A system, method, and computer program product are provided for remote management of a computer system using graceful power control commands. A management controller is able to receive commands from a remote management console to perform a graceful power control command (e.g., power-down, hibernate). The management controller stores the graceful power control command in a shared memory and notified (e.g., via interrupt) a management agent that the graceful power control command is present. The management agent retrieves the graceful power control command and invokes an appropriate operating system command. The management agent can also provide result information to the management controller.