diff --git a/akka-stream-tests/src/test/scala/akka/stream/scaladsl/GraphBalanceSpec.scala b/akka-stream-tests/src/test/scala/akka/stream/scaladsl/GraphBalanceSpec.scala
index 4cae284754..a855286c87 100644
--- a/akka-stream-tests/src/test/scala/akka/stream/scaladsl/GraphBalanceSpec.scala
+++ b/akka-stream-tests/src/test/scala/akka/stream/scaladsl/GraphBalanceSpec.scala
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ import scala.concurrent.Await
 import scala.concurrent.duration._
 import scala.concurrent.Future
 
-import akka.stream.{ ClosedShape, ActorMaterializer, ActorMaterializerSettings }
+import akka.stream.{ SourceShape, ClosedShape, ActorMaterializer, ActorMaterializerSettings }
 import akka.stream.testkit._
 import akka.stream.testkit.scaladsl._
 import akka.stream.testkit.Utils._
@@ -110,6 +110,18 @@ class GraphBalanceSpec extends AkkaSpec {
       s2.expectComplete()
     }
 
+    "work with one-way merge" in {
+      val result = Source.fromGraph(GraphDSL.create() { implicit b ⇒
+        val balance = b.add(Balance[Int](1))
+        val source = b.add(Source(1 to 3))
+
+        source ~> balance.in
+        SourceShape(balance.out(0))
+      }).runFold(Seq[Int]())(_ :+ _)
+
+      Await.result(result, 3.seconds) should ===(Seq(1, 2, 3))
+    }
+
     "work with 5-way balance" in {
 
       val sink = Sink.head[Seq[Int]]
diff --git a/akka-stream-tests/src/test/scala/akka/stream/scaladsl/GraphMergeSpec.scala b/akka-stream-tests/src/test/scala/akka/stream/scaladsl/GraphMergeSpec.scala
index f0d9ee16ba..6b277d9ec4 100644
--- a/akka-stream-tests/src/test/scala/akka/stream/scaladsl/GraphMergeSpec.scala
+++ b/akka-stream-tests/src/test/scala/akka/stream/scaladsl/GraphMergeSpec.scala
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ class GraphMergeSpec extends TwoStreamsSetup {
       probe.expectComplete()
     }
 
-    "work with 1-way merge" in {
+    "work with one-way merge" in {
       val result = Source.fromGraph(GraphDSL.create() { implicit b ⇒
         val merge = b.add(Merge[Int](1))
         val source = b.add(Source(1 to 3))
diff --git a/akka-stream/src/main/scala/akka/stream/scaladsl/Graph.scala b/akka-stream/src/main/scala/akka/stream/scaladsl/Graph.scala
index 9fa3e5b684..63ff98c8b6 100644
--- a/akka-stream/src/main/scala/akka/stream/scaladsl/Graph.scala
+++ b/akka-stream/src/main/scala/akka/stream/scaladsl/Graph.scala
@@ -396,7 +396,7 @@ object Broadcast {
  *
  */
 final class Broadcast[T](private val outputPorts: Int, eagerCancel: Boolean) extends GraphStage[UniformFanOutShape[T, T]] {
-  // one input might seem counter intuitive but saves us from special handling in other places
+  // one output might seem counter intuitive but saves us from special handling in other places
   require(outputPorts >= 1, "A Broadcast must have one or more output ports")
   val in: Inlet[T] = Inlet[T]("Broadast.in")
   val out: immutable.IndexedSeq[Outlet[T]] = Vector.tabulate(outputPorts)(i ⇒ Outlet[T]("Broadcast.out" + i))
@@ -599,7 +599,8 @@ object Balance {
  * '''Cancels when''' all downstreams cancel
  */
 final class Balance[T](val outputPorts: Int, waitForAllDownstreams: Boolean) extends GraphStage[UniformFanOutShape[T, T]] {
-  require(outputPorts > 1, "A Balance must have more than 1 output ports")
+  // one output might seem counter intuitive but saves us from special handling in other places
+  require(outputPorts >= 1, "A Balance must have one or more output ports")
   val in: Inlet[T] = Inlet[T]("Balance.in")
   val out: immutable.IndexedSeq[Outlet[T]] = Vector.tabulate(outputPorts)(i ⇒ Outlet[T]("Balance.out" + i))
   override def initialAttributes = DefaultAttributes.balance