diff --git a/akka-actor-tests/src/test/java/akka/actor/NonPublicClass.java b/akka-actor-tests/src/test/java/akka/actor/NonPublicClass.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..850d82cd62
--- /dev/null
+++ b/akka-actor-tests/src/test/java/akka/actor/NonPublicClass.java
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+/**
+ *  Copyright (C) 2009-2012 Typesafe Inc. <http://www.typesafe.com>
+ */
+
+package akka.actor;
+
+public class NonPublicClass {
+    public static Props createProps() {
+        return new Props(MyNonPublicActorClass.class);
+    }
+}
+
+class MyNonPublicActorClass extends UntypedActor {
+    @Override public void onReceive(Object msg) {
+        getSender().tell(msg);
+    }
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/akka-actor-tests/src/test/scala/akka/actor/ActorRefSpec.scala b/akka-actor-tests/src/test/scala/akka/actor/ActorRefSpec.scala
index bec066d97a..3056dc9e95 100644
--- a/akka-actor-tests/src/test/scala/akka/actor/ActorRefSpec.scala
+++ b/akka-actor-tests/src/test/scala/akka/actor/ActorRefSpec.scala
@@ -358,6 +358,13 @@ class ActorRefSpec extends AkkaSpec with DefaultTimeout {
       system.stop(serverRef)
     }
 
+    "support actorOfs where the class of the actor isn't public" in {
+      val a = system.actorOf(NonPublicClass.createProps())
+      a.tell("pigdog", testActor)
+      expectMsg("pigdog")
+      system stop a
+    }
+
     "stop when sent a poison pill" in {
       val timeout = Timeout(20000)
       val ref = system.actorOf(Props(new Actor {
diff --git a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/AkkaException.scala b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/AkkaException.scala
index 04e820419f..8e49c7cb11 100644
--- a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/AkkaException.scala
+++ b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/AkkaException.scala
@@ -9,7 +9,6 @@ package akka
  * <ul>
  *   <li>a uuid for tracking purposes</li>
  *   <li>toString that includes exception name, message and uuid</li>
- *   <li>toLongString which also includes the stack trace</li>
  * </ul>
  */
 //TODO add @SerialVersionUID(1L) when SI-4804 is fixed
diff --git a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/Actor.scala b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/Actor.scala
index 2721ccffa0..8fc7df93e5 100644
--- a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/Actor.scala
+++ b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/Actor.scala
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@ package akka.actor
 import akka.AkkaException
 import scala.reflect.BeanProperty
 import scala.util.control.NoStackTrace
-import scala.collection.immutable.Stack
 import java.util.regex.Pattern
 
 /**
@@ -279,18 +278,14 @@ trait Actor {
    */
   protected[akka] implicit val context: ActorContext = {
     val contextStack = ActorCell.contextStack.get
-
-    def noContextError =
+    if ((contextStack.isEmpty) || (contextStack.head eq null))
       throw new ActorInitializationException(
         "\n\tYou cannot create an instance of [" + getClass.getName + "] explicitly using the constructor (new)." +
           "\n\tYou have to use one of the factory methods to create a new actor. Either use:" +
           "\n\t\t'val actor = context.actorOf(Props[MyActor])'        (to create a supervised child actor from within an actor), or" +
           "\n\t\t'val actor = system.actorOf(Props(new MyActor(..)))' (to create a top level actor from the ActorSystem)")
-
-    if (contextStack.isEmpty) noContextError
     val c = contextStack.head
-    if (c eq null) noContextError
-    ActorCell.contextStack.set(contextStack.push(null))
+    ActorCell.contextStack.set(null :: contextStack)
     c
   }
 
diff --git a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/ActorCell.scala b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/ActorCell.scala
index 9dbe610195..72793513e2 100644
--- a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/ActorCell.scala
+++ b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/ActorCell.scala
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ import akka.japi.Procedure
 import java.io.{ NotSerializableException, ObjectOutputStream }
 import akka.serialization.SerializationExtension
 import akka.event.Logging.LogEventException
-import collection.immutable.{ TreeSet, Stack, TreeMap }
+import collection.immutable.{ TreeSet, TreeMap }
 import akka.util.{ Unsafe, Duration, Helpers, NonFatal }
 
 //TODO: everything here for current compatibility - could be limited more
@@ -173,8 +173,8 @@ trait UntypedActorContext extends ActorContext {
  * for! (waves hand)
  */
 private[akka] object ActorCell {
-  val contextStack = new ThreadLocal[Stack[ActorContext]] {
-    override def initialValue = Stack[ActorContext]()
+  val contextStack = new ThreadLocal[List[ActorContext]] {
+    override def initialValue: List[ActorContext] = Nil
   }
 
   final val emptyCancellable: Cancellable = new Cancellable {
@@ -184,7 +184,7 @@ private[akka] object ActorCell {
 
   final val emptyReceiveTimeoutData: (Long, Cancellable) = (-1, emptyCancellable)
 
-  final val behaviorStackPlaceHolder: Stack[Actor.Receive] = Stack.empty.push(Actor.emptyBehavior)
+  final val emptyBehaviorStack: List[Actor.Receive] = Nil
 
   final val emptyActorRefSet: Set[ActorRef] = TreeSet.empty
 
@@ -408,7 +408,7 @@ private[akka] class ActorCell(
 
   var currentMessage: Envelope = _
   var actor: Actor = _
-  private var behaviorStack: Stack[Actor.Receive] = Stack.empty
+  private var behaviorStack: List[Actor.Receive] = emptyBehaviorStack
   @volatile var _mailboxDoNotCallMeDirectly: Mailbox = _ //This must be volatile since it isn't protected by the mailbox status
   var nextNameSequence: Long = 0
   var watching: Set[ActorRef] = emptyActorRefSet
@@ -511,25 +511,21 @@ private[akka] class ActorCell(
 
   //This method is in charge of setting up the contextStack and create a new instance of the Actor
   protected def newActor(): Actor = {
-    contextStack.set(contextStack.get.push(this))
+    contextStack.set(this :: contextStack.get)
     try {
-      import ActorCell.behaviorStackPlaceHolder
-
-      behaviorStack = behaviorStackPlaceHolder
+      behaviorStack = emptyBehaviorStack
       val instance = props.creator.apply()
 
       if (instance eq null)
         throw new ActorInitializationException(self, "Actor instance passed to actorOf can't be 'null'")
 
-      behaviorStack = behaviorStack match {
-        case `behaviorStackPlaceHolder` ⇒ Stack.empty.push(instance.receive)
-        case newBehaviors               ⇒ Stack.empty.push(instance.receive).pushAll(newBehaviors.reverse.drop(1))
-      }
+      // If no becomes were issued, the actors behavior is its receive method
+      behaviorStack = if (behaviorStack.isEmpty) instance.receive :: behaviorStack else behaviorStack
       instance
     } finally {
       val stackAfter = contextStack.get
       if (stackAfter.nonEmpty)
-        contextStack.set(if (stackAfter.head eq null) stackAfter.pop.pop else stackAfter.pop) // pop null marker plus our context
+        contextStack.set(if (stackAfter.head eq null) stackAfter.tail.tail else stackAfter.tail) // pop null marker plus our context
     }
   }
 
@@ -683,10 +679,8 @@ private[akka] class ActorCell(
     }
   }
 
-  def become(behavior: Actor.Receive, discardOld: Boolean = true): Unit = {
-    if (discardOld) unbecome()
-    behaviorStack = behaviorStack.push(behavior)
-  }
+  def become(behavior: Actor.Receive, discardOld: Boolean = true): Unit =
+    behaviorStack = behavior :: (if (discardOld && behaviorStack.nonEmpty) behaviorStack.tail else behaviorStack)
 
   /**
    * UntypedActorContext impl
@@ -701,8 +695,9 @@ private[akka] class ActorCell(
 
   def unbecome(): Unit = {
     val original = behaviorStack
-    val popped = original.pop
-    behaviorStack = if (popped.isEmpty) original else popped
+    behaviorStack =
+      if (original.isEmpty || original.tail.isEmpty) actor.receive :: emptyBehaviorStack
+      else original.tail
   }
 
   def autoReceiveMessage(msg: Envelope): Unit = {
@@ -761,7 +756,7 @@ private[akka] class ActorCell(
         if (system.settings.DebugLifecycle)
           system.eventStream.publish(Debug(self.path.toString, clazz(a), "stopped"))
       } finally {
-        behaviorStack = behaviorStackPlaceHolder
+        behaviorStack = emptyBehaviorStack
         clearActorFields(a)
         actor = null
       }
diff --git a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/ActorSystem.scala b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/ActorSystem.scala
index 721375adda..0d13f2451a 100644
--- a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/ActorSystem.scala
+++ b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/ActorSystem.scala
@@ -13,7 +13,6 @@ import java.io.Closeable
 import akka.dispatch.Await.{ Awaitable, CanAwait }
 import akka.util._
 import akka.util.internal.{ HashedWheelTimer, ConcurrentIdentityHashMap }
-import collection.immutable.Stack
 import java.util.concurrent.{ ThreadFactory, CountDownLatch, TimeoutException, RejectedExecutionException }
 import java.util.concurrent.TimeUnit.MILLISECONDS
 
@@ -430,7 +429,7 @@ private[akka] class ActorSystemImpl(val name: String, applicationConfig: Config,
   if (!name.matches("""^[a-zA-Z0-9][a-zA-Z0-9-]*$"""))
     throw new IllegalArgumentException(
       "invalid ActorSystem name [" + name +
-        "], must contain only word characters (i.e. [a-zA-Z_0-9] plus non-leading '-')")
+        "], must contain only word characters (i.e. [a-zA-Z0-9] plus non-leading '-')")
 
   import ActorSystem._
 
@@ -685,8 +684,8 @@ private[akka] class ActorSystemImpl(val name: String, applicationConfig: Config,
 
   final class TerminationCallbacks extends Runnable with Awaitable[Unit] {
     private val lock = new ReentrantGuard
-    private var callbacks: Stack[Runnable] = _ //non-volatile since guarded by the lock
-    lock withGuard { callbacks = Stack.empty[Runnable] }
+    private var callbacks: List[Runnable] = _ //non-volatile since guarded by the lock
+    lock withGuard { callbacks = Nil }
 
     private val latch = new CountDownLatch(1)
 
@@ -695,17 +694,17 @@ private[akka] class ActorSystemImpl(val name: String, applicationConfig: Config,
         case 0 ⇒ throw new RejectedExecutionException("Must be called prior to system shutdown.")
         case _ ⇒ lock withGuard {
           if (latch.getCount == 0) throw new RejectedExecutionException("Must be called prior to system shutdown.")
-          else callbacks = callbacks.push(callback)
+          else callbacks ::= callback
         }
       }
     }
 
     final def run(): Unit = lock withGuard {
-      @tailrec def runNext(c: Stack[Runnable]): Stack[Runnable] = c.headOption match {
-        case None ⇒ Stack.empty[Runnable]
-        case Some(callback) ⇒
-          try callback.run() catch { case e ⇒ log.error(e, "Failed to run termination callback, due to [{}]", e.getMessage) }
-          runNext(c.pop)
+      @tailrec def runNext(c: List[Runnable]): List[Runnable] = c match {
+        case Nil ⇒ Nil
+        case callback :: rest ⇒
+          try callback.run() catch { case NonFatal(e) ⇒ log.error(e, "Failed to run termination callback, due to [{}]", e.getMessage) }
+          runNext(rest)
       }
       try { callbacks = runNext(callbacks) } finally latch.countDown()
     }
diff --git a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/Props.scala b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/Props.scala
index fc01a5ba36..f48bbe9573 100644
--- a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/Props.scala
+++ b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/Props.scala
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@ package akka.actor
 
 import akka.dispatch._
 import akka.japi.Creator
-import collection.immutable.Stack
 import akka.routing._
 
 /**
@@ -186,5 +185,10 @@ case class Props(
  * able to optimize serialization.
  */
 private[akka] case class FromClassCreator(clazz: Class[_ <: Actor]) extends Function0[Actor] {
-  def apply(): Actor = clazz.newInstance
+  def apply(): Actor = try clazz.newInstance catch {
+    case iae: IllegalAccessException ⇒
+      val ctor = clazz.getDeclaredConstructor()
+      ctor.setAccessible(true)
+      ctor.newInstance()
+  }
 }
diff --git a/akka-cluster/src/main/scala/akka/cluster/AccrualFailureDetector.scala b/akka-cluster/src/main/scala/akka/cluster/AccrualFailureDetector.scala
index 6632111f00..62d5fa4eb9 100644
--- a/akka-cluster/src/main/scala/akka/cluster/AccrualFailureDetector.scala
+++ b/akka-cluster/src/main/scala/akka/cluster/AccrualFailureDetector.scala
@@ -165,8 +165,7 @@ class AccrualFailureDetector(
         else PhiFactor * timestampDiff / mean
       }
 
-    // FIXME change to debug log level, when failure detector is stable
-    log.info("Phi value [{}] and threshold [{}] for connection [{}] ", phi, threshold, connection)
+    log.debug("Phi value [{}] and threshold [{}] for connection [{}] ", phi, threshold, connection)
     phi
   }
 
diff --git a/akka-cluster/src/main/scala/akka/cluster/Cluster.scala b/akka-cluster/src/main/scala/akka/cluster/Cluster.scala
index a86bc0148c..411c9d4b18 100644
--- a/akka-cluster/src/main/scala/akka/cluster/Cluster.scala
+++ b/akka-cluster/src/main/scala/akka/cluster/Cluster.scala
@@ -6,27 +6,27 @@ package akka.cluster
 
 import akka.actor._
 import akka.actor.Status._
+import akka.ConfigurationException
+import akka.dispatch.Await
+import akka.dispatch.MonitorableThreadFactory
+import akka.event.Logging
+import akka.jsr166y.ThreadLocalRandom
+import akka.pattern.ask
 import akka.remote._
 import akka.routing._
-import akka.event.Logging
-import akka.dispatch.Await
-import akka.pattern.ask
 import akka.util._
 import akka.util.duration._
-import akka.ConfigurationException
-import java.util.concurrent.atomic.{ AtomicReference, AtomicBoolean }
-import java.util.concurrent.TimeUnit._
-import java.util.concurrent.TimeoutException
-import akka.jsr166y.ThreadLocalRandom
-import java.lang.management.ManagementFactory
-import java.io.Closeable
-import javax.management._
-import scala.collection.immutable.{ Map, SortedSet }
-import scala.annotation.tailrec
-import com.google.protobuf.ByteString
 import akka.util.internal.HashedWheelTimer
-import akka.dispatch.MonitorableThreadFactory
+import com.google.protobuf.ByteString
+import java.io.Closeable
+import java.lang.management.ManagementFactory
+import java.util.concurrent.atomic.{ AtomicReference, AtomicBoolean }
+import java.util.concurrent.TimeoutException
+import java.util.concurrent.TimeUnit._
+import javax.management._
 import MemberStatus._
+import scala.annotation.tailrec
+import scala.collection.immutable.{ Map, SortedSet }
 
 /**
  * Interface for membership change listener.
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ sealed trait ClusterMessage extends Serializable
 /**
  * Cluster commands sent by the USER.
  */
-object ClusterAction {
+object ClusterUserAction {
 
   /**
    * Command to join the cluster. Sent when a node (reprsesented by 'address')
@@ -69,22 +69,33 @@ object ClusterAction {
    * Command to mark node as temporary down.
    */
   case class Down(address: Address) extends ClusterMessage
+}
+
+/**
+ * Cluster commands sent by the LEADER.
+ */
+object ClusterLeaderAction {
 
   /**
-   * Command to remove a node from the cluster immediately.
-   */
-  case class Remove(address: Address) extends ClusterMessage
-
-  /**
+   * INTERNAL API.
+   *
    * Command to mark a node to be removed from the cluster immediately.
    * Can only be sent by the leader.
    */
-  private[akka] case class Exit(address: Address) extends ClusterMessage
+  private[cluster] case class Exit(address: Address) extends ClusterMessage
+
+  /**
+   * INTERNAL API.
+   *
+   * Command to remove a node from the cluster immediately.
+   */
+  private[cluster] case class Remove(address: Address) extends ClusterMessage
 }
 
 /**
  * Represents the address and the current status of a cluster member node.
  *
+ * Note: `hashCode` and `equals` are solely based on the underlying `Address`, not its `MemberStatus`.
  */
 class Member(val address: Address, val status: MemberStatus) extends ClusterMessage {
   override def hashCode = address.##
@@ -94,12 +105,12 @@ class Member(val address: Address, val status: MemberStatus) extends ClusterMess
 }
 
 /**
- * Factory and Utility module for Member instances.
+ * Module with factory and ordering methods for Member instances.
  */
 object Member {
 
   /**
-   * Sort Address by host and port
+   * `Address` ordering type class, sorts addresses by host and port.
    */
   implicit val addressOrdering: Ordering[Address] = Ordering.fromLessThan[Address] { (a, b) ⇒
     if (a.host != b.host) a.host.getOrElse("").compareTo(b.host.getOrElse("")) < 0
@@ -107,8 +118,14 @@ object Member {
     else false
   }
 
-  implicit val ordering: Ordering[Member] = new Ordering[Member] {
-    def compare(x: Member, y: Member) = addressOrdering.compare(x.address, y.address)
+  /**
+   * `Member` ordering type class, sorts members by host and port with the exception that
+   * it puts all members that are in MemberStatus.EXITING last.
+   */
+  implicit val ordering: Ordering[Member] = Ordering.fromLessThan[Member] { (a, b) ⇒
+    if (a.status == Exiting && b.status != Exiting) false
+    else if (a.status != Exiting && b.status == Exiting) true
+    else addressOrdering.compare(a.address, b.address) < 0
   }
 
   def apply(address: Address, status: MemberStatus): Member = new Member(address, status)
@@ -118,6 +135,15 @@ object Member {
     case _         ⇒ None
   }
 
+  def pickHighestPriority(a: Set[Member], b: Set[Member]): Set[Member] = {
+    // group all members by Address => Seq[Member]
+    val groupedByAddress = (a.toSeq ++ b.toSeq).groupBy(_.address)
+    // pick highest MemberStatus
+    (Set.empty[Member] /: groupedByAddress) {
+      case (acc, (_, members)) ⇒ acc + members.reduceLeft(highestPriorityOf)
+    }
+  }
+
   /**
    * Picks the Member with the highest "priority" MemberStatus.
    */
@@ -130,8 +156,8 @@ object Member {
     case (_, Exiting)       ⇒ m2
     case (Leaving, _)       ⇒ m1
     case (_, Leaving)       ⇒ m2
-    case (Up, Joining)      ⇒ m1
-    case (Joining, Up)      ⇒ m2
+    case (Up, Joining)      ⇒ m2
+    case (Joining, Up)      ⇒ m1
     case (Joining, Joining) ⇒ m1
     case (Up, Up)           ⇒ m1
   }
@@ -148,10 +174,11 @@ case class GossipEnvelope(from: Address, gossip: Gossip) extends ClusterMessage
  * Can be one of: Joining, Up, Leaving, Exiting and Down.
  */
 sealed trait MemberStatus extends ClusterMessage {
+
   /**
-   * Using the same notion for 'unavailable' as 'non-convergence': DOWN and REMOVED.
+   * Using the same notion for 'unavailable' as 'non-convergence': DOWN
    */
-  def isUnavailable: Boolean = this == Down || this == Removed
+  def isUnavailable: Boolean = this == Down
 }
 
 object MemberStatus {
@@ -217,6 +244,7 @@ case class Gossip(
 
   // FIXME can be disabled as optimization
   assertInvariants
+
   private def assertInvariants: Unit = {
     val unreachableAndLive = members.intersect(overview.unreachable)
     if (unreachableAndLive.nonEmpty)
@@ -242,14 +270,17 @@ case class Gossip(
    */
   def :+(node: VectorClock.Node): Gossip = copy(version = version :+ node)
 
+  /**
+   * Adds a member to the member node ring.
+   */
   def :+(member: Member): Gossip = {
     if (members contains member) this
     else this copy (members = members + member)
   }
 
   /**
-   * Marks the gossip as seen by this node (selfAddress) by updating the address entry in the 'gossip.overview.seen'
-   * Map with the VectorClock for the new gossip.
+   * Marks the gossip as seen by this node (address) by updating the address entry in the 'gossip.overview.seen'
+   * Map with the VectorClock (version) for the new gossip.
    */
   def seen(address: Address): Gossip = {
     if (overview.seen.contains(address) && overview.seen(address) == version) this
@@ -268,22 +299,12 @@ case class Gossip(
     // 2. merge meta-data
     val mergedMeta = this.meta ++ that.meta
 
-    def pickHighestPriority(a: Seq[Member], b: Seq[Member]): Set[Member] = {
-      // group all members by Address => Seq[Member]
-      val groupedByAddress = (a ++ b).groupBy(_.address)
-      // pick highest MemberStatus
-      (Set.empty[Member] /: groupedByAddress) {
-        case (acc, (_, members)) ⇒ acc + members.reduceLeft(Member.highestPriorityOf)
-      }
-    }
-
     // 3. merge unreachable by selecting the single Member with highest MemberStatus out of the Member groups
-    val mergedUnreachable = pickHighestPriority(this.overview.unreachable.toSeq, that.overview.unreachable.toSeq)
+    val mergedUnreachable = Member.pickHighestPriority(this.overview.unreachable, that.overview.unreachable)
 
     // 4. merge members by selecting the single Member with highest MemberStatus out of the Member groups,
     //    and exclude unreachable
-    val mergedMembers = Gossip.emptyMembers ++ pickHighestPriority(this.members.toSeq, that.members.toSeq).
-      filterNot(mergedUnreachable.contains)
+    val mergedMembers = Gossip.emptyMembers ++ Member.pickHighestPriority(this.members, that.members).filterNot(mergedUnreachable.contains)
 
     // 5. fresh seen table
     val mergedSeen = Map.empty[Address, VectorClock]
@@ -306,11 +327,14 @@ case class Gossip(
 case class Heartbeat(from: Address) extends ClusterMessage
 
 /**
+ * INTERNAL API.
+ *
  * Manages routing of the different cluster commands.
  * Instantiated as a single instance for each Cluster - e.g. commands are serialized to Cluster message after message.
  */
-private[akka] final class ClusterCommandDaemon(cluster: Cluster) extends Actor {
-  import ClusterAction._
+private[cluster] final class ClusterCommandDaemon(cluster: Cluster) extends Actor {
+  import ClusterUserAction._
+  import ClusterLeaderAction._
 
   val log = Logging(context.system, this)
 
@@ -326,10 +350,12 @@ private[akka] final class ClusterCommandDaemon(cluster: Cluster) extends Actor {
 }
 
 /**
+ * INTERNAL API.
+ *
  * Pooled and routed with N number of configurable instances.
  * Concurrent access to Cluster.
  */
-private[akka] final class ClusterGossipDaemon(cluster: Cluster) extends Actor {
+private[cluster] final class ClusterGossipDaemon(cluster: Cluster) extends Actor {
   val log = Logging(context.system, this)
 
   def receive = {
@@ -341,9 +367,11 @@ private[akka] final class ClusterGossipDaemon(cluster: Cluster) extends Actor {
 }
 
 /**
+ * INTERNAL API.
+ *
  * Supervisor managing the different Cluster daemons.
  */
-private[akka] final class ClusterDaemonSupervisor(cluster: Cluster) extends Actor {
+private[cluster] final class ClusterDaemonSupervisor(cluster: Cluster) extends Actor {
   val log = Logging(context.system, this)
 
   private val commands = context.actorOf(Props(new ClusterCommandDaemon(cluster)), "commands")
@@ -396,13 +424,11 @@ trait ClusterNodeMBean {
   def isSingleton: Boolean
   def isConvergence: Boolean
   def isAvailable: Boolean
+  def isRunning: Boolean
 
   def join(address: String)
   def leave(address: String)
   def down(address: String)
-  def remove(address: String)
-
-  def shutdown()
 }
 
 /**
@@ -455,7 +481,7 @@ class Cluster(system: ExtendedActorSystem, val failureDetector: FailureDetector)
 
   private val serialization = remote.serialization
 
-  private val isRunning = new AtomicBoolean(true)
+  private val _isRunning = new AtomicBoolean(true)
   private val log = Logging(system, "Node")
 
   private val mBeanServer = ManagementFactory.getPlatformMBeanServer
@@ -522,24 +548,28 @@ class Cluster(system: ExtendedActorSystem, val failureDetector: FailureDetector)
   }
 
   // start periodic gossip to random nodes in cluster
-  private val gossipTask = FixedRateTask(clusterScheduler, PeriodicTasksInitialDelay, GossipInterval) {
-    gossip()
-  }
+  private val gossipTask =
+    FixedRateTask(clusterScheduler, PeriodicTasksInitialDelay.max(GossipInterval), GossipInterval) {
+      gossip()
+    }
 
   // start periodic heartbeat to all nodes in cluster
-  private val heartbeatTask = FixedRateTask(clusterScheduler, PeriodicTasksInitialDelay, HeartbeatInterval) {
-    heartbeat()
-  }
+  private val heartbeatTask =
+    FixedRateTask(clusterScheduler, PeriodicTasksInitialDelay.max(HeartbeatInterval), HeartbeatInterval) {
+      heartbeat()
+    }
 
   // start periodic cluster failure detector reaping (moving nodes condemned by the failure detector to unreachable list)
-  private val failureDetectorReaperTask = FixedRateTask(clusterScheduler, PeriodicTasksInitialDelay, UnreachableNodesReaperInterval) {
-    reapUnreachableMembers()
-  }
+  private val failureDetectorReaperTask =
+    FixedRateTask(clusterScheduler, PeriodicTasksInitialDelay.max(UnreachableNodesReaperInterval), UnreachableNodesReaperInterval) {
+      reapUnreachableMembers()
+    }
 
   // start periodic leader action management (only applies for the current leader)
-  private val leaderActionsTask = FixedRateTask(clusterScheduler, PeriodicTasksInitialDelay, LeaderActionsInterval) {
-    leaderActions()
-  }
+  private val leaderActionsTask =
+    FixedRateTask(clusterScheduler, PeriodicTasksInitialDelay.max(LeaderActionsInterval), LeaderActionsInterval) {
+      leaderActions()
+    }
 
   createMBean()
 
@@ -562,15 +592,27 @@ class Cluster(system: ExtendedActorSystem, val failureDetector: FailureDetector)
       }
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Returns true if the cluster node is up and running, false if it is shut down.
+   */
+  def isRunning: Boolean = _isRunning.get
+
   /**
    * Latest gossip.
    */
   def latestGossip: Gossip = state.get.latestGossip
 
   /**
-   * Member status for this node.
+   * Member status for this node (`MemberStatus`).
+   *
+   * NOTE: If the node has been removed from the cluster (and shut down) then it's status is set to the 'REMOVED' tombstone state
+   *       and is no longer present in the node ring or any other part of the gossiping state. However in order to maintain the
+   *       model and the semantics the user would expect, this method will in this situation return `MemberStatus.Removed`.
    */
-  def status: MemberStatus = self.status
+  def status: MemberStatus = {
+    if (isRunning) self.status
+    else MemberStatus.Removed
+  }
 
   /**
    * Is this node the leader?
@@ -602,33 +644,6 @@ class Cluster(system: ExtendedActorSystem, val failureDetector: FailureDetector)
    */
   def isAvailable: Boolean = !isUnavailable(state.get)
 
-  /**
-   * Shuts down all connections to other members, the cluster daemon and the periodic gossip and cleanup tasks.
-   */
-  def shutdown(): Unit = {
-    if (isRunning.compareAndSet(true, false)) {
-      log.info("Cluster Node [{}] - Shutting down cluster Node and cluster daemons...", selfAddress)
-
-      // cancel the periodic tasks, note that otherwise they will be run when scheduler is shutdown
-      gossipTask.cancel()
-      heartbeatTask.cancel()
-      failureDetectorReaperTask.cancel()
-      leaderActionsTask.cancel()
-      clusterScheduler.close()
-
-      // FIXME isTerminated check can be removed when ticket #2221 is fixed
-      // now it prevents logging if system is shutdown (or in progress of shutdown)
-      if (!clusterDaemons.isTerminated)
-        system.stop(clusterDaemons)
-
-      try {
-        mBeanServer.unregisterMBean(clusterMBeanName)
-      } catch {
-        case e: InstanceNotFoundException ⇒ // ignore - we are running multiple cluster nodes in the same JVM (probably for testing)
-      }
-    }
-  }
-
   /**
    * Registers a listener to subscribe to cluster membership changes.
    */
@@ -657,7 +672,7 @@ class Cluster(system: ExtendedActorSystem, val failureDetector: FailureDetector)
    */
   def join(address: Address): Unit = {
     val connection = clusterCommandConnectionFor(address)
-    val command = ClusterAction.Join(selfAddress)
+    val command = ClusterUserAction.Join(selfAddress)
     log.info("Cluster Node [{}] - Trying to send JOIN to [{}] through connection [{}]", selfAddress, address, connection)
     connection ! command
   }
@@ -666,21 +681,14 @@ class Cluster(system: ExtendedActorSystem, val failureDetector: FailureDetector)
    * Send command to issue state transition to LEAVING for the node specified by 'address'.
    */
   def leave(address: Address): Unit = {
-    clusterCommandDaemon ! ClusterAction.Leave(address)
+    clusterCommandDaemon ! ClusterUserAction.Leave(address)
   }
 
   /**
-   * Send command to issue state transition to from DOWN to EXITING for the node specified by 'address'.
+   * Send command to DOWN the node specified by 'address'.
    */
   def down(address: Address): Unit = {
-    clusterCommandDaemon ! ClusterAction.Down(address)
-  }
-
-  /**
-   * Send command to issue state transition to REMOVED for the node specified by 'address'.
-   */
-  def remove(address: Address): Unit = {
-    clusterCommandDaemon ! ClusterAction.Remove(address)
+    clusterCommandDaemon ! ClusterUserAction.Down(address)
   }
 
   // ========================================================
@@ -688,22 +696,52 @@ class Cluster(system: ExtendedActorSystem, val failureDetector: FailureDetector)
   // ========================================================
 
   /**
-   * State transition to JOINING.
-   * New node joining.
+   * INTERNAL API.
+   *
+   * Shuts down all connections to other members, the cluster daemon and the periodic gossip and cleanup tasks.
+   *
+   * Should not called by the user. The user can issue a LEAVE command which will tell the node
+   * to go through graceful handoff process `LEAVE -> EXITING -> REMOVED -> SHUTDOWN`.
+   */
+  private[cluster] def shutdown(): Unit = {
+    if (_isRunning.compareAndSet(true, false)) {
+      log.info("Cluster Node [{}] - Shutting down cluster Node and cluster daemons...", selfAddress)
+
+      // cancel the periodic tasks, note that otherwise they will be run when scheduler is shutdown
+      gossipTask.cancel()
+      heartbeatTask.cancel()
+      failureDetectorReaperTask.cancel()
+      leaderActionsTask.cancel()
+      clusterScheduler.close()
+
+      // FIXME isTerminated check can be removed when ticket #2221 is fixed
+      // now it prevents logging if system is shutdown (or in progress of shutdown)
+      if (!clusterDaemons.isTerminated)
+        system.stop(clusterDaemons)
+
+      try {
+        mBeanServer.unregisterMBean(clusterMBeanName)
+      } catch {
+        case e: InstanceNotFoundException ⇒ // ignore - we are running multiple cluster nodes in the same JVM (probably for testing)
+      }
+      log.info("Cluster Node [{}] - Cluster node successfully shut down", selfAddress)
+    }
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * INTERNAL API.
+   *
+   * State transition to JOINING - new node joining.
    */
   @tailrec
   private[cluster] final def joining(node: Address): Unit = {
-    log.info("Cluster Node [{}] - Node [{}] is JOINING", selfAddress, node)
-
     val localState = state.get
     val localGossip = localState.latestGossip
     val localMembers = localGossip.members
     val localUnreachable = localGossip.overview.unreachable
 
     val alreadyMember = localMembers.exists(_.address == node)
-    val isUnreachable = localUnreachable.exists { m ⇒
-      m.address == node && m.status != Down && m.status != Removed
-    }
+    val isUnreachable = localUnreachable.exists { m ⇒ m.address == node && m.status != Down }
 
     if (!alreadyMember && !isUnreachable) {
 
@@ -721,6 +759,7 @@ class Cluster(system: ExtendedActorSystem, val failureDetector: FailureDetector)
 
       if (!state.compareAndSet(localState, newState)) joining(node) // recur if we failed update
       else {
+        log.info("Cluster Node [{}] - Node [{}] is JOINING", selfAddress, node)
         // treat join as initial heartbeat, so that it becomes unavailable if nothing more happens
         if (node != selfAddress) failureDetector heartbeat node
         notifyMembershipChangeListeners(localState, newState)
@@ -729,52 +768,60 @@ class Cluster(system: ExtendedActorSystem, val failureDetector: FailureDetector)
   }
 
   /**
+   * INTERNAL API.
+   *
    * State transition to LEAVING.
    */
   @tailrec
   private[cluster] final def leaving(address: Address) {
-    log.info("Cluster Node [{}] - Marking address [{}] as LEAVING", selfAddress, address)
-
     val localState = state.get
     val localGossip = localState.latestGossip
-    val localMembers = localGossip.members
+    if (localGossip.members.exists(_.address == address)) { // only try to update if the node is available (in the member ring)
+      val newMembers = localGossip.members map { member ⇒ if (member.address == address) Member(address, Leaving) else member } // mark node as LEAVING
+      val newGossip = localGossip copy (members = newMembers)
 
-    val newMembers = localMembers + Member(address, Leaving) // mark node as LEAVING
-    val newGossip = localGossip copy (members = newMembers)
+      val versionedGossip = newGossip :+ vclockNode
+      val seenVersionedGossip = versionedGossip seen selfAddress
 
-    val versionedGossip = newGossip :+ vclockNode
-    val seenVersionedGossip = versionedGossip seen selfAddress
+      val newState = localState copy (latestGossip = seenVersionedGossip)
 
-    val newState = localState copy (latestGossip = seenVersionedGossip)
-
-    if (!state.compareAndSet(localState, newState)) leaving(address) // recur if we failed update
-    else {
-      notifyMembershipChangeListeners(localState, newState)
+      if (!state.compareAndSet(localState, newState)) leaving(address) // recur if we failed update
+      else {
+        log.info("Cluster Node [{}] - Marked address [{}] as LEAVING", selfAddress, address)
+        notifyMembershipChangeListeners(localState, newState)
+      }
     }
   }
 
-  private def notifyMembershipChangeListeners(oldState: State, newState: State): Unit = {
-    val oldMembersStatus = oldState.latestGossip.members.toSeq.map(m ⇒ (m.address, m.status))
-    val newMembersStatus = newState.latestGossip.members.toSeq.map(m ⇒ (m.address, m.status))
-    if (newMembersStatus != oldMembersStatus)
-      newState.memberMembershipChangeListeners foreach { _ notify newState.latestGossip.members }
-  }
-
   /**
+   * INTERNAL API.
+   *
    * State transition to EXITING.
    */
   private[cluster] final def exiting(address: Address): Unit = {
-    log.info("Cluster Node [{}] - Marking node [{}] as EXITING", selfAddress, address)
+    log.info("Cluster Node [{}] - Marked node [{}] as EXITING", selfAddress, address)
+    // FIXME implement when we implement hand-off
   }
 
   /**
+   * INTERNAL API.
+   *
    * State transition to REMOVED.
+   *
+   * This method is for now only called after the LEADER have sent a Removed message - telling the node
+   * to shut down himself.
+   *
+   * In the future we might change this to allow the USER to send a Removed(address) message telling an
+   * arbitrary node to be moved direcly from UP -> REMOVED.
    */
   private[cluster] final def removing(address: Address): Unit = {
-    log.info("Cluster Node [{}] - Marking node [{}] as REMOVED", selfAddress, address)
+    log.info("Cluster Node [{}] - Node has been REMOVED by the leader - shutting down...", selfAddress)
+    shutdown()
   }
 
   /**
+   * INTERNAL API.
+   *
    * The node to DOWN is removed from the 'members' set and put in the 'unreachable' set (if not already there)
    * and its status is set to DOWN. The node is also removed from the 'seen' table.
    *
@@ -832,6 +879,8 @@ class Cluster(system: ExtendedActorSystem, val failureDetector: FailureDetector)
   }
 
   /**
+   * INTERNAL API.
+   *
    * Receive new gossip.
    */
   @tailrec
@@ -845,9 +894,8 @@ class Cluster(system: ExtendedActorSystem, val failureDetector: FailureDetector)
         val mergedGossip = remoteGossip merge localGossip
         val versionedMergedGossip = mergedGossip :+ vclockNode
 
-        // FIXME change to debug log level, when failure detector is stable
-        log.info(
-          """Can't establish a causal relationship between "remote" gossip [{}] and "local" gossip [{}] - merging them into [{}]""",
+        log.debug(
+          """Can't establish a causal relationship between "remote" gossip and "local" gossip - Remote[{}] - Local[{}] - merging them into [{}]""",
           remoteGossip, localGossip, versionedMergedGossip)
 
         versionedMergedGossip
@@ -872,7 +920,7 @@ class Cluster(system: ExtendedActorSystem, val failureDetector: FailureDetector)
   }
 
   /**
-   * INTERNAL API
+   * INTERNAL API.
    */
   private[cluster] def receiveHeartbeat(from: Address): Unit = failureDetector heartbeat from
 
@@ -882,11 +930,11 @@ class Cluster(system: ExtendedActorSystem, val failureDetector: FailureDetector)
   private def autoJoin(): Unit = nodeToJoin foreach join
 
   /**
-   * INTERNAL API
+   * INTERNAL API.
    *
    * Gossips latest gossip to an address.
    */
-  private[akka] def gossipTo(address: Address): Unit = {
+  private[cluster] def gossipTo(address: Address): Unit = {
     val connection = clusterGossipConnectionFor(address)
     log.debug("Cluster Node [{}] - Gossiping to [{}]", selfAddress, connection)
     connection ! GossipEnvelope(selfAddress, latestGossip)
@@ -906,18 +954,18 @@ class Cluster(system: ExtendedActorSystem, val failureDetector: FailureDetector)
   }
 
   /**
-   * INTERNAL API
+   * INTERNAL API.
    */
-  private[akka] def gossipToUnreachableProbablity(membersSize: Int, unreachableSize: Int): Double =
+  private[cluster] def gossipToUnreachableProbablity(membersSize: Int, unreachableSize: Int): Double =
     (membersSize + unreachableSize) match {
       case 0   ⇒ 0.0
       case sum ⇒ unreachableSize.toDouble / sum
     }
 
   /**
-   * INTERNAL API
+   * INTERNAL API.
    */
-  private[akka] def gossipToDeputyProbablity(membersSize: Int, unreachableSize: Int, nrOfDeputyNodes: Int): Double = {
+  private[cluster] def gossipToDeputyProbablity(membersSize: Int, unreachableSize: Int, nrOfDeputyNodes: Int): Double = {
     if (nrOfDeputyNodes > membersSize) 1.0
     else if (nrOfDeputyNodes == 0) 0.0
     else (membersSize + unreachableSize) match {
@@ -927,11 +975,11 @@ class Cluster(system: ExtendedActorSystem, val failureDetector: FailureDetector)
   }
 
   /**
-   * INTERNAL API
+   * INTERNAL API.
    *
    * Initates a new round of gossip.
    */
-  private[akka] def gossip(): Unit = {
+  private[cluster] def gossip(): Unit = {
     val localState = state.get
 
     log.debug("Cluster Node [{}] - Initiating new round of gossip", selfAddress)
@@ -968,9 +1016,9 @@ class Cluster(system: ExtendedActorSystem, val failureDetector: FailureDetector)
   }
 
   /**
-   * INTERNAL API
+   * INTERNAL API.
    */
-  private[akka] def heartbeat(): Unit = {
+  private[cluster] def heartbeat(): Unit = {
     val localState = state.get
 
     if (!isSingletonCluster(localState)) {
@@ -985,12 +1033,12 @@ class Cluster(system: ExtendedActorSystem, val failureDetector: FailureDetector)
   }
 
   /**
-   * INTERNAL API
+   * INTERNAL API.
    *
    * Reaps the unreachable members (moves them to the 'unreachable' list in the cluster overview) according to the failure detector's verdict.
    */
   @tailrec
-  final private[akka] def reapUnreachableMembers(): Unit = {
+  final private[cluster] def reapUnreachableMembers(): Unit = {
     val localState = state.get
 
     if (!isSingletonCluster(localState) && isAvailable(localState)) {
@@ -1029,124 +1077,187 @@ class Cluster(system: ExtendedActorSystem, val failureDetector: FailureDetector)
   }
 
   /**
-   * INTERNAL API
+   * INTERNAL API.
    *
    * Runs periodic leader actions, such as auto-downing unreachable nodes, assigning partitions etc.
    */
   @tailrec
-  final private[akka] def leaderActions(): Unit = {
+  final private[cluster] def leaderActions(): Unit = {
     val localState = state.get
     val localGossip = localState.latestGossip
     val localMembers = localGossip.members
 
     val isLeader = localMembers.nonEmpty && (selfAddress == localMembers.head.address)
 
-    // FIXME implement partion handoff and a check if it is completed - now just returns TRUE - e.g. has completed successfully
-    def hasPartionHandoffCompletedSuccessfully(gossip: Gossip): Boolean = {
-      true
-    }
-
     if (isLeader && isAvailable(localState)) {
       // only run the leader actions if we are the LEADER and available
 
       val localOverview = localGossip.overview
       val localSeen = localOverview.seen
       val localUnreachableMembers = localOverview.unreachable
+      val hasPartionHandoffCompletedSuccessfully: Boolean = {
+        // FIXME implement partion handoff and a check if it is completed - now just returns TRUE - e.g. has completed successfully
+        true
+      }
 
       // Leader actions are as follows:
-      //   1. Move JOINING     => UP          -- When a node joins the cluster
-      //   2. Move EXITING     => REMOVED     -- When all nodes have seen that the node is EXITING (convergence)
+      //   1. Move EXITING     => REMOVED     -- When all nodes have seen that the node is EXITING (convergence) - remove the nodes from the node ring and seen table
+      //   2. Move JOINING     => UP          -- When a node joins the cluster
       //   3. Move LEAVING     => EXITING     -- When all partition handoff has completed
       //   4. Move UNREACHABLE => DOWN        -- When the node is in the UNREACHABLE set it can be auto-down by leader
-      //   5. Updating the vclock version for the changes
-      //   6. Updating the 'seen' table
+      //   5. Store away all stuff needed for the side-effecting processing in 10.
+      //   6. Updating the vclock version for the changes
+      //   7. Updating the 'seen' table
+      //   8. Try to update the state with the new gossip
+      //   9. If failure - retry
+      //  10. If success - run all the side-effecting processing
 
-      var hasChangedState = false
-      val newGossip =
+      val (
+        newGossip: Gossip,
+        hasChangedState: Boolean,
+        upMembers,
+        exitingMembers,
+        removedMembers,
+        unreachableButNotDownedMembers) =
 
         if (convergence(localGossip).isDefined) {
           // we have convergence - so we can't have unreachable nodes
 
+          // transform the node member ring - filterNot/map/map
           val newMembers =
-
-            localMembers map { member ⇒
+            localMembers filterNot { member ⇒
               // ----------------------
-              // 1. Move JOINING => UP (once all nodes have seen that this node is JOINING e.g. we have a convergence)
+              // 1. Move EXITING => REMOVED - e.g. remove the nodes from the 'members' set/node ring and seen table
               // ----------------------
-              if (member.status == Joining) {
-                log.info("Cluster Node [{}] - Leader is moving node [{}] from JOINING to UP", selfAddress, member.address)
-                hasChangedState = true
-                member copy (status = Up)
-              } else member
+              member.status == MemberStatus.Exiting
 
             } map { member ⇒
               // ----------------------
-              // 2. Move EXITING => REMOVED (once all nodes have seen that this node is EXITING e.g. we have a convergence)
+              // 2. Move JOINING => UP (once all nodes have seen that this node is JOINING e.g. we have a convergence)
               // ----------------------
-              if (member.status == Exiting) {
-                log.info("Cluster Node [{}] - Leader is moving node [{}] from EXITING to REMOVED", selfAddress, member.address)
-                hasChangedState = true
-                member copy (status = Removed)
-              } else member
+              if (member.status == Joining) member copy (status = Up)
+              else member
 
             } map { member ⇒
               // ----------------------
               // 3. Move LEAVING => EXITING (once we have a convergence on LEAVING *and* if we have a successful partition handoff)
               // ----------------------
-              if (member.status == Leaving && hasPartionHandoffCompletedSuccessfully(localGossip)) {
-                log.info("Cluster Node [{}] - Leader is moving node [{}] from LEAVING to EXITING", selfAddress, member.address)
-                hasChangedState = true
-                member copy (status = Exiting)
-              } else member
-
+              if (member.status == Leaving && hasPartionHandoffCompletedSuccessfully) member copy (status = Exiting)
+              else member
             }
-          localGossip copy (members = newMembers) // update gossip
+
+          // ----------------------
+          // 5. Store away all stuff needed for the side-effecting processing in 10.
+          // ----------------------
+
+          // Check for the need to do side-effecting on successful state change
+          // Repeat the checking for transitions between JOINING -> UP, LEAVING -> EXITING, EXITING -> REMOVED
+          // to check for state-changes and to store away removed and exiting members for later notification
+          //    1. check for state-changes to update
+          //    2. store away removed and exiting members so we can separate the pure state changes (that can be retried on collision) and the side-effecting message sending
+          val (removedMembers, newMembers1) = localMembers partition (_.status == Exiting)
+
+          val (upMembers, newMembers2) = newMembers1 partition (_.status == Joining)
+
+          val (exitingMembers, newMembers3) = newMembers2 partition (_.status == Leaving && hasPartionHandoffCompletedSuccessfully)
+
+          val hasChangedState = removedMembers.nonEmpty || upMembers.nonEmpty || exitingMembers.nonEmpty
+
+          // removing REMOVED nodes from the 'seen' table
+          val newSeen = localSeen -- removedMembers.map(_.address)
+
+          // removing REMOVED nodes from the 'unreachable' set
+          val newUnreachableMembers = localUnreachableMembers -- removedMembers
+
+          val newOverview = localOverview copy (seen = newSeen, unreachable = newUnreachableMembers) // update gossip overview
+          val newGossip = localGossip copy (members = newMembers, overview = newOverview) // update gossip
+
+          (newGossip, hasChangedState, upMembers, exitingMembers, removedMembers, Set.empty[Member])
 
         } else if (AutoDown) {
           // we don't have convergence - so we might have unreachable nodes
+
           // if 'auto-down' is turned on, then try to auto-down any unreachable nodes
-
-          // ----------------------
-          // 4. Move UNREACHABLE => DOWN (auto-downing by leader)
-          // ----------------------
-          val newUnreachableMembers =
-            localUnreachableMembers.map { member ⇒
-              // no need to DOWN members already DOWN
-              if (member.status == Down) member
-              else {
-                log.info("Cluster Node [{}] - Leader is marking unreachable node [{}] as DOWN", selfAddress, member.address)
-                hasChangedState = true
-                member copy (status = Down)
-              }
-            }
-
-          // removing nodes marked as DOWN from the 'seen' table
-          val newSeen = localSeen -- newUnreachableMembers.collect {
-            case m if m.status == Down ⇒ m.address
+          val newUnreachableMembers = localUnreachableMembers.map { member ⇒
+            // ----------------------
+            // 5. Move UNREACHABLE => DOWN (auto-downing by leader)
+            // ----------------------
+            if (member.status == Down) member // no need to DOWN members already DOWN
+            else member copy (status = Down)
           }
 
-          val newOverview = localOverview copy (seen = newSeen, unreachable = newUnreachableMembers) // update gossip overview
-          localGossip copy (overview = newOverview) // update gossip
+          // Check for the need to do side-effecting on successful state change
+          val (unreachableButNotDownedMembers, _) = localUnreachableMembers partition (_.status != Down)
 
-        } else localGossip
+          // removing nodes marked as DOWN from the 'seen' table
+          val newSeen = localSeen -- newUnreachableMembers.collect { case m if m.status == Down ⇒ m.address }
+
+          val newOverview = localOverview copy (seen = newSeen, unreachable = newUnreachableMembers) // update gossip overview
+          val newGossip = localGossip copy (overview = newOverview) // update gossip
+
+          (newGossip, unreachableButNotDownedMembers.nonEmpty, Set.empty[Member], Set.empty[Member], Set.empty[Member], unreachableButNotDownedMembers)
+
+        } else (localGossip, false, Set.empty[Member], Set.empty[Member], Set.empty[Member], Set.empty[Member])
 
       if (hasChangedState) { // we have a change of state - version it and try to update
-
         // ----------------------
-        // 5. Updating the vclock version for the changes
+        // 6. Updating the vclock version for the changes
         // ----------------------
         val versionedGossip = newGossip :+ vclockNode
 
         // ----------------------
-        // 6. Updating the 'seen' table
+        // 7. Updating the 'seen' table
+        //    Unless the leader (this node) is part of the removed members, i.e. the leader have moved himself from EXITING -> REMOVED
         // ----------------------
-        val seenVersionedGossip = versionedGossip seen selfAddress
+        val seenVersionedGossip =
+          if (removedMembers.exists(_.address == selfAddress)) versionedGossip
+          else versionedGossip seen selfAddress
 
         val newState = localState copy (latestGossip = seenVersionedGossip)
 
-        // if we won the race then update else try again
-        if (!state.compareAndSet(localState, newState)) leaderActions() // recur
-        else {
+        // ----------------------
+        // 8. Try to update the state with the new gossip
+        // ----------------------
+        if (!state.compareAndSet(localState, newState)) {
+
+          // ----------------------
+          // 9. Failure - retry
+          // ----------------------
+          leaderActions() // recur
+
+        } else {
+          // ----------------------
+          // 10. Success - run all the side-effecting processing
+          // ----------------------
+
+          // if (removedMembers.exists(_.address == selfAddress)) {
+          //   // we now know that this node (the leader) is just about to shut down since it will be moved from EXITING -> REMOVED
+          //   // so now let's gossip out this information directly since there will not be any other chance
+          //   gossip()
+          // }
+
+          // log the move of members from joining to up
+          upMembers foreach { member ⇒ log.info("Cluster Node [{}] - Leader is moving node [{}] from JOINING to UP", selfAddress, member.address) }
+
+          //  tell all removed members to remove and shut down themselves
+          removedMembers foreach { member ⇒
+            val address = member.address
+            log.info("Cluster Node [{}] - Leader is moving node [{}] from EXITING to REMOVED - and removing node from node ring", selfAddress, address)
+            clusterCommandConnectionFor(address) ! ClusterLeaderAction.Remove(address)
+          }
+
+          //  tell all exiting members to exit
+          exitingMembers foreach { member ⇒
+            val address = member.address
+            log.info("Cluster Node [{}] - Leader is moving node [{}] from LEAVING to EXITING", selfAddress, address)
+            clusterCommandConnectionFor(address) ! ClusterLeaderAction.Exit(address) // FIXME should use ? to await completion of handoff?
+          }
+
+          // log the auto-downing of the unreachable nodes
+          unreachableButNotDownedMembers foreach { member ⇒
+            log.info("Cluster Node [{}] - Leader is marking unreachable node [{}] as DOWN", selfAddress, member.address)
+          }
+
           notifyMembershipChangeListeners(localState, newState)
         }
       }
@@ -1170,9 +1281,7 @@ class Cluster(system: ExtendedActorSystem, val failureDetector: FailureDetector)
     // Else we can't continue to check for convergence
     // When that is done we check that all the entries in the 'seen' table have the same vector clock version
     // and that all members exists in seen table
-    val hasUnreachable = unreachable.nonEmpty && unreachable.exists { m ⇒
-      m.status != Down && m.status != Removed
-    }
+    val hasUnreachable = unreachable.nonEmpty && unreachable.exists { _.status != Down }
     val allMembersInSeen = gossip.members.forall(m ⇒ seen.contains(m.address))
 
     if (hasUnreachable) {
@@ -1201,14 +1310,18 @@ class Cluster(system: ExtendedActorSystem, val failureDetector: FailureDetector)
 
   private def isUnavailable(state: State): Boolean = {
     val localGossip = state.latestGossip
-    val localOverview = localGossip.overview
-    val localMembers = localGossip.members
-    val localUnreachableMembers = localOverview.unreachable
-    val isUnreachable = localUnreachableMembers exists { _.address == selfAddress }
-    val hasUnavailableMemberStatus = localMembers exists { m ⇒ (m == self) && m.status.isUnavailable }
+    val isUnreachable = localGossip.overview.unreachable exists { _.address == selfAddress }
+    val hasUnavailableMemberStatus = localGossip.members exists { m ⇒ (m == self) && m.status.isUnavailable }
     isUnreachable || hasUnavailableMemberStatus
   }
 
+  private def notifyMembershipChangeListeners(oldState: State, newState: State): Unit = {
+    val oldMembersStatus = oldState.latestGossip.members.map(m ⇒ (m.address, m.status))
+    val newMembersStatus = newState.latestGossip.members.map(m ⇒ (m.address, m.status))
+    if (newMembersStatus != oldMembersStatus)
+      newState.memberMembershipChangeListeners foreach { _ notify newState.latestGossip.members }
+  }
+
   /**
    * Looks up and returns the local cluster command connection.
    */
@@ -1231,9 +1344,9 @@ class Cluster(system: ExtendedActorSystem, val failureDetector: FailureDetector)
     addresses drop 1 take NrOfDeputyNodes filterNot (_ == selfAddress)
 
   /**
-   * INTERNAL API
+   * INTERNAL API.
    */
-  private[akka] def selectRandomNode(addresses: IndexedSeq[Address]): Option[Address] =
+  private[cluster] def selectRandomNode(addresses: IndexedSeq[Address]): Option[Address] =
     if (addresses.isEmpty) None
     else Some(addresses(ThreadLocalRandom.current nextInt addresses.size))
 
@@ -1276,6 +1389,8 @@ class Cluster(system: ExtendedActorSystem, val failureDetector: FailureDetector)
 
       def isAvailable: Boolean = clusterNode.isAvailable
 
+      def isRunning: Boolean = clusterNode.isRunning
+
       // JMX commands
 
       def join(address: String) = clusterNode.join(AddressFromURIString(address))
@@ -1283,10 +1398,6 @@ class Cluster(system: ExtendedActorSystem, val failureDetector: FailureDetector)
       def leave(address: String) = clusterNode.leave(AddressFromURIString(address))
 
       def down(address: String) = clusterNode.down(AddressFromURIString(address))
-
-      def remove(address: String) = clusterNode.remove(AddressFromURIString(address))
-
-      def shutdown() = clusterNode.shutdown()
     }
     log.info("Cluster Node [{}] - registering cluster JMX MBean [{}]", selfAddress, clusterMBeanName)
     try {
diff --git a/akka-cluster/src/multi-jvm/scala/akka/cluster/ConvergenceSpec.scala b/akka-cluster/src/multi-jvm/scala/akka/cluster/ConvergenceSpec.scala
index a8e985412f..0293697a7d 100644
--- a/akka-cluster/src/multi-jvm/scala/akka/cluster/ConvergenceSpec.scala
+++ b/akka-cluster/src/multi-jvm/scala/akka/cluster/ConvergenceSpec.scala
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ abstract class ConvergenceSpec
 
   "A cluster of 3 members" must {
 
-    "reach initial convergence" taggedAs LongRunningTest ignore {
+    "reach initial convergence" taggedAs LongRunningTest in {
       awaitClusterUp(first, second, third)
 
       runOn(fourth) {
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ abstract class ConvergenceSpec
       enterBarrier("after-1")
     }
 
-    "not reach convergence while any nodes are unreachable" taggedAs LongRunningTest ignore {
+    "not reach convergence while any nodes are unreachable" taggedAs LongRunningTest in {
       val thirdAddress = node(third).address
       enterBarrier("before-shutdown")
 
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ abstract class ConvergenceSpec
       enterBarrier("after-2")
     }
 
-    "not move a new joining node to Up while there is no convergence" taggedAs LongRunningTest ignore {
+    "not move a new joining node to Up while there is no convergence" taggedAs LongRunningTest in {
       runOn(fourth) {
         // try to join
         cluster.join(node(first).address)
diff --git a/akka-cluster/src/multi-jvm/scala/akka/cluster/JoinTwoClustersSpec.scala b/akka-cluster/src/multi-jvm/scala/akka/cluster/JoinTwoClustersSpec.scala
index f4ea161b2a..4b64bb6e58 100644
--- a/akka-cluster/src/multi-jvm/scala/akka/cluster/JoinTwoClustersSpec.scala
+++ b/akka-cluster/src/multi-jvm/scala/akka/cluster/JoinTwoClustersSpec.scala
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ object JoinTwoClustersMultiJvmSpec extends MultiNodeConfig {
   val c1 = role("c1")
   val c2 = role("c2")
 
-  commonConfig(debugConfig(on = true).withFallback(MultiNodeClusterSpec.clusterConfig))
+  commonConfig(debugConfig(on = false).withFallback(MultiNodeClusterSpec.clusterConfig))
 }
 
 class JoinTwoClustersMultiJvmNode1 extends JoinTwoClustersSpec with FailureDetectorPuppetStrategy
diff --git a/akka-cluster/src/multi-jvm/scala/akka/cluster/LeaderLeavingSpec.scala b/akka-cluster/src/multi-jvm/scala/akka/cluster/LeaderLeavingSpec.scala
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..37312a7351
--- /dev/null
+++ b/akka-cluster/src/multi-jvm/scala/akka/cluster/LeaderLeavingSpec.scala
@@ -0,0 +1,87 @@
+/**
+ *  Copyright (C) 2009-2012 Typesafe Inc. <http://www.typesafe.com>
+ */
+package akka.cluster
+
+import scala.collection.immutable.SortedSet
+import com.typesafe.config.ConfigFactory
+import akka.remote.testkit.MultiNodeConfig
+import akka.remote.testkit.MultiNodeSpec
+import akka.testkit._
+import akka.util.duration._
+
+object LeaderLeavingMultiJvmSpec extends MultiNodeConfig {
+  val first = role("first")
+  val second = role("second")
+  val third = role("third")
+
+  commonConfig(
+    debugConfig(on = false)
+      .withFallback(ConfigFactory.parseString("""
+        akka.cluster {
+          leader-actions-interval           = 5 s  # increase the leader action task frequency to make sure we get a chance to test the LEAVING state
+          unreachable-nodes-reaper-interval = 30 s
+        }""")
+      .withFallback(MultiNodeClusterSpec.clusterConfig)))
+}
+
+class LeaderLeavingMultiJvmNode1 extends LeaderLeavingSpec with FailureDetectorPuppetStrategy
+class LeaderLeavingMultiJvmNode2 extends LeaderLeavingSpec with FailureDetectorPuppetStrategy
+class LeaderLeavingMultiJvmNode3 extends LeaderLeavingSpec with FailureDetectorPuppetStrategy
+
+abstract class LeaderLeavingSpec
+  extends MultiNodeSpec(LeaderLeavingMultiJvmSpec)
+  with MultiNodeClusterSpec {
+
+  import LeaderLeavingMultiJvmSpec._
+
+  lazy val firstAddress = node(first).address
+  lazy val secondAddress = node(second).address
+  lazy val thirdAddress = node(third).address
+
+  "A LEADER that is LEAVING" must {
+
+    "be moved to LEAVING, then to EXITING, then to REMOVED, then be shut down and then a new LEADER should be elected" taggedAs LongRunningTest in {
+
+      awaitClusterUp(first, second, third)
+
+      val oldLeaderAddress = cluster.leader
+
+      if (cluster.isLeader) {
+
+        cluster.leave(oldLeaderAddress)
+        testConductor.enter("leader-left")
+
+        // verify that a NEW LEADER have taken over
+        awaitCond(!cluster.isLeader)
+
+        // verify that the LEADER is shut down
+        awaitCond(!cluster.isRunning, 30.seconds.dilated)
+
+        // verify that the LEADER is REMOVED
+        awaitCond(cluster.status == MemberStatus.Removed)
+
+      } else {
+
+        testConductor.enter("leader-left")
+
+        // verify that the LEADER is LEAVING
+        awaitCond(cluster.latestGossip.members.exists(m => m.status == MemberStatus.Leaving && m.address == oldLeaderAddress)) // wait on LEAVING
+
+        // verify that the LEADER is EXITING
+        awaitCond(cluster.latestGossip.members.exists(m => m.status == MemberStatus.Exiting && m.address == oldLeaderAddress)) // wait on EXITING
+
+        // verify that the LEADER is no longer part of the 'members' set
+        awaitCond(cluster.latestGossip.members.forall(_.address != oldLeaderAddress))
+
+        // verify that the LEADER is not part of the 'unreachable' set
+        awaitCond(cluster.latestGossip.overview.unreachable.forall(_.address != oldLeaderAddress))
+
+        // verify that we have a new LEADER
+        awaitCond(cluster.leader != oldLeaderAddress)
+      }
+
+      testConductor.enter("finished")
+    }
+  }
+}
diff --git a/akka-cluster/src/multi-jvm/scala/akka/cluster/MembershipChangeListenerExitingSpec.scala b/akka-cluster/src/multi-jvm/scala/akka/cluster/MembershipChangeListenerExitingSpec.scala
index 5b396cd2b9..da6c6528c2 100644
--- a/akka-cluster/src/multi-jvm/scala/akka/cluster/MembershipChangeListenerExitingSpec.scala
+++ b/akka-cluster/src/multi-jvm/scala/akka/cluster/MembershipChangeListenerExitingSpec.scala
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ object MembershipChangeListenerExitingMultiJvmSpec extends MultiNodeConfig {
       .withFallback(ConfigFactory.parseString("""
         akka.cluster {
           leader-actions-interval           = 5 s  # increase the leader action task interval
-          unreachable-nodes-reaper-interval = 30 s # turn "off" reaping to unreachable node set
+          unreachable-nodes-reaper-interval = 300 s # turn "off" reaping to unreachable node set
         }
       """)
         .withFallback(MultiNodeClusterSpec.clusterConfig)))
diff --git a/akka-cluster/src/multi-jvm/scala/akka/cluster/MembershipChangeListenerLeavingSpec.scala b/akka-cluster/src/multi-jvm/scala/akka/cluster/MembershipChangeListenerLeavingSpec.scala
index 2d93f4a5dd..fddcf4f359 100644
--- a/akka-cluster/src/multi-jvm/scala/akka/cluster/MembershipChangeListenerLeavingSpec.scala
+++ b/akka-cluster/src/multi-jvm/scala/akka/cluster/MembershipChangeListenerLeavingSpec.scala
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ object MembershipChangeListenerLeavingMultiJvmSpec extends MultiNodeConfig {
     debugConfig(on = false)
       .withFallback(ConfigFactory.parseString("""
         akka.cluster.leader-actions-interval           = 5 s
-        akka.cluster.unreachable-nodes-reaper-interval = 30 s
+        akka.cluster.unreachable-nodes-reaper-interval = 300 s # turn "off"
       """))
       .withFallback(MultiNodeClusterSpec.clusterConfig))
 }
diff --git a/akka-cluster/src/multi-jvm/scala/akka/cluster/MultiNodeClusterSpec.scala b/akka-cluster/src/multi-jvm/scala/akka/cluster/MultiNodeClusterSpec.scala
index 0b1703642f..a106234735 100644
--- a/akka-cluster/src/multi-jvm/scala/akka/cluster/MultiNodeClusterSpec.scala
+++ b/akka-cluster/src/multi-jvm/scala/akka/cluster/MultiNodeClusterSpec.scala
@@ -5,12 +5,15 @@ package akka.cluster
 
 import com.typesafe.config.Config
 import com.typesafe.config.ConfigFactory
-import akka.actor.{Address, ExtendedActorSystem}
+import akka.actor.{ Address, ExtendedActorSystem }
 import akka.remote.testconductor.RoleName
 import akka.remote.testkit.MultiNodeSpec
 import akka.testkit._
 import akka.util.duration._
 import akka.util.Duration
+import org.scalatest.Suite
+import org.scalatest.TestFailedException
+import scala.util.control.NoStackTrace
 
 object MultiNodeClusterSpec {
   def clusterConfig: Config = ConfigFactory.parseString("""
@@ -29,10 +32,28 @@ object MultiNodeClusterSpec {
     """)
 }
 
-trait MultiNodeClusterSpec extends FailureDetectorStrategy { self: MultiNodeSpec ⇒
+trait MultiNodeClusterSpec extends FailureDetectorStrategy with Suite { self: MultiNodeSpec ⇒
 
   override def initialParticipants = roles.size
 
+  // Cluster tests are written so that if previous step (test method) failed
+  // it will most likely not be possible to run next step. This ensures
+  // fail fast of steps after the first failure.
+  private var failed = false
+  override protected def withFixture(test: NoArgTest): Unit = try {
+    if (failed) {
+      val e = new TestFailedException("Previous step failed", 0)
+      // short stack trace
+      e.setStackTrace(e.getStackTrace.take(1))
+      throw e
+    }
+    super.withFixture(test)
+  } catch {
+    case t ⇒
+      failed = true
+      throw t
+  }
+
   /**
    * The cluster node instance. Needs to be lazily created.
    */
@@ -151,6 +172,6 @@ trait MultiNodeClusterSpec extends FailureDetectorStrategy { self: MultiNodeSpec
   }
 
   def roleName(address: Address): Option[RoleName] = {
-    testConductor.getNodes.await.find(node(_).address == address)
+    roles.find(node(_).address == address)
   }
 }
diff --git a/akka-cluster/src/multi-jvm/scala/akka/cluster/NodeLeavingAndExitingAndBeingRemovedSpec.scala b/akka-cluster/src/multi-jvm/scala/akka/cluster/NodeLeavingAndExitingAndBeingRemovedSpec.scala
index 426f26ef6a..ab115d65e5 100644
--- a/akka-cluster/src/multi-jvm/scala/akka/cluster/NodeLeavingAndExitingAndBeingRemovedSpec.scala
+++ b/akka-cluster/src/multi-jvm/scala/akka/cluster/NodeLeavingAndExitingAndBeingRemovedSpec.scala
@@ -18,9 +18,9 @@ object NodeLeavingAndExitingAndBeingRemovedMultiJvmSpec extends MultiNodeConfig
   commonConfig(debugConfig(on = false).withFallback(MultiNodeClusterSpec.clusterConfig))
 }
 
-class NodeLeavingAndExitingAndBeingRemovedMultiJvmNode1 extends NodeLeavingAndExitingAndBeingRemovedSpec with AccrualFailureDetectorStrategy
-class NodeLeavingAndExitingAndBeingRemovedMultiJvmNode2 extends NodeLeavingAndExitingAndBeingRemovedSpec with AccrualFailureDetectorStrategy
-class NodeLeavingAndExitingAndBeingRemovedMultiJvmNode3 extends NodeLeavingAndExitingAndBeingRemovedSpec with AccrualFailureDetectorStrategy
+class NodeLeavingAndExitingAndBeingRemovedMultiJvmNode1 extends NodeLeavingAndExitingAndBeingRemovedSpec with FailureDetectorPuppetStrategy
+class NodeLeavingAndExitingAndBeingRemovedMultiJvmNode2 extends NodeLeavingAndExitingAndBeingRemovedSpec with FailureDetectorPuppetStrategy
+class NodeLeavingAndExitingAndBeingRemovedMultiJvmNode3 extends NodeLeavingAndExitingAndBeingRemovedSpec with FailureDetectorPuppetStrategy
 
 abstract class NodeLeavingAndExitingAndBeingRemovedSpec
   extends MultiNodeSpec(NodeLeavingAndExitingAndBeingRemovedMultiJvmSpec)
@@ -36,8 +36,7 @@ abstract class NodeLeavingAndExitingAndBeingRemovedSpec
 
   "A node that is LEAVING a non-singleton cluster" must {
 
-    // FIXME make it work and remove ignore
-    "be moved to EXITING and then to REMOVED by the reaper" taggedAs LongRunningTest ignore {
+    "eventually set to REMOVED by the reaper, and removed from membership ring and seen table" taggedAs LongRunningTest in {
 
       awaitClusterUp(first, second, third)
 
@@ -50,13 +49,14 @@ abstract class NodeLeavingAndExitingAndBeingRemovedSpec
         // verify that the 'second' node is no longer part of the 'members' set
         awaitCond(cluster.latestGossip.members.forall(_.address != secondAddress), reaperWaitingTime)
 
-        // verify that the 'second' node is part of the 'unreachable' set
-        awaitCond(cluster.latestGossip.overview.unreachable.exists(_.status == MemberStatus.Removed), reaperWaitingTime)
+        // verify that the 'second' node is not part of the 'unreachable' set
+        awaitCond(cluster.latestGossip.overview.unreachable.forall(_.address != secondAddress), reaperWaitingTime)
+      }
 
-        // verify node that got removed is 'second' node
-        val isRemoved = cluster.latestGossip.overview.unreachable.find(_.status == MemberStatus.Removed)
-        isRemoved must be('defined)
-        isRemoved.get.address must be(secondAddress)
+      runOn(second) {
+        // verify that the second node is shut down and has status REMOVED
+        awaitCond(!cluster.isRunning, reaperWaitingTime)
+        awaitCond(cluster.status == MemberStatus.Removed, reaperWaitingTime)
       }
 
       enterBarrier("finished")
diff --git a/akka-cluster/src/multi-jvm/scala/akka/cluster/NodeLeavingAndExitingSpec.scala b/akka-cluster/src/multi-jvm/scala/akka/cluster/NodeLeavingAndExitingSpec.scala
index c101c0d9a1..a091a9db87 100644
--- a/akka-cluster/src/multi-jvm/scala/akka/cluster/NodeLeavingAndExitingSpec.scala
+++ b/akka-cluster/src/multi-jvm/scala/akka/cluster/NodeLeavingAndExitingSpec.scala
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ object NodeLeavingAndExitingMultiJvmSpec extends MultiNodeConfig {
       .withFallback(ConfigFactory.parseString("""
         akka.cluster {
           leader-actions-interval           = 5 s  # increase the leader action task frequency to make sure we get a chance to test the LEAVING state
-          unreachable-nodes-reaper-interval = 30 s
+          unreachable-nodes-reaper-interval = 300 s # turn "off"
         }
       """)
         .withFallback(MultiNodeClusterSpec.clusterConfig)))
@@ -42,8 +42,7 @@ abstract class NodeLeavingAndExitingSpec
 
   "A node that is LEAVING a non-singleton cluster" must {
 
-    // FIXME make it work and remove ignore
-    "be moved to EXITING by the leader" taggedAs LongRunningTest ignore {
+    "be moved to EXITING by the leader" taggedAs LongRunningTest in {
 
       awaitClusterUp(first, second, third)
 
diff --git a/akka-cluster/src/multi-jvm/scala/akka/cluster/NodeLeavingSpec.scala b/akka-cluster/src/multi-jvm/scala/akka/cluster/NodeLeavingSpec.scala
index 11d943d02f..f2a942906b 100644
--- a/akka-cluster/src/multi-jvm/scala/akka/cluster/NodeLeavingSpec.scala
+++ b/akka-cluster/src/multi-jvm/scala/akka/cluster/NodeLeavingSpec.scala
@@ -36,8 +36,7 @@ abstract class NodeLeavingSpec
 
   "A node that is LEAVING a non-singleton cluster" must {
 
-    // FIXME make it work and remove ignore
-    "be marked as LEAVING in the converged membership table" taggedAs LongRunningTest ignore {
+    "be marked as LEAVING in the converged membership table" taggedAs LongRunningTest in {
 
       awaitClusterUp(first, second, third)
 
diff --git a/akka-cluster/src/multi-jvm/scala/akka/cluster/SunnyWeatherSpec.scala b/akka-cluster/src/multi-jvm/scala/akka/cluster/SunnyWeatherSpec.scala
index 33b7a9ccc0..c283665b30 100644
--- a/akka-cluster/src/multi-jvm/scala/akka/cluster/SunnyWeatherSpec.scala
+++ b/akka-cluster/src/multi-jvm/scala/akka/cluster/SunnyWeatherSpec.scala
@@ -21,18 +21,19 @@ object SunnyWeatherMultiJvmSpec extends MultiNodeConfig {
 
   commonConfig(ConfigFactory.parseString("""
     akka.cluster {
-      gossip-interval    = 400 ms
       nr-of-deputy-nodes = 0
+      # FIXME remove this (use default) when ticket #2239 has been fixed
+      gossip-interval = 400 ms
     }
     akka.loglevel = INFO
     """))
 }
 
-class SunnyWeatherMultiJvmNode1 extends SunnyWeatherSpec with FailureDetectorPuppetStrategy
-class SunnyWeatherMultiJvmNode2 extends SunnyWeatherSpec with FailureDetectorPuppetStrategy
-class SunnyWeatherMultiJvmNode3 extends SunnyWeatherSpec with FailureDetectorPuppetStrategy
-class SunnyWeatherMultiJvmNode4 extends SunnyWeatherSpec with FailureDetectorPuppetStrategy
-class SunnyWeatherMultiJvmNode5 extends SunnyWeatherSpec with FailureDetectorPuppetStrategy
+class SunnyWeatherMultiJvmNode1 extends SunnyWeatherSpec with AccrualFailureDetectorStrategy
+class SunnyWeatherMultiJvmNode2 extends SunnyWeatherSpec with AccrualFailureDetectorStrategy
+class SunnyWeatherMultiJvmNode3 extends SunnyWeatherSpec with AccrualFailureDetectorStrategy
+class SunnyWeatherMultiJvmNode4 extends SunnyWeatherSpec with AccrualFailureDetectorStrategy
+class SunnyWeatherMultiJvmNode5 extends SunnyWeatherSpec with AccrualFailureDetectorStrategy
 
 abstract class SunnyWeatherSpec
   extends MultiNodeSpec(SunnyWeatherMultiJvmSpec)
diff --git a/akka-cluster/src/multi-jvm/scala/akka/cluster/TransitionSpec.scala b/akka-cluster/src/multi-jvm/scala/akka/cluster/TransitionSpec.scala
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..0fb3cb03c4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/akka-cluster/src/multi-jvm/scala/akka/cluster/TransitionSpec.scala
@@ -0,0 +1,435 @@
+/**
+ *  Copyright (C) 2009-2012 Typesafe Inc. <http://www.typesafe.com>
+ */
+
+package akka.cluster
+
+import com.typesafe.config.ConfigFactory
+import akka.remote.testkit.MultiNodeConfig
+import akka.remote.testkit.MultiNodeSpec
+import akka.testkit._
+import akka.actor.Address
+import akka.remote.testconductor.RoleName
+import MemberStatus._
+
+object TransitionMultiJvmSpec extends MultiNodeConfig {
+  val first = role("first")
+  val second = role("second")
+  val third = role("third")
+  val fourth = role("fourth")
+  val fifth = role("fifth")
+
+  commonConfig(debugConfig(on = false).
+    withFallback(ConfigFactory.parseString(
+      "akka.cluster.periodic-tasks-initial-delay = 300 s # turn off all periodic tasks")).
+    withFallback(MultiNodeClusterSpec.clusterConfig))
+}
+
+class TransitionMultiJvmNode1 extends TransitionSpec with FailureDetectorPuppetStrategy
+class TransitionMultiJvmNode2 extends TransitionSpec with FailureDetectorPuppetStrategy
+class TransitionMultiJvmNode3 extends TransitionSpec with FailureDetectorPuppetStrategy
+class TransitionMultiJvmNode4 extends TransitionSpec with FailureDetectorPuppetStrategy
+class TransitionMultiJvmNode5 extends TransitionSpec with FailureDetectorPuppetStrategy
+
+abstract class TransitionSpec
+  extends MultiNodeSpec(TransitionMultiJvmSpec)
+  with MultiNodeClusterSpec {
+
+  import TransitionMultiJvmSpec._
+
+  // sorted in the order used by the cluster
+  def leader(roles: RoleName*) = roles.sorted.head
+  def nonLeader(roles: RoleName*) = roles.toSeq.sorted.tail
+
+  def memberStatus(address: Address): MemberStatus = {
+    val statusOption = (cluster.latestGossip.members ++ cluster.latestGossip.overview.unreachable).collectFirst {
+      case m if m.address == address ⇒ m.status
+    }
+    statusOption must not be (None)
+    statusOption.get
+  }
+
+  def memberAddresses: Set[Address] = cluster.latestGossip.members.map(_.address)
+
+  def members: Set[RoleName] = memberAddresses.flatMap(roleName(_))
+
+  def seenLatestGossip: Set[RoleName] = {
+    val gossip = cluster.latestGossip
+    gossip.overview.seen.collect {
+      case (address, v) if v == gossip.version ⇒ roleName(address)
+    }.flatten.toSet
+  }
+
+  def awaitSeen(addresses: Address*): Unit = awaitCond {
+    seenLatestGossip.map(node(_).address) == addresses.toSet
+  }
+
+  def awaitMembers(addresses: Address*): Unit = awaitCond {
+    memberAddresses == addresses.toSet
+  }
+
+  def awaitMemberStatus(address: Address, status: MemberStatus): Unit = awaitCond {
+    memberStatus(address) == Up
+  }
+
+  // implicit conversion from RoleName to Address
+  implicit def role2Address(role: RoleName): Address = node(role).address
+
+  // DSL sugar for `role1 gossipTo role2`
+  implicit def roleExtras(role: RoleName): RoleWrapper = new RoleWrapper(role)
+  var gossipBarrierCounter = 0
+  class RoleWrapper(fromRole: RoleName) {
+    def gossipTo(toRole: RoleName): Unit = {
+      gossipBarrierCounter += 1
+      runOn(toRole) {
+        val g = cluster.latestGossip
+        testConductor.enter("before-gossip-" + gossipBarrierCounter)
+        awaitCond(cluster.latestGossip != g) // received gossip
+        testConductor.enter("after-gossip-" + gossipBarrierCounter)
+      }
+      runOn(fromRole) {
+        testConductor.enter("before-gossip-" + gossipBarrierCounter)
+        cluster.gossipTo(node(toRole).address) // send gossip
+        testConductor.enter("after-gossip-" + gossipBarrierCounter)
+      }
+      runOn(roles.filterNot(r ⇒ r == fromRole || r == toRole): _*) {
+        testConductor.enter("before-gossip-" + gossipBarrierCounter)
+        testConductor.enter("after-gossip-" + gossipBarrierCounter)
+      }
+    }
+  }
+
+  "A Cluster" must {
+
+    "start nodes as singleton clusters" taggedAs LongRunningTest in {
+
+      startClusterNode()
+      cluster.isSingletonCluster must be(true)
+      cluster.status must be(Joining)
+      cluster.convergence.isDefined must be(true)
+      cluster.leaderActions()
+      cluster.status must be(Up)
+
+      testConductor.enter("after-1")
+    }
+
+    "perform correct transitions when second joining first" taggedAs LongRunningTest in {
+
+      runOn(second) {
+        cluster.join(first)
+      }
+      runOn(first) {
+        awaitMembers(first, second)
+        memberStatus(first) must be(Up)
+        memberStatus(second) must be(Joining)
+        cluster.convergence.isDefined must be(false)
+      }
+      testConductor.enter("second-joined")
+
+      first gossipTo second
+      runOn(second) {
+        members must be(Set(first, second))
+        memberStatus(first) must be(Up)
+        memberStatus(second) must be(Joining)
+        // we got a conflicting version in second, and therefore not convergence in second
+        seenLatestGossip must be(Set(second))
+        cluster.convergence.isDefined must be(false)
+      }
+
+      second gossipTo first
+      runOn(first) {
+        seenLatestGossip must be(Set(first, second))
+      }
+
+      first gossipTo second
+      runOn(second) {
+        seenLatestGossip must be(Set(first, second))
+      }
+
+      runOn(first, second) {
+        memberStatus(first) must be(Up)
+        memberStatus(second) must be(Joining)
+        cluster.convergence.isDefined must be(true)
+      }
+      testConductor.enter("convergence-joining-2")
+
+      runOn(leader(first, second)) {
+        cluster.leaderActions()
+        memberStatus(first) must be(Up)
+        memberStatus(second) must be(Up)
+      }
+      testConductor.enter("leader-actions-2")
+
+      leader(first, second) gossipTo nonLeader(first, second).head
+      runOn(nonLeader(first, second).head) {
+        memberStatus(first) must be(Up)
+        memberStatus(second) must be(Up)
+        seenLatestGossip must be(Set(first, second))
+        cluster.convergence.isDefined must be(true)
+      }
+
+      nonLeader(first, second).head gossipTo leader(first, second)
+      runOn(first, second) {
+        memberStatus(first) must be(Up)
+        memberStatus(second) must be(Up)
+        seenLatestGossip must be(Set(first, second))
+        cluster.convergence.isDefined must be(true)
+      }
+
+      testConductor.enter("after-2")
+    }
+
+    "perform correct transitions when third joins second" taggedAs LongRunningTest in {
+
+      runOn(third) {
+        cluster.join(second)
+      }
+      runOn(second) {
+        awaitMembers(first, second, third)
+        cluster.convergence.isDefined must be(false)
+        memberStatus(third) must be(Joining)
+        seenLatestGossip must be(Set(second))
+      }
+      testConductor.enter("third-joined-second")
+
+      second gossipTo first
+      runOn(first) {
+        members must be(Set(first, second, third))
+        cluster.convergence.isDefined must be(false)
+        memberStatus(third) must be(Joining)
+      }
+
+      first gossipTo third
+      runOn(third) {
+        members must be(Set(first, second, third))
+        cluster.convergence.isDefined must be(false)
+        memberStatus(third) must be(Joining)
+        // conflicting version
+        seenLatestGossip must be(Set(third))
+      }
+
+      third gossipTo first
+      third gossipTo second
+      runOn(first, second) {
+        seenLatestGossip must be(Set(myself, third))
+      }
+
+      first gossipTo second
+      runOn(second) {
+        seenLatestGossip must be(Set(first, second, third))
+        cluster.convergence.isDefined must be(true)
+      }
+
+      runOn(first, third) {
+        cluster.convergence.isDefined must be(false)
+      }
+
+      second gossipTo first
+      second gossipTo third
+      runOn(first, second, third) {
+        seenLatestGossip must be(Set(first, second, third))
+        memberStatus(first) must be(Up)
+        memberStatus(second) must be(Up)
+        memberStatus(third) must be(Joining)
+        cluster.convergence.isDefined must be(true)
+      }
+
+      testConductor.enter("convergence-joining-3")
+
+      runOn(leader(first, second, third)) {
+        cluster.leaderActions()
+        memberStatus(first) must be(Up)
+        memberStatus(second) must be(Up)
+        memberStatus(third) must be(Up)
+      }
+      testConductor.enter("leader-actions-3")
+
+      // leader gossipTo first non-leader
+      leader(first, second, third) gossipTo nonLeader(first, second, third).head
+      runOn(nonLeader(first, second, third).head) {
+        memberStatus(third) must be(Up)
+        seenLatestGossip must be(Set(leader(first, second, third), myself))
+        cluster.convergence.isDefined must be(false)
+      }
+
+      // first non-leader gossipTo the other non-leader
+      nonLeader(first, second, third).head gossipTo nonLeader(first, second, third).tail.head
+      runOn(nonLeader(first, second, third).head) {
+        cluster.gossipTo(node(nonLeader(first, second, third).tail.head).address)
+      }
+      runOn(nonLeader(first, second, third).tail.head) {
+        memberStatus(third) must be(Up)
+        seenLatestGossip must be(Set(first, second, third))
+        cluster.convergence.isDefined must be(true)
+      }
+
+      // and back again
+      nonLeader(first, second, third).tail.head gossipTo nonLeader(first, second, third).head
+      runOn(nonLeader(first, second, third).head) {
+        memberStatus(third) must be(Up)
+        seenLatestGossip must be(Set(first, second, third))
+        cluster.convergence.isDefined must be(true)
+      }
+
+      // first non-leader gossipTo the leader
+      nonLeader(first, second, third).head gossipTo leader(first, second, third)
+      runOn(first, second, third) {
+        memberStatus(first) must be(Up)
+        memberStatus(second) must be(Up)
+        memberStatus(third) must be(Up)
+        seenLatestGossip must be(Set(first, second, third))
+        cluster.convergence.isDefined must be(true)
+      }
+
+      testConductor.enter("after-3")
+    }
+
+    "startup a second separated cluster consisting of nodes fourth and fifth" taggedAs LongRunningTest in {
+      runOn(fourth) {
+        cluster.join(fifth)
+        awaitMembers(fourth, fifth)
+        cluster.gossipTo(fifth)
+        awaitSeen(fourth, fifth)
+        cluster.convergence.isDefined must be(true)
+      }
+      runOn(fifth) {
+        awaitMembers(fourth, fifth)
+        cluster.gossipTo(fourth)
+        awaitSeen(fourth, fifth)
+        cluster.gossipTo(fourth)
+        cluster.convergence.isDefined must be(true)
+      }
+      testConductor.enter("fourth-joined-fifth")
+
+      testConductor.enter("after-4")
+    }
+
+    "perform correct transitions when second cluster (node fourth) joins first cluster (node third)" taggedAs LongRunningTest in {
+
+      runOn(fourth) {
+        cluster.join(third)
+      }
+      runOn(third) {
+        awaitMembers(first, second, third, fourth)
+        seenLatestGossip must be(Set(third))
+      }
+      testConductor.enter("fourth-joined-third")
+
+      third gossipTo second
+      runOn(second) {
+        seenLatestGossip must be(Set(second, third))
+      }
+
+      second gossipTo fourth
+      runOn(fourth) {
+        members must be(roles.toSet)
+        // merge conflict
+        seenLatestGossip must be(Set(fourth))
+      }
+
+      fourth gossipTo first
+      fourth gossipTo second
+      fourth gossipTo third
+      fourth gossipTo fifth
+      runOn(first, second, third, fifth) {
+        members must be(roles.toSet)
+        seenLatestGossip must be(Set(fourth, myself))
+      }
+
+      first gossipTo fifth
+      runOn(fifth) {
+        seenLatestGossip must be(Set(first, fourth, fifth))
+      }
+
+      fifth gossipTo third
+      runOn(third) {
+        seenLatestGossip must be(Set(first, third, fourth, fifth))
+      }
+
+      third gossipTo second
+      runOn(second) {
+        seenLatestGossip must be(roles.toSet)
+        cluster.convergence.isDefined must be(true)
+      }
+
+      second gossipTo first
+      second gossipTo third
+      second gossipTo fourth
+      third gossipTo fifth
+
+      seenLatestGossip must be(roles.toSet)
+      memberStatus(first) must be(Up)
+      memberStatus(second) must be(Up)
+      memberStatus(third) must be(Up)
+      memberStatus(fourth) must be(Joining)
+      memberStatus(fifth) must be(Up)
+      cluster.convergence.isDefined must be(true)
+
+      testConductor.enter("convergence-joining-3")
+
+      runOn(leader(roles: _*)) {
+        cluster.leaderActions()
+        memberStatus(fourth) must be(Up)
+        seenLatestGossip must be(Set(myself))
+        cluster.convergence.isDefined must be(false)
+      }
+      // spread the word
+      for (x :: y :: Nil ← (roles.sorted ++ roles.sorted.dropRight(1)).toList.sliding(2)) {
+        x gossipTo y
+      }
+
+      testConductor.enter("spread-5")
+
+      seenLatestGossip must be(roles.toSet)
+      memberStatus(first) must be(Up)
+      memberStatus(second) must be(Up)
+      memberStatus(third) must be(Up)
+      memberStatus(fourth) must be(Up)
+      memberStatus(fifth) must be(Up)
+      cluster.convergence.isDefined must be(true)
+
+      testConductor.enter("after-5")
+    }
+
+    "perform correct transitions when second becomes unavailble" taggedAs LongRunningTest in {
+      runOn(fifth) {
+        markNodeAsUnavailable(second)
+        cluster.reapUnreachableMembers()
+        cluster.latestGossip.overview.unreachable must contain(Member(second, Up))
+        seenLatestGossip must be(Set(fifth))
+      }
+
+      // spread the word
+      val gossipRound = List(fifth, fourth, third, first, third, fourth, fifth)
+      for (x :: y :: Nil ← gossipRound.sliding(2)) {
+        x gossipTo y
+      }
+
+      runOn((roles.filterNot(_ == second)): _*) {
+        cluster.latestGossip.overview.unreachable must contain(Member(second, Up))
+        cluster.convergence.isDefined must be(false)
+      }
+
+      runOn(third) {
+        cluster.down(second)
+        awaitMemberStatus(second, Down)
+      }
+
+      // spread the word
+      val gossipRound2 = List(third, fourth, fifth, first, third, fourth, fifth)
+      for (x :: y :: Nil ← gossipRound2.sliding(2)) {
+        x gossipTo y
+      }
+
+      runOn((roles.filterNot(_ == second)): _*) {
+        cluster.latestGossip.overview.unreachable must contain(Member(second, Down))
+        memberStatus(second) must be(Down)
+        seenLatestGossip must be(Set(first, third, fourth, fifth))
+        cluster.convergence.isDefined must be(true)
+      }
+
+      testConductor.enter("after-6")
+    }
+
+  }
+}
diff --git a/akka-cluster/src/test/scala/akka/cluster/GossipSpec.scala b/akka-cluster/src/test/scala/akka/cluster/GossipSpec.scala
index 449ebf7bff..8020010655 100644
--- a/akka-cluster/src/test/scala/akka/cluster/GossipSpec.scala
+++ b/akka-cluster/src/test/scala/akka/cluster/GossipSpec.scala
@@ -33,12 +33,12 @@ class GossipSpec extends WordSpec with MustMatchers {
       val g2 = Gossip(members = SortedSet(a2, c2, e2))
 
       val merged1 = g1 merge g2
-      merged1.members must be(SortedSet(a1, c1, e2))
-      merged1.members.toSeq.map(_.status) must be(Seq(Up, Leaving, Up))
+      merged1.members must be(SortedSet(a2, c1, e1))
+      merged1.members.toSeq.map(_.status) must be(Seq(Joining, Leaving, Joining))
 
       val merged2 = g2 merge g1
-      merged2.members must be(SortedSet(a1, c1, e2))
-      merged2.members.toSeq.map(_.status) must be(Seq(Up, Leaving, Up))
+      merged2.members must be(SortedSet(a2, c1, e1))
+      merged2.members.toSeq.map(_.status) must be(Seq(Joining, Leaving, Joining))
 
     }
 
@@ -48,12 +48,12 @@ class GossipSpec extends WordSpec with MustMatchers {
       val g2 = Gossip(members = Gossip.emptyMembers, overview = GossipOverview(unreachable = Set(a2, b2, c2, d2)))
 
       val merged1 = g1 merge g2
-      merged1.overview.unreachable must be(Set(a1, b2, c1, d2))
-      merged1.overview.unreachable.toSeq.sorted.map(_.status) must be(Seq(Up, Removed, Leaving, Removed))
+      merged1.overview.unreachable must be(Set(a2, b2, c1, d2))
+      merged1.overview.unreachable.toSeq.sorted.map(_.status) must be(Seq(Joining, Removed, Leaving, Removed))
 
       val merged2 = g2 merge g1
-      merged2.overview.unreachable must be(Set(a1, b2, c1, d2))
-      merged2.overview.unreachable.toSeq.sorted.map(_.status) must be(Seq(Up, Removed, Leaving, Removed))
+      merged2.overview.unreachable must be(Set(a2, b2, c1, d2))
+      merged2.overview.unreachable.toSeq.sorted.map(_.status) must be(Seq(Joining, Removed, Leaving, Removed))
 
     }
 
@@ -62,14 +62,14 @@ class GossipSpec extends WordSpec with MustMatchers {
       val g2 = Gossip(members = SortedSet(a2, c2), overview = GossipOverview(unreachable = Set(b2, d2)))
 
       val merged1 = g1 merge g2
-      merged1.members must be(SortedSet(a1))
-      merged1.members.toSeq.map(_.status) must be(Seq(Up))
+      merged1.members must be(SortedSet(a2))
+      merged1.members.toSeq.map(_.status) must be(Seq(Joining))
       merged1.overview.unreachable must be(Set(b2, c1, d2))
       merged1.overview.unreachable.toSeq.sorted.map(_.status) must be(Seq(Removed, Leaving, Removed))
 
       val merged2 = g2 merge g1
-      merged2.members must be(SortedSet(a1))
-      merged2.members.toSeq.map(_.status) must be(Seq(Up))
+      merged2.members must be(SortedSet(a2))
+      merged2.members.toSeq.map(_.status) must be(Seq(Joining))
       merged2.overview.unreachable must be(Set(b2, c1, d2))
       merged2.overview.unreachable.toSeq.sorted.map(_.status) must be(Seq(Removed, Leaving, Removed))
 
diff --git a/akka-cluster/src/test/scala/akka/cluster/MemberOrderingSpec.scala b/akka-cluster/src/test/scala/akka/cluster/MemberOrderingSpec.scala
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..d8687312da
--- /dev/null
+++ b/akka-cluster/src/test/scala/akka/cluster/MemberOrderingSpec.scala
@@ -0,0 +1,138 @@
+/**
+ * Copyright (C) 2009-2012 Typesafe Inc. <http://www.typesafe.com>
+ */
+
+package akka.cluster
+
+import akka.actor.{ Address, AddressFromURIString }
+import java.net.InetSocketAddress
+import org.scalatest.matchers.MustMatchers
+import org.scalatest.WordSpec
+import scala.collection.immutable.SortedSet
+import scala.util.Random
+
+@org.junit.runner.RunWith(classOf[org.scalatest.junit.JUnitRunner])
+class MemberOrderingSpec extends WordSpec with MustMatchers {
+  import Member.ordering
+  import Member.addressOrdering
+  import MemberStatus._
+
+  "An Ordering[Member]" must {
+
+    "order non-exiting members by host:port" in {
+      val members = SortedSet.empty[Member] +
+        Member(AddressFromURIString("akka://sys@darkstar:1112"), Up) +
+        Member(AddressFromURIString("akka://sys@darkstar:1113"), Joining) +
+        Member(AddressFromURIString("akka://sys@darkstar:1111"), Up)
+
+      val seq = members.toSeq
+      seq.size must equal(3)
+      seq(0) must equal(Member(AddressFromURIString("akka://sys@darkstar:1111"), Up))
+      seq(1) must equal(Member(AddressFromURIString("akka://sys@darkstar:1112"), Up))
+      seq(2) must equal(Member(AddressFromURIString("akka://sys@darkstar:1113"), Joining))
+    }
+
+    "order exiting members by last" in {
+      val members = SortedSet.empty[Member] +
+        Member(AddressFromURIString("akka://sys@darkstar:1112"), Exiting) +
+        Member(AddressFromURIString("akka://sys@darkstar:1113"), Up) +
+        Member(AddressFromURIString("akka://sys@darkstar:1111"), Joining)
+
+      val seq = members.toSeq
+      seq.size must equal(3)
+      seq(0) must equal(Member(AddressFromURIString("akka://sys@darkstar:1111"), Joining))
+      seq(1) must equal(Member(AddressFromURIString("akka://sys@darkstar:1113"), Up))
+      seq(2) must equal(Member(AddressFromURIString("akka://sys@darkstar:1112"), Exiting))
+    }
+
+    "order multiple exiting members by last but internally by host:port" in {
+      val members = SortedSet.empty[Member] +
+        Member(AddressFromURIString("akka://sys@darkstar:1112"), Exiting) +
+        Member(AddressFromURIString("akka://sys@darkstar:1113"), Leaving) +
+        Member(AddressFromURIString("akka://sys@darkstar:1111"), Up) +
+        Member(AddressFromURIString("akka://sys@darkstar:1110"), Exiting)
+
+      val seq = members.toSeq
+      seq.size must equal(4)
+      seq(0) must equal(Member(AddressFromURIString("akka://sys@darkstar:1111"), Up))
+      seq(1) must equal(Member(AddressFromURIString("akka://sys@darkstar:1113"), Leaving))
+      seq(2) must equal(Member(AddressFromURIString("akka://sys@darkstar:1110"), Exiting))
+      seq(3) must equal(Member(AddressFromURIString("akka://sys@darkstar:1112"), Exiting))
+    }
+
+    "be sorted by address correctly" in {
+      import Member.ordering
+      // sorting should be done on host and port, only
+      val m1 = Member(Address("akka", "sys1", "host1", 9000), MemberStatus.Up)
+      val m2 = Member(Address("akka", "sys1", "host1", 10000), MemberStatus.Up)
+      val m3 = Member(Address("cluster", "sys2", "host2", 8000), MemberStatus.Up)
+      val m4 = Member(Address("cluster", "sys2", "host2", 9000), MemberStatus.Up)
+      val m5 = Member(Address("cluster", "sys1", "host2", 10000), MemberStatus.Up)
+
+      val expected = IndexedSeq(m1, m2, m3, m4, m5)
+      val shuffled = Random.shuffle(expected)
+      shuffled.sorted must be(expected)
+      (SortedSet.empty[Member] ++ shuffled).toIndexedSeq must be(expected)
+    }
+
+    "have stable equals and hashCode" in {
+      val m1 = Member(Address("akka", "sys1", "host1", 9000), MemberStatus.Joining)
+      val m2 = Member(Address("akka", "sys1", "host1", 9000), MemberStatus.Up)
+      val m3 = Member(Address("akka", "sys1", "host1", 10000), MemberStatus.Up)
+
+      m1 must be(m2)
+      m1.hashCode must be(m2.hashCode)
+
+      m3 must not be (m2)
+      m3 must not be (m1)
+    }
+  }
+
+  "An Ordering[Address]" must {
+
+    "order addresses by port" in {
+      val addresses = SortedSet.empty[Address] +
+        AddressFromURIString("akka://sys@darkstar:1112") +
+        AddressFromURIString("akka://sys@darkstar:1113") +
+        AddressFromURIString("akka://sys@darkstar:1110") +
+        AddressFromURIString("akka://sys@darkstar:1111")
+
+      val seq = addresses.toSeq
+      seq.size must equal(4)
+      seq(0) must equal(AddressFromURIString("akka://sys@darkstar:1110"))
+      seq(1) must equal(AddressFromURIString("akka://sys@darkstar:1111"))
+      seq(2) must equal(AddressFromURIString("akka://sys@darkstar:1112"))
+      seq(3) must equal(AddressFromURIString("akka://sys@darkstar:1113"))
+    }
+
+    "order addresses by hostname" in {
+      val addresses = SortedSet.empty[Address] +
+        AddressFromURIString("akka://sys@darkstar2:1110") +
+        AddressFromURIString("akka://sys@darkstar1:1110") +
+        AddressFromURIString("akka://sys@darkstar3:1110") +
+        AddressFromURIString("akka://sys@darkstar0:1110")
+
+      val seq = addresses.toSeq
+      seq.size must equal(4)
+      seq(0) must equal(AddressFromURIString("akka://sys@darkstar0:1110"))
+      seq(1) must equal(AddressFromURIString("akka://sys@darkstar1:1110"))
+      seq(2) must equal(AddressFromURIString("akka://sys@darkstar2:1110"))
+      seq(3) must equal(AddressFromURIString("akka://sys@darkstar3:1110"))
+    }
+
+    "order addresses by hostname and port" in {
+      val addresses = SortedSet.empty[Address] +
+        AddressFromURIString("akka://sys@darkstar2:1110") +
+        AddressFromURIString("akka://sys@darkstar0:1111") +
+        AddressFromURIString("akka://sys@darkstar2:1111") +
+        AddressFromURIString("akka://sys@darkstar0:1110")
+
+      val seq = addresses.toSeq
+      seq.size must equal(4)
+      seq(0) must equal(AddressFromURIString("akka://sys@darkstar0:1110"))
+      seq(1) must equal(AddressFromURIString("akka://sys@darkstar0:1111"))
+      seq(2) must equal(AddressFromURIString("akka://sys@darkstar2:1110"))
+      seq(3) must equal(AddressFromURIString("akka://sys@darkstar2:1111"))
+    }
+  }
+}
diff --git a/akka-cluster/src/test/scala/akka/cluster/MemberSpec.scala b/akka-cluster/src/test/scala/akka/cluster/MemberSpec.scala
deleted file mode 100644
index bc1f70ae86..0000000000
--- a/akka-cluster/src/test/scala/akka/cluster/MemberSpec.scala
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,45 +0,0 @@
-/**
- *  Copyright (C) 2009-2012 Typesafe Inc. <http://www.typesafe.com>
- */
-
-package akka.cluster
-
-import org.scalatest.WordSpec
-import org.scalatest.matchers.MustMatchers
-import akka.actor.Address
-import scala.util.Random
-import scala.collection.immutable.SortedSet
-
-@org.junit.runner.RunWith(classOf[org.scalatest.junit.JUnitRunner])
-class MemberSpec extends WordSpec with MustMatchers {
-
-  "Member" must {
-
-    "be sorted by address correctly" in {
-      import Member.ordering
-      // sorting should be done on host and port, only
-      val m1 = Member(Address("akka", "sys1", "host1", 9000), MemberStatus.Up)
-      val m2 = Member(Address("akka", "sys1", "host1", 10000), MemberStatus.Up)
-      val m3 = Member(Address("cluster", "sys2", "host2", 8000), MemberStatus.Up)
-      val m4 = Member(Address("cluster", "sys2", "host2", 9000), MemberStatus.Up)
-      val m5 = Member(Address("cluster", "sys1", "host2", 10000), MemberStatus.Up)
-
-      val expected = IndexedSeq(m1, m2, m3, m4, m5)
-      val shuffled = Random.shuffle(expected)
-      shuffled.sorted must be(expected)
-      (SortedSet.empty[Member] ++ shuffled).toIndexedSeq must be(expected)
-    }
-
-    "have stable equals and hashCode" in {
-      val m1 = Member(Address("akka", "sys1", "host1", 9000), MemberStatus.Joining)
-      val m2 = Member(Address("akka", "sys1", "host1", 9000), MemberStatus.Up)
-      val m3 = Member(Address("akka", "sys1", "host1", 10000), MemberStatus.Up)
-
-      m1 must be(m2)
-      m1.hashCode must be(m2.hashCode)
-
-      m3 must not be (m2)
-      m3 must not be (m1)
-    }
-  }
-}
diff --git a/akka-docs/cluster/cluster.rst b/akka-docs/cluster/cluster.rst
index fb53f13131..0126897dab 100644
--- a/akka-docs/cluster/cluster.rst
+++ b/akka-docs/cluster/cluster.rst
@@ -5,8 +5,7 @@
  Cluster Specification
 ######################
 
-.. note:: *This document describes the new clustering coming in Akka Coltrane and
-is not available in the latest stable release)*
+.. note:: *This document describes the new clustering coming in Akka Coltrane and is not available in the latest stable release)*
 
 Intro
 =====
@@ -164,8 +163,8 @@ After gossip convergence a ``leader`` for the cluster can be determined. There i
 ``leader`` election process, the ``leader`` can always be recognised deterministically
 by any node whenever there is gossip convergence. The ``leader`` is simply the first
 node in sorted order that is able to take the leadership role, where the only
-allowed member states for a ``leader`` are ``up`` or ``leaving`` (see below for more
-information about member states).
+allowed member states for a ``leader`` are ``up``, ``leaving`` or ``exiting`` (see
+below for more information about member states).
 
 The role of the ``leader`` is to shift members in and out of the cluster, changing
 ``joining`` members to the ``up`` state or ``exiting`` members to the
@@ -302,10 +301,6 @@ handoff has completed then the node will change to the ``exiting`` state. Once
 all nodes have seen the exiting state (convergence) the ``leader`` will remove the
 node from the cluster, marking it as ``removed``.
 
-A node can also be removed forcefully by moving it directly to the ``removed``
-state using the ``remove`` action. The cluster will rebalance based on the new
-cluster membership.
-
 If a node is unreachable then gossip convergence is not possible and therefore
 any ``leader`` actions are also not possible (for instance, allowing a node to
 become a part of the cluster, or changing actor distribution). To be able to
@@ -314,11 +309,12 @@ unreachable node is experiencing only transient difficulties then it can be
 explicitly marked as ``down`` using the ``down`` user action. When this node
 comes back up and begins gossiping it will automatically go through the joining
 process again. If the unreachable node will be permanently down then it can be
-removed from the cluster directly with the ``remove`` user action. The cluster
-can also *auto-down* a node using the accrual failure detector.
+removed from the cluster directly by shutting the actor system down or killing it
+through an external ``SIGKILL`` signal, invocation of ``System.exit(status)`` or
+similar. The cluster can, through the leader, also *auto-down* a node.
 
-This means that nodes can join and leave the cluster at any point in time,
-e.g. provide cluster elasticity.
+This means that nodes can join and leave the cluster at any point in time, i.e.
+provide cluster elasticity.
 
 
 State Diagram for the Member States
@@ -339,12 +335,12 @@ Member States
 - **leaving** / **exiting**
     states during graceful removal
 
-- **removed**
-    tombstone state (no longer a member)
-
 - **down**
     marked as down/offline/unreachable
 
+- **removed**
+    tombstone state (no longer a member)
+
 
 User Actions
 ^^^^^^^^^^^^
@@ -359,9 +355,6 @@ User Actions
 - **down**
     mark a node as temporarily down
 
-- **remove**
-    remove a node from the cluster immediately
-
 
 Leader Actions
 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
diff --git a/akka-docs/general/message-send-semantics.rst b/akka-docs/general/message-send-semantics.rst
index d9488d1f2b..41eb727358 100644
--- a/akka-docs/general/message-send-semantics.rst
+++ b/akka-docs/general/message-send-semantics.rst
@@ -48,14 +48,14 @@ At-most-once
 
 Actual transports may provide stronger semantics,
 but at-most-once is the semantics you should expect.
-The alternatives would be once-and-only-once, which is extremely costly, 
+The alternatives would be once-and-only-once, which is extremely costly,
 or at-least-once which essentially requires idempotency of message processing,
 which is a user-level concern.
 
 Ordering is preserved on a per-sender basis
 -------------------------------------------
 
-Actor ``A1` sends messages ``M1``, ``M2``, ``M3`` to ``A2``
+Actor ``A1`` sends messages ``M1``, ``M2``, ``M3`` to ``A2``
 Actor ``A3`` sends messages ``M4``, ``M5``, ``M6`` to ``A2``
 
 This means that:
@@ -66,4 +66,4 @@ This means that:
     5) ``A2`` can see messages from ``A1`` interleaved with messages from ``A3``
     6) Since there is no guaranteed delivery, none, some or all of the messages may arrive to ``A2``
 
-.. _Erlang documentation: http://www.erlang.org/faq/academic.html
\ No newline at end of file
+.. _Erlang documentation: http://www.erlang.org/faq/academic.html
diff --git a/akka-kernel/src/main/dist/bin/akka-cluster b/akka-kernel/src/main/dist/bin/akka-cluster
index 3e76cdbb11..fe3af38449 100755
--- a/akka-kernel/src/main/dist/bin/akka-cluster
+++ b/akka-kernel/src/main/dist/bin/akka-cluster
@@ -63,20 +63,6 @@ case "$2" in
         $JMX_CLIENT $HOST akka:type=Cluster leave=$ACTOR_SYSTEM_URL
         ;;
 
-    remove)
-        if [ $# -ne 3 ]; then
-            echo "Usage: $SELF <node-hostname:jmx-port> remove <actor-system-url-to-join>"
-            exit 1
-        fi
-
-        ensureNodeIsRunningAndAvailable
-        shift
-
-        ACTOR_SYSTEM_URL=$2
-        echo "Scheduling $ACTOR_SYSTEM_URL to REMOVE"
-        $JMX_CLIENT $HOST akka:type=Cluster remove=$ACTOR_SYSTEM_URL
-        ;;
-
     down)
         if [ $# -ne 3 ]; then
             echo "Usage: $SELF <node-hostname:jmx-port> down <actor-system-url-to-join>"
@@ -169,19 +155,32 @@ case "$2" in
         $JMX_CLIENT $HOST akka:type=Cluster Available
         ;;
 
+    is-running)
+        if [ $# -ne 2 ]; then
+            echo "Usage: $SELF <node-hostname:jmx-port> is-running"
+            exit 1
+        fi
+
+        ensureNodeIsRunningAndAvailable
+        shift
+
+        echo "Checking if member node on $HOST is AVAILABLE"
+        $JMX_CLIENT $HOST akka:type=Cluster Running
+        ;;
+
     *)
         printf "Usage: bin/$SELF <node-hostname:jmx-port> <command> ...\n"
         printf "\n"
         printf "Supported commands are:\n"
         printf "%26s - %s\n" "join <actor-system-url>"   "Sends request a JOIN node with the specified URL"
         printf "%26s - %s\n" "leave <actor-system-url>"  "Sends a request for node with URL to LEAVE the cluster"
-        printf "%26s - %s\n" "remove <actor-system-url>" "Sends a request for node with URL to be instantly REMOVED from the cluster"
         printf "%26s - %s\n" "down <actor-system-url>"   "Sends a request for marking node with URL as DOWN"
         printf "%26s - %s\n" member-status               "Asks the member node for its current status"
         printf "%26s - %s\n" cluster-status              "Asks the cluster for its current status (member ring, unavailable nodes, meta data etc.)"
         printf "%26s - %s\n" leader                      "Asks the cluster who the current leader is"
         printf "%26s - %s\n" is-singleton                "Checks if the cluster is a singleton cluster (single node cluster)"
         printf "%26s - %s\n" is-available                "Checks if the member node is available"
+        printf "%26s - %s\n" is-running                  "Checks if the member node is running"
         printf "%26s - %s\n" has-convergence             "Checks if there is a cluster convergence"
         printf "Where the <actor-system-url> should be on the format of 'akka://actor-system-name@hostname:port'\n"
         printf "\n"
diff --git a/akka-remote/src/main/resources/reference.conf b/akka-remote/src/main/resources/reference.conf
index 482e2a0442..9cd7b767be 100644
--- a/akka-remote/src/main/resources/reference.conf
+++ b/akka-remote/src/main/resources/reference.conf
@@ -190,9 +190,10 @@ akka {
         #   'TLSv1.1', 'TLSv1.2'
         protocol = "TLSv1"
 
+        # Examples: [ "TLS_RSA_WITH_AES_128_CBC_SHA", "TLS_RSA_WITH_AES_256_CBC_SHA" ]
         # You need to install the JCE Unlimited Strength Jurisdiction Policy Files to use AES 256
         # More info here: http://docs.oracle.com/javase/7/docs/technotes/guides/security/SunProviders.html#SunJCEProvider
-        supported-algorithms = ["TLS_RSA_WITH_AES_128_CBC_SHA", "TLS_RSA_WITH_AES_256_CBC_SHA"]
+        enabled-algorithms = ["TLS_RSA_WITH_AES_128_CBC_SHA"]
 
         # Using /dev/./urandom is only necessary when using SHA1PRNG on Linux to prevent blocking
         # It is NOT as secure because it reuses the seed
@@ -207,6 +208,7 @@ akka {
         # The following use one of 3 possible seed sources, depending on availability: /dev/random, random.org and SecureRandom (provided by Java)
         # "AES128CounterRNGSecure"
         # "AES256CounterRNGSecure"  (Install JCE Unlimited Strength Jurisdiction Policy Files first)
+        # Setting a value here may require you to supply the appropriate cipher suite (see enabled-algorithms section above)
         random-number-generator = ""
       }
     }
diff --git a/akka-remote/src/main/scala/akka/remote/netty/NettySSLSupport.scala b/akka-remote/src/main/scala/akka/remote/netty/NettySSLSupport.scala
index 7e006373c2..cca8662b2f 100644
--- a/akka-remote/src/main/scala/akka/remote/netty/NettySSLSupport.scala
+++ b/akka-remote/src/main/scala/akka/remote/netty/NettySSLSupport.scala
@@ -17,13 +17,17 @@ import akka.security.provider.AkkaProvider
  * Internal use only
  */
 private[akka] object NettySSLSupport {
+
+  val akka = new AkkaProvider
+  Security.addProvider(akka)
+
   /**
    * Construct a SSLHandler which can be inserted into a Netty server/client pipeline
    */
   def apply(settings: NettySettings, log: LoggingAdapter, isClient: Boolean): SslHandler =
-    if (isClient) initialiseClientSSL(settings, log) else initialiseServerSSL(settings, log)
+    if (isClient) initializeClientSSL(settings, log) else initializeServerSSL(settings, log)
 
-  def initialiseCustomSecureRandom(rngName: Option[String], sourceOfRandomness: Option[String], log: LoggingAdapter): SecureRandom = {
+  def initializeCustomSecureRandom(rngName: Option[String], sourceOfRandomness: Option[String], log: LoggingAdapter): SecureRandom = {
     /**
      * According to this bug report: http://bugs.sun.com/view_bug.do?bug_id=6202721
      * Using /dev/./urandom is only necessary when using SHA1PRNG on Linux
@@ -34,8 +38,6 @@ private[akka] object NettySSLSupport {
     val rng = rngName match {
       case Some(r @ ("AES128CounterRNGFast" | "AES128CounterRNGSecure" | "AES256CounterRNGSecure")) ⇒
         log.debug("SSL random number generator set to: {}", r)
-        val akka = new AkkaProvider
-        Security.addProvider(akka)
         SecureRandom.getInstance(r, akka)
       case Some("SHA1PRNG") ⇒
         log.debug("SSL random number generator set to: SHA1PRNG")
@@ -53,8 +55,23 @@ private[akka] object NettySSLSupport {
     rng
   }
 
-  private def initialiseClientSSL(settings: NettySettings, log: LoggingAdapter): SslHandler = {
+  def initializeClientSSL(settings: NettySettings, log: LoggingAdapter): SslHandler = {
     log.debug("Client SSL is enabled, initialising ...")
+
+    def constructClientContext(settings: NettySettings, log: LoggingAdapter, trustStorePath: String, trustStorePassword: String, protocol: String): Option[SSLContext] =
+      try {
+        val trustManagerFactory = TrustManagerFactory.getInstance(TrustManagerFactory.getDefaultAlgorithm)
+        val trustStore = KeyStore.getInstance(KeyStore.getDefaultType)
+        trustStore.load(new FileInputStream(trustStorePath), trustStorePassword.toCharArray) //FIXME does the FileInputStream need to be closed?
+        trustManagerFactory.init(trustStore)
+        val trustManagers: Array[TrustManager] = trustManagerFactory.getTrustManagers
+        Option(SSLContext.getInstance(protocol)) map { ctx ⇒ ctx.init(null, trustManagers, initializeCustomSecureRandom(settings.SSLRandomNumberGenerator, settings.SSLRandomSource, log)); ctx }
+      } catch {
+        case e: FileNotFoundException    ⇒ throw new RemoteTransportException("Client SSL connection could not be established because trust store could not be loaded", e)
+        case e: IOException              ⇒ throw new RemoteTransportException("Client SSL connection could not be established because: " + e.getMessage, e)
+        case e: GeneralSecurityException ⇒ throw new RemoteTransportException("Client SSL connection could not be established because SSL context could not be constructed", e)
+      }
+
     ((settings.SSLTrustStore, settings.SSLTrustStorePassword, settings.SSLProtocol) match {
       case (Some(trustStore), Some(password), Some(protocol)) ⇒ constructClientContext(settings, log, trustStore, password, protocol)
       case (trustStore, password, protocol) ⇒ throw new GeneralSecurityException(
@@ -67,11 +84,11 @@ private[akka] object NettySSLSupport {
         log.debug("Using client SSL context to create SSLEngine ...")
         val sslEngine = context.createSSLEngine
         sslEngine.setUseClientMode(true)
-        sslEngine.setEnabledCipherSuites(settings.SSLSupportedAlgorithms.toArray.map(_.toString))
+        sslEngine.setEnabledCipherSuites(settings.SSLEnabledAlgorithms.toArray.map(_.toString))
         new SslHandler(sslEngine)
       case None ⇒
         throw new GeneralSecurityException(
-          """Failed to initialise client SSL because SSL context could not be found." +
+          """Failed to initialize client SSL because SSL context could not be found." +
               "Make sure your settings are correct: [trust-store: %s] [trust-store-password: %s] [protocol: %s]""".format(
             settings.SSLTrustStore,
             settings.SSLTrustStorePassword,
@@ -79,24 +96,22 @@ private[akka] object NettySSLSupport {
     }
   }
 
-  private def constructClientContext(settings: NettySettings, log: LoggingAdapter, trustStorePath: String, trustStorePassword: String, protocol: String): Option[SSLContext] = {
-    try {
-      val trustManagerFactory = TrustManagerFactory.getInstance(TrustManagerFactory.getDefaultAlgorithm)
-      val trustStore = KeyStore.getInstance(KeyStore.getDefaultType)
-      trustStore.load(new FileInputStream(trustStorePath), trustStorePassword.toCharArray) //FIXME does the FileInputStream need to be closed?
-      trustManagerFactory.init(trustStore)
-      val trustManagers: Array[TrustManager] = trustManagerFactory.getTrustManagers
-      Option(SSLContext.getInstance(protocol)) map { ctx ⇒ ctx.init(null, trustManagers, initialiseCustomSecureRandom(settings.SSLRandomNumberGenerator, settings.SSLRandomSource, log)); ctx }
-    } catch {
-      case e: FileNotFoundException    ⇒ throw new RemoteTransportException("Client SSL connection could not be established because trust store could not be loaded", e)
-      case e: IOException              ⇒ throw new RemoteTransportException("Client SSL connection could not be established because: " + e.getMessage, e)
-      case e: GeneralSecurityException ⇒ throw new RemoteTransportException("Client SSL connection could not be established because SSL context could not be constructed", e)
-    }
-  }
-
-  private def initialiseServerSSL(settings: NettySettings, log: LoggingAdapter): SslHandler = {
+  def initializeServerSSL(settings: NettySettings, log: LoggingAdapter): SslHandler = {
     log.debug("Server SSL is enabled, initialising ...")
 
+    def constructServerContext(settings: NettySettings, log: LoggingAdapter, keyStorePath: String, keyStorePassword: String, protocol: String): Option[SSLContext] =
+      try {
+        val factory = KeyManagerFactory.getInstance(KeyManagerFactory.getDefaultAlgorithm)
+        val keyStore = KeyStore.getInstance(KeyStore.getDefaultType)
+        keyStore.load(new FileInputStream(keyStorePath), keyStorePassword.toCharArray) //FIXME does the FileInputStream need to be closed?
+        factory.init(keyStore, keyStorePassword.toCharArray)
+        Option(SSLContext.getInstance(protocol)) map { ctx ⇒ ctx.init(factory.getKeyManagers, null, initializeCustomSecureRandom(settings.SSLRandomNumberGenerator, settings.SSLRandomSource, log)); ctx }
+      } catch {
+        case e: FileNotFoundException    ⇒ throw new RemoteTransportException("Server SSL connection could not be established because key store could not be loaded", e)
+        case e: IOException              ⇒ throw new RemoteTransportException("Server SSL connection could not be established because: " + e.getMessage, e)
+        case e: GeneralSecurityException ⇒ throw new RemoteTransportException("Server SSL connection could not be established because SSL context could not be constructed", e)
+      }
+
     ((settings.SSLKeyStore, settings.SSLKeyStorePassword, settings.SSLProtocol) match {
       case (Some(keyStore), Some(password), Some(protocol)) ⇒ constructServerContext(settings, log, keyStore, password, protocol)
       case (keyStore, password, protocol) ⇒ throw new GeneralSecurityException(
@@ -106,28 +121,14 @@ private[akka] object NettySSLSupport {
         log.debug("Using server SSL context to create SSLEngine ...")
         val sslEngine = context.createSSLEngine
         sslEngine.setUseClientMode(false)
-        sslEngine.setEnabledCipherSuites(settings.SSLSupportedAlgorithms.toArray.map(_.toString))
+        sslEngine.setEnabledCipherSuites(settings.SSLEnabledAlgorithms.toArray.map(_.toString))
         new SslHandler(sslEngine)
       case None ⇒ throw new GeneralSecurityException(
-        """Failed to initialise server SSL because SSL context could not be found.
+        """Failed to initialize server SSL because SSL context could not be found.
            Make sure your settings are correct: [key-store: %s] [key-store-password: %s] [protocol: %s]""".format(
           settings.SSLKeyStore,
           settings.SSLKeyStorePassword,
           settings.SSLProtocol))
     }
   }
-
-  private def constructServerContext(settings: NettySettings, log: LoggingAdapter, keyStorePath: String, keyStorePassword: String, protocol: String): Option[SSLContext] = {
-    try {
-      val factory = KeyManagerFactory.getInstance(KeyManagerFactory.getDefaultAlgorithm)
-      val keyStore = KeyStore.getInstance(KeyStore.getDefaultType)
-      keyStore.load(new FileInputStream(keyStorePath), keyStorePassword.toCharArray) //FIXME does the FileInputStream need to be closed?
-      factory.init(keyStore, keyStorePassword.toCharArray)
-      Option(SSLContext.getInstance(protocol)) map { ctx ⇒ ctx.init(factory.getKeyManagers, null, initialiseCustomSecureRandom(settings.SSLRandomNumberGenerator, settings.SSLRandomSource, log)); ctx }
-    } catch {
-      case e: FileNotFoundException    ⇒ throw new RemoteTransportException("Server SSL connection could not be established because key store could not be loaded", e)
-      case e: IOException              ⇒ throw new RemoteTransportException("Server SSL connection could not be established because: " + e.getMessage, e)
-      case e: GeneralSecurityException ⇒ throw new RemoteTransportException("Server SSL connection could not be established because SSL context could not be constructed", e)
-    }
-  }
 }
diff --git a/akka-remote/src/main/scala/akka/remote/netty/Settings.scala b/akka-remote/src/main/scala/akka/remote/netty/Settings.scala
index 32a161aa94..d168c67eca 100644
--- a/akka-remote/src/main/scala/akka/remote/netty/Settings.scala
+++ b/akka-remote/src/main/scala/akka/remote/netty/Settings.scala
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@ private[akka] class NettySettings(config: Config, val systemName: String) {
     case password ⇒ Some(password)
   }
 
-  val SSLSupportedAlgorithms = getStringList("ssl.supported-algorithms")
+  val SSLEnabledAlgorithms = getStringList("ssl.enabled-algorithms").toArray.toSet
 
   val SSLProtocol = getString("ssl.protocol") match {
     case ""       ⇒ None
diff --git a/akka-remote/src/test/scala/akka/remote/Ticket1978CommunicationSpec.scala b/akka-remote/src/test/scala/akka/remote/Ticket1978CommunicationSpec.scala
index dffcbfa725..2ff63b20a4 100644
--- a/akka-remote/src/test/scala/akka/remote/Ticket1978CommunicationSpec.scala
+++ b/akka-remote/src/test/scala/akka/remote/Ticket1978CommunicationSpec.scala
@@ -9,27 +9,36 @@ import com.typesafe.config._
 import akka.dispatch.{ Await, Future }
 import akka.pattern.ask
 import java.io.File
-import java.security.{ SecureRandom, PrivilegedAction, AccessController }
-import netty.NettySSLSupport
 import akka.event.{ NoLogging, LoggingAdapter }
+import java.security.{ NoSuchAlgorithmException, SecureRandom, PrivilegedAction, AccessController }
+import netty.{ NettySettings, NettySSLSupport }
+import javax.net.ssl.SSLException
+import akka.util.{ Timeout, Duration }
+import akka.util.duration._
 
 object Configuration {
   // set this in your JAVA_OPTS to see all ssl debug info: "-Djavax.net.debug=ssl,keymanager"
   // The certificate will expire in 2109
-  private val trustStore = getPath("truststore")
-  private val keyStore = getPath("keystore")
-  private def getPath(name: String): String = (new File("akka-remote/src/test/resources/" + name)).getAbsolutePath.replace("\\", "\\\\")
+  private val trustStore = getClass.getClassLoader.getResource("truststore").getPath
+  private val keyStore = getClass.getClassLoader.getResource("keystore").getPath
   private val conf = """
     akka {
       actor.provider = "akka.remote.RemoteActorRefProvider"
+      test {
+        single-expect-default = 10s
+        filter-leeway = 10s
+        default-timeout = 10s
+      }
+
       remote.netty {
         hostname = localhost
-        port = 12345
         ssl {
           enable = on
           trust-store = "%s"
           key-store = "%s"
           random-number-generator = "%s"
+          enabled-algorithms = [%s]
+          sha1prng-random-source = "/dev/./urandom"
         }
       }
       actor.deployment {
@@ -40,69 +49,90 @@ object Configuration {
     }
   """
 
-  def getCipherConfig(cipher: String): (String, Boolean, Config) = if (try {
-    NettySSLSupport.initialiseCustomSecureRandom(Some(cipher), None, NoLogging) ne null
+  def getCipherConfig(cipher: String, enabled: String*): (String, Boolean, Config) = try {
+
+    if (true) throw new IllegalArgumentException("Test not enabled")
+
+    val config = ConfigFactory.parseString("akka.remote.netty.port=12345").withFallback(ConfigFactory.parseString(conf.format(trustStore, keyStore, cipher, enabled.mkString(", "))))
+    val fullConfig = config.withFallback(AkkaSpec.testConf).withFallback(ConfigFactory.load).getConfig("akka.remote.netty")
+    val settings = new NettySettings(fullConfig, "placeholder")
+
+    val rng = NettySSLSupport.initializeCustomSecureRandom(settings.SSLRandomNumberGenerator, settings.SSLRandomSource, NoLogging)
+
+    rng.nextInt() // Has to work
+    settings.SSLRandomNumberGenerator foreach { sRng ⇒ rng.getAlgorithm == sRng || (throw new NoSuchAlgorithmException(sRng)) }
+
+    val engine = NettySSLSupport.initializeClientSSL(settings, NoLogging).getEngine
+    val gotAllSupported = enabled.toSet -- engine.getSupportedCipherSuites.toSet
+    val gotAllEnabled = enabled.toSet -- engine.getEnabledCipherSuites.toSet
+    gotAllSupported.isEmpty || (throw new IllegalArgumentException("Cipher Suite not supported: " + gotAllSupported))
+    gotAllEnabled.isEmpty || (throw new IllegalArgumentException("Cipher Suite not enabled: " + gotAllEnabled))
+    engine.getSupportedProtocols.contains(settings.SSLProtocol.get) || (throw new IllegalArgumentException("Protocol not supported: " + settings.SSLProtocol.get))
+
+    (cipher, true, config)
   } catch {
-    case iae: IllegalArgumentException if iae.getMessage == "Cannot support %s with currently installed providers".format(cipher) ⇒ false
-  }) (cipher, true, ConfigFactory.parseString(conf.format(trustStore, keyStore, cipher))) else (cipher, false, AkkaSpec.testConf)
+    case (_: IllegalArgumentException) | (_: NoSuchAlgorithmException) ⇒ (cipher, false, AkkaSpec.testConf) // Cannot match against the message since the message might be localized :S
+  }
 }
 
 import Configuration.getCipherConfig
 
 @org.junit.runner.RunWith(classOf[org.scalatest.junit.JUnitRunner])
-class Ticket1978SHA1PRNGSpec extends Ticket1978CommunicationSpec(getCipherConfig("SHA1PRNG"))
+class Ticket1978SHA1PRNGSpec extends Ticket1978CommunicationSpec(getCipherConfig("SHA1PRNG", "TLS_RSA_WITH_AES_128_CBC_SHA"))
 
 @org.junit.runner.RunWith(classOf[org.scalatest.junit.JUnitRunner])
-class Ticket1978AES128CounterRNGFastSpec extends Ticket1978CommunicationSpec(getCipherConfig("AES128CounterRNGFast"))
+class Ticket1978AES128CounterRNGFastSpec extends Ticket1978CommunicationSpec(getCipherConfig("AES128CounterRNGFast", "TLS_RSA_WITH_AES_128_CBC_SHA", "TLS_RSA_WITH_AES_256_CBC_SHA"))
 
 /**
  * Both of the <quote>Secure</quote> variants require access to the Internet to access random.org.
  */
 @org.junit.runner.RunWith(classOf[org.scalatest.junit.JUnitRunner])
-class Ticket1978AES128CounterRNGSecureSpec extends Ticket1978CommunicationSpec(getCipherConfig("AES128CounterRNGSecure"))
+class Ticket1978AES128CounterRNGSecureSpec extends Ticket1978CommunicationSpec(getCipherConfig("AES128CounterRNGSecure", "TLS_RSA_WITH_AES_128_CBC_SHA"))
 
 /**
  * Both of the <quote>Secure</quote> variants require access to the Internet to access random.org.
  */
 @org.junit.runner.RunWith(classOf[org.scalatest.junit.JUnitRunner])
-class Ticket1978AES256CounterRNGSecureSpec extends Ticket1978CommunicationSpec(getCipherConfig("AES256CounterRNGSecure"))
+class Ticket1978AES256CounterRNGSecureSpec extends Ticket1978CommunicationSpec(getCipherConfig("AES256CounterRNGSecure", "TLS_RSA_WITH_AES_256_CBC_SHA"))
+
+@org.junit.runner.RunWith(classOf[org.scalatest.junit.JUnitRunner])
+class Ticket1978DefaultRNGSecureSpec extends Ticket1978CommunicationSpec(getCipherConfig("", "TLS_RSA_WITH_AES_128_CBC_SHA"))
 
 @org.junit.runner.RunWith(classOf[org.scalatest.junit.JUnitRunner])
 class Ticket1978NonExistingRNGSecureSpec extends Ticket1978CommunicationSpec(("NonExistingRNG", false, AkkaSpec.testConf))
 
-@org.junit.runner.RunWith(classOf[org.scalatest.junit.JUnitRunner])
-abstract class Ticket1978CommunicationSpec(val cipherEnabledconfig: (String, Boolean, Config)) extends AkkaSpec(cipherEnabledconfig._3) with ImplicitSender with DefaultTimeout {
+abstract class Ticket1978CommunicationSpec(val cipherEnabledconfig: (String, Boolean, Config)) extends AkkaSpec(cipherEnabledconfig._3) with ImplicitSender {
+
+  implicit val timeout: Timeout = Timeout(5 seconds)
 
   import RemoteCommunicationSpec._
 
-  val conf = ConfigFactory.parseString("akka.remote.netty.port=12346").withFallback(system.settings.config)
-  val other = ActorSystem("remote-sys", conf)
-
-  val remote = other.actorOf(Props(new Actor {
-    def receive = {
-      case "ping" ⇒ sender ! (("pong", sender))
-    }
-  }), "echo")
-
-  val here = system.actorFor("akka://remote-sys@localhost:12346/user/echo")
+  val other = ActorSystem("remote-sys", ConfigFactory.parseString("akka.remote.netty.port=12346").withFallback(system.settings.config))
 
   override def atTermination() {
     other.shutdown()
+    other.awaitTermination()
   }
 
   "SSL Remoting" must {
     if (cipherEnabledconfig._2) {
+      val remote = other.actorOf(Props(new Actor { def receive = { case "ping" ⇒ sender ! (("pong", sender)) } }), "echo")
+
+      val here = system.actorFor("akka://remote-sys@localhost:12346/user/echo")
+
       "support remote look-ups" in {
         here ! "ping"
-        expectMsgPF() {
+        expectMsgPF(timeout.duration) {
           case ("pong", s: AnyRef) if s eq testActor ⇒ true
         }
       }
 
       "send error message for wrong address" in {
-        EventFilter.error(start = "dropping", occurrences = 1).intercept {
-          system.actorFor("akka://remotesys@localhost:12346/user/echo") ! "ping"
-        }(other)
+        within(timeout.duration) {
+          EventFilter.error(start = "dropping", occurrences = 1).intercept {
+            system.actorFor("akka://remotesys@localhost:12346/user/echo") ! "ping"
+          }(other)
+        }
       }
 
       "support ask" in {
@@ -113,52 +143,56 @@ abstract class Ticket1978CommunicationSpec(val cipherEnabledconfig: (String, Boo
       }
 
       "send dead letters on remote if actor does not exist" in {
-        EventFilter.warning(pattern = "dead.*buh", occurrences = 1).intercept {
-          system.actorFor("akka://remote-sys@localhost:12346/does/not/exist") ! "buh"
-        }(other)
+        within(timeout.duration) {
+          EventFilter.warning(pattern = "dead.*buh", occurrences = 1).intercept {
+            system.actorFor("akka://remote-sys@localhost:12346/does/not/exist") ! "buh"
+          }(other)
+        }
       }
 
       "create and supervise children on remote node" in {
-        val r = system.actorOf(Props[Echo], "blub")
-        r.path.toString must be === "akka://remote-sys@localhost:12346/remote/Ticket1978CommunicationSpec@localhost:12345/user/blub"
-        r ! 42
-        expectMsg(42)
-        EventFilter[Exception]("crash", occurrences = 1).intercept {
-          r ! new Exception("crash")
-        }(other)
-        expectMsg("preRestart")
-        r ! 42
-        expectMsg(42)
-        system.stop(r)
-        expectMsg("postStop")
+        within(timeout.duration) {
+          val r = system.actorOf(Props[Echo], "blub")
+          r.path.toString must be === "akka://remote-sys@localhost:12346/remote/Ticket1978CommunicationSpec@localhost:12345/user/blub"
+          r ! 42
+          expectMsg(42)
+          EventFilter[Exception]("crash", occurrences = 1).intercept {
+            r ! new Exception("crash")
+          }(other)
+          expectMsg("preRestart")
+          r ! 42
+          expectMsg(42)
+        }
       }
 
       "look-up actors across node boundaries" in {
-        val l = system.actorOf(Props(new Actor {
-          def receive = {
-            case (p: Props, n: String) ⇒ sender ! context.actorOf(p, n)
-            case s: String             ⇒ sender ! context.actorFor(s)
-          }
-        }), "looker")
-        l ! (Props[Echo], "child")
-        val r = expectMsgType[ActorRef]
-        r ! (Props[Echo], "grandchild")
-        val remref = expectMsgType[ActorRef]
-        remref.isInstanceOf[LocalActorRef] must be(true)
-        val myref = system.actorFor(system / "looker" / "child" / "grandchild")
-        myref.isInstanceOf[RemoteActorRef] must be(true)
-        myref ! 43
-        expectMsg(43)
-        lastSender must be theSameInstanceAs remref
-        r.asInstanceOf[RemoteActorRef].getParent must be(l)
-        system.actorFor("/user/looker/child") must be theSameInstanceAs r
-        Await.result(l ? "child/..", timeout.duration).asInstanceOf[AnyRef] must be theSameInstanceAs l
-        Await.result(system.actorFor(system / "looker" / "child") ? "..", timeout.duration).asInstanceOf[AnyRef] must be theSameInstanceAs l
+        within(timeout.duration) {
+          val l = system.actorOf(Props(new Actor {
+            def receive = {
+              case (p: Props, n: String) ⇒ sender ! context.actorOf(p, n)
+              case s: String             ⇒ sender ! context.actorFor(s)
+            }
+          }), "looker")
+          l ! (Props[Echo], "child")
+          val r = expectMsgType[ActorRef]
+          r ! (Props[Echo], "grandchild")
+          val remref = expectMsgType[ActorRef]
+          remref.isInstanceOf[LocalActorRef] must be(true)
+          val myref = system.actorFor(system / "looker" / "child" / "grandchild")
+          myref.isInstanceOf[RemoteActorRef] must be(true)
+          myref ! 43
+          expectMsg(43)
+          lastSender must be theSameInstanceAs remref
+          r.asInstanceOf[RemoteActorRef].getParent must be(l)
+          system.actorFor("/user/looker/child") must be theSameInstanceAs r
+          Await.result(l ? "child/..", timeout.duration).asInstanceOf[AnyRef] must be theSameInstanceAs l
+          Await.result(system.actorFor(system / "looker" / "child") ? "..", timeout.duration).asInstanceOf[AnyRef] must be theSameInstanceAs l
+        }
       }
 
       "not fail ask across node boundaries" in {
         val f = for (_ ← 1 to 1000) yield here ? "ping" mapTo manifest[(String, ActorRef)]
-        Await.result(Future.sequence(f), remaining).map(_._1).toSet must be(Set("pong"))
+        Await.result(Future.sequence(f), timeout.duration).map(_._1).toSet must be(Set("pong"))
       }
     } else {
       "not be run when the cipher is not supported by the platform this test is currently being executed on" ignore {
diff --git a/akka-remote/src/test/scala/akka/remote/Ticket1978ConfigSpec.scala b/akka-remote/src/test/scala/akka/remote/Ticket1978ConfigSpec.scala
index c6556f0160..4c39b94087 100644
--- a/akka-remote/src/test/scala/akka/remote/Ticket1978ConfigSpec.scala
+++ b/akka-remote/src/test/scala/akka/remote/Ticket1978ConfigSpec.scala
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ akka {
       SSLTrustStore must be(Some("truststore"))
       SSLTrustStorePassword must be(Some("changeme"))
       SSLProtocol must be(Some("TLSv1"))
-      SSLSupportedAlgorithms must be(java.util.Arrays.asList("TLS_RSA_WITH_AES_128_CBC_SHA", "TLS_RSA_WITH_AES_256_CBC_SHA"))
+      SSLEnabledAlgorithms must be(Set("TLS_RSA_WITH_AES_128_CBC_SHA"))
       SSLRandomSource must be(None)
       SSLRandomNumberGenerator must be(None)
     }
diff --git a/akka-sbt-plugin/src/main/scala/AkkaKernelPlugin.scala b/akka-sbt-plugin/src/main/scala/AkkaKernelPlugin.scala
index 08826fa5dd..835a596a4a 100644
--- a/akka-sbt-plugin/src/main/scala/AkkaKernelPlugin.scala
+++ b/akka-sbt-plugin/src/main/scala/AkkaKernelPlugin.scala
@@ -75,7 +75,9 @@ object AkkaKernelPlugin extends Plugin {
 
         copyFiles(libFiles(cp, conf.libFilter), distLibPath)
         copyFiles(conf.additionalLibs, distLibPath)
-        for (subTarget ← subProjectDependencies.map(_.target)) {
+        for (subProjectDependency ← subProjectDependencies) {
+          val subTarget = subProjectDependency.target
+          EvaluateTask(buildStruct, packageBin in Compile, st, subProjectDependency.projectRef)
           copyJars(subTarget, distLibPath)
         }
         log.info("Distribution created.")
@@ -220,10 +222,10 @@ object AkkaKernelPlugin extends Plugin {
     }.toList
 
     val target = setting(Keys.crossTarget, "Missing crossTarget directory")
-    SubProjectInfo(project.id, target, subProjects)
+    SubProjectInfo(projectRef, target, subProjects)
   }
 
-  private case class SubProjectInfo(id: String, target: File, subProjects: Seq[SubProjectInfo]) {
+  private case class SubProjectInfo(projectRef: ProjectRef, target: File, subProjects: Seq[SubProjectInfo]) {
 
     def recursiveSubProjects: Set[SubProjectInfo] = {
       val flatSubProjects = for {
diff --git a/akka-testkit/src/main/scala/akka/testkit/TestActorRef.scala b/akka-testkit/src/main/scala/akka/testkit/TestActorRef.scala
index ed151b6b12..f8efe4e2e5 100644
--- a/akka-testkit/src/main/scala/akka/testkit/TestActorRef.scala
+++ b/akka-testkit/src/main/scala/akka/testkit/TestActorRef.scala
@@ -5,9 +5,7 @@
 package akka.testkit
 
 import akka.actor._
-import akka.util.Duration
 import java.util.concurrent.atomic.AtomicLong
-import scala.collection.immutable.Stack
 import akka.dispatch._
 import akka.pattern.ask
 
diff --git a/akka-testkit/src/main/scala/akka/testkit/TestKit.scala b/akka-testkit/src/main/scala/akka/testkit/TestKit.scala
index 0f19e4e6c7..b3c1626536 100644
--- a/akka-testkit/src/main/scala/akka/testkit/TestKit.scala
+++ b/akka-testkit/src/main/scala/akka/testkit/TestKit.scala
@@ -492,19 +492,21 @@ trait TestKitBase {
 
     @tailrec
     def doit(acc: List[T], count: Int): List[T] = {
-      if (count >= messages) return acc.reverse
-      receiveOne((stop - now) min idle)
-      lastMessage match {
-        case NullMessage ⇒
-          lastMessage = msg
-          acc.reverse
-        case RealMessage(o, _) if (f isDefinedAt o) ⇒
-          msg = lastMessage
-          doit(f(o) :: acc, count + 1)
-        case RealMessage(o, _) ⇒
-          queue.offerFirst(lastMessage)
-          lastMessage = msg
-          acc.reverse
+      if (count >= messages) acc.reverse
+      else {
+        receiveOne((stop - now) min idle)
+        lastMessage match {
+          case NullMessage ⇒
+            lastMessage = msg
+            acc.reverse
+          case RealMessage(o, _) if (f isDefinedAt o) ⇒
+            msg = lastMessage
+            doit(f(o) :: acc, count + 1)
+          case RealMessage(o, _) ⇒
+            queue.offerFirst(lastMessage)
+            lastMessage = msg
+            acc.reverse
+        }
       }
     }
 
diff --git a/akka-transactor/src/test/java/akka/transactor/UntypedCoordinatedIncrementTest.java b/akka-transactor/src/test/java/akka/transactor/UntypedCoordinatedIncrementTest.java
index 60a887f554..36c063feaa 100644
--- a/akka-transactor/src/test/java/akka/transactor/UntypedCoordinatedIncrementTest.java
+++ b/akka-transactor/src/test/java/akka/transactor/UntypedCoordinatedIncrementTest.java
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ public class UntypedCoordinatedIncrementTest {
   Timeout timeout = new Timeout(timeoutSeconds, TimeUnit.SECONDS);
 
   @Before
-  public void initialise() {
+  public void initialize() {
     counters = new ArrayList<ActorRef>();
     for (int i = 1; i <= numCounters; i++) {
       final String name = "counter" + i;
diff --git a/akka-transactor/src/test/java/akka/transactor/UntypedTransactorTest.java b/akka-transactor/src/test/java/akka/transactor/UntypedTransactorTest.java
index cadc4828b1..b7dc99389a 100644
--- a/akka-transactor/src/test/java/akka/transactor/UntypedTransactorTest.java
+++ b/akka-transactor/src/test/java/akka/transactor/UntypedTransactorTest.java
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ public class UntypedTransactorTest {
   Timeout timeout = new Timeout(timeoutSeconds, TimeUnit.SECONDS);
 
   @Before
-  public void initialise() {
+  public void initialize() {
     counters = new ArrayList<ActorRef>();
     for (int i = 1; i <= numCounters; i++) {
       final String name = "counter" + i;
diff --git a/akka-zeromq/src/main/scala/akka/zeromq/ConcurrentSocketActor.scala b/akka-zeromq/src/main/scala/akka/zeromq/ConcurrentSocketActor.scala
index e848809644..71b7b185f0 100644
--- a/akka-zeromq/src/main/scala/akka/zeromq/ConcurrentSocketActor.scala
+++ b/akka-zeromq/src/main/scala/akka/zeromq/ConcurrentSocketActor.scala
@@ -9,14 +9,17 @@ import akka.actor._
 import akka.dispatch.{ Promise, Future }
 import akka.event.Logging
 import annotation.tailrec
-import akka.util.Duration
 import java.util.concurrent.TimeUnit
+import collection.mutable.ListBuffer
+import akka.util.{ NonFatal, Duration }
 
 private[zeromq] object ConcurrentSocketActor {
   private sealed trait PollMsg
   private case object Poll extends PollMsg
   private case object PollCareful extends PollMsg
 
+  private case object Flush
+
   private class NoSocketHandleException() extends Exception("Couldn't create a zeromq socket.")
 
   private val DefaultContext = Context()
@@ -32,19 +35,28 @@ private[zeromq] class ConcurrentSocketActor(params: Seq[SocketOption]) extends A
     import SocketType.{ ZMQSocketType ⇒ ST }
     params.collectFirst { case t: ST ⇒ t }.getOrElse(throw new IllegalArgumentException("A socket type is required"))
   }
+
   private val socket: Socket = zmqContext.socket(socketType)
   private val poller: Poller = zmqContext.poller
   private val log = Logging(context.system, this)
 
+  private val pendingSends = new ListBuffer[Seq[Frame]]
+
   def receive = {
     case m: PollMsg         ⇒ doPoll(m)
-    case ZMQMessage(frames) ⇒ sendMessage(frames)
+    case ZMQMessage(frames) ⇒ handleRequest(Send(frames))
     case r: Request         ⇒ handleRequest(r)
+    case Flush              ⇒ flush()
     case Terminated(_)      ⇒ context stop self
   }
 
   private def handleRequest(msg: Request): Unit = msg match {
-    case Send(frames)         ⇒ sendMessage(frames)
+    case Send(frames) ⇒
+      if (frames.nonEmpty) {
+        val flushNow = pendingSends.isEmpty
+        pendingSends.append(frames)
+        if (flushNow) flush()
+      }
     case opt: SocketOption    ⇒ handleSocketOption(opt)
     case q: SocketOptionQuery ⇒ handleSocketOptionQuery(q)
   }
@@ -117,48 +129,46 @@ private[zeromq] class ConcurrentSocketActor(params: Seq[SocketOption]) extends A
     }
   }
 
-  private def setupConnection() {
+  private def setupConnection(): Unit = {
     params filter (_.isInstanceOf[SocketConnectOption]) foreach { self ! _ }
     params filter (_.isInstanceOf[PubSubOption]) foreach { self ! _ }
   }
 
-  private def deserializerFromParams = {
+  private def deserializerFromParams: Deserializer =
     params collectFirst { case d: Deserializer ⇒ d } getOrElse new ZMQMessageDeserializer
+
+  private def setupSocket() = params foreach {
+    case _: SocketConnectOption | _: PubSubOption | _: SocketMeta ⇒ // ignore, handled differently
+    case m ⇒ self ! m
   }
 
-  private def setupSocket() = {
-    params foreach {
-      case _: SocketConnectOption | _: PubSubOption | _: SocketMeta ⇒ // ignore, handled differently
-      case m ⇒ self ! m
+  override def preRestart(reason: Throwable, message: Option[Any]): Unit = context.children foreach context.stop //Do not call postStop
+
+  override def postRestart(reason: Throwable): Unit = () // Do nothing
+
+  override def postStop: Unit = try {
+    if (socket != null) {
+      poller.unregister(socket)
+      socket.close
     }
-  }
+  } finally notifyListener(Closed)
 
-  override def preRestart(reason: Throwable, message: Option[Any]) {
-    context.children foreach context.stop //Do not call postStop
-  }
-
-  override def postRestart(reason: Throwable) {} //Do nothing
-
-  override def postStop {
-    try {
-      if (socket != null) {
-        poller.unregister(socket)
-        socket.close
+  @tailrec private def flushMessage(i: Seq[Frame]): Boolean =
+    if (i.isEmpty)
+      true
+    else {
+      val head = i.head
+      val tail = i.tail
+      if (socket.send(head.payload.toArray, if (tail.nonEmpty) JZMQ.SNDMORE else 0)) flushMessage(tail)
+      else {
+        pendingSends.prepend(i) // Reenqueue the rest of the message so the next flush takes care of it
+        self ! Flush
+        false
       }
-    } finally {
-      notifyListener(Closed)
     }
-  }
 
-  private def sendMessage(frames: Seq[Frame]) {
-    def sendBytes(bytes: Seq[Byte], flags: Int) = socket.send(bytes.toArray, flags)
-    val iter = frames.iterator
-    while (iter.hasNext) {
-      val payload = iter.next.payload
-      val flags = if (iter.hasNext) JZMQ.SNDMORE else 0
-      sendBytes(payload, flags)
-    }
-  }
+  @tailrec private def flush(): Unit =
+    if (pendingSends.nonEmpty && flushMessage(pendingSends.remove(0))) flush() // Flush while things are going well
 
   // this is a “PollMsg=>Unit” which either polls or schedules Poll, depending on the sign of the timeout
   private val doPollTimeout = {
diff --git a/akka-zeromq/src/main/scala/akka/zeromq/ZeroMQExtension.scala b/akka-zeromq/src/main/scala/akka/zeromq/ZeroMQExtension.scala
index 85a9ea6642..4bf52a41e3 100644
--- a/akka-zeromq/src/main/scala/akka/zeromq/ZeroMQExtension.scala
+++ b/akka-zeromq/src/main/scala/akka/zeromq/ZeroMQExtension.scala
@@ -139,8 +139,7 @@ class ZeroMQExtension(system: ActorSystem) extends Extension {
    */
   def newSocket(socketParameters: SocketOption*): ActorRef = {
     implicit val timeout = NewSocketTimeout
-    val req = (zeromqGuardian ? newSocketProps(socketParameters: _*)).mapTo[ActorRef]
-    Await.result(req, timeout.duration)
+    Await.result((zeromqGuardian ? newSocketProps(socketParameters: _*)).mapTo[ActorRef], timeout.duration)
   }
 
   /**
@@ -248,9 +247,7 @@ class ZeroMQExtension(system: ActorSystem) extends Extension {
         case _                                         ⇒ false
       }
 
-      def receive = {
-        case p: Props ⇒ sender ! context.actorOf(p)
-      }
+      def receive = { case p: Props ⇒ sender ! context.actorOf(p) }
     }), "zeromq")
   }