diff --git a/akka-cluster/src/main/scala/akka/cluster/Cluster.scala b/akka-cluster/src/main/scala/akka/cluster/Cluster.scala
index e2b5c8e751..4ea43d50e4 100644
--- a/akka-cluster/src/main/scala/akka/cluster/Cluster.scala
+++ b/akka-cluster/src/main/scala/akka/cluster/Cluster.scala
@@ -589,10 +589,7 @@ class Cluster(system: ExtendedActorSystem) extends Extension { clusterNode ⇒
       if (!state.compareAndSet(localState, newState)) joining(node) // recur if we failed update
       else {
         if (node != selfAddress) failureDetector heartbeat node
-
-        if (convergence(newState.latestGossip).isDefined) {
-          newState.memberMembershipChangeListeners foreach { _ notify newMembers }
-        }
+        notifyMembershipChangeListeners(localState, newState)
       }
     }
   }
@@ -623,10 +620,12 @@ class Cluster(system: ExtendedActorSystem) extends Extension { clusterNode ⇒
     }
   }
 
-  private def notifyMembershipChangeListeners(oldState: State, newState: State): Unit =
-    if (newState.latestGossip != oldState.latestGossip && convergence(newState.latestGossip).isDefined) {
+  private def notifyMembershipChangeListeners(oldState: State, newState: State): Unit = {
+    val oldMembersStatus = oldState.latestGossip.members.toSeq.map(m ⇒ (m.address, m.status))
+    val newMembersStatus = newState.latestGossip.members.toSeq.map(m ⇒ (m.address, m.status))
+    if (newMembersStatus != oldMembersStatus)
       newState.memberMembershipChangeListeners foreach { _ notify newState.latestGossip.members }
-    }
+  }
 
   /**
    * State transition to EXITING.
diff --git a/akka-cluster/src/multi-jvm/scala/akka/cluster/MembershipChangeListenerSpec.scala b/akka-cluster/src/multi-jvm/scala/akka/cluster/MembershipChangeListenerSpec.scala
index c87a280e17..9e190050f9 100644
--- a/akka-cluster/src/multi-jvm/scala/akka/cluster/MembershipChangeListenerSpec.scala
+++ b/akka-cluster/src/multi-jvm/scala/akka/cluster/MembershipChangeListenerSpec.scala
@@ -37,7 +37,6 @@ abstract class MembershipChangeListenerSpec extends MultiNodeSpec(MembershipChan
       awaitClusterUp(first)
 
       runOn(first, second) {
-        cluster.join(firstAddress)
         val latch = TestLatch()
         cluster.registerListener(new MembershipChangeListener {
           def notify(members: SortedSet[Member]) {
@@ -45,8 +44,13 @@ abstract class MembershipChangeListenerSpec extends MultiNodeSpec(MembershipChan
               latch.countDown()
           }
         })
+        testConductor.enter("listener-1-registered")
+        cluster.join(firstAddress)
         latch.await
-        cluster.convergence.isDefined must be(true)
+      }
+
+      runOn(third) {
+        testConductor.enter("listener-1-registered")
       }
 
       testConductor.enter("after-1")
@@ -54,10 +58,6 @@ abstract class MembershipChangeListenerSpec extends MultiNodeSpec(MembershipChan
 
     "(when three nodes) after cluster convergence updates the membership table then all MembershipChangeListeners should be triggered" taggedAs LongRunningTest in {
 
-      runOn(third) {
-        cluster.join(firstAddress)
-      }
-
       val latch = TestLatch()
       cluster.registerListener(new MembershipChangeListener {
         def notify(members: SortedSet[Member]) {
@@ -65,8 +65,13 @@ abstract class MembershipChangeListenerSpec extends MultiNodeSpec(MembershipChan
             latch.countDown()
         }
       })
+      testConductor.enter("listener-2-registered")
+
+      runOn(third) {
+        cluster.join(firstAddress)
+      }
+
       latch.await
-      cluster.convergence.isDefined must be(true)
 
       testConductor.enter("after-2")
     }
diff --git a/akka-cluster/src/multi-jvm/scala/akka/cluster/SunnyWeatherSpec.scala b/akka-cluster/src/multi-jvm/scala/akka/cluster/SunnyWeatherSpec.scala
index b74fdd09db..f4f42f0117 100644
--- a/akka-cluster/src/multi-jvm/scala/akka/cluster/SunnyWeatherSpec.scala
+++ b/akka-cluster/src/multi-jvm/scala/akka/cluster/SunnyWeatherSpec.scala
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ abstract class SunnyWeatherSpec
       }
 
       // add a few more
-      awaitClusterUp(first, second, third, fourth, fifth)
+      awaitClusterUp(roles: _*)
       log.info("5 joined")
 
       val unexpected = new AtomicReference[SortedSet[Member]]