diff --git a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/routing/Broadcast.scala b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/routing/Broadcast.scala
index 7110ea50cb..77fe2506b4 100644
--- a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/routing/Broadcast.scala
+++ b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/routing/Broadcast.scala
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ final case class BroadcastPool(
  */
 @SerialVersionUID(1L)
 final case class BroadcastGroup(
-  paths: immutable.Iterable[String],
+  override val paths: immutable.Iterable[String],
   override val routerDispatcher: String = Dispatchers.DefaultDispatcherId)
   extends Group {
 
@@ -134,6 +134,8 @@ final case class BroadcastGroup(
    */
   def this(routeePaths: java.lang.Iterable[String]) = this(paths = immutableSeq(routeePaths))
 
+  override def paths(system: ActorSystem): immutable.Iterable[String] = this.paths
+
   override def createRouter(system: ActorSystem): Router = new Router(BroadcastRoutingLogic())
 
   /**
diff --git a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/routing/ConsistentHashing.scala b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/routing/ConsistentHashing.scala
index 283bf52055..eb29ef72ee 100644
--- a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/routing/ConsistentHashing.scala
+++ b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/routing/ConsistentHashing.scala
@@ -364,6 +364,8 @@ final case class ConsistentHashingGroup(
    */
   def this(routeePaths: java.lang.Iterable[String]) = this(paths = immutableSeq(routeePaths))
 
+  override def paths(system: ActorSystem): immutable.Iterable[String] = this.paths
+
   override def createRouter(system: ActorSystem): Router =
     new Router(ConsistentHashingRoutingLogic(system, virtualNodesFactor, hashMapping))
 
diff --git a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/routing/Random.scala b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/routing/Random.scala
index ccd5d08b97..bf99c7261b 100644
--- a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/routing/Random.scala
+++ b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/routing/Random.scala
@@ -135,6 +135,8 @@ final case class RandomGroup(
    */
   def this(routeePaths: java.lang.Iterable[String]) = this(paths = immutableSeq(routeePaths))
 
+  override def paths(system: ActorSystem): immutable.Iterable[String] = this.paths
+
   override def createRouter(system: ActorSystem): Router = new Router(RandomRoutingLogic())
 
   /**
diff --git a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/routing/RoundRobin.scala b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/routing/RoundRobin.scala
index 868e9193fb..134e6319e2 100644
--- a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/routing/RoundRobin.scala
+++ b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/routing/RoundRobin.scala
@@ -141,6 +141,8 @@ final case class RoundRobinGroup(
    */
   def this(routeePaths: java.lang.Iterable[String]) = this(paths = immutableSeq(routeePaths))
 
+  override def paths(system: ActorSystem): immutable.Iterable[String] = this.paths
+
   override def createRouter(system: ActorSystem): Router = new Router(RoundRobinRoutingLogic())
 
   /**
diff --git a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/routing/RoutedActorCell.scala b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/routing/RoutedActorCell.scala
index 9a424f6c15..427924d0a5 100644
--- a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/routing/RoutedActorCell.scala
+++ b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/routing/RoutedActorCell.scala
@@ -109,7 +109,10 @@ private[akka] class RoutedActorCell(
         if (nrOfRoutees > 0)
           addRoutees(Vector.fill(nrOfRoutees)(pool.newRoutee(routeeProps, this)))
       case group: Group ⇒
-        val paths = group.paths
+        // must not use group.paths(system) for old (not re-compiled) custom routers
+        // for binary backwards compatibility reasons
+        val deprecatedPaths = group.paths
+        val paths = if (deprecatedPaths == null) group.paths(system) else deprecatedPaths
         if (paths.nonEmpty)
           addRoutees(paths.map(p ⇒ group.routeeFor(p, this))(collection.breakOut))
       case _ ⇒
diff --git a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/routing/RouterConfig.scala b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/routing/RouterConfig.scala
index 6a8a4570ee..53b50a80dc 100644
--- a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/routing/RouterConfig.scala
+++ b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/routing/RouterConfig.scala
@@ -128,9 +128,16 @@ private[akka] trait PoolOverrideUnsetConfig[T <: Pool] extends Pool {
  * Java API: Base class for custom router [[Group]]
  */
 abstract class GroupBase extends Group {
-  def getPaths: java.lang.Iterable[String]
+  @deprecated("Implement getPaths with ActorSystem parameter instead", "2.4")
+  def getPaths: java.lang.Iterable[String] = null
 
+  @deprecated("Use paths with ActorSystem parameter instead", "2.4")
   override final def paths: immutable.Iterable[String] = immutableSeq(getPaths)
+
+  def getPaths(system: ActorSystem): java.lang.Iterable[String]
+
+  override final def paths(system: ActorSystem): immutable.Iterable[String] =
+    immutableSeq(getPaths(system))
 }
 
 /**
@@ -140,7 +147,10 @@ abstract class GroupBase extends Group {
  */
 trait Group extends RouterConfig {
 
-  def paths: immutable.Iterable[String]
+  @deprecated("Implement paths with ActorSystem parameter instead", "2.4")
+  def paths: immutable.Iterable[String] = null
+
+  def paths(system: ActorSystem): immutable.Iterable[String]
 
   /**
    * [[akka.actor.Props]] for a group router based on the settings defined by
diff --git a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/routing/ScatterGatherFirstCompleted.scala b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/routing/ScatterGatherFirstCompleted.scala
index 20b2f1a6f0..77391a4504 100644
--- a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/routing/ScatterGatherFirstCompleted.scala
+++ b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/routing/ScatterGatherFirstCompleted.scala
@@ -188,6 +188,8 @@ final case class ScatterGatherFirstCompletedGroup(
   def this(routeePaths: java.lang.Iterable[String], within: FiniteDuration) =
     this(paths = immutableSeq(routeePaths), within = within)
 
+  override def paths(system: ActorSystem): immutable.Iterable[String] = this.paths
+
   override def createRouter(system: ActorSystem): Router = new Router(ScatterGatherFirstCompletedRoutingLogic(within))
 
   /**
diff --git a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/routing/TailChopping.scala b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/routing/TailChopping.scala
index 7cfcb66b9e..1b44b39be3 100644
--- a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/routing/TailChopping.scala
+++ b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/routing/TailChopping.scala
@@ -222,6 +222,8 @@ final case class TailChoppingGroup(
   override def createRouter(system: ActorSystem): Router =
     new Router(TailChoppingRoutingLogic(system.scheduler, within, interval, system.dispatchers.lookup(routerDispatcher)))
 
+  override def paths(system: ActorSystem): immutable.Iterable[String] = this.paths
+
   /**
    * Setting the dispatcher to be used for the router head actor, which handles
    * router management messages
diff --git a/akka-cluster-metrics/src/main/scala/akka/cluster/metrics/ClusterMetricsRouting.scala b/akka-cluster-metrics/src/main/scala/akka/cluster/metrics/ClusterMetricsRouting.scala
index bf4b71418e..03e8470812 100644
--- a/akka-cluster-metrics/src/main/scala/akka/cluster/metrics/ClusterMetricsRouting.scala
+++ b/akka-cluster-metrics/src/main/scala/akka/cluster/metrics/ClusterMetricsRouting.scala
@@ -201,7 +201,7 @@ final case class AdaptiveLoadBalancingPool(
 @SerialVersionUID(1L)
 final case class AdaptiveLoadBalancingGroup(
   metricsSelector: MetricsSelector = MixMetricsSelector,
-  paths: immutable.Iterable[String] = Nil,
+  override val paths: immutable.Iterable[String] = Nil,
   override val routerDispatcher: String = Dispatchers.DefaultDispatcherId)
   extends Group {
 
@@ -219,6 +219,8 @@ final case class AdaptiveLoadBalancingGroup(
   def this(metricsSelector: MetricsSelector,
            routeesPaths: java.lang.Iterable[String]) = this(paths = immutableSeq(routeesPaths))
 
+  override def paths(system: ActorSystem): immutable.Iterable[String] = this.paths
+
   override def createRouter(system: ActorSystem): Router =
     new Router(AdaptiveLoadBalancingRoutingLogic(system, metricsSelector))
 
diff --git a/akka-cluster/src/main/scala/akka/cluster/routing/AdaptiveLoadBalancing.scala b/akka-cluster/src/main/scala/akka/cluster/routing/AdaptiveLoadBalancing.scala
index c4fe183558..b1ae64b95f 100644
--- a/akka-cluster/src/main/scala/akka/cluster/routing/AdaptiveLoadBalancing.scala
+++ b/akka-cluster/src/main/scala/akka/cluster/routing/AdaptiveLoadBalancing.scala
@@ -213,7 +213,7 @@ final case class AdaptiveLoadBalancingPool(
 @deprecated("Superseded by akka.cluster.metrics (in akka-cluster-metrics jar)", "2.4")
 final case class AdaptiveLoadBalancingGroup(
   metricsSelector: MetricsSelector = MixMetricsSelector,
-  paths: immutable.Iterable[String] = Nil,
+  override val paths: immutable.Iterable[String] = Nil,
   override val routerDispatcher: String = Dispatchers.DefaultDispatcherId)
   extends Group {
 
@@ -231,6 +231,8 @@ final case class AdaptiveLoadBalancingGroup(
   def this(metricsSelector: MetricsSelector,
            routeesPaths: java.lang.Iterable[String]) = this(paths = immutableSeq(routeesPaths))
 
+  override def paths(system: ActorSystem): immutable.Iterable[String] = this.paths
+
   override def createRouter(system: ActorSystem): Router =
     new Router(AdaptiveLoadBalancingRoutingLogic(system, metricsSelector))
 
diff --git a/akka-cluster/src/main/scala/akka/cluster/routing/ClusterRouterConfig.scala b/akka-cluster/src/main/scala/akka/cluster/routing/ClusterRouterConfig.scala
index 0b0e55da53..a3d34e2c17 100644
--- a/akka-cluster/src/main/scala/akka/cluster/routing/ClusterRouterConfig.scala
+++ b/akka-cluster/src/main/scala/akka/cluster/routing/ClusterRouterConfig.scala
@@ -128,7 +128,14 @@ private[akka] trait ClusterRouterSettingsBase {
 @SerialVersionUID(1L)
 final case class ClusterRouterGroup(local: Group, settings: ClusterRouterGroupSettings) extends Group with ClusterRouterConfigBase {
 
-  override def paths: immutable.Iterable[String] = if (settings.allowLocalRoutees) settings.routeesPaths else Nil
+  override def paths(system: ActorSystem): immutable.Iterable[String] =
+    if (settings.allowLocalRoutees && settings.useRole.isDefined) {
+      if (Cluster(system).selfRoles.contains(settings.useRole.get)) {
+        settings.routeesPaths
+      } else Nil
+    } else if (settings.allowLocalRoutees && settings.useRole.isEmpty) {
+      settings.routeesPaths
+    } else Nil
 
   /**
    * INTERNAL API
diff --git a/akka-cluster/src/multi-jvm/scala/akka/cluster/routing/UseRoleIgnoredSpec.scala b/akka-cluster/src/multi-jvm/scala/akka/cluster/routing/UseRoleIgnoredSpec.scala
index ecbdd1939f..0ab28b00fc 100644
--- a/akka-cluster/src/multi-jvm/scala/akka/cluster/routing/UseRoleIgnoredSpec.scala
+++ b/akka-cluster/src/multi-jvm/scala/akka/cluster/routing/UseRoleIgnoredSpec.scala
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import akka.pattern.ask
 import akka.remote.testkit.MultiNodeConfig
 import akka.remote.testkit.MultiNodeSpec
 import akka.routing.GetRoutees
+import akka.routing.RoundRobinGroup
 import akka.routing.RoundRobinPool
 import akka.routing.Routees
 import akka.testkit.DefaultTimeout
@@ -87,10 +88,15 @@ abstract class UseRoleIgnoredSpec extends MultiNodeSpec(UseRoleIgnoredMultiJvmSp
       runOn(first) { info("first, roles: " + cluster.selfRoles) }
       runOn(second) { info("second, roles: " + cluster.selfRoles) }
       runOn(third) { info("third, roles: " + cluster.selfRoles) }
+
+      // routees for the group routers
+      system.actorOf(Props(classOf[SomeActor], GroupRoutee), "foo")
+      system.actorOf(Props(classOf[SomeActor], GroupRoutee), "bar")
+
       enterBarrier("after-1")
     }
 
-    "local: off, roles: off, 6 => 0,2,2" taggedAs LongRunningTest in {
+    "pool local: off, roles: off, 6 => 0,2,2" taggedAs LongRunningTest in {
 
       runOn(first) {
         val role = Some("b")
@@ -119,7 +125,36 @@ abstract class UseRoleIgnoredSpec extends MultiNodeSpec(UseRoleIgnoredMultiJvmSp
       enterBarrier("after-2")
     }
 
-    "local: on, role: b, 6 => 0,2,2" taggedAs LongRunningTest in {
+    "group local: off, roles: off, 6 => 0,2,2" taggedAs LongRunningTest in {
+
+      runOn(first) {
+        val role = Some("b")
+
+        val router = system.actorOf(ClusterRouterGroup(
+          RoundRobinGroup(paths = Nil),
+          ClusterRouterGroupSettings(totalInstances = 6, routeesPaths = List("/user/foo", "/user/bar"),
+            allowLocalRoutees = false, useRole = role)).props,
+          "router-2b")
+
+        awaitAssert(currentRoutees(router).size should ===(4))
+
+        val iterationCount = 10
+        for (i ← 0 until iterationCount) {
+          router ! s"hit-$i"
+        }
+
+        val replies = receiveReplies(GroupRoutee, iterationCount)
+
+        replies(first) should ===(0) // should not be deployed locally, does not have required role
+        replies(second) should be > 0
+        replies(third) should be > 0
+        replies.values.sum should ===(iterationCount)
+      }
+
+      enterBarrier("after-2b")
+    }
+
+    "pool local: on, role: b, 6 => 0,2,2" taggedAs LongRunningTest in {
 
       runOn(first) {
         val role = Some("b")
@@ -148,7 +183,36 @@ abstract class UseRoleIgnoredSpec extends MultiNodeSpec(UseRoleIgnoredMultiJvmSp
       enterBarrier("after-3")
     }
 
-    "local: on, role: a, 6 => 2,0,0" taggedAs LongRunningTest in {
+    "group local: on, role: b, 6 => 0,2,2" taggedAs LongRunningTest in {
+
+      runOn(first) {
+        val role = Some("b")
+
+        val router = system.actorOf(ClusterRouterGroup(
+          RoundRobinGroup(paths = Nil),
+          ClusterRouterGroupSettings(totalInstances = 6, routeesPaths = List("/user/foo", "/user/bar"),
+            allowLocalRoutees = true, useRole = role)).props,
+          "router-3b")
+
+        awaitAssert(currentRoutees(router).size should ===(4))
+
+        val iterationCount = 10
+        for (i ← 0 until iterationCount) {
+          router ! s"hit-$i"
+        }
+
+        val replies = receiveReplies(GroupRoutee, iterationCount)
+
+        replies(first) should ===(0) // should not be deployed locally, does not have required role
+        replies(second) should be > 0
+        replies(third) should be > 0
+        replies.values.sum should ===(iterationCount)
+      }
+
+      enterBarrier("after-3b")
+    }
+
+    "pool local: on, role: a, 6 => 2,0,0" taggedAs LongRunningTest in {
 
       runOn(first) {
         val role = Some("a")
@@ -177,7 +241,36 @@ abstract class UseRoleIgnoredSpec extends MultiNodeSpec(UseRoleIgnoredMultiJvmSp
       enterBarrier("after-4")
     }
 
-    "local: on, role: c, 6 => 2,2,2" taggedAs LongRunningTest in {
+    "group local: on, role: a, 6 => 2,0,0" taggedAs LongRunningTest in {
+
+      runOn(first) {
+        val role = Some("a")
+
+        val router = system.actorOf(ClusterRouterGroup(
+          RoundRobinGroup(paths = Nil),
+          ClusterRouterGroupSettings(totalInstances = 6, routeesPaths = List("/user/foo", "/user/bar"),
+            allowLocalRoutees = true, useRole = role)).props,
+          "router-4b")
+
+        awaitAssert(currentRoutees(router).size should ===(2))
+
+        val iterationCount = 10
+        for (i ← 0 until iterationCount) {
+          router ! s"hit-$i"
+        }
+
+        val replies = receiveReplies(GroupRoutee, iterationCount)
+
+        replies(first) should be > 0
+        replies(second) should ===(0)
+        replies(third) should ===(0)
+        replies.values.sum should ===(iterationCount)
+      }
+
+      enterBarrier("after-4b")
+    }
+
+    "pool local: on, role: c, 6 => 2,2,2" taggedAs LongRunningTest in {
 
       runOn(first) {
         val role = Some("c")
@@ -206,5 +299,34 @@ abstract class UseRoleIgnoredSpec extends MultiNodeSpec(UseRoleIgnoredMultiJvmSp
       enterBarrier("after-5")
     }
 
+    "group local: on, role: c, 6 => 2,2,2" taggedAs LongRunningTest in {
+
+      runOn(first) {
+        val role = Some("c")
+
+        val router = system.actorOf(ClusterRouterGroup(
+          RoundRobinGroup(paths = Nil),
+          ClusterRouterGroupSettings(totalInstances = 6, routeesPaths = List("/user/foo", "/user/bar"),
+            allowLocalRoutees = true, useRole = role)).props,
+          "router-5b")
+
+        awaitAssert(currentRoutees(router).size should ===(6))
+
+        val iterationCount = 10
+        for (i ← 0 until iterationCount) {
+          router ! s"hit-$i"
+        }
+
+        val replies = receiveReplies(GroupRoutee, iterationCount)
+
+        replies(first) should be > 0
+        replies(second) should be > 0
+        replies(third) should be > 0
+        replies.values.sum should ===(iterationCount)
+      }
+
+      enterBarrier("after-5b")
+    }
+
   }
 }
diff --git a/akka-docs/rst/java/code/docs/jrouting/RedundancyGroup.java b/akka-docs/rst/java/code/docs/jrouting/RedundancyGroup.java
index 6cbc2c51ac..9062e95710 100644
--- a/akka-docs/rst/java/code/docs/jrouting/RedundancyGroup.java
+++ b/akka-docs/rst/java/code/docs/jrouting/RedundancyGroup.java
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ public class RedundancyGroup extends GroupBase {
   }
   
   @Override
-  public java.lang.Iterable<String> getPaths() {
+  public java.lang.Iterable<String> getPaths(ActorSystem system) {
     return paths;
   }
 
diff --git a/akka-docs/rst/project/migration-guide-2.3.x-2.4.x.rst b/akka-docs/rst/project/migration-guide-2.3.x-2.4.x.rst
index 5f027f01a4..2055e72b39 100644
--- a/akka-docs/rst/project/migration-guide-2.3.x-2.4.x.rst
+++ b/akka-docs/rst/project/migration-guide-2.3.x-2.4.x.rst
@@ -147,6 +147,14 @@ In order to make cluster routers smarter about when they can start local routees
 In case you have implemented a custom Pool you will have to update the method's signature,
 however the implementation can remain the same if you don't need to rely on an ActorSystem in your logic.
 
+Group routers paths method now takes ActorSystem
+===============================================
+
+In order to make cluster routers smarter about when they can start local routees,
+``paths`` defined on ``Group`` now takes ``ActorSystem`` as an argument.
+In case you have implemented a custom Group you will have to update the method's signature,
+however the implementation can remain the same if you don't need to rely on an ActorSystem in your logic.
+
 Logger names use full class name 
 ================================
 Previously, few places in akka used "simple" logger names, such as ``Cluster`` or ``Remoting``.
diff --git a/akka-docs/rst/scala/code/docs/routing/CustomRouterDocSpec.scala b/akka-docs/rst/scala/code/docs/routing/CustomRouterDocSpec.scala
index 7406702851..d73da598da 100644
--- a/akka-docs/rst/scala/code/docs/routing/CustomRouterDocSpec.scala
+++ b/akka-docs/rst/scala/code/docs/routing/CustomRouterDocSpec.scala
@@ -77,12 +77,14 @@ import akka.routing.Router
 import akka.japi.Util.immutableSeq
 import com.typesafe.config.Config
 
-final case class RedundancyGroup(override val paths: immutable.Iterable[String], nbrCopies: Int) extends Group {
+final case class RedundancyGroup(routeePaths: immutable.Iterable[String], nbrCopies: Int) extends Group {
 
   def this(config: Config) = this(
-    paths = immutableSeq(config.getStringList("routees.paths")),
+    routeePaths = immutableSeq(config.getStringList("routees.paths")),
     nbrCopies = config.getInt("nbr-copies"))
 
+  override def paths(system: ActorSystem): immutable.Iterable[String] = routeePaths
+
   override def createRouter(system: ActorSystem): Router =
     new Router(new RedundancyRoutingLogic(nbrCopies))
 
diff --git a/project/MiMa.scala b/project/MiMa.scala
index 585f2caa0b..9101e09714 100644
--- a/project/MiMa.scala
+++ b/project/MiMa.scala
@@ -417,9 +417,14 @@ object MiMa extends AutoPlugin {
       ProblemFilters.exclude[MissingMethodProblem]("akka.remote.testkit.MultiNodeSpec#Replacement.akka$remote$testkit$MultiNodeSpec$Replacement$$$outer"),
 
 
-      // method nrOfInstances(akka.actor.ActorSystem)Int in trait akka.routing.Pool does not have a correspondent in old version
+      // method nrOfInstances(akka.actor.ActorSystem) in trait akka.routing.Pool does not have a correspondent in old version
       // ok to exclude, since we don't call nrOfInstances(sys) for old implementations
       ProblemFilters.exclude[MissingMethodProblem]("akka.routing.Pool.nrOfInstances"),
+      
+      // method paths(akka.actor.ActorSystem) in trait akka.routing.Group does not have a correspondent in old version
+      // ok to exclude, since we don't call paths(sys) for old implementations
+      ProblemFilters.exclude[MissingMethodProblem]("akka.routing.Group.paths"),
+      ProblemFilters.exclude[MissingMethodProblem]("akka.routing.GroupBase.getPaths"),
 
       // removed deprecated
       ProblemFilters.exclude[MissingClassProblem]("akka.actor.UntypedActorFactory"),