diff --git a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/Scheduler.scala b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/Scheduler.scala
index 02c67c6423..023acca4c1 100644
--- a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/Scheduler.scala
+++ b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/Scheduler.scala
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ import akka.util.internal.{ TimerTask, HashedWheelTimer, Timeout ⇒ HWTimeout,
 import akka.event.LoggingAdapter
 import akka.dispatch.MessageDispatcher
 import java.io.Closeable
-import java.util.concurrent.atomic.AtomicReference
+import java.util.concurrent.atomic.{ AtomicReference, AtomicLong }
 import scala.annotation.tailrec
 import akka.util.internal._
 import concurrent.ExecutionContext
@@ -137,14 +137,17 @@ class DefaultScheduler(hashedWheelTimer: HashedWheelTimer, log: LoggingAdapter)
     val continuousCancellable = new ContinuousCancellable
     continuousCancellable.init(
       hashedWheelTimer.newTimeout(
-        new TimerTask with ContinuousScheduling {
+        new AtomicLong(System.nanoTime + initialDelay.toNanos) with TimerTask with ContinuousScheduling {
           def run(timeout: HWTimeout) {
             executor execute new Runnable {
               override def run = {
                 receiver ! message
                 // Check if the receiver is still alive and kicking before reschedule the task
                 if (receiver.isTerminated) log.debug("Could not reschedule message to be sent because receiving actor {} has been terminated.", receiver)
-                else scheduleNext(timeout, delay, continuousCancellable)
+                else {
+                  val driftNanos = System.nanoTime - getAndAdd(delay.toNanos)
+                  scheduleNext(timeout, Duration.fromNanos(Math.max(delay.toNanos - driftNanos, 1)), continuousCancellable)
+                }
               }
             }
           }
@@ -162,11 +165,12 @@ class DefaultScheduler(hashedWheelTimer: HashedWheelTimer, log: LoggingAdapter)
     val continuousCancellable = new ContinuousCancellable
     continuousCancellable.init(
       hashedWheelTimer.newTimeout(
-        new TimerTask with ContinuousScheduling {
+        new AtomicLong(System.nanoTime + initialDelay.toNanos) with TimerTask with ContinuousScheduling {
           override def run(timeout: HWTimeout): Unit = executor.execute(new Runnable {
             override def run = {
               runnable.run()
-              scheduleNext(timeout, delay, continuousCancellable)
+              val driftNanos = System.nanoTime - getAndAdd(delay.toNanos)
+              scheduleNext(timeout, Duration.fromNanos(Math.max(delay.toNanos - driftNanos, 1)), continuousCancellable)
             }
           })
         },