diff --git a/akka-stream-tests/src/test/scala/akka/stream/scaladsl/ActorRefBackpressureSinkSpec.scala b/akka-stream-tests/src/test/scala/akka/stream/scaladsl/ActorRefBackpressureSinkSpec.scala
index ee5d298d3d..ec76249bce 100644
--- a/akka-stream-tests/src/test/scala/akka/stream/scaladsl/ActorRefBackpressureSinkSpec.scala
+++ b/akka-stream-tests/src/test/scala/akka/stream/scaladsl/ActorRefBackpressureSinkSpec.scala
@@ -8,6 +8,9 @@ import akka.stream.ActorMaterializer
 import akka.stream.testkit.Utils._
 import akka.stream.testkit._
 import akka.stream.testkit.scaladsl._
+import org.scalatest.concurrent.ScalaFutures
+import org.scalactic.ConversionCheckedTripleEquals
+import scala.concurrent.duration._
 
 object ActorRefBackpressureSinkSpec {
   val initMessage = "start"
@@ -43,9 +46,10 @@ object ActorRefBackpressureSinkSpec {
 
 }
 
-class ActorRefBackpressureSinkSpec extends AkkaSpec {
+class ActorRefBackpressureSinkSpec extends AkkaSpec with ScalaFutures with ConversionCheckedTripleEquals {
   import ActorRefBackpressureSinkSpec._
   implicit val mat = ActorMaterializer()
+  implicit val patience = PatienceConfig(2.second)
 
   def createActor[T](c: Class[T]) =
     system.actorOf(Props(c, testActor).withDispatcher("akka.test.stream-dispatcher"))
@@ -110,6 +114,22 @@ class ActorRefBackpressureSinkSpec extends AkkaSpec {
       expectMsg(completeMessage)
     }
 
+    "keep on sending even after the buffer has been full" in assertAllStagesStopped {
+      val fw = createActor(classOf[Fw2])
+      val probe = Source(1 to 20)
+        .alsoToMat(Flow[Int].take(16).watchTermination()(Keep.right).to(Sink.ignore))(Keep.right)
+        .to(Sink.actorRefWithAck(fw, initMessage, ackMessage, completeMessage))
+        .run()
+      probe.futureValue should ===(akka.Done)
+      expectMsg(initMessage)
+      fw ! TriggerAckMessage
+      for (i ← 1 to 20) {
+        expectMsg(i)
+        fw ! TriggerAckMessage
+      }
+      expectMsg(completeMessage)
+    }
+
   }
 
 }
diff --git a/akka-stream/src/main/scala/akka/stream/impl/ActorRefBackpressureSinkStage.scala b/akka-stream/src/main/scala/akka/stream/impl/ActorRefBackpressureSinkStage.scala
index 92b74da6a0..4bc54b9c9c 100644
--- a/akka-stream/src/main/scala/akka/stream/impl/ActorRefBackpressureSinkStage.scala
+++ b/akka-stream/src/main/scala/akka/stream/impl/ActorRefBackpressureSinkStage.scala
@@ -52,10 +52,9 @@ private[akka] class ActorRefBackpressureSinkStage[In](ref: ActorRef, onInitMessa
       }
 
       private def sendData(): Unit = {
-        if (!buffer.isEmpty) {
-          ref ! buffer.poll()
-          acknowledgementReceived = false
-        }
+        if (buffer.size() == maxBuffer) tryPull(in)
+        ref ! buffer.poll()
+        acknowledgementReceived = false
         if (buffer.isEmpty && completeReceived) finish()
       }