diff --git a/akka-actor-tests/src/test/scala/akka/actor/actor/IOActor.scala b/akka-actor-tests/src/test/scala/akka/actor/actor/IOActor.scala
index 34dd236594..e68199bea6 100644
--- a/akka-actor-tests/src/test/scala/akka/actor/actor/IOActor.scala
+++ b/akka-actor-tests/src/test/scala/akka/actor/actor/IOActor.scala
@@ -38,14 +38,18 @@ object IOActorSpec {
 
   class SimpleEchoClient(host: String, port: Int, ioManager: ActorRef) extends IOActor {
 
+    sequentialIO = false
+
     override def preStart: Unit = {
       token = connect(ioManager, host, port)
     }
 
     def receiveIO = {
       case bytes: ByteString ⇒
+        println("C: Sending Request")
         write(bytes)
         self reply read(bytes.length)
+        println("C: Got Response")
     }
   }
 }
@@ -55,7 +59,7 @@ class IOActorSpec extends WordSpec with MustMatchers with BeforeAndAfterEach {
 
   "an IO Actor" must {
     "run" in {
-      val ioManager = Actor.actorOf(new IOManager(2)).start
+      val ioManager = Actor.actorOf(new IOManager(2)).start // teeny tiny buffer
       val server = Actor.actorOf(new SimpleEchoServer("localhost", 8064, ioManager)).start
       val client = Actor.actorOf(new SimpleEchoClient("localhost", 8064, ioManager)).start
       val promise1 = client !!! ByteString("Hello World!1")
diff --git a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/IO.scala b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/IO.scala
index cffcbeb655..23a431fe22 100644
--- a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/IO.scala
+++ b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/IO.scala
@@ -85,8 +85,12 @@ trait IO {
 
 trait IOActor extends Actor with IO {
 
+  var sequentialIO = true
+
   var messages: Queue[MessageInvocation] = Queue.empty
 
+  var continuations: Map[MessageInvocation, (Int, ByteString ⇒ Unit)] = Map.empty
+
   var readBytes: Queue[ByteString] = Queue.empty
 
   var readBytesLength: Int = 0
@@ -100,31 +104,39 @@ trait IOActor extends Actor with IO {
   var currentMessage: MessageInvocation = _
 
   def read(len: Int): ByteString @suspendable = shift { cont: (ByteString ⇒ Unit) ⇒
-    waitingFor = len
-    next = Some(cont)
+    if (next.isEmpty) {
+      waitingFor = len
+      next = Some(cont)
+    } else {
+      messages :+= self.currentMessage
+      continuations += (self.currentMessage -> (len, cont))
+    }
     run()
   }
 
   def write(bytes: ByteString): Unit = write(token, bytes)
 
-  def receive = {
+  final def receive = {
     case IO.Read(t, newBytes) if token == t ⇒
       readBytes :+= newBytes
       readBytesLength += newBytes.length
       run()
     case IO.Connected(t) if token == t ⇒ ()
     case IO.Closed(t) if token == t    ⇒ self.stop
-    case msg if next.isDefined ⇒
-      messages = messages.enqueue(self.currentMessage)
-    case msg if receiveIO.isDefinedAt(msg) ⇒
-      currentMessage = self.currentMessage
-      reset { receiveIO(msg) }
+    case msg if next.isDefined && sequentialIO ⇒
+      messages :+= self.currentMessage
+    case msg if _receiveIO.isDefinedAt(msg) ⇒
+      if (next.isEmpty) currentMessage = self.currentMessage
+      reset { _receiveIO(msg) }
       ()
   }
 
   def receiveIO: PartialFunction[Any, Unit @suspendable]
 
-  def run(): Unit = {
+  private lazy val _receiveIO = receiveIO
+
+  @tailrec
+  private def run(): Unit = {
     self.currentMessage = currentMessage
     while (next.isDefined && readBytesLength >= waitingFor) {
       var left = waitingFor
@@ -149,10 +161,17 @@ trait IOActor extends Actor with IO {
     if (next.isEmpty && messages.nonEmpty) {
       val (msg, rest) = messages.dequeue
       messages = rest
-      self.invoke(msg)
+      continuations.get(msg) match {
+        case Some((len, cont)) ⇒
+          continuations -= msg
+          currentMessage = msg
+          next = Some(cont)
+          waitingFor = len
+        case _ ⇒ self.invoke(msg)
+      }
+      run()
     }
   }
-
 }
 
 class IOManager(bufferSize: Int = 8192) extends Actor {