diff --git a/akka-actor-tests/src/test/scala/akka/actor/ActorLookupSpec.scala b/akka-actor-tests/src/test/scala/akka/actor/ActorLookupSpec.scala
index 45178d131e..9c16cf9dec 100644
--- a/akka-actor-tests/src/test/scala/akka/actor/ActorLookupSpec.scala
+++ b/akka-actor-tests/src/test/scala/akka/actor/ActorLookupSpec.scala
@@ -101,9 +101,9 @@ class ActorLookupSpec extends AkkaSpec with DefaultTimeout {
     }
 
     "find actors by looking up their root-anchored relative path" in {
-      system.actorFor(c1.path.elements.mkString("/", "/", "")) should equal(c1)
-      system.actorFor(c2.path.elements.mkString("/", "/", "")) should equal(c2)
-      system.actorFor(c21.path.elements.mkString("/", "/", "")) should equal(c21)
+      system.actorFor(c1.path.toStringWithoutAddress) should equal(c1)
+      system.actorFor(c2.path.toStringWithoutAddress) should equal(c2)
+      system.actorFor(c21.path.toStringWithoutAddress) should equal(c21)
     }
 
     "find actors by looking up their relative path" in {
@@ -200,7 +200,7 @@ class ActorLookupSpec extends AkkaSpec with DefaultTimeout {
 
     "find actors by looking up their root-anchored relative path" in {
       def check(looker: ActorRef, pathOf: ActorRef, result: ActorRef) {
-        Await.result(looker ? LookupString(pathOf.path.elements.mkString("/", "/", "")), timeout.duration) should equal(result)
+        Await.result(looker ? LookupString(pathOf.path.toStringWithoutAddress), timeout.duration) should equal(result)
         Await.result(looker ? LookupString(pathOf.path.elements.mkString("/", "/", "/")), timeout.duration) should equal(result)
       }
       for {
@@ -231,7 +231,7 @@ class ActorLookupSpec extends AkkaSpec with DefaultTimeout {
           Await.result(looker ? LookupPath(target.path), timeout.duration) should equal(target)
           Await.result(looker ? LookupString(target.path.toString), timeout.duration) should equal(target)
           Await.result(looker ? LookupString(target.path.toString + "/"), timeout.duration) should equal(target)
-          Await.result(looker ? LookupString(target.path.elements.mkString("/", "/", "")), timeout.duration) should equal(target)
+          Await.result(looker ? LookupString(target.path.toStringWithoutAddress), timeout.duration) should equal(target)
           if (target != root) Await.result(looker ? LookupString(target.path.elements.mkString("/", "/", "/")), timeout.duration) should equal(target)
         }
       }
@@ -269,10 +269,10 @@ class ActorLookupSpec extends AkkaSpec with DefaultTimeout {
       a.path.elements.head should equal("temp")
       Await.result(c2 ? LookupPath(a.path), timeout.duration) should equal(a)
       Await.result(c2 ? LookupString(a.path.toString), timeout.duration) should equal(a)
-      Await.result(c2 ? LookupString(a.path.elements.mkString("/", "/", "")), timeout.duration) should equal(a)
+      Await.result(c2 ? LookupString(a.path.toStringWithoutAddress), timeout.duration) should equal(a)
       Await.result(c2 ? LookupString("../../" + a.path.elements.mkString("/")), timeout.duration) should equal(a)
       Await.result(c2 ? LookupString(a.path.toString + "/"), timeout.duration) should equal(a)
-      Await.result(c2 ? LookupString(a.path.elements.mkString("/", "/", "") + "/"), timeout.duration) should equal(a)
+      Await.result(c2 ? LookupString(a.path.toStringWithoutAddress + "/"), timeout.duration) should equal(a)
       Await.result(c2 ? LookupString("../../" + a.path.elements.mkString("/") + "/"), timeout.duration) should equal(a)
       Await.result(c2 ? LookupElems(Seq("..", "..") ++ a.path.elements), timeout.duration) should equal(a)
       Await.result(c2 ? LookupElems(Seq("..", "..") ++ a.path.elements :+ ""), timeout.duration) should equal(a)
diff --git a/akka-actor-tests/src/test/scala/akka/actor/ActorPathSpec.scala b/akka-actor-tests/src/test/scala/akka/actor/ActorPathSpec.scala
index 862b5145fd..64489e1fb2 100644
--- a/akka-actor-tests/src/test/scala/akka/actor/ActorPathSpec.scala
+++ b/akka-actor-tests/src/test/scala/akka/actor/ActorPathSpec.scala
@@ -41,6 +41,14 @@ class ActorPathSpec extends WordSpec with Matchers {
       (RootActorPath(Address("akka.tcp", "mysys")) / "user" / "foo" / "bar").elements.toSeq should be(Seq("user", "foo", "bar"))
     }
 
+    "create correct toStringWithoutAddress" in {
+      val a = Address("akka.tcp", "mysys")
+      RootActorPath(a).toStringWithoutAddress should be("/")
+      (RootActorPath(a) / "user").toStringWithoutAddress should be("/user")
+      (RootActorPath(a) / "user" / "foo").toStringWithoutAddress should be("/user/foo")
+      (RootActorPath(a) / "user" / "foo" / "bar").toStringWithoutAddress should be("/user/foo/bar")
+    }
+
     "create correct toStringWithAddress" in {
       val local = Address("akka.tcp", "mysys")
       val a = local.copy(host = Some("aaa"), port = Some(2552))
diff --git a/akka-actor-tests/src/test/scala/akka/actor/ActorSelectionSpec.scala b/akka-actor-tests/src/test/scala/akka/actor/ActorSelectionSpec.scala
index a9308723fd..5f64622d51 100644
--- a/akka-actor-tests/src/test/scala/akka/actor/ActorSelectionSpec.scala
+++ b/akka-actor-tests/src/test/scala/akka/actor/ActorSelectionSpec.scala
@@ -104,9 +104,9 @@ class ActorSelectionSpec extends AkkaSpec("akka.loglevel=DEBUG") with DefaultTim
       identify(c2.path.toString) should equal(Some(c2))
       identify(c21.path.toString) should equal(Some(c21))
 
-      identify(c1.path.elements.mkString("/", "/", "")) should equal(Some(c1))
-      identify(c2.path.elements.mkString("/", "/", "")) should equal(Some(c2))
-      identify(c21.path.elements.mkString("/", "/", "")) should equal(Some(c21))
+      identify(c1.path.toStringWithoutAddress) should equal(Some(c1))
+      identify(c2.path.toStringWithoutAddress) should equal(Some(c2))
+      identify(c21.path.toStringWithoutAddress) should equal(Some(c21))
     }
 
     "take actor incarnation into account when comparing actor references" in {
@@ -131,9 +131,9 @@ class ActorSelectionSpec extends AkkaSpec("akka.loglevel=DEBUG") with DefaultTim
     }
 
     "select actors by their root-anchored relative path" in {
-      identify(c1.path.elements.mkString("/", "/", "")) should equal(Some(c1))
-      identify(c2.path.elements.mkString("/", "/", "")) should equal(Some(c2))
-      identify(c21.path.elements.mkString("/", "/", "")) should equal(Some(c21))
+      identify(c1.path.toStringWithoutAddress) should equal(Some(c1))
+      identify(c2.path.toStringWithoutAddress) should equal(Some(c2))
+      identify(c21.path.toStringWithoutAddress) should equal(Some(c21))
     }
 
     "select actors by their relative path" in {
@@ -147,13 +147,13 @@ class ActorSelectionSpec extends AkkaSpec("akka.loglevel=DEBUG") with DefaultTim
       identify("/deadLetters") should equal(Some(system.deadLetters))
       identify("/system") should equal(Some(syst))
       identify(syst.path) should equal(Some(syst))
-      identify(syst.path.elements.mkString("/", "/", "")) should equal(Some(syst))
+      identify(syst.path.toStringWithoutAddress) should equal(Some(syst))
       identify("/") should equal(Some(root))
       identify("") should equal(Some(root))
       identify(RootActorPath(root.path.address)) should equal(Some(root))
       identify("..") should equal(Some(root))
       identify(root.path) should equal(Some(root))
-      identify(root.path.elements.mkString("/", "/", "")) should equal(Some(root))
+      identify(root.path.toStringWithoutAddress) should equal(Some(root))
       identify("user") should equal(Some(user))
       identify("deadLetters") should equal(Some(system.deadLetters))
       identify("system") should equal(Some(syst))
@@ -188,9 +188,9 @@ class ActorSelectionSpec extends AkkaSpec("akka.loglevel=DEBUG") with DefaultTim
 
     "select actors by their string path representation" in {
       def check(looker: ActorRef, pathOf: ActorRef, result: ActorRef) {
-        askNode(looker, SelectString(pathOf.path.elements.mkString("/", "/", ""))) should equal(Some(result))
+        askNode(looker, SelectString(pathOf.path.toStringWithoutAddress)) should equal(Some(result))
         // with trailing /
-        askNode(looker, SelectString(pathOf.path.elements.mkString("/", "/", "") + "/")) should equal(Some(result))
+        askNode(looker, SelectString(pathOf.path.toStringWithoutAddress + "/")) should equal(Some(result))
       }
       for {
         looker ← all
@@ -200,7 +200,7 @@ class ActorSelectionSpec extends AkkaSpec("akka.loglevel=DEBUG") with DefaultTim
 
     "select actors by their root-anchored relative path" in {
       def check(looker: ActorRef, pathOf: ActorRef, result: ActorRef) {
-        askNode(looker, SelectString(pathOf.path.elements.mkString("/", "/", ""))) should equal(Some(result))
+        askNode(looker, SelectString(pathOf.path.toStringWithoutAddress)) should equal(Some(result))
         askNode(looker, SelectString(pathOf.path.elements.mkString("/", "/", "/"))) should equal(Some(result))
       }
       for {
@@ -339,7 +339,7 @@ class ActorSelectionSpec extends AkkaSpec("akka.loglevel=DEBUG") with DefaultTim
       val d = p.expectMsgType[DeadLetter]
       d.message should be("boom")
       d.sender should be(testActor)
-      d.recipient.path.elements.mkString("/", "/", "") should be("/user/missing")
+      d.recipient.path.toStringWithoutAddress should be("/user/missing")
     }
 
     "send ActorSelection wildcard targeted to missing actor to deadLetters" in {
@@ -356,7 +356,7 @@ class ActorSelectionSpec extends AkkaSpec("akka.loglevel=DEBUG") with DefaultTim
       List(d1, d2) foreach { d ⇒
         d.message should be("wild")
         d.sender should be(testActor)
-        d.recipient.path.elements.mkString("/", "/", "") should (equal("/user/top/child1/a") or equal("/user/top/child2/a"))
+        d.recipient.path.toStringWithoutAddress should (equal("/user/top/child1/a") or equal("/user/top/child2/a"))
       }
     }
 
diff --git a/akka-actor-tests/src/test/scala/akka/io/TcpIntegrationSpec.scala b/akka-actor-tests/src/test/scala/akka/io/TcpIntegrationSpec.scala
index 712ef0755c..c630d069dc 100644
--- a/akka-actor-tests/src/test/scala/akka/io/TcpIntegrationSpec.scala
+++ b/akka-actor-tests/src/test/scala/akka/io/TcpIntegrationSpec.scala
@@ -78,7 +78,9 @@ class TcpIntegrationSpec extends AkkaSpec("""
       // a "random" endpoint hopefully unavailable
       val endpoint = new InetSocketAddress("10.226.182.48", 23825)
       connectCommander.send(IO(Tcp), Connect(endpoint))
-      connectCommander.expectNoMsg(1.second)
+      // expecting CommandFailed or no reply (within timeout)
+      val replies = connectCommander.receiveWhile(1.second) { case m: Connected ⇒ m }
+      replies should be(Nil)
     }
   }
 
diff --git a/akka-actor-tests/src/test/scala/akka/routing/RoundRobinSpec.scala b/akka-actor-tests/src/test/scala/akka/routing/RoundRobinSpec.scala
index f04ebc3d17..cde3edd41c 100644
--- a/akka-actor-tests/src/test/scala/akka/routing/RoundRobinSpec.scala
+++ b/akka-actor-tests/src/test/scala/akka/routing/RoundRobinSpec.scala
@@ -132,7 +132,7 @@ class RoundRobinSpec extends AkkaSpec with DefaultTimeout with ImplicitSender {
             case "end" ⇒ doneLatch.countDown()
           }
         }), name = "target-" + n)
-        ref.path.elements.mkString("/", "/", "")
+        ref.path.toStringWithoutAddress
       }
 
       val actor = system.actorOf(RoundRobinGroup(paths).props(), "round-robin-group1")
diff --git a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/ActorPath.scala b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/ActorPath.scala
index f88af3b913..2928d6e554 100644
--- a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/ActorPath.scala
+++ b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/ActorPath.scala
@@ -98,6 +98,13 @@ sealed trait ActorPath extends Comparable[ActorPath] with Serializable {
    */
   def root: RootActorPath
 
+  /**
+   * String representation of the path elements, excluding the address
+   * information. The elements are separated with "/" and starts with "/",
+   * e.g. "/user/a/b".
+   */
+  def toStringWithoutAddress: String = elements.mkString("/", "/", "")
+
   /**
    * Generate String representation, replacing the Address in the RootActor
    * Path with the given one unless this path’s address includes host and port
diff --git a/akka-contrib/src/main/scala/akka/contrib/pattern/ClusterClient.scala b/akka-contrib/src/main/scala/akka/contrib/pattern/ClusterClient.scala
index f4c023aca5..1fc5ba9ce4 100644
--- a/akka-contrib/src/main/scala/akka/contrib/pattern/ClusterClient.scala
+++ b/akka-contrib/src/main/scala/akka/contrib/pattern/ClusterClient.scala
@@ -238,7 +238,7 @@ class ClusterReceptionistExtension(system: ExtendedActorSystem) extends Extensio
    * but it can also be explicitly unregistered before termination.
    */
   def unregisterService(actor: ActorRef): Unit =
-    pubSubMediator ! DistributedPubSubMediator.Remove(actor.path.elements.mkString("/", "/", ""))
+    pubSubMediator ! DistributedPubSubMediator.Remove(actor.path.toStringWithoutAddress)
 
   /**
    * Register an actor that should be reachable for the clients to a named topic.
diff --git a/akka-contrib/src/main/scala/akka/contrib/pattern/ClusterSharding.scala b/akka-contrib/src/main/scala/akka/contrib/pattern/ClusterSharding.scala
index d05ae61ec5..b5129d458e 100644
--- a/akka-contrib/src/main/scala/akka/contrib/pattern/ClusterSharding.scala
+++ b/akka-contrib/src/main/scala/akka/contrib/pattern/ClusterSharding.scala
@@ -359,7 +359,7 @@ private[akka] class ClusterShardingGuardian extends Actor {
     case Start(typeName, entryProps, idExtractor, shardResolver, allocationStrategy) ⇒
       val encName = URLEncoder.encode(typeName, "utf-8")
       val coordinatorSingletonManagerName = encName + "Coordinator"
-      val coordinatorPath = (self.path / coordinatorSingletonManagerName / "singleton").elements.mkString("/", "/", "")
+      val coordinatorPath = (self.path / coordinatorSingletonManagerName / "singleton").toStringWithoutAddress
       val shardRegion = context.child(encName).getOrElse {
         if (HasNecessaryClusterRole && context.child(coordinatorSingletonManagerName).isEmpty) {
           val singletonProps = ShardCoordinator.props(handOffTimeout = HandOffTimeout, rebalanceInterval = RebalanceInterval,
diff --git a/akka-contrib/src/main/scala/akka/contrib/pattern/DistributedPubSubMediator.scala b/akka-contrib/src/main/scala/akka/contrib/pattern/DistributedPubSubMediator.scala
index 4a8eadf304..1081496bab 100644
--- a/akka-contrib/src/main/scala/akka/contrib/pattern/DistributedPubSubMediator.scala
+++ b/akka-contrib/src/main/scala/akka/contrib/pattern/DistributedPubSubMediator.scala
@@ -405,7 +405,7 @@ class DistributedPubSubMediator(
 
   def mkKey(ref: ActorRef): String = mkKey(ref.path)
 
-  def mkKey(path: ActorPath): String = path.elements.mkString("/", "/", "")
+  def mkKey(path: ActorPath): String = path.toStringWithoutAddress
 
   def myVersions: Map[Address, Long] = registry.map { case (owner, bucket) ⇒ (owner -> bucket.version) }
 
diff --git a/akka-docs/rst/scala/code/docs/actor/ActorDocSpec.scala b/akka-docs/rst/scala/code/docs/actor/ActorDocSpec.scala
index ba3cf7ddc5..4f5d86ef52 100644
--- a/akka-docs/rst/scala/code/docs/actor/ActorDocSpec.scala
+++ b/akka-docs/rst/scala/code/docs/actor/ActorDocSpec.scala
@@ -539,9 +539,9 @@ class ActorDocSpec extends AkkaSpec(Map("akka.loglevel" -> "INFO")) {
     lastSender should equal(actor)
     actor ! me
     expectMsg("reply")
-    lastSender.path.elements.mkString("/", "/", "") should equal("/user")
+    lastSender.path.toStringWithoutAddress should equal("/user")
     expectMsg("reply")
-    lastSender.path.elements.mkString("/", "/", "") should equal("/user")
+    lastSender.path.toStringWithoutAddress should equal("/user")
   }
 
   "using ActorDSL outside of akka.actor package" in {
diff --git a/akka-persistence/src/main/scala/akka/persistence/Persistence.scala b/akka-persistence/src/main/scala/akka/persistence/Persistence.scala
index a7cd106646..753a48baf9 100644
--- a/akka-persistence/src/main/scala/akka/persistence/Persistence.scala
+++ b/akka-persistence/src/main/scala/akka/persistence/Persistence.scala
@@ -86,5 +86,5 @@ class Persistence(val system: ExtendedActorSystem) extends Extension {
     system.asInstanceOf[ActorSystemImpl].systemActorOf(Props(pluginClass).withDispatcher(pluginDispatcherId), pluginType)
   }
 
-  private def id(ref: ActorRef) = ref.path.elements.mkString("/", "/", "")
+  private def id(ref: ActorRef) = ref.path.toStringWithoutAddress
 }
diff --git a/akka-remote/src/test/scala/akka/remote/UntrustedSpec.scala b/akka-remote/src/test/scala/akka/remote/UntrustedSpec.scala
index ed88f4baca..a2004561bd 100644
--- a/akka-remote/src/test/scala/akka/remote/UntrustedSpec.scala
+++ b/akka-remote/src/test/scala/akka/remote/UntrustedSpec.scala
@@ -155,7 +155,7 @@ akka.loglevel = DEBUG
         Identify(None), p.ref)
       val clientReceptionistRef = p.expectMsgType[ActorIdentity].ref.get
 
-      val sel = ActorSelection(clientReceptionistRef, receptionist.path.elements.mkString("/", "/", ""))
+      val sel = ActorSelection(clientReceptionistRef, receptionist.path.toStringWithoutAddress)
       sel ! "hello"
       expectNoMsg(1.second)
     }