diff --git a/akka-patterns/src/main/scala/Patterns.scala b/akka-patterns/src/main/scala/Patterns.scala
index fc50292676..d8a49c74e3 100644
--- a/akka-patterns/src/main/scala/Patterns.scala
+++ b/akka-patterns/src/main/scala/Patterns.scala
@@ -85,3 +85,21 @@ class SmallestMailboxFirstIterator(items : List[Actor]) extends InfiniteIterator
     items.reduceLeft((actor1, actor2) => actorWithSmallestMailbox(actor1,actor2))
   }
 } 
+
+sealed trait ListenerMessage
+case class Listen(listener : Actor) extends ListenerMessage
+case class Deafen(listener : Actor) extends ListenerMessage 
+case class WithListeners(f : Set[Actor] => Unit) extends ListenerMessage
+
+trait Listeners { self : Actor =>
+  import se.scalablesolutions.akka.actor.Agent
+  private lazy val listeners = Agent(Set[Actor]())
+
+  protected def listenerManagement : PartialFunction[Any,Unit] = {
+    case Listen(l) => listeners( _ + l)
+    case Deafen(l) => listeners( _ - l )
+    case WithListeners(f) => listeners foreach f
+  }
+  
+  protected def gossip(msg : Any) = listeners foreach ( _ foreach ( _ ! msg ) )
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/akka-patterns/src/test/scala/ActorPatternsTest.scala b/akka-patterns/src/test/scala/ActorPatternsTest.scala
index 0ce999add0..2235b1a1a7 100644
--- a/akka-patterns/src/test/scala/ActorPatternsTest.scala
+++ b/akka-patterns/src/test/scala/ActorPatternsTest.scala
@@ -90,6 +90,44 @@ class ActorPatternsTest extends junit.framework.TestCase with Suite with MustMat
       }
     }
   })
+  
+  @Test def testListener = verify(new TestActor {
+    import java.util.concurrent.{ CountDownLatch, TimeUnit }
+  
+    def test = {
+      val latch = new CountDownLatch(2)
+      val num = new AtomicInteger(0)
+      val i = new Actor with Listeners {
+        def receive = listenerManagement orElse {
+          case "foo" =>  gossip("bar")
+        }
+      }
+      i.start
+      
+      def newListener = actor { 
+        case "bar" => 
+        num.incrementAndGet
+        latch.countDown
+      }
+      
+      val a1 = newListener
+      val a2 = newListener
+      val a3 = newListener
+      
+      handle(i,a1,a2,a3) {
+      i ! Listen(a1)
+      i ! Listen(a2)
+      i ! Listen(a3)
+      i ! Deafen(a3)
+
+	  i ! "foo"
+	  
+	  val done = latch.await(5,TimeUnit.SECONDS)
+	  done must be (true)
+	  num.get must be (2)
+	  }
+    }
+  });
 
 }