diff --git a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/actor/ActorRegistry.scala b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/actor/ActorRegistry.scala
index f3a479e6fd..51bbfd3477 100644
--- a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/actor/ActorRegistry.scala
+++ b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/actor/ActorRegistry.scala
@@ -125,7 +125,7 @@ object ActorRegistry extends ListenerManagement {
     actorsByUUID.put(actor.uuid, actor)
 
     // notify listeners
-    foreachListener(_ ! ActorRegistered(actor))
+    notifyListeners(ActorRegistered(actor))
   }
 
   /**
@@ -137,7 +137,7 @@ object ActorRegistry extends ListenerManagement {
     actorsById.remove(actor.id,actor)
 
     // notify listeners
-    foreachListener(_ ! ActorUnregistered(actor))
+    notifyListeners(ActorUnregistered(actor))
   }
 
   /**
diff --git a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/dispatch/Dispatchers.scala b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/dispatch/Dispatchers.scala
index 9a7e44a197..2ebba03928 100644
--- a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/dispatch/Dispatchers.scala
+++ b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/dispatch/Dispatchers.scala
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ import se.scalablesolutions.akka.util.{Duration, Logging, UUID}
  */
 object Dispatchers extends Logging {
   val THROUGHPUT          = config.getInt("akka.actor.throughput", 5)
-  val MAILBOX_CAPACITY    = config.getInt("akka.actor.default-dispatcher.mailbox-capacity", 1000)
+  val MAILBOX_CAPACITY    = config.getInt("akka.actor.default-dispatcher.mailbox-capacity", -1)
   val MAILBOX_CONFIG      = MailboxConfig(
     capacity = Dispatchers.MAILBOX_CAPACITY,
     pushTimeOut = config.getInt("akka.actor.default-dispatcher.mailbox-push-timeout-ms").map(Duration(_,TimeUnit.MILLISECONDS)),
diff --git a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/dispatch/ExecutorBasedEventDrivenDispatcher.scala b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/dispatch/ExecutorBasedEventDrivenDispatcher.scala
index 19045e123b..5ace496947 100644
--- a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/dispatch/ExecutorBasedEventDrivenDispatcher.scala
+++ b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/dispatch/ExecutorBasedEventDrivenDispatcher.scala
@@ -83,20 +83,32 @@ class ExecutorBasedEventDrivenDispatcher(
   /**
    * This is the behavior of an ExecutorBasedEventDrivenDispatchers mailbox
    */
-  trait ExecutableMailbox { self: MessageQueue with Runnable =>
+  trait ExecutableMailbox extends Runnable { self: MessageQueue =>
     def run = {
-      try {
-        val reDispatch = processMailbox()//Returns true if we need to reschedule the processing
-        self.dispatcherLock.unlock() //Unlock to give a chance for someone else to schedule processing
-        if (reDispatch)
-          dispatch(self)
-      } catch {
-        case e =>
-          dispatcherLock.unlock() //Unlock to give a chance for someone else to schedule processing
-          if(!self.isEmpty) //If the mailbox isn't empty, try to re-schedule processing, equivalent to reDispatch
-            dispatch(self)
-          throw e //Can't just swallow exceptions or errors
-      }
+      var lockAcquiredOnce = false
+      var finishedBeforeMailboxEmpty = false
+      // this do-while loop is required to prevent missing new messages between the end of the inner while
+      // loop and releasing the lock
+      do {
+        finishedBeforeMailboxEmpty = false //Reset this every run
+        if (dispatcherLock.tryLock()) {
+          // Only dispatch if we got the lock. Otherwise another thread is already dispatching.
+          lockAcquiredOnce = true
+          finishedBeforeMailboxEmpty = try {
+             processMailbox()
+          } catch {
+            case e =>
+              dispatcherLock.unlock()
+              if (!self.isEmpty)
+                registerForExecution(self)
+            throw e
+          }
+          
+          dispatcherLock.unlock()
+          if (finishedBeforeMailboxEmpty)
+            registerForExecution(self)
+        }
+      } while ((lockAcquiredOnce && !finishedBeforeMailboxEmpty && !self.isEmpty))
     }
 
   /**
@@ -129,28 +141,25 @@ class ExecutorBasedEventDrivenDispatcher(
   def dispatch(invocation: MessageInvocation) = {
     val mbox = getMailbox(invocation.receiver)
     mbox enqueue invocation
-    dispatch(mbox)
+    registerForExecution(mbox)
   }
 
   /**
    * @return the mailbox associated with the actor
    */
-  private def getMailbox(receiver: ActorRef) = receiver.mailbox.asInstanceOf[MessageQueue with Runnable]
+  private def getMailbox(receiver: ActorRef) = receiver.mailbox.asInstanceOf[MessageQueue with ExecutableMailbox]
 
   override def mailboxSize(actorRef: ActorRef) = getMailbox(actorRef).size
 
-  override def createMailbox(actorRef: ActorRef): AnyRef =
-    if (mailboxCapacity > 0) new DefaultBoundedMessageQueue(mailboxCapacity,mailboxConfig.pushTimeOut,blockDequeue = false) with Runnable with ExecutableMailbox
-    else new DefaultUnboundedMessageQueue(blockDequeue = false) with Runnable with ExecutableMailbox
+  override def createMailbox(actorRef: ActorRef): AnyRef = {
+    if (mailboxCapacity > 0)
+      new DefaultBoundedMessageQueue(mailboxCapacity,mailboxConfig.pushTimeOut,blockDequeue = false) with ExecutableMailbox
+    else
+      new DefaultUnboundedMessageQueue(blockDequeue = false) with ExecutableMailbox
+  }
 
-  def dispatch(mailbox: MessageQueue with Runnable): Unit = if (active) {
-    if (mailbox.dispatcherLock.tryLock()) {//Ensure that only one runnable can be in the executor pool at the same time
-      try {
-        executor execute mailbox
-      } catch {
-        case e: RejectedExecutionException => mailbox.dispatcherLock.unlock()
-      }
-    }
+  protected def registerForExecution(mailbox: MessageQueue with ExecutableMailbox): Unit = if (active) {
+    executor execute mailbox
   } else {
     log.warning("%s is shut down,\n\tignoring the rest of the messages in the mailbox of\n\t%s", toString, mailbox)
   }
@@ -167,8 +176,10 @@ class ExecutorBasedEventDrivenDispatcher(
     uuids.clear
   }
 
-  def ensureNotActive(): Unit = if (active) throw new IllegalActorStateException(
+  def ensureNotActive(): Unit = if (active) {
+    throw new IllegalActorStateException(
     "Can't build a new thread pool for a dispatcher that is already up and running")
+  }
 
   override def toString = "ExecutorBasedEventDrivenDispatcher[" + name + "]"
 
diff --git a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/util/ListenerManagement.scala b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/util/ListenerManagement.scala
index 0e17058380..7ad0f451f1 100644
--- a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/util/ListenerManagement.scala
+++ b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/util/ListenerManagement.scala
@@ -40,6 +40,23 @@ trait ListenerManagement extends Logging {
     if (manageLifeCycleOfListeners) listener.stop
   }
 
+  /*
+   * Returns whether there are any listeners currently
+   */
+  def hasListeners: Boolean = !listeners.isEmpty
+
+  protected def notifyListeners(message: => Any) {
+    if (hasListeners) {
+      val msg = message
+      val iterator = listeners.iterator
+      while (iterator.hasNext) {
+        val listener = iterator.next
+        if (listener.isRunning) listener ! msg
+        else log.warning("Can't notify [%s] since it is not running.", listener)
+      }
+    }
+  }
+
   /**
    * Execute <code>f</code> with each listener as argument.
    */
diff --git a/akka-remote/src/main/scala/remote/RemoteClient.scala b/akka-remote/src/main/scala/remote/RemoteClient.scala
index f61a5d63a1..264081259f 100644
--- a/akka-remote/src/main/scala/remote/RemoteClient.scala
+++ b/akka-remote/src/main/scala/remote/RemoteClient.scala
@@ -220,10 +220,10 @@ class RemoteClient private[akka] (
       val channel = connection.awaitUninterruptibly.getChannel
       openChannels.add(channel)
       if (!connection.isSuccess) {
-        foreachListener(_ ! RemoteClientError(connection.getCause, this))
+        notifyListeners(RemoteClientError(connection.getCause, this))
         log.error(connection.getCause, "Remote client connection to [%s:%s] has failed", hostname, port)
       }
-      foreachListener(_ ! RemoteClientStarted(this))
+      notifyListeners(RemoteClientStarted(this))
       isRunning = true
     }
   }
@@ -232,7 +232,7 @@ class RemoteClient private[akka] (
     log.info("Shutting down %s", name)
     if (isRunning) {
       isRunning = false
-      foreachListener(_ ! RemoteClientShutdown(this))
+      notifyListeners(RemoteClientShutdown(this))
       timer.stop
       timer = null
       openChannels.close.awaitUninterruptibly
@@ -250,7 +250,7 @@ class RemoteClient private[akka] (
   @deprecated("Use removeListener instead")
   def deregisterListener(actorRef: ActorRef) = removeListener(actorRef)
 
-  override def foreachListener(f: (ActorRef) => Unit): Unit = super.foreachListener(f)
+  override def notifyListeners(message: => Any): Unit = super.notifyListeners(message)
 
   protected override def manageLifeCycleOfListeners = false
 
@@ -287,7 +287,7 @@ class RemoteClient private[akka] (
   } else {
     val exception = new RemoteClientException(
       "Remote client is not running, make sure you have invoked 'RemoteClient.connect' before using it.", this)
-    foreachListener(l => l ! RemoteClientError(exception, this))
+    notifyListeners(RemoteClientError(exception, this))
     throw exception
   }
 
@@ -403,12 +403,12 @@ class RemoteClientHandler(
         futures.remove(reply.getId)
       } else {
         val exception = new RemoteClientException("Unknown message received in remote client handler: " + result, client)
-        client.foreachListener(_ ! RemoteClientError(exception, client))
+        client.notifyListeners(RemoteClientError(exception, client))
         throw exception
       }
     } catch {
       case e: Exception =>
-        client.foreachListener(_ ! RemoteClientError(e, client))
+        client.notifyListeners(RemoteClientError(e, client))
         log.error("Unexpected exception in remote client handler: %s", e)
         throw e
     }
@@ -423,7 +423,7 @@ class RemoteClientHandler(
           client.connection = bootstrap.connect(remoteAddress)
           client.connection.awaitUninterruptibly // Wait until the connection attempt succeeds or fails.
           if (!client.connection.isSuccess) {
-            client.foreachListener(_ ! RemoteClientError(client.connection.getCause, client))
+            client.notifyListeners(RemoteClientError(client.connection.getCause, client))
             log.error(client.connection.getCause, "Reconnection to [%s] has failed", remoteAddress)
           }
         }
@@ -433,7 +433,7 @@ class RemoteClientHandler(
 
   override def channelConnected(ctx: ChannelHandlerContext, event: ChannelStateEvent) = {
     def connect = {
-      client.foreachListener(_ ! RemoteClientConnected(client))
+      client.notifyListeners(RemoteClientConnected(client))
       log.debug("Remote client connected to [%s]", ctx.getChannel.getRemoteAddress)
       client.resetReconnectionTimeWindow
     }
@@ -450,12 +450,12 @@ class RemoteClientHandler(
   }
 
   override def channelDisconnected(ctx: ChannelHandlerContext, event: ChannelStateEvent) = {
-    client.foreachListener(_ ! RemoteClientDisconnected(client))
+    client.notifyListeners(RemoteClientDisconnected(client))
     log.debug("Remote client disconnected from [%s]", ctx.getChannel.getRemoteAddress)
   }
 
   override def exceptionCaught(ctx: ChannelHandlerContext, event: ExceptionEvent) = {
-    client.foreachListener(_ ! RemoteClientError(event.getCause, client))
+    client.notifyListeners(RemoteClientError(event.getCause, client))
     log.error(event.getCause, "Unexpected exception from downstream in remote client")
     event.getChannel.close
   }
diff --git a/akka-remote/src/main/scala/remote/RemoteServer.scala b/akka-remote/src/main/scala/remote/RemoteServer.scala
index b10d8e5825..27b5a50bfc 100644
--- a/akka-remote/src/main/scala/remote/RemoteServer.scala
+++ b/akka-remote/src/main/scala/remote/RemoteServer.scala
@@ -245,12 +245,12 @@ class RemoteServer extends Logging with ListenerManagement {
         openChannels.add(bootstrap.bind(new InetSocketAddress(hostname, port)))
         _isRunning = true
         Cluster.registerLocalNode(hostname, port)
-        foreachListener(_ ! RemoteServerStarted(this))
+        notifyListeners(RemoteServerStarted(this))
       }
     } catch {
       case e =>
         log.error(e, "Could not start up remote server")
-        foreachListener(_ ! RemoteServerError(e, this))
+        notifyListeners(RemoteServerError(e, this))
     }
     this
   }
@@ -263,7 +263,7 @@ class RemoteServer extends Logging with ListenerManagement {
         openChannels.close.awaitUninterruptibly
         bootstrap.releaseExternalResources
         Cluster.deregisterLocalNode(hostname, port)
-        foreachListener(_ ! RemoteServerShutdown(this))
+        notifyListeners(RemoteServerShutdown(this))
       } catch {
         case e: java.nio.channels.ClosedChannelException =>  {}
         case e => log.warning("Could not close remote server channel in a graceful way")
@@ -323,7 +323,7 @@ class RemoteServer extends Logging with ListenerManagement {
 
   protected override def manageLifeCycleOfListeners = false
 
-  protected[akka] override def foreachListener(f: (ActorRef) => Unit): Unit = super.foreachListener(f)
+  protected[akka] override def notifyListeners(message: => Any): Unit = super.notifyListeners(message)
 
   private[akka] def actors() : ConcurrentHashMap[String, ActorRef] = {
     RemoteServer.actorsFor(address).actors
@@ -413,18 +413,18 @@ class RemoteServerHandler(
         def operationComplete(future: ChannelFuture): Unit = {
           if (future.isSuccess) {
             openChannels.add(future.getChannel)
-            server.foreachListener(_ ! RemoteServerClientConnected(server))
+            server.notifyListeners(RemoteServerClientConnected(server))
           } else future.getChannel.close
         }
       })
     } else {
-       server.foreachListener(_ ! RemoteServerClientConnected(server))
+       server.notifyListeners(RemoteServerClientConnected(server))
     }
   }
 
   override def channelClosed(ctx: ChannelHandlerContext, event: ChannelStateEvent) = {
     log.debug("Remote client disconnected from [%s]", server.name)
-    server.foreachListener(_ ! RemoteServerClientDisconnected(server))
+    server.notifyListeners(RemoteServerClientDisconnected(server))
   }
 
   override def handleUpstream(ctx: ChannelHandlerContext, event: ChannelEvent) = {
@@ -446,7 +446,7 @@ class RemoteServerHandler(
   override def exceptionCaught(ctx: ChannelHandlerContext, event: ExceptionEvent) = {
     log.error(event.getCause, "Unexpected exception from remote downstream")
     event.getChannel.close
-    server.foreachListener(_ ! RemoteServerError(event.getCause, server))
+    server.notifyListeners(RemoteServerError(event.getCause, server))
   }
 
   private def handleRemoteRequestProtocol(request: RemoteRequestProtocol, channel: Channel) = {
@@ -491,7 +491,7 @@ class RemoteServerHandler(
           } catch {
             case e: Throwable =>
               channel.write(createErrorReplyMessage(e, request, true))
-              server.foreachListener(_ ! RemoteServerError(e, server))
+              server.notifyListeners(RemoteServerError(e, server))
           }
         }
     }
@@ -523,10 +523,10 @@ class RemoteServerHandler(
     } catch {
       case e: InvocationTargetException =>
         channel.write(createErrorReplyMessage(e.getCause, request, false))
-        server.foreachListener(_ ! RemoteServerError(e, server))
+        server.notifyListeners(RemoteServerError(e, server))
       case e: Throwable                 =>
         channel.write(createErrorReplyMessage(e, request, false))
-        server.foreachListener(_ ! RemoteServerError(e, server))
+        server.notifyListeners(RemoteServerError(e, server))
     }
   }
 
@@ -559,7 +559,7 @@ class RemoteServerHandler(
       } catch {
         case e =>
           log.error(e, "Could not create remote actor instance")
-          server.foreachListener(_ ! RemoteServerError(e, server))
+          server.notifyListeners(RemoteServerError(e, server))
           throw e
       }
     } else actorRefOrNull
@@ -590,7 +590,7 @@ class RemoteServerHandler(
       } catch {
         case e =>
           log.error(e, "Could not create remote typed actor instance")
-          server.foreachListener(_ ! RemoteServerError(e, server))
+          server.notifyListeners(RemoteServerError(e, server))
           throw e
       }
     } else typedActorOrNull
diff --git a/akka-typed-actor/src/main/scala/actor/TypedActor.scala b/akka-typed-actor/src/main/scala/actor/TypedActor.scala
index b27f5b4b4d..52bd0e6cb6 100644
--- a/akka-typed-actor/src/main/scala/actor/TypedActor.scala
+++ b/akka-typed-actor/src/main/scala/actor/TypedActor.scala
@@ -674,7 +674,7 @@ private[akka] object AspectInitRegistry extends ListenerManagement {
 
   def register(proxy: AnyRef, init: AspectInit) = {
     val res = initializations.put(proxy, init)
-    foreachListener(_ ! AspectInitRegistered(proxy, init))
+    notifyListeners(AspectInitRegistered(proxy, init))
     res
   }
 
@@ -683,7 +683,7 @@ private[akka] object AspectInitRegistry extends ListenerManagement {
    */
   def unregister(proxy: AnyRef): AspectInit = {
     val init = initializations.remove(proxy)
-    foreachListener(_ ! AspectInitUnregistered(proxy, init))
+    notifyListeners(AspectInitUnregistered(proxy, init))
     init.actorRef.stop
     init
   }