diff --git a/akka-persistence-tck/src/main/scala/akka/persistence/journal/JournalSpec.scala b/akka-persistence-tck/src/main/scala/akka/persistence/journal/JournalSpec.scala
index 72b0cd3eab..64dd33bb34 100644
--- a/akka-persistence-tck/src/main/scala/akka/persistence/journal/JournalSpec.scala
+++ b/akka-persistence-tck/src/main/scala/akka/persistence/journal/JournalSpec.scala
@@ -92,50 +92,54 @@ abstract class JournalSpec(config: Config) extends PluginSpec(config) {
     "replay all messages" in {
       journal ! ReplayMessages(1, Long.MaxValue, Long.MaxValue, pid, receiverProbe.ref)
       1 to 5 foreach { i ⇒ receiverProbe.expectMsg(replayedMessage(i)) }
-      receiverProbe.expectMsg(ReplayMessagesSuccess)
+      receiverProbe.expectMsg(ReplayMessagesSuccess(highestSequenceNr = 5L))
     }
     "replay messages using a lower sequence number bound" in {
       journal ! ReplayMessages(3, Long.MaxValue, Long.MaxValue, pid, receiverProbe.ref)
       3 to 5 foreach { i ⇒ receiverProbe.expectMsg(replayedMessage(i)) }
-      receiverProbe.expectMsg(ReplayMessagesSuccess)
+      receiverProbe.expectMsg(ReplayMessagesSuccess(highestSequenceNr = 5L))
     }
     "replay messages using an upper sequence number bound" in {
       journal ! ReplayMessages(1, 3, Long.MaxValue, pid, receiverProbe.ref)
       1 to 3 foreach { i ⇒ receiverProbe.expectMsg(replayedMessage(i)) }
-      receiverProbe.expectMsg(ReplayMessagesSuccess)
+      receiverProbe.expectMsg(ReplayMessagesSuccess(highestSequenceNr = 5L))
     }
     "replay messages using a count limit" in {
       journal ! ReplayMessages(1, Long.MaxValue, 3, pid, receiverProbe.ref)
       1 to 3 foreach { i ⇒ receiverProbe.expectMsg(replayedMessage(i)) }
-      receiverProbe.expectMsg(ReplayMessagesSuccess)
+      receiverProbe.expectMsg(ReplayMessagesSuccess(highestSequenceNr = 5L))
     }
     "replay messages using a lower and upper sequence number bound" in {
       journal ! ReplayMessages(2, 4, Long.MaxValue, pid, receiverProbe.ref)
       2 to 4 foreach { i ⇒ receiverProbe.expectMsg(replayedMessage(i)) }
-      receiverProbe.expectMsg(ReplayMessagesSuccess)
+      receiverProbe.expectMsg(ReplayMessagesSuccess(highestSequenceNr = 5L))
     }
     "replay messages using a lower and upper sequence number bound and a count limit" in {
       journal ! ReplayMessages(2, 4, 2, pid, receiverProbe.ref)
       2 to 3 foreach { i ⇒ receiverProbe.expectMsg(replayedMessage(i)) }
-      receiverProbe.expectMsg(ReplayMessagesSuccess)
+      receiverProbe.expectMsg(ReplayMessagesSuccess(highestSequenceNr = 5L))
     }
     "replay a single if lower sequence number bound equals upper sequence number bound" in {
       journal ! ReplayMessages(2, 2, Long.MaxValue, pid, receiverProbe.ref)
       2 to 2 foreach { i ⇒ receiverProbe.expectMsg(replayedMessage(i)) }
-      receiverProbe.expectMsg(ReplayMessagesSuccess)
+      receiverProbe.expectMsg(ReplayMessagesSuccess(highestSequenceNr = 5L))
     }
     "replay a single message if count limit equals 1" in {
       journal ! ReplayMessages(2, 4, 1, pid, receiverProbe.ref)
       2 to 2 foreach { i ⇒ receiverProbe.expectMsg(replayedMessage(i)) }
-      receiverProbe.expectMsg(ReplayMessagesSuccess)
+      receiverProbe.expectMsg(ReplayMessagesSuccess(highestSequenceNr = 5L))
     }
     "not replay messages if count limit equals 0" in {
       journal ! ReplayMessages(2, 4, 0, pid, receiverProbe.ref)
-      receiverProbe.expectMsg(ReplayMessagesSuccess)
+      receiverProbe.expectMsg(ReplayMessagesSuccess(highestSequenceNr = 5L))
     }
     "not replay messages if lower  sequence number bound is greater than upper sequence number bound" in {
       journal ! ReplayMessages(3, 2, Long.MaxValue, pid, receiverProbe.ref)
-      receiverProbe.expectMsg(ReplayMessagesSuccess)
+      receiverProbe.expectMsg(ReplayMessagesSuccess(highestSequenceNr = 5L))
+    }
+    "not replay messages if the persistent actor has not yet written messages" in {
+      journal ! ReplayMessages(0, Long.MaxValue, Long.MaxValue, "non-existing-pid", receiverProbe.ref)
+      receiverProbe.expectMsg(ReplayMessagesSuccess(highestSequenceNr = 0L))
     }
     "not replay permanently deleted messages (range deletion)" in {
       val receiverProbe2 = TestProbe()
@@ -152,18 +156,6 @@ abstract class JournalSpec(config: Config) extends PluginSpec(config) {
       receiverProbe2.expectNoMsg(200.millis)
     }
 
-    "return a highest stored sequence number > 0 if the persistent actor has already written messages and the message log is non-empty" in {
-      journal ! ReadHighestSequenceNr(3L, pid, receiverProbe.ref)
-      receiverProbe.expectMsg(ReadHighestSequenceNrSuccess(5))
-
-      journal ! ReadHighestSequenceNr(5L, pid, receiverProbe.ref)
-      receiverProbe.expectMsg(ReadHighestSequenceNrSuccess(5))
-    }
-    "return a highest stored sequence number == 0 if the persistent actor has not yet written messages" in {
-      journal ! ReadHighestSequenceNr(0L, "non-existing-pid", receiverProbe.ref)
-      receiverProbe.expectMsg(ReadHighestSequenceNrSuccess(0))
-    }
-
     "reject non-serializable events" in {
       // there is no chance that a journal could create a data representation for type of event
       val notSerializableEvent = new Object { override def toString = "not serializable" }
diff --git a/akka-persistence/src/main/java/akka/persistence/journal/japi/AsyncRecoveryPlugin.java b/akka-persistence/src/main/java/akka/persistence/journal/japi/AsyncRecoveryPlugin.java
index c1b95cafbc..553dd47af2 100644
--- a/akka-persistence/src/main/java/akka/persistence/journal/japi/AsyncRecoveryPlugin.java
+++ b/akka-persistence/src/main/java/akka/persistence/journal/japi/AsyncRecoveryPlugin.java
@@ -23,6 +23,10 @@ interface AsyncRecoveryPlugin {
    * marked as deleted. In this case a replayed message's `deleted` method must
    * return `true`.
    *
+   * The `toSequenceNr` is the lowest of what was returned by
+   * {@link #doAsyncReadHighestSequenceNr} and what the user specified as
+   * recovery {@link akka.persistence.Recovery} parameter.
+   *
    * @param persistenceId
    *          id of the persistent actor.
    * @param fromSequenceNr
@@ -34,12 +38,16 @@ interface AsyncRecoveryPlugin {
    * @param replayCallback
    *          called to replay a single message. Can be called from any thread.
    */
-  Future<Void> doAsyncReplayMessages(String persistenceId, long fromSequenceNr, 
+  Future<Void> doAsyncReplayMessages(String persistenceId, long fromSequenceNr,
       long toSequenceNr, long max, Consumer<PersistentRepr> replayCallback);
 
   /**
    * Java API, Plugin API: asynchronously reads the highest stored sequence
-   * number for the given `persistenceId`.
+   * number for the given `persistenceId`. The persistent actor will use the
+   * highest sequence number after recovery as the starting point when
+   * persisting new events. This sequence number is also used as `toSequenceNr`
+   * in subsequent call to [[#asyncReplayMessages]] unless the user has
+   * specified a lower `toSequenceNr`.
    *
    * @param persistenceId
    *          id of the persistent actor.
diff --git a/akka-persistence/src/main/scala/akka/persistence/AtLeastOnceDelivery.scala b/akka-persistence/src/main/scala/akka/persistence/AtLeastOnceDelivery.scala
index 53020b460c..dd3f09dce7 100644
--- a/akka-persistence/src/main/scala/akka/persistence/AtLeastOnceDelivery.scala
+++ b/akka-persistence/src/main/scala/akka/persistence/AtLeastOnceDelivery.scala
@@ -3,8 +3,6 @@
  */
 package akka.persistence
 
-import akka.persistence.JournalProtocol.ReplayMessagesSuccess
-
 import scala.annotation.tailrec
 import scala.collection.breakOut
 import scala.collection.immutable
diff --git a/akka-persistence/src/main/scala/akka/persistence/Eventsourced.scala b/akka-persistence/src/main/scala/akka/persistence/Eventsourced.scala
index 675bc2e398..181e54117a 100644
--- a/akka-persistence/src/main/scala/akka/persistence/Eventsourced.scala
+++ b/akka-persistence/src/main/scala/akka/persistence/Eventsourced.scala
@@ -215,8 +215,8 @@ private[persistence] trait Eventsourced extends Snapshotter with Stash with Stas
 
   override def unhandled(message: Any): Unit = {
     message match {
-      case RecoveryCompleted | ReadHighestSequenceNrSuccess | ReadHighestSequenceNrFailure ⇒ // mute
-      case m ⇒ super.unhandled(m)
+      case RecoveryCompleted ⇒ // mute
+      case m                 ⇒ super.unhandled(m)
     }
   }
 
@@ -466,8 +466,8 @@ private[persistence] trait Eventsourced extends Snapshotter with Stash with Stas
    * Processes replayed messages, if any. The actor's `receiveRecover` is invoked with the replayed
    * events.
    *
-   * If replay succeeds it switches to `initializing` state and requests the highest stored sequence
-   * number from the journal. Otherwise the actor is stopped.
+   * If replay succeeds it got highest stored sequence number response from the journal and then switches
+   * to `processingCommands` state. Otherwise the actor is stopped.
    * If replay succeeds the `onReplaySuccess` callback method is called, otherwise `onReplayFailure`.
    *
    * All incoming messages are stashed.
@@ -485,37 +485,15 @@ private[persistence] trait Eventsourced extends Snapshotter with Stash with Stas
           case NonFatal(t) ⇒
             try onReplayFailure(t, Some(p.payload)) finally context.stop(self)
         }
-      case ReplayMessagesSuccess ⇒
+      case ReplayMessagesSuccess(highestSeqNr) ⇒
         onReplaySuccess() // callback for subclass implementation
-        changeState(initializing(recoveryBehavior))
-        journal ! ReadHighestSequenceNr(lastSequenceNr, persistenceId, self)
-      case ReplayMessagesFailure(cause) ⇒
-        try onReplayFailure(cause, event = None) finally context.stop(self)
-      case other ⇒
-        internalStash.stash()
-    }
-  }
-
-  /**
-   * Processes the highest stored sequence number response from the journal and then switches
-   * to `processingCommands` state.
-   * All incoming messages are stashed.
-   */
-  private def initializing(recoveryBehavior: Receive) = new State {
-    override def toString: String = "initializing"
-    override def recoveryRunning: Boolean = true
-
-    override def stateReceive(receive: Receive, message: Any) = message match {
-      case ReadHighestSequenceNrSuccess(highest) ⇒
         changeState(processingCommands)
-        sequenceNr = highest
-        setLastSequenceNr(highest)
+        sequenceNr = highestSeqNr
+        setLastSequenceNr(highestSeqNr)
         internalStash.unstashAll()
         Eventsourced.super.aroundReceive(recoveryBehavior, RecoveryCompleted)
-      case ReadHighestSequenceNrFailure(cause) ⇒
-        log.error(cause, "PersistentActor could not retrieve highest sequence number and must " +
-          "therefore be stopped. (persisten id = [{}]).", persistenceId)
-        context.stop(self)
+      case ReplayMessagesFailure(cause) ⇒
+        try onReplayFailure(cause, event = None) finally context.stop(self)
       case other ⇒
         internalStash.stash()
     }
diff --git a/akka-persistence/src/main/scala/akka/persistence/JournalProtocol.scala b/akka-persistence/src/main/scala/akka/persistence/JournalProtocol.scala
index ce512c2e67..5a3d72cd5a 100644
--- a/akka-persistence/src/main/scala/akka/persistence/JournalProtocol.scala
+++ b/akka-persistence/src/main/scala/akka/persistence/JournalProtocol.scala
@@ -122,8 +122,13 @@ private[persistence] object JournalProtocol {
   /**
    * Reply message to a successful [[ReplayMessages]] request. This reply is sent to the requestor
    * after all [[ReplayedMessage]] have been sent (if any).
+   *
+   * It includes the highest stored sequence number of a given persistent actor. Note that the
+   * replay might have been limited to a lower sequence number.
+   *
+   * @param highestSequenceNr highest stored sequence number.
    */
-  case object ReplayMessagesSuccess
+  case class ReplayMessagesSuccess(highestSequenceNr: Long)
     extends Response with DeadLetterSuppression
 
   /**
@@ -133,29 +138,4 @@ private[persistence] object JournalProtocol {
   final case class ReplayMessagesFailure(cause: Throwable)
     extends Response with DeadLetterSuppression
 
-  /**
-   * Request to read the highest stored sequence number of a given persistent actor.
-   *
-   * @param fromSequenceNr optional hint where to start searching for the maximum sequence number.
-   * @param persistenceId requesting persistent actor id.
-   * @param persistentActor requesting persistent actor.
-   */
-  final case class ReadHighestSequenceNr(fromSequenceNr: Long = 1L, persistenceId: String, persistentActor: ActorRef)
-    extends Request
-
-  /**
-   * Reply message to a successful [[ReadHighestSequenceNr]] request.
-   *
-   * @param highestSequenceNr read highest sequence number.
-   */
-  final case class ReadHighestSequenceNrSuccess(highestSequenceNr: Long)
-    extends Response
-
-  /**
-   * Reply message to a failed [[ReadHighestSequenceNr]] request.
-   *
-   * @param cause failure cause.
-   */
-  final case class ReadHighestSequenceNrFailure(cause: Throwable)
-    extends Response
 }
diff --git a/akka-persistence/src/main/scala/akka/persistence/PersistentView.scala b/akka-persistence/src/main/scala/akka/persistence/PersistentView.scala
index e21370f211..6e22a7b683 100644
--- a/akka-persistence/src/main/scala/akka/persistence/PersistentView.scala
+++ b/akka-persistence/src/main/scala/akka/persistence/PersistentView.scala
@@ -293,7 +293,7 @@ trait PersistentView extends Actor with Snapshotter with Stash with StashFactory
           case NonFatal(t) ⇒
             changeState(ignoreRemainingReplay(t))
         }
-      case ReplayMessagesSuccess ⇒
+      case _: ReplayMessagesSuccess ⇒
         onReplayComplete()
       case ReplayMessagesFailure(cause) ⇒
         try onReplayError(cause) finally onReplayComplete()
@@ -339,8 +339,8 @@ trait PersistentView extends Actor with Snapshotter with Stash with StashFactory
         // replay must be a full replay (up to the highest stored sequence number)
         // Recover(lastSequenceNr) is sent by preRestart
         setLastSequenceNr(Long.MaxValue)
-      case ReplayMessagesSuccess ⇒ replayCompleted(receive)
-      case _                     ⇒ internalStash.stash()
+      case _: ReplayMessagesSuccess ⇒ replayCompleted(receive)
+      case _                        ⇒ internalStash.stash()
     }
 
     def replayCompleted(receive: Receive): Unit = {
diff --git a/akka-persistence/src/main/scala/akka/persistence/journal/AsyncRecovery.scala b/akka-persistence/src/main/scala/akka/persistence/journal/AsyncRecovery.scala
index a009f100df..5b3c6f9912 100644
--- a/akka-persistence/src/main/scala/akka/persistence/journal/AsyncRecovery.scala
+++ b/akka-persistence/src/main/scala/akka/persistence/journal/AsyncRecovery.scala
@@ -24,6 +24,9 @@ trait AsyncRecovery {
    * as deleted. In this case a replayed message's `deleted` method must return
    * `true`.
    *
+   * The `toSequenceNr` is the lowest of what was returned by [[#asyncReadHighestSequenceNr]]
+   * and what the user specified as recovery [[akka.persistence.Recovery]] parameter.
+   *
    * @param persistenceId persistent actor id.
    * @param fromSequenceNr sequence number where replay should start (inclusive).
    * @param toSequenceNr sequence number where replay should end (inclusive).
@@ -38,7 +41,10 @@ trait AsyncRecovery {
 
   /**
    * Plugin API: asynchronously reads the highest stored sequence number for the
-   * given `persistenceId`.
+   * given `persistenceId`. The persistent actor will use the highest sequence
+   * number after recovery as the starting point when persisting new events.
+   * This sequence number is also used as `toSequenceNr` in subsequent call
+   * to [[#asyncReplayMessages]] unless the user has specified a lower `toSequenceNr`.
    *
    * @param persistenceId persistent actor id.
    * @param fromSequenceNr hint where to start searching for the highest sequence
diff --git a/akka-persistence/src/main/scala/akka/persistence/journal/AsyncWriteJournal.scala b/akka-persistence/src/main/scala/akka/persistence/journal/AsyncWriteJournal.scala
index 20a861a980..3b4ab470a7 100644
--- a/akka-persistence/src/main/scala/akka/persistence/journal/AsyncWriteJournal.scala
+++ b/akka-persistence/src/main/scala/akka/persistence/journal/AsyncWriteJournal.scala
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ import scala.util.control.NonFatal
 import scala.util.Try
 import scala.util.Success
 import scala.util.Failure
+import akka.AkkaException
 
 /**
  * Abstract journal, optimized for asynchronous, non-blocking writes.
@@ -93,30 +94,29 @@ trait AsyncWriteJournal extends Actor with WriteJournalBase with AsyncRecovery {
       }
 
     case r @ ReplayMessages(fromSequenceNr, toSequenceNr, max, persistenceId, persistentActor) ⇒
-      // Send replayed messages and replay result to persistentActor directly. No need
-      // to resequence replayed messages relative to written and looped messages.
-      asyncReplayMessages(persistenceId, fromSequenceNr, toSequenceNr, max) { p ⇒
-        if (!p.deleted) // old records from 2.3 may still have the deleted flag
-          adaptFromJournal(p).foreach { adaptedPersistentRepr ⇒
-            persistentActor.tell(ReplayedMessage(adaptedPersistentRepr), Actor.noSender)
-          }
-      } map {
-        case _ ⇒ ReplayMessagesSuccess
-      } recover {
+
+      asyncReadHighestSequenceNr(persistenceId, fromSequenceNr).flatMap { highSeqNr ⇒
+        val toSeqNr = math.min(toSequenceNr, highSeqNr)
+        if (highSeqNr == 0L || fromSequenceNr > toSeqNr)
+          Future.successful(highSeqNr)
+        else {
+          // Send replayed messages and replay result to persistentActor directly. No need
+          // to resequence replayed messages relative to written and looped messages.
+          asyncReplayMessages(persistenceId, fromSequenceNr, toSeqNr, max) { p ⇒
+            if (!p.deleted) // old records from 2.3 may still have the deleted flag
+              adaptFromJournal(p).foreach { adaptedPersistentRepr ⇒
+                persistentActor.tell(ReplayedMessage(adaptedPersistentRepr), Actor.noSender)
+              }
+          }.map(_ ⇒ highSeqNr)
+        }
+      }.map {
+        highSeqNr ⇒ ReplayMessagesSuccess(highSeqNr)
+      }.recover {
         case e ⇒ ReplayMessagesFailure(e)
-      } pipeTo persistentActor onSuccess {
+      }.pipeTo(persistentActor).onSuccess {
         case _ if publish ⇒ context.system.eventStream.publish(r)
       }
 
-    case ReadHighestSequenceNr(fromSequenceNr, persistenceId, persistentActor) ⇒
-      // Send read highest sequence number to persistentActor directly. No need
-      // to resequence the result relative to written and looped messages.
-      asyncReadHighestSequenceNr(persistenceId, fromSequenceNr).map {
-        highest ⇒ ReadHighestSequenceNrSuccess(highest)
-      } recover {
-        case e ⇒ ReadHighestSequenceNrFailure(e)
-      } pipeTo persistentActor
-
     case d @ DeleteMessagesTo(persistenceId, toSequenceNr, persistentActor) ⇒
       asyncDeleteMessagesTo(persistenceId, toSequenceNr) onComplete {
         case Success(_) ⇒ if (publish) context.system.eventStream.publish(d)
diff --git a/akka-persistence/src/main/scala/akka/persistence/journal/AsyncWriteProxy.scala b/akka-persistence/src/main/scala/akka/persistence/journal/AsyncWriteProxy.scala
index dba13ebe3e..3241d92f9d 100644
--- a/akka-persistence/src/main/scala/akka/persistence/journal/AsyncWriteProxy.scala
+++ b/akka-persistence/src/main/scala/akka/persistence/journal/AsyncWriteProxy.scala
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ import scala.language.postfixOps
 private[persistence] trait AsyncWriteProxy extends AsyncWriteJournal with Stash with ActorLogging {
   import AsyncWriteProxy._
   import AsyncWriteTarget._
+  import context.dispatcher
 
   private var isInitialized = false
   private var store: ActorRef = _
@@ -54,7 +55,9 @@ private[persistence] trait AsyncWriteProxy extends AsyncWriteJournal with Stash
   }
 
   def asyncReadHighestSequenceNr(persistenceId: String, fromSequenceNr: Long): Future[Long] =
-    (store ? ReadHighestSequenceNr(persistenceId, fromSequenceNr)).mapTo[Long]
+    (store ? ReplayMessages(persistenceId, fromSequenceNr = 0L, toSequenceNr = 0L, max = 0L)).map {
+      case ReplaySuccess(highest) ⇒ highest
+    }
 }
 
 /**
@@ -78,13 +81,11 @@ private[persistence] object AsyncWriteTarget {
   final case class ReplayMessages(persistenceId: String, fromSequenceNr: Long, toSequenceNr: Long, max: Long)
 
   @SerialVersionUID(1L)
-  case object ReplaySuccess
+  case class ReplaySuccess(highestSequenceNr: Long)
 
   @SerialVersionUID(1L)
   final case class ReplayFailure(cause: Throwable)
 
-  @SerialVersionUID(1L)
-  final case class ReadHighestSequenceNr(persistenceId: String, fromSequenceNr: Long)
 }
 
 /**
@@ -100,7 +101,7 @@ private class ReplayMediator(replayCallback: PersistentRepr ⇒ Unit, replayComp
 
   def receive = {
     case p: PersistentRepr ⇒ replayCallback(p)
-    case ReplaySuccess ⇒
+    case _: ReplaySuccess ⇒
       replayCompletionPromise.success(())
       context.stop(self)
     case ReplayFailure(cause) ⇒
diff --git a/akka-persistence/src/main/scala/akka/persistence/journal/inmem/InmemJournal.scala b/akka-persistence/src/main/scala/akka/persistence/journal/inmem/InmemJournal.scala
index 7418d55a95..6379b38586 100644
--- a/akka-persistence/src/main/scala/akka/persistence/journal/inmem/InmemJournal.scala
+++ b/akka-persistence/src/main/scala/akka/persistence/journal/inmem/InmemJournal.scala
@@ -85,9 +85,9 @@ private[persistence] class InmemStore extends Actor with InmemMessages with Writ
     case DeleteMessagesTo(pid, tsnr) ⇒
       sender() ! (1L to tsnr foreach { snr ⇒ delete(pid, snr) })
     case ReplayMessages(pid, fromSnr, toSnr, max) ⇒
-      read(pid, fromSnr, toSnr, max).foreach { sender() ! _ }
-      sender() ! ReplaySuccess
-    case ReadHighestSequenceNr(persistenceId, _) ⇒
-      sender() ! highestSequenceNr(persistenceId)
+      val highest = highestSequenceNr(pid)
+      if (highest != 0L && max != 0L)
+        read(pid, fromSnr, math.min(toSnr, highest), max).foreach { sender() ! _ }
+      sender() ! ReplaySuccess(highest)
   }
 }
diff --git a/akka-persistence/src/main/scala/akka/persistence/journal/leveldb/SharedLeveldbStore.scala b/akka-persistence/src/main/scala/akka/persistence/journal/leveldb/SharedLeveldbStore.scala
index 34170e8651..360c6cfb70 100644
--- a/akka-persistence/src/main/scala/akka/persistence/journal/leveldb/SharedLeveldbStore.scala
+++ b/akka-persistence/src/main/scala/akka/persistence/journal/leveldb/SharedLeveldbStore.scala
@@ -23,6 +23,8 @@ class SharedLeveldbStore extends { val configPath = "akka.persistence.journal.le
 
   def receive = {
     case WriteMessages(messages) ⇒
+      // TODO it would be nice to DRY this with AsyncWriteJournal, but this is using
+      //      AsyncWriteProxy message protocol
       val prepared = Try(preparePersistentBatch(messages))
       val writeResult = (prepared match {
         case Success(prep) ⇒
@@ -43,13 +45,24 @@ class SharedLeveldbStore extends { val configPath = "akka.persistence.journal.le
     case DeleteMessagesTo(pid, tsnr) ⇒
       asyncDeleteMessagesTo(pid, tsnr).pipeTo(sender())
 
-    case ReadHighestSequenceNr(pid, fromSequenceNr) ⇒
-      asyncReadHighestSequenceNr(pid, fromSequenceNr).pipeTo(sender())
-
-    case ReplayMessages(pid, fromSnr, toSnr, max) ⇒
-      Try(replayMessages(numericId(pid), fromSnr, toSnr, max)(p ⇒ adaptFromJournal(p).foreach { sender() ! _ })) match {
-        case Success(max)   ⇒ sender() ! ReplaySuccess
-        case Failure(cause) ⇒ sender() ! ReplayFailure(cause)
-      }
+    case ReplayMessages(persistenceId, fromSequenceNr, toSequenceNr, max) ⇒
+      // TODO it would be nice to DRY this with AsyncWriteJournal, but this is using
+      //      AsyncWriteProxy message protocol
+      val replyTo = sender()
+      asyncReadHighestSequenceNr(persistenceId, fromSequenceNr).flatMap { highSeqNr ⇒
+        if (highSeqNr == 0L || max == 0L)
+          Future.successful(highSeqNr)
+        else {
+          val toSeqNr = math.min(toSequenceNr, highSeqNr)
+          asyncReplayMessages(persistenceId, fromSequenceNr, toSeqNr, max) { p ⇒
+            if (!p.deleted) // old records from 2.3 may still have the deleted flag
+              adaptFromJournal(p).foreach(replyTo ! _)
+          }.map(_ ⇒ highSeqNr)
+        }
+      }.map {
+        highSeqNr ⇒ ReplaySuccess(highSeqNr)
+      }.recover {
+        case e ⇒ ReplayFailure(e)
+      }.pipeTo(replyTo)
   }
 }
diff --git a/akka-persistence/src/test/scala/akka/persistence/PersistentActorFailureSpec.scala b/akka-persistence/src/test/scala/akka/persistence/PersistentActorFailureSpec.scala
index f377201f55..06cee55e6f 100644
--- a/akka-persistence/src/test/scala/akka/persistence/PersistentActorFailureSpec.scala
+++ b/akka-persistence/src/test/scala/akka/persistence/PersistentActorFailureSpec.scala
@@ -44,14 +44,15 @@ object PersistentActorFailureSpec {
       case w: WriteMessages if checkSerializable(w).exists(_.isFailure) ⇒
         sender() ! checkSerializable(w)
       case ReplayMessages(pid, fromSnr, toSnr, max) ⇒
+        val highest = highestSequenceNr(pid)
         val readFromStore = read(pid, fromSnr, toSnr, max)
         if (readFromStore.length == 0)
-          sender() ! ReplaySuccess
+          sender() ! ReplaySuccess(highest)
         else if (isCorrupt(readFromStore))
           sender() ! ReplayFailure(new SimulatedException(s"blahonga $fromSnr $toSnr"))
         else {
           readFromStore.foreach(sender() ! _)
-          sender() ! ReplaySuccess
+          sender() ! ReplaySuccess(highest)
         }
     }