diff --git a/requirements-dev.txt b/requirements-dev.txt
index 5cd0fa698..6e30d0d3f 100644
--- a/requirements-dev.txt
+++ b/requirements-dev.txt
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ isort==5.10.1
 
 pytest==7.1.2
 pytest-asyncio==0.18.3
+pytest-timeout==2.1.0 # used to timeout tests
 
 flaky  # Used for flaky tests (flaky decorator)
 beautifulsoup4  # used in test_official for parsing tg docs
diff --git a/telegram/ext/_application.py b/telegram/ext/_application.py
index 96a332a7c..63320ec69 100644
--- a/telegram/ext/_application.py
+++ b/telegram/ext/_application.py
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ import asyncio
 import inspect
 import itertools
 import logging
+import platform
 import signal
 from collections import defaultdict
 from contextlib import AbstractAsyncContextManager
@@ -547,7 +548,7 @@ class Application(Generic[BT, CCT, UD, CD, BD, JQ], AbstractAsyncContextManager)
         allowed_updates: List[str] = None,
         drop_pending_updates: bool = None,
         close_loop: bool = True,
-        stop_signals: Optional[Sequence[int]] = (signal.SIGINT, signal.SIGTERM, signal.SIGABRT),
+        stop_signals: ODVInput[Sequence[int]] = DEFAULT_NONE,
     ) -> None:
         """Convenience method that takes care of initializing and starting the app,
         polling updates from Telegram using :meth:`telegram.ext.Updater.start_polling` and
@@ -596,7 +597,7 @@ class Application(Generic[BT, CCT, UD, CD, BD, JQ], AbstractAsyncContextManager)
             stop_signals (Sequence[:obj:`int`] | :obj:`None`, optional): Signals that will shut
                 down the app. Pass :obj:`None` to not use stop signals.
                 Defaults to :data:`signal.SIGINT`, :data:`signal.SIGTERM` and
-                :data:`signal.SIGABRT`.
+                :data:`signal.SIGABRT` on non Windows platforms.
 
                 Caution:
                     Not every :class:`asyncio.AbstractEventLoop` implements
@@ -646,7 +647,7 @@ class Application(Generic[BT, CCT, UD, CD, BD, JQ], AbstractAsyncContextManager)
         ip_address: str = None,
         max_connections: int = 40,
         close_loop: bool = True,
-        stop_signals: Optional[Sequence[int]] = (signal.SIGINT, signal.SIGTERM, signal.SIGABRT),
+        stop_signals: ODVInput[Sequence[int]] = DEFAULT_NONE,
     ) -> None:
         """Convenience method that takes care of initializing and starting the app,
         polling updates from Telegram using :meth:`telegram.ext.Updater.start_webhook` and
@@ -736,7 +737,7 @@ class Application(Generic[BT, CCT, UD, CD, BD, JQ], AbstractAsyncContextManager)
     def __run(
         self,
         updater_coroutine: Coroutine,
-        stop_signals: Optional[Sequence[int]],
+        stop_signals: ODVInput[Sequence[int]],
         close_loop: bool = True,
     ) -> None:
         # Calling get_event_loop() should still be okay even in py3.10+ as long as there is a
@@ -744,9 +745,13 @@ class Application(Generic[BT, CCT, UD, CD, BD, JQ], AbstractAsyncContextManager)
         # See the docs of get_event_loop() and get_running_loop() for more info
         loop = asyncio.get_event_loop()
 
+        if stop_signals is DEFAULT_NONE and platform.system() != "Windows":
+            stop_signals = (signal.SIGINT, signal.SIGTERM, signal.SIGABRT)
+
         try:
-            for sig in stop_signals or []:
-                loop.add_signal_handler(sig, self._raise_system_exit)
+            if not isinstance(stop_signals, DefaultValue):
+                for sig in stop_signals or []:
+                    loop.add_signal_handler(sig, self._raise_system_exit)
         except NotImplementedError as exc:
             warn(
                 f"Could not add signal handlers for the stop signals {stop_signals} due to "
diff --git a/tests/test_application.py b/tests/test_application.py
index ce7f48c13..8070bafb4 100644
--- a/tests/test_application.py
+++ b/tests/test_application.py
@@ -1659,9 +1659,9 @@ class TestApplication:
 
         with pytest.raises(RuntimeError, match="Prevent Actually Running"):
             if "polling" in method:
-                app.run_polling(close_loop=False)
+                app.run_polling(close_loop=False, stop_signals=(signal.SIGINT,))
             else:
-                app.run_webhook(close_loop=False)
+                app.run_webhook(close_loop=False, stop_signals=(signal.SIGTERM,))
 
         assert len(recwarn) >= 1
         found = False
@@ -1680,3 +1680,39 @@ class TestApplication:
                 app.run_webhook(close_loop=False, stop_signals=None)
 
         assert len(recwarn) == 0
+
+    @pytest.mark.timeout(6)
+    def test_signal_handlers(self, app, monkeypatch):
+        # this test should make sure that signal handlers are set by default on Linux + Mac,
+        # and not on Windows.
+
+        received_signals = []
+
+        def signal_handler_test(*args, **kwargs):
+            # args[0] is the signal, [1] the callback
+            received_signals.append(args[0])
+
+        loop = asyncio.get_event_loop()
+        monkeypatch.setattr(loop, "add_signal_handler", signal_handler_test)
+
+        async def abort_app():
+            await asyncio.sleep(2)
+            raise SystemExit
+
+        loop.create_task(abort_app())
+
+        app.run_polling(close_loop=False)
+
+        if platform.system() == "Windows":
+            assert received_signals == []
+        else:
+            assert received_signals == [signal.SIGINT, signal.SIGTERM, signal.SIGABRT]
+
+        received_signals.clear()
+        loop.create_task(abort_app())
+        app.run_webhook(port=49152, webhook_url="example.com", close_loop=False)
+
+        if platform.system() == "Windows":
+            assert received_signals == []
+        else:
+            assert received_signals == [signal.SIGINT, signal.SIGTERM, signal.SIGABRT]