernelManager
+            await super().restart_kernel(kernel_id)
+        finally:
+            kernel.restarting = False
+
+    async def shutdown_kernel(self, kernel_id, now=False, restart=False):
+        kernel = self.get_kernel(kernel_id)
+        if kernel.restarting:
+            await self.wait_for_restart_finish(kernel_id, "shutdown")
+        try:
+            await super().shutdown_kernel(kernel_id, now, restart)
+        except KeyError as ke:  # this is hit for multiple shutdown request.
+            self.log.exception(f"Exception while shutting down kernel: '{kernel_id}': {ke}")
+            raise web.HTTPError(404, "Kernel does not exist: %s" % kernel_id)
+
+    async def wait_for_restart_finish(self, kernel_id, action="shutdown"):
+        kernel = self.get_kernel(kernel_id)
+        start_time = float(time.time())  # epoc time
+        timeout = kernel.kernel_launch_timeout
+        poll_time = kernel_restart_status_poll_interval
+        self.log.info(
+            f"Kernel '{kernel_id}' was restarting when {action} request received. Polling every {poll_time} "
+            f"seconds for next {timeout} seconds for kernel to complete its restart."
+        )
+        while kernel.restarting:
+            now = float(time.time())
+            if (now - start_time) > timeout:
+                self.log.info(
+                    f"Timeout: Exiting restart wait loop in order to {action} kernel '{kernel_id}'."
+                )
+                break
+            await asyncio.sleep(poll_time)
+        return
+
     def _enforce_kernel_limits(self, username: str) -> None:
         """
         If MaxKernels or MaxKernelsPerUser are configured, enforce the respective values.
@@ -341,6 +386,7 @@ def __init__(self, **kwargs):
         self.sigint_value = None
         self.kernel_id = None
         self.user_overrides = {}
+        self.kernel_launch_timeout = default_kernel_launch_timeout
         self.restarting = False  # need to track whether we're in a restart situation or not
 
         # If this instance supports port caching, then disable cache_ports since we don't need this
@@ -412,6 +458,10 @@ def _capture_user_overrides(self, **kwargs):
         of the kernelspec env stanza that would have otherwise overridden the user-provided values.
         """
         env = kwargs.get("env", {})
+        # If KERNEL_LAUNCH_TIMEOUT is passed in the payload, override it.
+        self.kernel_launch_timeout = float(
+            env.get("KERNEL_LAUNCH_TIMEOUT", default_kernel_launch_timeout)
+        )
         self.user_overrides.update(
             {
                 key: value
@@ -504,7 +554,8 @@ async def restart_kernel(self, now=False, **kwargs):
             Any options specified here will overwrite those used to launch the
             kernel.
         """
-        self.restarting = True
+        if now:  # if auto-restarting (when now is True), indicate we're restarting.
+            self.restarting = True
         kernel_id = self.kernel_id or os.path.basename(self.connection_file).replace(
             "kernel-", ""
         ).replace(".json", "")
@@ -535,7 +586,8 @@ async def restart_kernel(self, now=False, **kwargs):
         # Refresh persisted state.
         if self.kernel_session_manager:
             self.kernel_session_manager.refresh_session(kernel_id)
-        self.restarting = False
+        if now:
+            self.restarting = False
 
     async def signal_kernel(self, signum):
         """