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 98d3e71384..f1952b8f79 100644
--- a/akka-actor-tests/src/test/scala/akka/routing/RoutingSpec.scala
+++ b/akka-actor-tests/src/test/scala/akka/routing/RoutingSpec.scala
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ class RoutingSpec extends AkkaSpec(RoutingSpec.config) with DefaultTimeout with
       watch(router)
       watch(c2)
       system.stop(c2)
-      expectMsg(Terminated(c2)(stopped = true))
+      expectMsg(Terminated(c2)(existenceConfirmed = true))
       // it might take a while until the Router has actually processed the Terminated message
       awaitCond {
         router ! ""
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ class RoutingSpec extends AkkaSpec(RoutingSpec.config) with DefaultTimeout with
         res == Seq(c1, c1)
       }
       system.stop(c1)
-      expectMsg(Terminated(router)(stopped = true))
+      expectMsg(Terminated(router)(existenceConfirmed = true))
     }
 
     "be able to send their routees" in {
diff --git a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/Actor.scala b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/Actor.scala
index c8962e819f..c795534cdf 100644
--- a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/Actor.scala
+++ b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/Actor.scala
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ case object Kill extends Kill {
 /**
  * When Death Watch is used, the watcher will receive a Terminated(watched) message when watched is terminated.
  */
-case class Terminated(@BeanProperty actor: ActorRef)(@BeanProperty stopped: Boolean)
+case class Terminated(@BeanProperty actor: ActorRef)(@BeanProperty existenceConfirmed: Boolean)
 
 abstract class ReceiveTimeout extends PossiblyHarmful
 
diff --git a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/ActorCell.scala b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/ActorCell.scala
index 3db70d5735..736e004c6e 100644
--- a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/ActorCell.scala
+++ b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/ActorCell.scala
@@ -724,19 +724,20 @@ private[akka] class ActorCell(
         parent.sendSystemMessage(ChildTerminated(self))
 
         if (!watchedBy.isEmpty) {
-          val terminated = Terminated(self)(stopped = true)
+          val terminated = Terminated(self)(existenceConfirmed = true)
           try {
             watchedBy foreach {
-              watcher ⇒ try watcher.tell(terminated, self) catch {
-                case NonFatal(t) ⇒ system.eventStream.publish(Error(t, self.path.toString, clazz(a), "deathwatch"))
-              }
+              watcher ⇒
+                try watcher.tell(terminated, self) catch {
+                  case NonFatal(t) ⇒ system.eventStream.publish(Error(t, self.path.toString, clazz(a), "deathwatch"))
+                }
             }
           } finally watchedBy = emptyActorRefSet
         }
 
         if (!watching.isEmpty) {
           try {
-            watching foreach {
+            watching foreach { // ➡➡➡ NEVER SEND THE SAME SYSTEM MESSAGE OBJECT TO TWO ACTORS ⬅⬅⬅
               case watchee: InternalActorRef ⇒ try watchee.sendSystemMessage(Unwatch(watchee, self)) catch {
                 case NonFatal(t) ⇒ system.eventStream.publish(Error(t, self.path.toString, clazz(a), "deathwatch"))
               }
diff --git a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/ActorRef.scala b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/ActorRef.scala
index a713a61ddc..7368ae434a 100644
--- a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/ActorRef.scala
+++ b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/ActorRef.scala
@@ -424,10 +424,11 @@ private[akka] class EmptyLocalActorRef(override val provider: ActorRefProvider,
 
   protected def specialHandle(msg: Any): Boolean = msg match {
     case w: Watch ⇒
-      if (w.watchee == this && w.watcher != this) w.watcher ! Terminated(w.watchee)(stopped = false)
+      if (w.watchee == this && w.watcher != this)
+        w.watcher ! Terminated(w.watchee)(existenceConfirmed = false)
 
       true
-    case w: Unwatch ⇒ true // Just ignore
+    case _: Unwatch ⇒ true // Just ignore
     case _          ⇒ false
   }
 }
@@ -449,7 +450,7 @@ private[akka] class DeadLetterActorRef(_provider: ActorRefProvider,
 
   override protected def specialHandle(msg: Any): Boolean = msg match {
     case w: Watch ⇒
-      if (w.watchee != this && w.watcher != this) w.watcher ! Terminated(w.watchee)(stopped = false)
+      if (w.watchee != this && w.watcher != this) w.watcher ! Terminated(w.watchee)(existenceConfirmed = false)
 
       true
     case w: Unwatch ⇒ true // Just ignore
diff --git a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/ActorRefProvider.scala b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/ActorRefProvider.scala
index eede9e1bef..6807e34c55 100644
--- a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/ActorRefProvider.scala
+++ b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/ActorRefProvider.scala
@@ -403,8 +403,8 @@ class LocalActorRefProvider(
 
     def receive = {
       case Terminated(_)                ⇒ context.stop(self)
-      case CreateChild(child, name)     ⇒ sender ! (try context.actorOf(child, name) catch { case NonFatal(e) ⇒ e }) // FIXME shouldn't this use NonFatal & Status.Failure?
-      case CreateRandomNameChild(child) ⇒ sender ! (try context.actorOf(child) catch { case NonFatal(e) ⇒ e }) // FIXME shouldn't this use NonFatal & Status.Failure?
+      case CreateChild(child, name)     ⇒ sender ! (try context.actorOf(child, name) catch { case NonFatal(e) ⇒ Status.Failure(e) })
+      case CreateRandomNameChild(child) ⇒ sender ! (try context.actorOf(child) catch { case NonFatal(e) ⇒ Status.Failure(e) })
       case StopChild(child)             ⇒ context.stop(child); sender ! "ok"
       case m                            ⇒ deadLetters ! DeadLetter(m, sender, self)
     }
@@ -435,8 +435,8 @@ class LocalActorRefProvider(
 
     def receive = {
       case Terminated(_)                ⇒ eventStream.stopDefaultLoggers(); context.stop(self)
-      case CreateChild(child, name)     ⇒ sender ! (try context.actorOf(child, name) catch { case e: Exception ⇒ e }) // FIXME shouldn't this use NonFatal & Status.Failure?
-      case CreateRandomNameChild(child) ⇒ sender ! (try context.actorOf(child) catch { case e: Exception ⇒ e }) // FIXME shouldn't this use NonFatal & Status.Failure?
+      case CreateChild(child, name)     ⇒ sender ! (try context.actorOf(child, name) catch { case NonFatal(e) ⇒ Status.Failure(e) })
+      case CreateRandomNameChild(child) ⇒ sender ! (try context.actorOf(child) catch { case NonFatal(e) ⇒ Status.Failure(e) })
       case StopChild(child)             ⇒ context.stop(child); sender ! "ok"
       case m                            ⇒ deadLetters ! DeadLetter(m, sender, self)
     }
@@ -502,8 +502,10 @@ class LocalActorRefProvider(
   def init(_system: ActorSystemImpl) {
     system = _system
     // chain death watchers so that killing guardian stops the application
-    guardian.sendSystemMessage(Watch(guardian, systemGuardian))
+    systemGuardian.sendSystemMessage(Watch(guardian, systemGuardian))
     rootGuardian.sendSystemMessage(Watch(systemGuardian, rootGuardian))
+    //guardian.sendSystemMessage(Watch(guardian, systemGuardian))
+    //rootGuardian.sendSystemMessage(Watch(systemGuardian, rootGuardian))
     eventStream.startDefaultLoggers(_system)
   }
 
diff --git a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/ActorSystem.scala b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/ActorSystem.scala
index 993e7e98e4..008610c333 100644
--- a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/ActorSystem.scala
+++ b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/ActorSystem.scala
@@ -480,26 +480,17 @@ private[akka] class ActorSystemImpl(val name: String, applicationConfig: Config,
 
   private[akka] def systemActorOf(props: Props, name: String): ActorRef = {
     implicit val timeout = settings.CreationTimeout
-    Await.result(systemGuardian ? CreateChild(props, name), timeout.duration) match {
-      case ref: ActorRef ⇒ ref
-      case ex: Exception ⇒ throw ex
-    }
+    Await.result((systemGuardian ? CreateChild(props, name)).mapTo[ActorRef], timeout.duration)
   }
 
   def actorOf(props: Props, name: String): ActorRef = {
     implicit val timeout = settings.CreationTimeout
-    Await.result(guardian ? CreateChild(props, name), timeout.duration) match {
-      case ref: ActorRef ⇒ ref
-      case ex: Exception ⇒ throw ex
-    }
+    Await.result((guardian ? CreateChild(props, name)).mapTo[ActorRef], timeout.duration)
   }
 
   def actorOf(props: Props): ActorRef = {
     implicit val timeout = settings.CreationTimeout
-    Await.result(guardian ? CreateRandomNameChild(props), timeout.duration) match {
-      case ref: ActorRef ⇒ ref
-      case ex: Exception ⇒ throw ex
-    }
+    Await.result((guardian ? CreateRandomNameChild(props)).mapTo[ActorRef], timeout.duration)
   }
 
   def stop(actor: ActorRef): Unit = {
diff --git a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/dispatch/AbstractDispatcher.scala b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/dispatch/AbstractDispatcher.scala
index 8e160276e8..9517a59b7c 100644
--- a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/dispatch/AbstractDispatcher.scala
+++ b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/dispatch/AbstractDispatcher.scala
@@ -102,11 +102,11 @@ private[akka] case class ChildTerminated(child: ActorRef) extends SystemMessage
 /**
  * INTERNAL API
  */
-private[akka] case class Watch(watchee: ActorRef, watcher: ActorRef) extends SystemMessage // sent to self from ActorCell.watch
+private[akka] case class Watch(watchee: ActorRef, watcher: ActorRef) extends SystemMessage // sent to establish a DeathWatch
 /**
  * INTERNAL API
  */
-private[akka] case class Unwatch(watchee: ActorRef, watcher: ActorRef) extends SystemMessage // sent to self from ActorCell.unwatch
+private[akka] case class Unwatch(watchee: ActorRef, watcher: ActorRef) extends SystemMessage // sent to tear down a DeathWatch
 
 final case class TaskInvocation(eventStream: EventStream, runnable: Runnable, cleanup: () ⇒ Unit) extends Runnable {
   def run(): Unit =
diff --git a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/pattern/AskSupport.scala b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/pattern/AskSupport.scala
index 42154ff522..c66fa4178d 100644
--- a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/pattern/AskSupport.scala
+++ b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/pattern/AskSupport.scala
@@ -192,7 +192,7 @@ private[akka] final class PromiseActorRef private (val provider: ActorRefProvide
   @tailrec // Returns false if the Promise is already completed
   private[this] final def addWatcher(watcher: ActorRef): Boolean = watchedBy match {
     case null  ⇒ false
-    case other ⇒ if (updateWatchedBy(other, other + watcher)) true else addWatcher(watcher)
+    case other ⇒ updateWatchedBy(other, other + watcher) || addWatcher(watcher)
   }
 
   @tailrec
@@ -259,7 +259,7 @@ private[akka] final class PromiseActorRef private (val provider: ActorRefProvide
     case _: Terminate ⇒ stop()
     case Watch(watchee, watcher) ⇒
       if (watchee == this && watcher != this) {
-        if (!addWatcher(watcher)) watcher ! Terminated(watchee)(stopped = true)
+        if (!addWatcher(watcher)) watcher ! Terminated(watchee)(existenceConfirmed = true)
       } else System.err.println("BUG: illegal Watch(%s,%s) for %s".format(watchee, watcher, this))
     case Unwatch(watchee, watcher) ⇒
       if (watchee == this && watcher != this) remWatcher(watcher)
@@ -278,7 +278,7 @@ private[akka] final class PromiseActorRef private (val provider: ActorRefProvide
       if (!result.isCompleted) result.tryComplete(Left(new ActorKilledException("Stopped")))
       val watchers = clearWatchers()
       if (!watchers.isEmpty) {
-        val termination = Terminated(this)(stopped = true)
+        val termination = Terminated(this)(existenceConfirmed = true)
         watchers foreach { w ⇒ try w.tell(termination, this) catch { case NonFatal(t) ⇒ /* FIXME LOG THIS */ } }
       }
     }
diff --git a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/pattern/GracefulStopSupport.scala b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/pattern/GracefulStopSupport.scala
index 35004e637d..91293cb0d1 100644
--- a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/pattern/GracefulStopSupport.scala
+++ b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/pattern/GracefulStopSupport.scala
@@ -40,12 +40,15 @@ trait GracefulStopSupport {
         val internalTarget = target.asInstanceOf[InternalActorRef]
         val ref = PromiseActorRef(e.provider, Timeout(timeout))
         internalTarget.sendSystemMessage(Watch(target, ref))
-        val result = ref.result map {
-          case Terminated(`target`) ⇒ true
-          case _                    ⇒ internalTarget.sendSystemMessage(Unwatch(target, ref)); false // Just making sure we're not leaking here
+        ref.result onComplete { // Just making sure we're not leaking here
+          case Right(Terminated(`target`)) ⇒ ()
+          case _                           ⇒ internalTarget.sendSystemMessage(Unwatch(target, ref))
         }
         target ! PoisonPill
-        result
+        ref.result map {
+          case Terminated(`target`) ⇒ true
+          case _                    ⇒ false
+        }
       case s ⇒ throw new IllegalArgumentException("Unknown ActorSystem implementation: '" + s + "'")
     }
   }
diff --git a/akka-docs/scala/code/docs/actor/FaultHandlingDocSpec.scala b/akka-docs/scala/code/docs/actor/FaultHandlingDocSpec.scala
index 4e0fdc5ee5..65e03bd2ea 100644
--- a/akka-docs/scala/code/docs/actor/FaultHandlingDocSpec.scala
+++ b/akka-docs/scala/code/docs/actor/FaultHandlingDocSpec.scala
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ class FaultHandlingDocSpec extends AkkaSpec with ImplicitSender {
         //#stop
         watch(child) // have testActor watch “child”
         child ! new IllegalArgumentException // break it
-        expectMsg(Terminated(child)(stopped = true))
+        expectMsg(Terminated(child)(existenceConfirmed = true))
         child.isTerminated must be(true)
         //#stop
       }
@@ -125,7 +125,7 @@ class FaultHandlingDocSpec extends AkkaSpec with ImplicitSender {
         expectMsg(0)
 
         child2 ! new Exception("CRASH") // escalate failure
-        expectMsg(Terminated(child2)(stopped = true))
+        expectMsg(Terminated(child2)(existenceConfirmed = true))
         //#escalate-kill
         //#escalate-restart
         val supervisor2 = system.actorOf(Props[Supervisor2], "supervisor2")
diff --git a/akka-testkit/src/test/scala/akka/testkit/AkkaSpec.scala b/akka-testkit/src/test/scala/akka/testkit/AkkaSpec.scala
index d2eeeee776..5eb0c0538a 100644
--- a/akka-testkit/src/test/scala/akka/testkit/AkkaSpec.scala
+++ b/akka-testkit/src/test/scala/akka/testkit/AkkaSpec.scala
@@ -12,7 +12,6 @@ import akka.util.duration._
 import com.typesafe.config.Config
 import com.typesafe.config.ConfigFactory
 import akka.actor.PoisonPill
-import akka.actor.CreateChild
 import akka.actor.DeadLetter
 import java.util.concurrent.TimeoutException
 import akka.dispatch.{ Await, MessageDispatcher }