diff --git a/akka-actor-typed-tests/src/test/scala/akka/actor/typed/scaladsl/RoutersSpec.scala b/akka-actor-typed-tests/src/test/scala/akka/actor/typed/scaladsl/RoutersSpec.scala
index ed7396452d..05217ab1a0 100644
--- a/akka-actor-typed-tests/src/test/scala/akka/actor/typed/scaladsl/RoutersSpec.scala
+++ b/akka-actor-typed-tests/src/test/scala/akka/actor/typed/scaladsl/RoutersSpec.scala
@@ -135,9 +135,7 @@ class RoutersSpec extends ScalaTestWithActorTestKit("""
 
       val group = spawn(Routers.group(serviceKey), "group-router-1")
 
-      // give the group a little time to get a listing from the receptionist
-      Thread.sleep(receptionistDelayMs)
-
+      // ok to do right away
       (0 to 3).foreach { n =>
         val msg = s"message-$n"
         group ! msg
diff --git a/akka-actor-typed/src/main/scala/akka/actor/typed/internal/routing/GroupRouterImpl.scala b/akka-actor-typed/src/main/scala/akka/actor/typed/internal/routing/GroupRouterImpl.scala
index f8ee424cd4..b18ad16e83 100644
--- a/akka-actor-typed/src/main/scala/akka/actor/typed/internal/routing/GroupRouterImpl.scala
+++ b/akka-actor-typed/src/main/scala/akka/actor/typed/internal/routing/GroupRouterImpl.scala
@@ -7,8 +7,7 @@ package akka.actor.typed.internal.routing
 import akka.actor.typed._
 import akka.actor.typed.receptionist.Receptionist
 import akka.actor.typed.receptionist.ServiceKey
-import akka.actor.typed.scaladsl.AbstractBehavior
-import akka.actor.typed.scaladsl.ActorContext
+import akka.actor.typed.scaladsl.{ AbstractBehavior, ActorContext, StashBuffer }
 import akka.annotation.InternalApi
 
 /**
@@ -24,7 +23,7 @@ private[akka] final case class GroupRouterBuilder[T] private[akka] (
     with scaladsl.GroupRouter[T] {
 
   // deferred creation of the actual router
-  def apply(ctx: TypedActorContext[T]): Behavior[T] = new GroupRouterImpl[T](ctx.asScala, key, logicFactory())
+  def apply(ctx: TypedActorContext[T]): Behavior[T] = new InitialGroupRouterImpl[T](ctx.asScala, key, logicFactory())
 
   def withRandomRouting(): GroupRouterBuilder[T] = copy(logicFactory = () => new RoutingLogics.RandomLogic[T]())
 
@@ -34,15 +33,50 @@ private[akka] final case class GroupRouterBuilder[T] private[akka] (
 
 /**
  * INTERNAL API
+ *
+ * Starting behavior for a group router before it got a first listing back from the receptionist
  */
 @InternalApi
-private final class GroupRouterImpl[T](ctx: ActorContext[T], serviceKey: ServiceKey[T], routingLogic: RoutingLogic[T])
+private final class InitialGroupRouterImpl[T](
+    ctx: ActorContext[T],
+    serviceKey: ServiceKey[T],
+    routingLogic: RoutingLogic[T])
     extends AbstractBehavior[T] {
 
   // casting trix to avoid having to wrap incoming messages - note that this will cause problems if intercepting
   // messages to a router
   ctx.system.receptionist ! Receptionist.Subscribe(serviceKey, ctx.self.unsafeUpcast[Any].narrow[Receptionist.Listing])
-  private var routeesEmpty = true
+
+  private val stash = StashBuffer[T](capacity = 10000)
+
+  def onMessage(msg: T): Behavior[T] = msg match {
+    case serviceKey.Listing(update) =>
+      // we don't need to watch, because receptionist already does that
+      routingLogic.routeesUpdated(update)
+      val activeGroupRouter = new GroupRouterImpl[T](ctx, serviceKey, routingLogic, update.isEmpty)
+      stash.unstashAll(ctx, activeGroupRouter)
+    case msg: T @unchecked =>
+      if (!stash.isFull) stash.stash(msg)
+      else ctx.system.deadLetters ! Dropped(msg, ctx.self) // don't fail on full stash
+      this
+  }
+}
+
+/**
+ * INTERNAL API
+ */
+@InternalApi
+private final class GroupRouterImpl[T](
+    ctx: ActorContext[T],
+    serviceKey: ServiceKey[T],
+    routingLogic: RoutingLogic[T],
+    routeesInitiallyEmpty: Boolean)
+    extends AbstractBehavior[T] {
+
+  // casting trix to avoid having to wrap incoming messages - note that this will cause problems if intercepting
+  // messages to a router
+  ctx.system.receptionist ! Receptionist.Subscribe(serviceKey, ctx.self.unsafeUpcast[Any].narrow[Receptionist.Listing])
+  private var routeesEmpty = routeesInitiallyEmpty
 
   def onMessage(msg: T): Behavior[T] = msg match {
     case serviceKey.Listing(update) =>