diff --git a/akka-actor-tests/src/test/scala/akka/actor/DeployerSpec.scala b/akka-actor-tests/src/test/scala/akka/actor/DeployerSpec.scala
index 6b318c1433..6c0e699800 100644
--- a/akka-actor-tests/src/test/scala/akka/actor/DeployerSpec.scala
+++ b/akka-actor-tests/src/test/scala/akka/actor/DeployerSpec.scala
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import akka.testkit.AkkaSpec
 import com.typesafe.config.ConfigFactory
 import com.typesafe.config.ConfigParseOptions
 import akka.routing._
+import akka.util.duration._
 
 object DeployerSpec {
   val deployerConf = ConfigFactory.parseString("""
@@ -35,6 +36,7 @@ object DeployerSpec {
         }
         /user/service-scatter-gather {
           router = scatter-gather
+          within = 2 seconds
         }
       }
       """, ConfigParseOptions.defaults)
@@ -116,7 +118,7 @@ class DeployerSpec extends AkkaSpec(DeployerSpec.deployerConf) {
     }
 
     "be able to parse 'akka.actor.deployment._' with scatter-gather router" in {
-      assertRouting(ScatterGatherFirstCompletedRouter(1), "/user/service-scatter-gather")
+      assertRouting(ScatterGatherFirstCompletedRouter(nrOfInstances = 1, within = 2 seconds), "/user/service-scatter-gather")
     }
 
     def assertRouting(expected: RouterConfig, service: String) {
diff --git a/akka-actor-tests/src/test/scala/akka/routing/RoutingSpec.scala b/akka-actor-tests/src/test/scala/akka/routing/RoutingSpec.scala
index 617bfa5b5f..0de41a24d7 100644
--- a/akka-actor-tests/src/test/scala/akka/routing/RoutingSpec.scala
+++ b/akka-actor-tests/src/test/scala/akka/routing/RoutingSpec.scala
@@ -6,11 +6,10 @@ package akka.routing
 import java.util.concurrent.atomic.AtomicInteger
 import akka.actor._
 import collection.mutable.LinkedList
-import java.util.concurrent.{ CountDownLatch, TimeUnit }
 import akka.testkit._
 import akka.util.duration._
 import akka.dispatch.Await
-import com.typesafe.config.ConfigFactory
+import akka.util.Duration
 
 object RoutingSpec {
 
@@ -30,18 +29,7 @@ object RoutingSpec {
 }
 
 @org.junit.runner.RunWith(classOf[org.scalatest.junit.JUnitRunner])
-class RoutingSpec extends AkkaSpec(ConfigFactory.parseString("""
-      akka {
-        actor {
-          deployment {
-            /a1 {
-              router = round-robin
-              nr-of-instances = 3
-            }
-          }
-        }
-      }
-      """)) with DefaultTimeout with ImplicitSender {
+class RoutingSpec extends AkkaSpec with DefaultTimeout with ImplicitSender {
 
   val impl = system.asInstanceOf[ActorSystemImpl]
 
@@ -72,13 +60,16 @@ class RoutingSpec extends AkkaSpec(ConfigFactory.parseString("""
     }
 
     "be able to send their routees" in {
-      val doneLatch = new CountDownLatch(1)
+      val doneLatch = new TestLatch(1)
 
       class TheActor extends Actor {
         val routee1 = context.actorOf(Props[TestActor], "routee1")
         val routee2 = context.actorOf(Props[TestActor], "routee2")
         val routee3 = context.actorOf(Props[TestActor], "routee3")
-        val router = context.actorOf(Props[TestActor].withRouter(ScatterGatherFirstCompletedRouter(routees = List(routee1, routee2, routee3))))
+        val router = context.actorOf(Props[TestActor].withRouter(
+          ScatterGatherFirstCompletedRouter(
+            routees = List(routee1, routee2, routee3),
+            within = 5 seconds)))
 
         def receive = {
           case RouterRoutees(iterable) ⇒
@@ -93,7 +84,7 @@ class RoutingSpec extends AkkaSpec(ConfigFactory.parseString("""
 
       val theActor = system.actorOf(Props(new TheActor), "theActor")
       theActor ! "doIt"
-      doneLatch.await(1, TimeUnit.SECONDS) must be(true)
+      Await.ready(doneLatch, 1 seconds)
     }
 
   }
@@ -314,7 +305,8 @@ class RoutingSpec extends AkkaSpec(ConfigFactory.parseString("""
   "Scatter-gather router" must {
 
     "be started when constructed" in {
-      val routedActor = system.actorOf(Props[TestActor].withRouter(ScatterGatherFirstCompletedRouter(routees = List(newActor(0)))))
+      val routedActor = system.actorOf(Props[TestActor].withRouter(
+        ScatterGatherFirstCompletedRouter(routees = List(newActor(0)), within = 1 seconds)))
       routedActor.isTerminated must be(false)
     }
 
@@ -337,7 +329,8 @@ class RoutingSpec extends AkkaSpec(ConfigFactory.parseString("""
         }
       }))
 
-      val routedActor = system.actorOf(Props[TestActor].withRouter(ScatterGatherFirstCompletedRouter(routees = List(actor1, actor2))))
+      val routedActor = system.actorOf(Props[TestActor].withRouter(
+        ScatterGatherFirstCompletedRouter(routees = List(actor1, actor2), within = 1 seconds)))
       routedActor ! Broadcast(1)
       routedActor ! Broadcast("end")
 
@@ -350,12 +343,13 @@ class RoutingSpec extends AkkaSpec(ConfigFactory.parseString("""
     "return response, even if one of the actors has stopped" in {
       val shutdownLatch = new TestLatch(1)
       val actor1 = newActor(1, Some(shutdownLatch))
-      val actor2 = newActor(22, Some(shutdownLatch))
-      val routedActor = system.actorOf(Props[TestActor].withRouter(ScatterGatherFirstCompletedRouter(routees = List(actor1, actor2))))
+      val actor2 = newActor(14, Some(shutdownLatch))
+      val routedActor = system.actorOf(Props[TestActor].withRouter(
+        ScatterGatherFirstCompletedRouter(routees = List(actor1, actor2), within = 3 seconds)))
 
       routedActor ! Broadcast(Stop(Some(1)))
       Await.ready(shutdownLatch, TestLatch.DefaultTimeout)
-      Await.result(routedActor ? Broadcast(0), timeout.duration) must be(22)
+      Await.result(routedActor ? Broadcast(0), timeout.duration) must be(14)
     }
 
     case class Stop(id: Option[Int] = None)
@@ -428,7 +422,10 @@ class RoutingSpec extends AkkaSpec(ConfigFactory.parseString("""
     //#crActors
 
     //#crRouter
-    case class VoteCountRouter(nrOfInstances: Int = 0, routees: Iterable[String] = Nil)
+    case class VoteCountRouter(
+      nrOfInstances: Int = 0,
+      routees: Iterable[String] = Nil,
+      within: Duration = Duration.Zero)
       extends RouterConfig {
 
       //#crRoute
diff --git a/akka-actor/src/main/resources/reference.conf b/akka-actor/src/main/resources/reference.conf
index 14e60ee663..d9249f1ec2 100644
--- a/akka-actor/src/main/resources/reference.conf
+++ b/akka-actor/src/main/resources/reference.conf
@@ -78,6 +78,9 @@ akka {
         # is ignored if routees.paths is given
         nr-of-instances = 1
 
+        # within is the timeout used for routers containing future calls
+        within = 5 seconds
+
         # FIXME document 'create-as', ticket 1511
         create-as {
           # fully qualified class name of recipe implementation
diff --git a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/Deployer.scala b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/Deployer.scala
index be9f452dbd..988d6bf126 100644
--- a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/Deployer.scala
+++ b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/Deployer.scala
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@
 package akka.actor
 
 import collection.immutable.Seq
-import java.util.concurrent.ConcurrentHashMap
 import akka.event.Logging
 import akka.AkkaException
 import akka.config.ConfigurationException
@@ -13,6 +12,7 @@ import akka.util.Duration
 import akka.event.EventStream
 import com.typesafe.config._
 import akka.routing._
+import java.util.concurrent.{ TimeUnit, ConcurrentHashMap }
 
 case class Deploy(path: String, config: Config, recipe: Option[ActorRecipe] = None, routing: RouterConfig = NoRouter, scope: Scope = LocalScope)
 
@@ -53,11 +53,13 @@ class Deployer(val settings: ActorSystem.Settings) {
 
     val nrOfInstances = deployment.getInt("nr-of-instances")
 
+    val within = Duration(deployment.getMilliseconds("within"), TimeUnit.MILLISECONDS)
+
     val router: RouterConfig = deployment.getString("router") match {
       case "from-code"      ⇒ NoRouter
       case "round-robin"    ⇒ RoundRobinRouter(nrOfInstances, routees)
       case "random"         ⇒ RandomRouter(nrOfInstances, routees)
-      case "scatter-gather" ⇒ ScatterGatherFirstCompletedRouter(nrOfInstances, routees)
+      case "scatter-gather" ⇒ ScatterGatherFirstCompletedRouter(nrOfInstances, routees, within)
       case "broadcast"      ⇒ BroadcastRouter(nrOfInstances, routees)
       case x                ⇒ throw new ConfigurationException("unknown router type " + x + " for path " + key)
     }
diff --git a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/routing/Routing.scala b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/routing/Routing.scala
index 7f9394fdc5..b4f3709e66 100644
--- a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/routing/Routing.scala
+++ b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/routing/Routing.scala
@@ -5,9 +5,8 @@ package akka.routing
 
 import akka.actor._
 import java.util.concurrent.atomic.AtomicInteger
-import akka.util.Timeout
 import scala.collection.JavaConversions._
-import java.util.concurrent.TimeUnit
+import akka.util.{ Duration, Timeout }
 
 /**
  * A RoutedActorRef is an ActorRef that has a set of connected ActorRef and it uses a Router to
@@ -84,6 +83,8 @@ trait RouterConfig {
 
   def routees: Iterable[String]
 
+  def within: Duration
+
   def createRoute(props: Props, actorContext: ActorContext, ref: RoutedActorRef): Route
 
   def createActor(): Router = new Router {}
@@ -172,8 +173,9 @@ case class Destination(sender: ActorRef, recipient: ActorRef)
  * Oxymoron style.
  */
 case object NoRouter extends RouterConfig {
-  def nrOfInstances: Int = 0
-  def routees: Iterable[String] = Nil
+  def nrOfInstances = 0
+  def routees = Nil
+  def within = Duration.Zero
   def createRoute(props: Props, actorContext: ActorContext, ref: RoutedActorRef): Route = null
 }
 
@@ -191,7 +193,7 @@ object RoundRobinRouter {
  * if you provide either 'nrOfInstances' or 'routees' to during instantiation they will
  * be ignored if the 'nrOfInstances' is defined in the configuration file for the actor being used.
  */
-case class RoundRobinRouter(nrOfInstances: Int = 0, routees: Iterable[String] = Nil) extends RouterConfig with RoundRobinLike {
+case class RoundRobinRouter(nrOfInstances: Int = 0, routees: Iterable[String] = Nil, within: Duration = Duration.Zero) extends RouterConfig with RoundRobinLike {
 
   /**
    * Constructor that sets nrOfInstances to be created.
@@ -244,7 +246,7 @@ object RandomRouter {
  * if you provide either 'nrOfInstances' or 'routees' to during instantiation they will
  * be ignored if the 'nrOfInstances' is defined in the configuration file for the actor being used.
  */
-case class RandomRouter(nrOfInstances: Int = 0, routees: Iterable[String] = Nil) extends RouterConfig with RandomLike {
+case class RandomRouter(nrOfInstances: Int = 0, routees: Iterable[String] = Nil, within: Duration = Duration.Zero) extends RouterConfig with RandomLike {
 
   /**
    * Constructor that sets nrOfInstances to be created.
@@ -302,7 +304,7 @@ object BroadcastRouter {
  * if you provide either 'nrOfInstances' or 'routees' to during instantiation they will
  * be ignored if the 'nrOfInstances' is defined in the configuration file for the actor being used.
  */
-case class BroadcastRouter(nrOfInstances: Int = 0, routees: Iterable[String] = Nil) extends RouterConfig with BroadcastLike {
+case class BroadcastRouter(nrOfInstances: Int = 0, routees: Iterable[String] = Nil, within: Duration = Duration.Zero) extends RouterConfig with BroadcastLike {
 
   /**
    * Constructor that sets nrOfInstances to be created.
@@ -335,7 +337,7 @@ trait BroadcastLike { this: RouterConfig ⇒
 }
 
 object ScatterGatherFirstCompletedRouter {
-  def apply(routees: Iterable[ActorRef]) = new ScatterGatherFirstCompletedRouter(routees = routees map (_.path.toString))
+  def apply(routees: Iterable[ActorRef], within: Duration) = new ScatterGatherFirstCompletedRouter(routees = routees map (_.path.toString), within = within)
 }
 /**
  * Simple router that broadcasts the message to all routees, and replies with the first response.
@@ -348,23 +350,23 @@ object ScatterGatherFirstCompletedRouter {
  * if you provide either 'nrOfInstances' or 'routees' to during instantiation they will
  * be ignored if the 'nrOfInstances' is defined in the configuration file for the actor being used.
  */
-case class ScatterGatherFirstCompletedRouter(nrOfInstances: Int = 0, routees: Iterable[String] = Nil)
+case class ScatterGatherFirstCompletedRouter(nrOfInstances: Int = 0, routees: Iterable[String] = Nil, within: Duration)
   extends RouterConfig with ScatterGatherFirstCompletedLike {
 
   /**
    * Constructor that sets nrOfInstances to be created.
    * Java API
    */
-  def this(nr: Int) = {
-    this(nrOfInstances = nr)
+  def this(nr: Int, w: Duration) = {
+    this(nrOfInstances = nr, within = w)
   }
 
   /**
    * Constructor that sets the routees to be used.
    * Java API
    */
-  def this(t: java.util.Collection[String]) = {
-    this(routees = collectionAsScalaIterable(t))
+  def this(t: java.util.Collection[String], w: Duration) = {
+    this(routees = collectionAsScalaIterable(t), within = w)
   }
 }
 
@@ -374,7 +376,7 @@ trait ScatterGatherFirstCompletedLike { this: RouterConfig ⇒
 
     {
       case (sender, message) ⇒
-        val asker = context.asInstanceOf[ActorCell].systemImpl.provider.ask(Timeout(5, TimeUnit.SECONDS)).get // FIXME, NO REALLY FIXME!
+        val asker = context.asInstanceOf[ActorCell].systemImpl.provider.ask(Timeout(within)).get
         asker.result.pipeTo(sender)
         message match {
           case _ ⇒ toAll(asker, ref.routees)
diff --git a/akka-docs/scala/code/akka/docs/routing/RouterTypeExample.scala b/akka-docs/scala/code/akka/docs/routing/RouterTypeExample.scala
index 583a3ee22c..63338e8357 100644
--- a/akka-docs/scala/code/akka/docs/routing/RouterTypeExample.scala
+++ b/akka-docs/scala/code/akka/docs/routing/RouterTypeExample.scala
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ class ParentActor extends Actor {
     case "sgfcr" ⇒
       //#scatterGatherFirstCompletedRouter
       val scatterGatherFirstCompletedRouter = context.actorOf(
-        Props[FibonacciActor].withRouter(ScatterGatherFirstCompletedRouter()),
+        Props[FibonacciActor].withRouter(ScatterGatherFirstCompletedRouter(within = 2 seconds)),
         "router")
       implicit val timeout = context.system.settings.ActorTimeout
       val futureResult = scatterGatherFirstCompletedRouter ? FibonacciNumber(10)
diff --git a/akka-remote/src/main/scala/akka/remote/RemoteDeployer.scala b/akka-remote/src/main/scala/akka/remote/RemoteDeployer.scala
index 0819d34019..ee712d8804 100644
--- a/akka-remote/src/main/scala/akka/remote/RemoteDeployer.scala
+++ b/akka-remote/src/main/scala/akka/remote/RemoteDeployer.scala
@@ -26,10 +26,10 @@ class RemoteDeployer(_settings: ActorSystem.Settings) extends Deployer(_settings
             if (nodes.isEmpty || deploy.routing == NoRouter) d
             else {
               val r = deploy.routing match {
-                case RoundRobinRouter(x, _)                  ⇒ RemoteRoundRobinRouter(x, nodes)
-                case RandomRouter(x, _)                      ⇒ RemoteRandomRouter(x, nodes)
-                case BroadcastRouter(x, _)                   ⇒ RemoteBroadcastRouter(x, nodes)
-                case ScatterGatherFirstCompletedRouter(x, _) ⇒ RemoteScatterGatherFirstCompletedRouter(x, nodes)
+                case RoundRobinRouter(x, _, w)                  ⇒ RemoteRoundRobinRouter(x, nodes, w)
+                case RandomRouter(x, _, w)                      ⇒ RemoteRandomRouter(x, nodes, w)
+                case BroadcastRouter(x, _, w)                   ⇒ RemoteBroadcastRouter(x, nodes, w)
+                case ScatterGatherFirstCompletedRouter(x, _, w) ⇒ RemoteScatterGatherFirstCompletedRouter(x, nodes, w)
               }
               Some(deploy.copy(routing = r))
             }
diff --git a/akka-remote/src/main/scala/akka/routing/RemoteRouters.scala b/akka-remote/src/main/scala/akka/routing/RemoteRouters.scala
index fc08c222af..42af714d63 100644
--- a/akka-remote/src/main/scala/akka/routing/RemoteRouters.scala
+++ b/akka-remote/src/main/scala/akka/routing/RemoteRouters.scala
@@ -6,9 +6,9 @@ package akka.routing
 import akka.actor._
 import akka.remote._
 import scala.collection.JavaConverters._
-import java.util.concurrent.atomic.AtomicInteger
 import com.typesafe.config.ConfigFactory
 import akka.config.ConfigurationException
+import akka.util.Duration
 
 trait RemoteRouterConfig extends RouterConfig {
   override protected def createRoutees(props: Props, context: ActorContext, nrOfInstances: Int, routees: Iterable[String]): Vector[ActorRef] = (nrOfInstances, routees) match {
@@ -39,13 +39,13 @@ trait RemoteRouterConfig extends RouterConfig {
  * if you provide either 'nrOfInstances' or 'routees' to during instantiation they will
  * be ignored if the 'nrOfInstances' is defined in the configuration file for the actor being used.
  */
-case class RemoteRoundRobinRouter(nrOfInstances: Int, routees: Iterable[String]) extends RemoteRouterConfig with RoundRobinLike {
+case class RemoteRoundRobinRouter(nrOfInstances: Int, routees: Iterable[String], within: Duration) extends RemoteRouterConfig with RoundRobinLike {
 
   /**
    * Constructor that sets the routees to be used.
    * Java API
    */
-  def this(n: Int, t: java.util.Collection[String]) = this(n, t.asScala)
+  def this(n: Int, t: java.util.Collection[String], w: Duration) = this(n, t.asScala, w)
 }
 
 /**
@@ -59,13 +59,13 @@ case class RemoteRoundRobinRouter(nrOfInstances: Int, routees: Iterable[String])
  * if you provide either 'nrOfInstances' or 'routees' to during instantiation they will
  * be ignored if the 'nrOfInstances' is defined in the configuration file for the actor being used.
  */
-case class RemoteRandomRouter(nrOfInstances: Int, routees: Iterable[String]) extends RemoteRouterConfig with RandomLike {
+case class RemoteRandomRouter(nrOfInstances: Int, routees: Iterable[String], within: Duration) extends RemoteRouterConfig with RandomLike {
 
   /**
    * Constructor that sets the routees to be used.
    * Java API
    */
-  def this(n: Int, t: java.util.Collection[String]) = this(n, t.asScala)
+  def this(n: Int, t: java.util.Collection[String], w: Duration) = this(n, t.asScala, w)
 }
 
 /**
@@ -79,13 +79,13 @@ case class RemoteRandomRouter(nrOfInstances: Int, routees: Iterable[String]) ext
  * if you provide either 'nrOfInstances' or 'routees' to during instantiation they will
  * be ignored if the 'nrOfInstances' is defined in the configuration file for the actor being used.
  */
-case class RemoteBroadcastRouter(nrOfInstances: Int, routees: Iterable[String]) extends RemoteRouterConfig with BroadcastLike {
+case class RemoteBroadcastRouter(nrOfInstances: Int, routees: Iterable[String], within: Duration) extends RemoteRouterConfig with BroadcastLike {
 
   /**
    * Constructor that sets the routees to be used.
    * Java API
    */
-  def this(n: Int, t: java.util.Collection[String]) = this(n, t.asScala)
+  def this(n: Int, t: java.util.Collection[String], w: Duration) = this(n, t.asScala, w)
 }
 
 /**
@@ -99,12 +99,12 @@ case class RemoteBroadcastRouter(nrOfInstances: Int, routees: Iterable[String])
  * if you provide either 'nrOfInstances' or 'routees' to during instantiation they will
  * be ignored if the 'nrOfInstances' is defined in the configuration file for the actor being used.
  */
-case class RemoteScatterGatherFirstCompletedRouter(nrOfInstances: Int, routees: Iterable[String])
+case class RemoteScatterGatherFirstCompletedRouter(nrOfInstances: Int, routees: Iterable[String], within: Duration)
   extends RemoteRouterConfig with ScatterGatherFirstCompletedLike {
 
   /**
    * Constructor that sets the routees to be used.
    * Java API
    */
-  def this(n: Int, t: java.util.Collection[String]) = this(n, t.asScala)
+  def this(n: Int, t: java.util.Collection[String], w: Duration) = this(n, t.asScala, w)
 }