diff --git a/akka-cluster/src/multi-jvm/scala/akka/cluster/MultiNodeClusterSpec.scala b/akka-cluster/src/multi-jvm/scala/akka/cluster/MultiNodeClusterSpec.scala
index b4532f7efc..b5afaf404c 100644
--- a/akka-cluster/src/multi-jvm/scala/akka/cluster/MultiNodeClusterSpec.scala
+++ b/akka-cluster/src/multi-jvm/scala/akka/cluster/MultiNodeClusterSpec.scala
@@ -5,12 +5,15 @@ package akka.cluster
 
 import com.typesafe.config.Config
 import com.typesafe.config.ConfigFactory
-import akka.actor.{Address, ExtendedActorSystem}
+import akka.actor.{ Address, ExtendedActorSystem }
 import akka.remote.testconductor.RoleName
 import akka.remote.testkit.MultiNodeSpec
 import akka.testkit._
 import akka.util.duration._
 import akka.util.Duration
+import org.scalatest.Suite
+import org.scalatest.TestFailedException
+import scala.util.control.NoStackTrace
 
 object MultiNodeClusterSpec {
   def clusterConfig: Config = ConfigFactory.parseString("""
@@ -29,10 +32,28 @@ object MultiNodeClusterSpec {
     """)
 }
 
-trait MultiNodeClusterSpec extends FailureDetectorStrategy { self: MultiNodeSpec ⇒
+trait MultiNodeClusterSpec extends FailureDetectorStrategy with Suite { self: MultiNodeSpec ⇒
 
   override def initialParticipants = roles.size
 
+  // Cluster tests are written so that if previous step (test method) failed
+  // it will most likely not be possible to run next step. This ensures
+  // fail fast of steps after the first failure.
+  private var failed = false
+  override protected def withFixture(test: NoArgTest): Unit = try {
+    if (failed) {
+      val e = new TestFailedException("Previous step failed", 0)
+      // short stack trace
+      e.setStackTrace(e.getStackTrace.take(1))
+      throw e
+    }
+    super.withFixture(test)
+  } catch {
+    case t ⇒
+      failed = true
+      throw t
+  }
+
   /**
    * The cluster node instance. Needs to be lazily created.
    */
@@ -151,6 +172,6 @@ trait MultiNodeClusterSpec extends FailureDetectorStrategy { self: MultiNodeSpec
   }
 
   def roleName(address: Address): Option[RoleName] = {
-    testConductor.getNodes.await.find(node(_).address == address)
+    roles.find(node(_).address == address)
   }
 }