diff --git a/akka-core/src/main/scala/remote/RemoteClient.scala b/akka-core/src/main/scala/remote/RemoteClient.scala
index 6a8245e8b8..e20de6b9d0 100644
--- a/akka-core/src/main/scala/remote/RemoteClient.scala
+++ b/akka-core/src/main/scala/remote/RemoteClient.scala
@@ -181,41 +181,43 @@ class RemoteClient private[akka] (val hostname: String, val port: Int, val loade
   extends Logging with ListenerManagement {
   val name = "RemoteClient@" + hostname + "::" + port
 
-  @volatile private[remote] var isRunning = false
   private val futures = new ConcurrentHashMap[Long, CompletableFuture[_]]
   private val supervisors = new ConcurrentHashMap[String, ActorRef]
 
-  private val channelFactory = new NioClientSocketChannelFactory(
-    Executors.newCachedThreadPool,
-    Executors.newCachedThreadPool)
-
-  private val bootstrap = new ClientBootstrap(channelFactory)
-  private val timer = new HashedWheelTimer
   private val remoteAddress = new InetSocketAddress(hostname, port)
 
-  private[remote] var connection: ChannelFuture = _
-  private[remote] val openChannels = new DefaultChannelGroup(classOf[RemoteClient].getName);
+  @volatile private[remote] var isRunning = false
+  @volatile private var bootstrap: ClientBootstrap = _
+  @volatile private var reconnectionTimeWindowStart = 0L
+  @volatile private[remote] var connection: ChannelFuture = _
+  @volatile private[remote] var openChannels: DefaultChannelGroup = _
+  @volatile private var timer: HashedWheelTimer = _
 
   private val reconnectionTimeWindow =
     Duration(config.getInt("akka.remote.client.reconnection-time-window", 600), TIME_UNIT).toMillis
-  @volatile private var reconnectionTimeWindowStart = 0L
-
-  bootstrap.setPipelineFactory(new RemoteClientPipelineFactory(name, futures, supervisors, bootstrap, remoteAddress, timer, this))
-  bootstrap.setOption("tcpNoDelay", true)
-  bootstrap.setOption("keepAlive", true)
 
   def connect = synchronized {
     if (!isRunning) {
+      openChannels = new DefaultChannelGroup(classOf[RemoteClient].getName)
+      timer = new HashedWheelTimer
+      bootstrap = new ClientBootstrap(
+        new NioClientSocketChannelFactory(
+          Executors.newCachedThreadPool,Executors.newCachedThreadPool
+        )
+      )
+      bootstrap.setPipelineFactory(new RemoteClientPipelineFactory(name, futures, supervisors, bootstrap, remoteAddress, timer, this))
+      bootstrap.setOption("tcpNoDelay", true)
+      bootstrap.setOption("keepAlive", true)
       connection = bootstrap.connect(remoteAddress)
       log.info("Starting remote client connection to [%s:%s]", hostname, port)
       // Wait until the connection attempt succeeds or fails.
       val channel = connection.awaitUninterruptibly.getChannel
       openChannels.add(channel)
       if (!connection.isSuccess) {
-        foreachListener(l => l ! RemoteClientError(connection.getCause, this))
+        foreachListener(_ ! RemoteClientError(connection.getCause, this))
         log.error(connection.getCause, "Remote client connection to [%s:%s] has failed", hostname, port)
       }
-      foreachListener(l => l ! RemoteClientStarted(this))
+      foreachListener(_ ! RemoteClientStarted(this))
       isRunning = true
     }
   }
@@ -224,10 +226,14 @@ class RemoteClient private[akka] (val hostname: String, val port: Int, val loade
     log.info("Shutting down %s", name)
     if (isRunning) {
       isRunning = false
-      foreachListener(l => l ! RemoteClientShutdown(this))
+      foreachListener(_ ! RemoteClientShutdown(this))
       timer.stop
+      timer = null
       openChannels.close.awaitUninterruptibly
+      openChannels = null
       bootstrap.releaseExternalResources
+      bootstrap = null
+      connection = null
       log.info("%s has been shut down", name)
     }
   }
@@ -257,7 +263,7 @@ class RemoteClient private[akka] (val hostname: String, val port: Int, val loade
     }
   } else {
     val exception = new RemoteClientException("Remote client is not running, make sure you have invoked 'RemoteClient.connect' before using it.", this)
-    foreachListener(l => l ! RemoteClientError(exception, this))
+    foreachListener(_ ! RemoteClientError(exception, this))
     throw exception
   }
 
@@ -373,12 +379,12 @@ class RemoteClientHandler(
         futures.remove(reply.getId)
       } else {
         val exception = new RemoteClientException("Unknown message received in remote client handler: " + result, client)
-        client.foreachListener(l => l ! RemoteClientError(exception, client))
+        client.foreachListener(_ ! RemoteClientError(exception, client))
         throw exception
       }
     } catch {
       case e: Exception =>
-        client.foreachListener(l => l ! RemoteClientError(e, client))
+        client.foreachListener(_ ! RemoteClientError(e, client))
         log.error("Unexpected exception in remote client handler: %s", e)
         throw e
     }
@@ -393,8 +399,7 @@ class RemoteClientHandler(
           client.connection = bootstrap.connect(remoteAddress)
           client.connection.awaitUninterruptibly // Wait until the connection attempt succeeds or fails.
           if (!client.connection.isSuccess) {
-            client.foreachListener(l =>
-              l.asInstanceOf[ActorRef] ! RemoteClientError(client.connection.getCause, client))
+            client.foreachListener(_ ! RemoteClientError(client.connection.getCause, client))
             log.error(client.connection.getCause, "Reconnection to [%s] has failed", remoteAddress)
           }
         }
@@ -404,7 +409,7 @@ class RemoteClientHandler(
 
   override def channelConnected(ctx: ChannelHandlerContext, event: ChannelStateEvent) = {
     def connect = {
-      client.foreachListener(l => l ! RemoteClientConnected(client))
+      client.foreachListener(_ ! RemoteClientConnected(client))
       log.debug("Remote client connected to [%s]", ctx.getChannel.getRemoteAddress)
       client.resetReconnectionTimeWindow
     }
@@ -421,12 +426,12 @@ class RemoteClientHandler(
   }
 
   override def channelDisconnected(ctx: ChannelHandlerContext, event: ChannelStateEvent) = {
-    client.foreachListener(l => l ! RemoteClientDisconnected(client))
+    client.foreachListener(_ ! RemoteClientDisconnected(client))
     log.debug("Remote client disconnected from [%s]", ctx.getChannel.getRemoteAddress)
   }
 
   override def exceptionCaught(ctx: ChannelHandlerContext, event: ExceptionEvent) = {
-    client.foreachListener(l => l ! RemoteClientError(event.getCause, client))
+    client.foreachListener(_ ! RemoteClientError(event.getCause, client))
     log.error(event.getCause, "Unexpected exception from downstream in remote client")
     event.getChannel.close
   }