diff --git a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/Actor.scala b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/Actor.scala
index 42396b3ec4..7dfb0b2047 100644
--- a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/Actor.scala
+++ b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/Actor.scala
@@ -479,6 +479,26 @@ trait Actor {
    */
   protected[akka] def aroundReceive(receive: Actor.Receive, msg: Any): Unit = receive.applyOrElse(msg, unhandled)
 
+  /**
+   * Can be overridden to intercept calls to `preStart`. Calls `preStart` by default.
+   */
+  protected[akka] def aroundPreStart(): Unit = preStart()
+
+  /**
+   * Can be overridden to intercept calls to `postStop`. Calls `postStop` by default.
+   */
+  protected[akka] def aroundPostStop(): Unit = postStop()
+
+  /**
+   * Can be overridden to intercept calls to `preRestart`. Calls `preRestart` by default.
+   */
+  protected[akka] def aroundPreRestart(reason: Throwable, message: Option[Any]): Unit = preRestart(reason, message)
+
+  /**
+   * Can be overridden to intercept calls to `postRestart`. Calls `postRestart` by default.
+   */
+  protected[akka] def aroundPostRestart(reason: Throwable): Unit = postRestart(reason)
+
   /**
    * User overridable definition the strategy to use for supervising
    * child actors.
diff --git a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/ActorCell.scala b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/ActorCell.scala
index 8e8d6f6501..1cec62fbcd 100644
--- a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/ActorCell.scala
+++ b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/ActorCell.scala
@@ -559,7 +559,7 @@ private[akka] class ActorCell(
     try {
       val created = newActor()
       actor = created
-      created.preStart()
+      created.aroundPreStart()
       checkReceiveTimeout
       if (system.settings.DebugLifecycle) publish(Debug(self.path.toString, clazz(created), "started (" + created + ")"))
     } catch {
diff --git a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/dungeon/FaultHandling.scala b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/dungeon/FaultHandling.scala
index e5bd255a25..324559df6b 100644
--- a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/dungeon/FaultHandling.scala
+++ b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/dungeon/FaultHandling.scala
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ private[akka] trait FaultHandling { this: ActorCell ⇒
         val optionalMessage = if (currentMessage ne null) Some(currentMessage.message) else None
         try {
           // if the actor fails in preRestart, we can do nothing but log it: it’s best-effort
-          if (failedActor.context ne null) failedActor.preRestart(cause, optionalMessage)
+          if (failedActor.context ne null) failedActor.aroundPreRestart(cause, optionalMessage)
         } catch handleNonFatalOrInterruptedException { e ⇒
           val ex = new PreRestartException(self, e, cause, optionalMessage)
           publish(Error(ex, self.path.toString, clazz(failedActor), e.getMessage))
@@ -198,7 +198,7 @@ private[akka] trait FaultHandling { this: ActorCell ⇒
      * Please note that if a parent is also a watcher then ChildTerminated and Terminated must be processed in this
      * specific order.
      */
-    try if (a ne null) a.postStop()
+    try if (a ne null) a.aroundPostStop()
     catch handleNonFatalOrInterruptedException { e ⇒ publish(Error(e, self.path.toString, clazz(a), e.getMessage)) }
     finally try dispatcher.detach(this)
     finally try parent.sendSystemMessage(DeathWatchNotification(self, existenceConfirmed = true, addressTerminated = false))
@@ -226,7 +226,7 @@ private[akka] trait FaultHandling { this: ActorCell ⇒
       actor = freshActor // this must happen before postRestart has a chance to fail
       if (freshActor eq failedActor) setActorFields(freshActor, this, self) // If the creator returns the same instance, we need to restore our nulled out fields.
 
-      freshActor.postRestart(cause)
+      freshActor.aroundPostRestart(cause)
       if (system.settings.DebugLifecycle) publish(Debug(self.path.toString, clazz(freshActor), "restarted"))
 
       // only after parent is up and running again do restart the children which were not stopped
diff --git a/akka-docs/rst/java/code/docs/persistence/PersistenceDocTest.java b/akka-docs/rst/java/code/docs/persistence/PersistenceDocTest.java
index 57e09d633e..5adbcf0bfb 100644
--- a/akka-docs/rst/java/code/docs/persistence/PersistenceDocTest.java
+++ b/akka-docs/rst/java/code/docs/persistence/PersistenceDocTest.java
@@ -65,19 +65,19 @@ public class PersistenceDocTest {
         abstract class MyProcessor1 extends UntypedProcessor {
             //#recover-on-start-disabled
             @Override
-            public void preStartProcessor() {}
+            public void preStart() {}
             //#recover-on-start-disabled
 
             //#recover-on-restart-disabled
             @Override
-            public void preRestartProcessor(Throwable reason, Option<Object> message) {}
+            public void preRestart(Throwable reason, Option<Object> message) {}
             //#recover-on-restart-disabled
         }
 
         abstract class MyProcessor2 extends UntypedProcessor {
             //#recover-on-start-custom
             @Override
-            public void preStartProcessor() {
+            public void preStart() {
                 getSelf().tell(Recover.create(457L), null);
             }
             //#recover-on-start-custom
@@ -86,11 +86,11 @@ public class PersistenceDocTest {
         abstract class MyProcessor3 extends UntypedProcessor {
             //#deletion
             @Override
-            public void preRestartProcessor(Throwable reason, Option<Object> message) throws Exception {
+            public void preRestart(Throwable reason, Option<Object> message) {
                 if (message.isDefined() && message.get() instanceof Persistent) {
                     delete((Persistent) message.get());
                 }
-                super.preRestartProcessor(reason, message);
+                super.preRestart(reason, message);
             }
             //#deletion
         }
diff --git a/akka-docs/rst/java/persistence.rst b/akka-docs/rst/java/persistence.rst
index 8e9c8c1efa..f26af4239f 100644
--- a/akka-docs/rst/java/persistence.rst
+++ b/akka-docs/rst/java/persistence.rst
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ only be received by that processor after recovery completes.
 Recovery customization
 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
 
-Automated recovery on start can be disabled by overriding ``preStartProcessor`` with an empty implementation.
+Automated recovery on start can be disabled by overriding ``preStart`` with an empty implementation.
 
 .. includecode:: code/docs/persistence/PersistenceDocTest.java#recover-on-start-disabled
 
@@ -87,18 +87,15 @@ In this case, a processor must be recovered explicitly by sending it a ``Recover
 
 .. includecode:: code/docs/persistence/PersistenceDocTest.java#recover-explicit
 
-If not overridden, ``preStartProcessor`` sends a ``Recover`` message to ``getSelf()``. Applications may also override
-``preStartProcessor`` to define further ``Recover`` parameters such as an upper sequence number bound, for example.
+If not overridden, ``preStart`` sends a ``Recover`` message to ``getSelf()``. Applications may also override
+``preStart`` to define further ``Recover`` parameters such as an upper sequence number bound, for example.
 
 .. includecode:: code/docs/persistence/PersistenceDocTest.java#recover-on-start-custom
 
-Automated recovery on restart can be disabled by overriding ``preRestartProcessor`` with an empty implementation.
+Automated recovery on restart can be disabled by overriding ``preRestart`` with an empty implementation.
 
 .. includecode:: code/docs/persistence/PersistenceDocTest.java#recover-on-restart-disabled
 
-This is useful in situations where processors are *resumed* by a supervisor (which keeps accumulated internal
-state and makes a message replay unnecessary).
-
 Recovery status
 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
 
@@ -116,13 +113,6 @@ a replay of that message during recovery it can be marked as deleted.
 
 .. includecode:: code/docs/persistence/PersistenceDocTest.java#deletion
 
-Life cycle hooks
-----------------
-
-``UntypedProcessor`` implementation classes should override the ``preStartProcessor``, ``preRestartProcessor``,
-``postRestartProcessor`` and ``postStopProcessor`` life cycle hooks and not ``preStart``, ``preRestart``,
-``postRestart`` and ``postStop`` directly.
-
 Identifiers
 -----------
 
diff --git a/akka-docs/rst/scala/code/docs/persistence/PersistenceDocSpec.scala b/akka-docs/rst/scala/code/docs/persistence/PersistenceDocSpec.scala
index 8f3d56ddc1..b7f950a3f9 100644
--- a/akka-docs/rst/scala/code/docs/persistence/PersistenceDocSpec.scala
+++ b/akka-docs/rst/scala/code/docs/persistence/PersistenceDocSpec.scala
@@ -44,16 +44,16 @@ trait PersistenceDocSpec {
   new AnyRef {
     trait MyProcessor1 extends Processor {
       //#recover-on-start-disabled
-      override def preStartProcessor() = ()
+      override def preStart() = ()
       //#recover-on-start-disabled
       //#recover-on-restart-disabled
-      override def preRestartProcessor(reason: Throwable, message: Option[Any]) = ()
+      override def preRestart(reason: Throwable, message: Option[Any]) = ()
       //#recover-on-restart-disabled
     }
 
     trait MyProcessor2 extends Processor {
       //#recover-on-start-custom
-      override def preStartProcessor() {
+      override def preStart() {
         self ! Recover(toSequenceNr = 457L)
       }
       //#recover-on-start-custom
@@ -61,12 +61,12 @@ trait PersistenceDocSpec {
 
     trait MyProcessor3 extends Processor {
       //#deletion
-      override def preRestartProcessor(reason: Throwable, message: Option[Any]) {
+      override def preRestart(reason: Throwable, message: Option[Any]) {
         message match {
           case Some(p: Persistent) ⇒ delete(p)
           case _                   ⇒
         }
-        super.preRestartProcessor(reason, message)
+        super.preRestart(reason, message)
       }
       //#deletion
     }
diff --git a/akka-docs/rst/scala/persistence.rst b/akka-docs/rst/scala/persistence.rst
index 899dfa30ef..5392d92f1f 100644
--- a/akka-docs/rst/scala/persistence.rst
+++ b/akka-docs/rst/scala/persistence.rst
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ only be received by that processor after recovery completes.
 Recovery customization
 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
 
-Automated recovery on start can be disabled by overriding ``preStartProcessor`` with an empty implementation.
+Automated recovery on start can be disabled by overriding ``preStart`` with an empty implementation.
 
 .. includecode:: code/docs/persistence/PersistenceDocSpec.scala#recover-on-start-disabled
 
@@ -82,18 +82,15 @@ In this case, a processor must be recovered explicitly by sending it a ``Recover
 
 .. includecode:: code/docs/persistence/PersistenceDocSpec.scala#recover-explicit
 
-If not overridden, ``preStartProcessor`` sends a ``Recover()`` message to ``self``. Applications may also override
-``preStartProcessor`` to define further ``Recover()`` parameters such as an upper sequence number bound, for example.
+If not overridden, ``preStart`` sends a ``Recover()`` message to ``self``. Applications may also override
+``preStart`` to define further ``Recover()`` parameters such as an upper sequence number bound, for example.
 
 .. includecode:: code/docs/persistence/PersistenceDocSpec.scala#recover-on-start-custom
 
-Automated recovery on restart can be disabled by overriding ``preRestartProcessor`` with an empty implementation.
+Automated recovery on restart can be disabled by overriding ``preRestart`` with an empty implementation.
 
 .. includecode:: code/docs/persistence/PersistenceDocSpec.scala#recover-on-restart-disabled
 
-This is useful in situations where processors are *resumed* by a supervisor (which keeps accumulated internal
-state and makes a message replay unnecessary).
-
 Recovery status
 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
 
@@ -111,14 +108,6 @@ a replay of that message during recovery it can be marked as deleted.
 
 .. includecode:: code/docs/persistence/PersistenceDocSpec.scala#deletion
 
-Life cycle hooks
-----------------
-
-``Processor`` implementation classes should override the ``preStartProcessor``, ``preRestartProcessor``,
-``postRestartProcessor`` and ``postStopProcessor`` life cycle hooks and not ``preStart``, ``preRestart``,
-``postRestart`` and ``postStop`` directly. The latter are nevertheless non-final to allow composition with
-existing traits such as ``akka.actor.FSM``, for example.
-
 Identifiers
 -----------
 
diff --git a/akka-persistence/src/main/scala/akka/persistence/Processor.scala b/akka-persistence/src/main/scala/akka/persistence/Processor.scala
index b16f5681ba..b55c01d78c 100644
--- a/akka-persistence/src/main/scala/akka/persistence/Processor.scala
+++ b/akka-persistence/src/main/scala/akka/persistence/Processor.scala
@@ -222,9 +222,35 @@ trait Processor extends Actor with Stash {
     _currentState.aroundReceive(receive, message)
   }
 
-  private def nextSequenceNr(): Long = {
-    _sequenceNr += 1L
-    _sequenceNr
+  /**
+   * INTERNAL API.
+   */
+  final override protected[akka] def aroundPreStart(): Unit = {
+    try preStart() finally super.preStart()
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * INTERNAL API.
+   */
+  final override protected[akka] def aroundPostStop(): Unit = {
+    try unstashAll(unstashFilterPredicate) finally postStop()
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * INTERNAL API.
+   */
+  final override protected[akka] def aroundPreRestart(reason: Throwable, message: Option[Any]): Unit = {
+    try {
+      unstashAll(unstashFilterPredicate)
+      unstashAllInternal()
+    } finally {
+      message match {
+        case Some(Written(m))  ⇒ preRestartDefault(reason, Some(m))
+        case Some(Looped(m))   ⇒ preRestartDefault(reason, Some(m))
+        case Some(Replayed(m)) ⇒ preRestartDefault(reason, Some(m))
+        case mo                ⇒ preRestartDefault(reason, None)
+      }
+    }
   }
 
   /**
@@ -232,80 +258,32 @@ trait Processor extends Actor with Stash {
    * a `Recover()` to `self`.
    */
   @throws(classOf[Exception])
-  def preStartProcessor(): Unit = {
+  override def preStart(): Unit = {
     self ! Recover()
   }
 
-  /**
-   * User-overridable callback. Called when a processor is stopped. Empty default implementation.
-   */
-  @throws(classOf[Exception])
-  def postStopProcessor(): Unit = ()
-
   /**
    * User-overridable callback. Called before a processor is restarted. Default implementation sends
    * a `Recover(lastSequenceNr)` message to `self` if `message` is defined, `Recover() otherwise`.
    */
-  @throws(classOf[Exception])
-  def preRestartProcessor(reason: Throwable, message: Option[Any]): Unit = message match {
-    case Some(_) ⇒ self ! Recover(lastSequenceNr)
-    case None    ⇒ self ! Recover()
-  }
-
-  /**
-   * User-overridable callback. Called after a processor has been restarted. Empty default implementation.
-   */
-  @throws(classOf[Exception])
-  def postRestartProcessor(reason: Throwable): Unit = ()
-
-  /**
-   * Calls [[preStartProcessor]].
-   */
-  override def preStart() {
-    preStartProcessor()
-    super.preStart()
-  }
-
-  /**
-   * Calls [[postStopProcessor]] and unstashes all messages from the ''user stash'' that cannot be
-   * replayed. The user stash is empty afterwards.
-   */
-  override def postStop() {
-    postStopProcessor()
-    try unstashAll(unstashFilterPredicate) finally super.postStop()
-  }
-
-  /**
-   * Calls [[preRestartDefault]] and then `super.preRestart()`. If processor implementation
-   * classes want to opt out from stopping child actors, they should override this method and
-   * call [[preRestartDefault]] only.
-   */
-  override def preRestart(reason: Throwable, message: Option[Any]) {
-    try preRestartDefault(reason, message) finally super.preRestart(reason, message)
-  }
-
-  /**
-   * Calls [[preRestartProcessor]] and unstashes all messages from the ''user stash'' that cannot be
-   * replayed. The user stash is empty afterwards.
-   */
-  protected def preRestartDefault(reason: Throwable, message: Option[Any]) {
+  override def preRestart(reason: Throwable, message: Option[Any]): Unit = {
     message match {
-      case Some(Written(m))  ⇒ preRestartProcessor(reason, Some(m))
-      case Some(Looped(m))   ⇒ preRestartProcessor(reason, Some(m))
-      case Some(Replayed(m)) ⇒ preRestartProcessor(reason, Some(m))
-      case mo                ⇒ preRestartProcessor(reason, None)
+      case Some(_) ⇒ self ! Recover(lastSequenceNr)
+      case None    ⇒ self ! Recover()
     }
-
-    unstashAll(unstashFilterPredicate)
-    unstashAllInternal()
   }
 
   /**
-   * Calls [[postRestartProcessor]].
+   * Calls [[preRestart]] and then `super.preRestart()`. If processor implementation classes want to
+   * opt out from stopping child actors, they should override this method and call [[preRestart]] only.
    */
-  override def postRestart(reason: Throwable) {
-    postRestartProcessor(reason)
-    super.postRestart(reason)
+  def preRestartDefault(reason: Throwable, message: Option[Any]): Unit = {
+    try preRestart(reason, message) finally super.preRestart(reason, message)
+  }
+
+  private def nextSequenceNr(): Long = {
+    _sequenceNr += 1L
+    _sequenceNr
   }
 
   // -----------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/akka-persistence/src/test/scala/akka/persistence/PersistenceSpec.scala b/akka-persistence/src/test/scala/akka/persistence/PersistenceSpec.scala
index 5bb808a107..79b0a33e19 100644
--- a/akka-persistence/src/test/scala/akka/persistence/PersistenceSpec.scala
+++ b/akka-persistence/src/test/scala/akka/persistence/PersistenceSpec.scala
@@ -47,5 +47,5 @@ abstract class NamedProcessor(name: String) extends Processor {
 }
 
 trait TurnOffRecoverOnStart { this: Processor ⇒
-  override def preStartProcessor(): Unit = ()
+  override def preStart(): Unit = ()
 }
diff --git a/akka-persistence/src/test/scala/akka/persistence/ProcessorSpec.scala b/akka-persistence/src/test/scala/akka/persistence/ProcessorSpec.scala
index b009812fc8..ac10967abf 100644
--- a/akka-persistence/src/test/scala/akka/persistence/ProcessorSpec.scala
+++ b/akka-persistence/src/test/scala/akka/persistence/ProcessorSpec.scala
@@ -22,12 +22,12 @@ object ProcessorSpec {
       case GetState                 ⇒ sender ! state.reverse
     }
 
-    override def preRestartProcessor(reason: Throwable, message: Option[Any]) = {
+    override def preRestart(reason: Throwable, message: Option[Any]) = {
       message match {
         case Some(m: Persistent) ⇒ delete(m) // delete message from journal
         case _                   ⇒ // ignore
       }
-      super.preRestartProcessor(reason, message)
+      super.preRestart(reason, message)
     }
   }
 
@@ -111,12 +111,12 @@ object ProcessorSpec {
   }
 
   class LastReplayedMsgFailsTestProcessor(name: String) extends RecoverTestProcessor(name) {
-    override def preRestartProcessor(reason: Throwable, message: Option[Any]) = {
+    override def preRestart(reason: Throwable, message: Option[Any]) = {
       message match {
         case Some(m: Persistent) ⇒ if (recoveryRunning) delete(m)
         case _                   ⇒
       }
-      super.preRestartProcessor(reason, message)
+      super.preRestart(reason, message)
     }
   }
 
diff --git a/akka-persistence/src/test/scala/akka/persistence/ProcessorStashSpec.scala b/akka-persistence/src/test/scala/akka/persistence/ProcessorStashSpec.scala
index 6ff69569a5..35c8184536 100644
--- a/akka-persistence/src/test/scala/akka/persistence/ProcessorStashSpec.scala
+++ b/akka-persistence/src/test/scala/akka/persistence/ProcessorStashSpec.scala
@@ -39,12 +39,12 @@ object ProcessorStashSpec {
   }
 
   class RecoveryFailureStashingProcessor(name: String) extends StashingProcessor(name) {
-    override def preRestartProcessor(reason: Throwable, message: Option[Any]) = {
+    override def preRestart(reason: Throwable, message: Option[Any]) = {
       message match {
         case Some(m: Persistent) ⇒ if (recoveryRunning) delete(m)
         case _                   ⇒
       }
-      super.preRestartProcessor(reason, message)
+      super.preRestart(reason, message)
     }
   }
 }
diff --git a/akka-samples/akka-sample-persistence/src/main/java/sample/persistence/japi/ProcessorFailureExample.java b/akka-samples/akka-sample-persistence/src/main/java/sample/persistence/japi/ProcessorFailureExample.java
index 6999635638..e236887a5a 100644
--- a/akka-samples/akka-sample-persistence/src/main/java/sample/persistence/japi/ProcessorFailureExample.java
+++ b/akka-samples/akka-sample-persistence/src/main/java/sample/persistence/japi/ProcessorFailureExample.java
@@ -32,11 +32,11 @@ public class ProcessorFailureExample {
         }
 
         @Override
-        public void preRestartProcessor(Throwable reason, Option<Object> message) throws Exception {
+        public void preRestart(Throwable reason, Option<Object> message) {
             if (message.isDefined() && message.get() instanceof Persistent) {
                 delete((Persistent) message.get());
             }
-            super.preRestartProcessor(reason, message);
+            super.preRestart(reason, message);
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/akka-samples/akka-sample-persistence/src/main/scala/sample/persistence/ConversationRecoveryExample.scala b/akka-samples/akka-sample-persistence/src/main/scala/sample/persistence/ConversationRecoveryExample.scala
index 23645b0125..67919ed0be 100644
--- a/akka-samples/akka-sample-persistence/src/main/scala/sample/persistence/ConversationRecoveryExample.scala
+++ b/akka-samples/akka-sample-persistence/src/main/scala/sample/persistence/ConversationRecoveryExample.scala
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ object ConversationRecoveryExample extends App {
       case "init" ⇒ if (counter == 0) self forward Persistent(Ping)
     }
 
-    override def preStartProcessor() = ()
+    override def preStart() = ()
   }
 
   class Pong extends Processor {
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ object ConversationRecoveryExample extends App {
       }
     }
 
-    override def preStartProcessor() = ()
+    override def preStart() = ()
   }
 
   val system = ActorSystem("example")
diff --git a/akka-samples/akka-sample-persistence/src/main/scala/sample/persistence/ProcessorFailureExample.scala b/akka-samples/akka-sample-persistence/src/main/scala/sample/persistence/ProcessorFailureExample.scala
index c7961238e0..3a781450eb 100644
--- a/akka-samples/akka-sample-persistence/src/main/scala/sample/persistence/ProcessorFailureExample.scala
+++ b/akka-samples/akka-sample-persistence/src/main/scala/sample/persistence/ProcessorFailureExample.scala
@@ -18,12 +18,12 @@ object ProcessorFailureExample extends App {
       case Persistent(payload: String, _) ⇒ received = payload :: received
     }
 
-    override def preRestartProcessor(reason: Throwable, message: Option[Any]) {
+    override def preRestart(reason: Throwable, message: Option[Any]) {
       message match {
         case Some(p: Persistent) if !recoveryRunning ⇒ delete(p) // mark failing message as deleted
         case _                                       ⇒ // ignore
       }
-      super.preRestartProcessor(reason, message)
+      super.preRestart(reason, message)
     }
   }