diff --git a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/io/TcpConnection.scala b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/io/TcpConnection.scala
index 592a09f1ae..6557264dca 100644
--- a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/io/TcpConnection.scala
+++ b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/io/TcpConnection.scala
@@ -55,10 +55,16 @@ private[io] abstract class TcpConnection(val tcp: TcpExt, val channel: SocketCha
       if (TraceLogging) log.debug("[{}] registered as connection handler", handler)
 
       val info = ConnectionInfo(registration, handler, keepOpenOnPeerClosed, useResumeWriting)
-      if (!pullMode) doRead(info, None) // immediately try reading
+      doRead(info, None) // immediately try reading, pullMode is handled by readingSuspended
       context.setReceiveTimeout(Duration.Undefined)
       context.become(connected(info))
 
+    case ResumeReading ⇒
+      readingSuspended = false
+
+    case SuspendReading ⇒
+      readingSuspended = true
+
     case cmd: CloseCommand ⇒
       val info = ConnectionInfo(registration, commander, keepOpenOnPeerClosed = false, useResumeWriting = false)
       handleClose(info, Some(sender()), cmd.event)