diff --git a/akka-stream-tests/src/test/scala/akka/stream/scaladsl/SinkSpec.scala b/akka-stream-tests/src/test/scala/akka/stream/scaladsl/SinkSpec.scala
index 3a66eb6207..c59b0aa996 100644
--- a/akka-stream-tests/src/test/scala/akka/stream/scaladsl/SinkSpec.scala
+++ b/akka-stream-tests/src/test/scala/akka/stream/scaladsl/SinkSpec.scala
@@ -128,7 +128,7 @@ class SinkSpec extends StreamSpec with DefaultTimeout with ScalaFutures {
       import Attributes._
       val s: Sink[Int, Future[Int]] = Sink.head[Int].async.addAttributes(none).named("name")
 
-      s.traversalBuilder.attributes.getFirst[Name] shouldEqual Some(Name("name"))
+      s.traversalBuilder.attributes.filtered[Name] shouldEqual List(Name("headSink"), Name("name"))
       s.traversalBuilder.attributes.getFirst[AsyncBoundary.type] shouldEqual (Some(AsyncBoundary))
     }
 
@@ -136,7 +136,7 @@ class SinkSpec extends StreamSpec with DefaultTimeout with ScalaFutures {
       import Attributes._
       val s: Sink[Int, Future[Int]] = Sink.head[Int].async.addAttributes(none).named("name")
 
-      s.traversalBuilder.attributes.getFirst[Name](Name("default")) shouldEqual Name("name")
+      s.traversalBuilder.attributes.filtered[Name] shouldEqual List(Name("headSink"), Name("name"))
     }
 
     "given one attribute of a class should correctly get it as last attribute with default value" in {
@@ -148,21 +148,21 @@ class SinkSpec extends StreamSpec with DefaultTimeout with ScalaFutures {
 
     "given no attributes of a class when getting first attribute with default value should get default value" in {
       import Attributes._
-      val s: Sink[Int, Future[Int]] = Sink.head[Int].async.addAttributes(none)
+      val s: Sink[Int, Future[Int]] = Sink.head[Int].withAttributes(none).async
 
       s.traversalBuilder.attributes.getFirst[Name](Name("default")) shouldEqual Name("default")
     }
 
     "given no attributes of a class when getting last attribute with default value should get default value" in {
       import Attributes._
-      val s: Sink[Int, Future[Int]] = Sink.head[Int].async.addAttributes(none)
+      val s: Sink[Int, Future[Int]] = Sink.head[Int].withAttributes(none).async
 
       s.traversalBuilder.attributes.get[Name](Name("default")) shouldEqual Name("default")
     }
 
     "given multiple attributes of a class when getting first attribute with default value should get first attribute" in {
       import Attributes._
-      val s: Sink[Int, Future[Int]] = Sink.head[Int].async.addAttributes(none).named("name").named("another_name")
+      val s: Sink[Int, Future[Int]] = Sink.head[Int].withAttributes(none).async.named("name").named("another_name")
 
       s.traversalBuilder.attributes.getFirst[Name](Name("default")) shouldEqual Name("name")
     }
diff --git a/akka-stream/src/main/scala/akka/stream/Attributes.scala b/akka-stream/src/main/scala/akka/stream/Attributes.scala
index c3fb1a42cb..11a3ea968d 100644
--- a/akka-stream/src/main/scala/akka/stream/Attributes.scala
+++ b/akka-stream/src/main/scala/akka/stream/Attributes.scala
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ final case class Attributes(attributeList: List[Attributes.Attribute] = Nil) {
    * INTERNAL API
    */
   private[stream] def isAsync: Boolean = {
-    attributeList.exists {
+    attributeList.nonEmpty && attributeList.exists {
       case AsyncBoundary                 ⇒ true
       case ActorAttributes.Dispatcher(_) ⇒ true
       case _                             ⇒ false
diff --git a/akka-stream/src/main/scala/akka/stream/Graph.scala b/akka-stream/src/main/scala/akka/stream/Graph.scala
index 4a2422e7af..22f6e386fd 100644
--- a/akka-stream/src/main/scala/akka/stream/Graph.scala
+++ b/akka-stream/src/main/scala/akka/stream/Graph.scala
@@ -30,7 +30,6 @@ trait Graph[+S <: Shape, +M] {
   /**
    * Put an asynchronous boundary around this `Graph`
    */
-  // TODO: no longer encoded as attributes!!!!
   def async: Graph[S, M] = addAttributes(Attributes.asyncBoundary)
 
   def addAttributes(attr: Attributes): Graph[S, M] = withAttributes(traversalBuilder.attributes and attr)
diff --git a/akka-stream/src/main/scala/akka/stream/impl/TraversalBuilder.scala b/akka-stream/src/main/scala/akka/stream/impl/TraversalBuilder.scala
index da1f835f1c..74da492efb 100644
--- a/akka-stream/src/main/scala/akka/stream/impl/TraversalBuilder.scala
+++ b/akka-stream/src/main/scala/akka/stream/impl/TraversalBuilder.scala
@@ -267,11 +267,8 @@ sealed trait TraversalBuilder {
   protected def internalSetAttributes(attributes: Attributes): TraversalBuilder
 
   def setAttributes(attributes: Attributes): TraversalBuilder = {
-    if (attributes ne Attributes.none) {
-      if (attributes.isAsync) this.makeIsland(GraphStageTag).internalSetAttributes(attributes)
-      else internalSetAttributes(attributes)
-    } else
-      this
+    if (attributes.isAsync) this.makeIsland(GraphStageTag).internalSetAttributes(attributes)
+    else internalSetAttributes(attributes)
   }
 
   def attributes: Attributes
@@ -595,11 +592,8 @@ final case class LinearTraversalBuilder(
     copy(attributes = attributes)
 
   override def setAttributes(attributes: Attributes): LinearTraversalBuilder = {
-    if (attributes ne Attributes.none) {
-      if (attributes.isAsync) this.makeIsland(GraphStageTag).internalSetAttributes(attributes)
-      else internalSetAttributes(attributes)
-    } else
-      this
+    if (attributes.isAsync) this.makeIsland(GraphStageTag).internalSetAttributes(attributes)
+    else internalSetAttributes(attributes)
   }
 
   private def applyIslandAndAttributes(t: Traversal): Traversal = {
@@ -640,10 +634,7 @@ final case class LinearTraversalBuilder(
                 beforeBuilder.concat(
                   composite
                   .assign(out, inOffset - composite.offsetOfModule(out))
-                  .traversal
-
-                ).concat(traversalSoFar)
-              ),
+                  .traversal).concat(traversalSoFar)),
             pendingBuilder = None, beforeBuilder = EmptyTraversal)
         case None ⇒
           copy(inPort = None, outPort = None, traversalSoFar = rewireLastOutTo(traversalSoFar, inOffset))
@@ -683,12 +674,9 @@ final case class LinearTraversalBuilder(
                   composite
                     .assign(out, relativeSlot)
                     .traversal
-                    .concat(traversalSoFar)
-                )
-              ),
+                    .concat(traversalSoFar))),
             pendingBuilder = None,
-            beforeBuilder = EmptyTraversal
-          )
+            beforeBuilder = EmptyTraversal)
         case None ⇒
           copy(outPort = None, traversalSoFar = rewireLastOutTo(traversalSoFar, relativeSlot))
       }
diff --git a/akka-stream/src/main/scala/akka/stream/scaladsl/Flow.scala b/akka-stream/src/main/scala/akka/stream/scaladsl/Flow.scala
index 0bd4b83c8e..c7040766ab 100644
--- a/akka-stream/src/main/scala/akka/stream/scaladsl/Flow.scala
+++ b/akka-stream/src/main/scala/akka/stream/scaladsl/Flow.scala
@@ -25,8 +25,7 @@ import akka.annotation.DoNotInherit
  */
 final class Flow[-In, +Out, +Mat](
   override val traversalBuilder: LinearTraversalBuilder,
-  override val shape:            FlowShape[In, Out]
-)
+  override val shape:            FlowShape[In, Out])
   extends FlowOpsMat[Out, Mat] with Graph[FlowShape[In, Out], Mat] {
 
   // TODO: debug string
@@ -46,13 +45,11 @@ final class Flow[-In, +Out, +Mat](
     if (this.isIdentity) {
       new Flow(
         LinearTraversalBuilder.fromBuilder(flow.traversalBuilder, flow.shape, combine),
-        flow.shape
-      ).asInstanceOf[Flow[In, T, Mat3]]
+        flow.shape).asInstanceOf[Flow[In, T, Mat3]]
     } else {
       new Flow(
         traversalBuilder.append(flow.traversalBuilder, flow.shape, combine),
-        FlowShape[In, T](shape.in, flow.shape.out)
-      )
+        FlowShape[In, T](shape.in, flow.shape.out))
     }
   }
 
@@ -98,13 +95,11 @@ final class Flow[-In, +Out, +Mat](
     if (isIdentity) {
       new Sink(
         LinearTraversalBuilder.fromBuilder(sink.traversalBuilder, sink.shape, combine),
-        SinkShape(sink.shape.in)
-      ).asInstanceOf[Sink[In, Mat3]]
+        SinkShape(sink.shape.in)).asInstanceOf[Sink[In, Mat3]]
     } else {
       new Sink(
         traversalBuilder.append(sink.traversalBuilder, sink.shape, combine),
-        SinkShape(shape.in)
-      )
+        SinkShape(shape.in))
     }
   }
 
@@ -114,8 +109,7 @@ final class Flow[-In, +Out, +Mat](
   override def mapMaterializedValue[Mat2](f: Mat ⇒ Mat2): ReprMat[Out, Mat2] =
     new Flow(
       traversalBuilder.transformMat(f),
-      shape
-    )
+      shape)
 
   /**
    * Join this [[Flow]] to another [[Flow]], by cross connecting the inputs and outputs, creating a [[RunnableGraph]].
@@ -208,8 +202,7 @@ final class Flow[-In, +Out, +Mat](
 
     new Flow(
       LinearTraversalBuilder.fromBuilder(resultBuilder, newShape, Keep.right),
-      newShape
-    )
+      newShape)
   }
 
   /**
@@ -222,8 +215,7 @@ final class Flow[-In, +Out, +Mat](
   override def withAttributes(attr: Attributes): Repr[Out] =
     new Flow(
       traversalBuilder.setAttributes(attr),
-      shape
-    )
+      shape)
 
   /**
    * Add the given attributes to this Flow. Further calls to `withAttributes`
@@ -241,12 +233,7 @@ final class Flow[-In, +Out, +Mat](
   /**
    * Put an asynchronous boundary around this `Flow`
    */
-  override def async: Repr[Out] = {
-    new Flow(
-      traversalBuilder.makeIsland(GraphStageTag),
-      shape
-    )
-  }
+  override def async: Repr[Out] = addAttributes(Attributes.asyncBoundary)
 
   /**
    * Connect the `Source` to this `Flow` and then connect it to the `Sink` and run it. The returned tuple contains
@@ -285,8 +272,7 @@ object Flow {
 
   private[this] val identity: Flow[Any, Any, NotUsed] = new Flow[Any, Any, NotUsed](
     identityTraversalBuilder,
-    GraphStages.Identity.shape
-  )
+    GraphStages.Identity.shape)
 
   /**
    * Creates a Flow from a Reactive Streams [[org.reactivestreams.Processor]]
@@ -322,8 +308,7 @@ object Flow {
       case f: javadsl.Flow[I, O, M] ⇒ f.asScala
       case other ⇒ new Flow(
         LinearTraversalBuilder.fromBuilder(g.traversalBuilder, g.shape, Keep.right),
-        g.shape
-      )
+        g.shape)
     }
 
   /**
@@ -381,8 +366,7 @@ final case class RunnableGraph[+Mat](override val traversalBuilder: TraversalBui
   override def named(name: String): RunnableGraph[Mat] =
     addAttributes(Attributes.name(name))
 
-  override def async: RunnableGraph[Mat] =
-    new RunnableGraph(traversalBuilder.makeIsland(GraphStageTag))
+  override def async: RunnableGraph[Mat] = addAttributes(Attributes.asyncBoundary)
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/akka-stream/src/main/scala/akka/stream/scaladsl/Sink.scala b/akka-stream/src/main/scala/akka/stream/scaladsl/Sink.scala
index 240672b3fd..4911b77ee9 100644
--- a/akka-stream/src/main/scala/akka/stream/scaladsl/Sink.scala
+++ b/akka-stream/src/main/scala/akka/stream/scaladsl/Sink.scala
@@ -25,8 +25,7 @@ import scala.util.{ Failure, Success, Try }
  */
 final class Sink[-In, +Mat](
   override val traversalBuilder: LinearTraversalBuilder,
-  override val shape:            SinkShape[In]
-)
+  override val shape:            SinkShape[In])
   extends Graph[SinkShape[In], Mat] {
 
   // TODO: Debug string
@@ -55,8 +54,7 @@ final class Sink[-In, +Mat](
   def mapMaterializedValue[Mat2](f: Mat ⇒ Mat2): Sink[In, Mat2] =
     new Sink(
       traversalBuilder.transformMat(f.asInstanceOf[Any ⇒ Any]),
-      shape
-    )
+      shape)
 
   /**
    * Change the attributes of this [[Sink]] to the given ones and seal the list
@@ -68,8 +66,7 @@ final class Sink[-In, +Mat](
   override def withAttributes(attr: Attributes): Sink[In, Mat] =
     new Sink(
       traversalBuilder.setAttributes(attr),
-      shape
-    )
+      shape)
 
   /**
    * Add the given attributes to this Sink. Further calls to `withAttributes`
@@ -88,11 +85,7 @@ final class Sink[-In, +Mat](
   /**
    * Put an asynchronous boundary around this `Sink`
    */
-  override def async: Sink[In, Mat] =
-    new Sink(
-      traversalBuilder.makeIsland(GraphStageTag),
-      shape
-    )
+  override def async: Sink[In, Mat] = addAttributes(Attributes.asyncBoundary)
 
   /**
    * Converts this Scala DSL element to it's Java DSL counterpart.
@@ -115,8 +108,7 @@ object Sink {
       case s: javadsl.Sink[T, M] ⇒ s.asScala
       case other ⇒ new Sink(
         LinearTraversalBuilder.fromBuilder(other.traversalBuilder, other.shape, Keep.right),
-        other.shape
-      )
+        other.shape)
     }
 
   /**
diff --git a/akka-stream/src/main/scala/akka/stream/scaladsl/Source.scala b/akka-stream/src/main/scala/akka/stream/scaladsl/Source.scala
index 8912ebbc8c..ce2018d953 100644
--- a/akka-stream/src/main/scala/akka/stream/scaladsl/Source.scala
+++ b/akka-stream/src/main/scala/akka/stream/scaladsl/Source.scala
@@ -153,9 +153,7 @@ final class Source[+Out, +Mat](
   /**
    * Put an asynchronous boundary around this `Source`
    */
-  override def async: Repr[Out] = new Source(
-    traversalBuilder.makeIsland(GraphStageTag),
-    shape)
+  override def async: Repr[Out] = addAttributes(Attributes.asyncBoundary)
 
   /**
    * Converts this Scala DSL element to it's Java DSL counterpart.
@@ -233,8 +231,7 @@ object Source {
     case s: javadsl.Source[T, M] ⇒ s.asScala
     case other ⇒ new Source(
       LinearTraversalBuilder.fromBuilder(other.traversalBuilder, other.shape, Keep.right),
-      other.shape
-    )
+      other.shape)
   }
 
   /**