diff --git a/akka-actor-tests/src/test/scala/akka/actor/DeathWatchSpec.scala b/akka-actor-tests/src/test/scala/akka/actor/DeathWatchSpec.scala
index 54e32a700b..46e14a2d8d 100644
--- a/akka-actor-tests/src/test/scala/akka/actor/DeathWatchSpec.scala
+++ b/akka-actor-tests/src/test/scala/akka/actor/DeathWatchSpec.scala
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ import java.util.concurrent.atomic._
 @org.junit.runner.RunWith(classOf[org.scalatest.junit.JUnitRunner])
 class DeathWatchSpec extends AkkaSpec with BeforeAndAfterEach with ImplicitSender with DefaultTimeout {
   def startWatching(target: ActorRef) = actorOf(Props(new Actor {
-    context.startsWatching(target)
+    context.watch(target)
     def receive = { case x ⇒ testActor forward x }
   }))
 
@@ -52,8 +52,8 @@ class DeathWatchSpec extends AkkaSpec with BeforeAndAfterEach with ImplicitSende
       val terminal = actorOf(Props(context ⇒ { case _ ⇒ }))
       val monitor1, monitor3 = startWatching(terminal)
       val monitor2 = actorOf(Props(new Actor {
-        context.startsWatching(terminal)
-        context.stopsWatching(terminal)
+        context.watch(terminal)
+        context.unwatch(terminal)
         def receive = {
           case "ping"        ⇒ sender ! "pong"
           case t: Terminated ⇒ testActor ! t
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ class DeathWatchSpec extends AkkaSpec with BeforeAndAfterEach with ImplicitSende
 
       monitor2 ! "ping"
 
-      expectMsg("pong") //Needs to be here since startsWatching and stopsWatching are asynchronous
+      expectMsg("pong") //Needs to be here since watch and unwatch are asynchronous
 
       terminal ! PoisonPill
 
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ class DeathWatchSpec extends AkkaSpec with BeforeAndAfterEach with ImplicitSende
 
         val failed = (supervisor ? Props.empty).as[ActorRef].get
         val brother = (supervisor ? Props(new Actor {
-          context.startsWatching(failed)
+          context.watch(failed)
           def receive = Actor.emptyBehavior
         })).as[ActorRef].get
 
diff --git a/akka-actor-tests/src/test/scala/akka/actor/FSMTransitionSpec.scala b/akka-actor-tests/src/test/scala/akka/actor/FSMTransitionSpec.scala
index 020b8d9421..4b17a8f144 100644
--- a/akka-actor-tests/src/test/scala/akka/actor/FSMTransitionSpec.scala
+++ b/akka-actor-tests/src/test/scala/akka/actor/FSMTransitionSpec.scala
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ class FSMTransitionSpec extends AkkaSpec with ImplicitSender {
       val forward = actorOf(new Forwarder(testActor))
       val fsm = actorOf(new MyFSM(testActor))
       val sup = actorOf(Props(new Actor {
-        context.startsWatching(fsm)
+        context.watch(fsm)
         def receive = { case _ ⇒ }
       }).withFaultHandler(OneForOneStrategy(List(classOf[Throwable]), None, None)))
 
diff --git a/akka-actor-tests/src/test/scala/akka/actor/RestartStrategySpec.scala b/akka-actor-tests/src/test/scala/akka/actor/RestartStrategySpec.scala
index 6d74053875..20f30c2667 100644
--- a/akka-actor-tests/src/test/scala/akka/actor/RestartStrategySpec.scala
+++ b/akka-actor-tests/src/test/scala/akka/actor/RestartStrategySpec.scala
@@ -207,7 +207,7 @@ class RestartStrategySpec extends AkkaSpec with DefaultTimeout {
 
       val boss = actorOf(Props(new Actor {
         def receive = {
-          case p: Props      ⇒ sender ! context.startsWatching(context.actorOf(p))
+          case p: Props      ⇒ sender ! context.watch(context.actorOf(p))
           case t: Terminated ⇒ maxNoOfRestartsLatch.open
         }
       }).withFaultHandler(OneForOneStrategy(List(classOf[Throwable]), None, Some(1000))))
diff --git a/akka-actor-tests/src/test/scala/akka/actor/SupervisorHierarchySpec.scala b/akka-actor-tests/src/test/scala/akka/actor/SupervisorHierarchySpec.scala
index 6c87fb686f..2bd3ae7b5e 100644
--- a/akka-actor-tests/src/test/scala/akka/actor/SupervisorHierarchySpec.scala
+++ b/akka-actor-tests/src/test/scala/akka/actor/SupervisorHierarchySpec.scala
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ class SupervisorHierarchySpec extends AkkaSpec with DefaultTimeout {
       val countDownMessages = new CountDownLatch(1)
       val countDownMax = new CountDownLatch(1)
       val boss = actorOf(Props(new Actor {
-        val crasher = context.startsWatching(context.actorOf(Props(new CountDownActor(countDownMessages))))
+        val crasher = context.watch(context.actorOf(Props(new CountDownActor(countDownMessages))))
 
         protected def receive = {
           case "killCrasher" ⇒ crasher ! Kill
diff --git a/akka-actor-tests/src/test/scala/akka/actor/SupervisorSpec.scala b/akka-actor-tests/src/test/scala/akka/actor/SupervisorSpec.scala
index b1f2c30c27..4dc7dc8e6d 100644
--- a/akka-actor-tests/src/test/scala/akka/actor/SupervisorSpec.scala
+++ b/akka-actor-tests/src/test/scala/akka/actor/SupervisorSpec.scala
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ object SupervisorSpec {
   }
 
   class Master(sendTo: ActorRef) extends Actor {
-    val temp = context.startsWatching(context.actorOf(Props(new PingPongActor(sendTo))))
+    val temp = context.watch(context.actorOf(Props(new PingPongActor(sendTo))))
 
     var s: ActorRef = _
 
diff --git a/akka-actor-tests/src/test/scala/akka/actor/dispatch/ActorModelSpec.scala b/akka-actor-tests/src/test/scala/akka/actor/dispatch/ActorModelSpec.scala
index 81e3290005..c82e9aec68 100644
--- a/akka-actor-tests/src/test/scala/akka/actor/dispatch/ActorModelSpec.scala
+++ b/akka-actor-tests/src/test/scala/akka/actor/dispatch/ActorModelSpec.scala
@@ -343,7 +343,7 @@ abstract class ActorModelSpec extends AkkaSpec with DefaultTimeout {
         val waitTime = (30 seconds).dilated.toMillis
         val boss = actorOf(Props(new Actor {
           def receive = {
-            case "run"             ⇒ for (_ ← 1 to num) (context.startsWatching(context.actorOf(props))) ! cachedMessage
+            case "run"             ⇒ for (_ ← 1 to num) (context.watch(context.actorOf(props))) ! cachedMessage
             case Terminated(child) ⇒ stopLatch.countDown()
           }
         }).withDispatcher(system.dispatcherFactory.newPinnedDispatcher("boss")))
diff --git a/akka-actor-tests/src/test/scala/akka/event/LoggingReceiveSpec.scala b/akka-actor-tests/src/test/scala/akka/event/LoggingReceiveSpec.scala
index 20526984b3..027636f933 100644
--- a/akka-actor-tests/src/test/scala/akka/event/LoggingReceiveSpec.scala
+++ b/akka-actor-tests/src/test/scala/akka/event/LoggingReceiveSpec.scala
@@ -174,13 +174,13 @@ class LoggingReceiveSpec extends WordSpec with BeforeAndAfterEach with BeforeAnd
           expectNoMsg(Duration.Zero)
           assert(set == Set(1, 2), set + " was not Set(1, 2)")
 
-          supervisor startsWatching actor
+          supervisor watch actor
           expectMsgPF(hint = "now monitoring") {
             case Logging.Debug(ref, msg: String) ⇒
               ref == supervisor.underlyingActor && msg.startsWith("now monitoring")
           }
 
-          supervisor stopsWatching actor
+          supervisor unwatch actor
           expectMsgPF(hint = "stopped monitoring") {
             case Logging.Debug(ref, msg: String) ⇒
               ref == supervisor.underlyingActor && msg.startsWith("stopped monitoring")
diff --git a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/ActorCell.scala b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/ActorCell.scala
index f66e5a95b5..7acf0cdd21 100644
--- a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/ActorCell.scala
+++ b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/ActorCell.scala
@@ -73,13 +73,13 @@ trait ActorContext extends ActorRefFactory {
    * Registers this actor as a Monitor for the provided ActorRef
    * @return the provided ActorRef
    */
-  def startsWatching(subject: ActorRef): ActorRef
+  def watch(subject: ActorRef): ActorRef
 
   /**
    * Unregisters this actor as Monitor for the provided ActorRef
    * @return the provided ActorRef
    */
-  def stopsWatching(subject: ActorRef): ActorRef
+  def unwatch(subject: ActorRef): ActorRef
 }
 
 trait JavaActorContext extends ActorContext {
@@ -221,13 +221,13 @@ private[akka] class ActorCell(
   // ➡➡➡ NEVER SEND THE SAME SYSTEM MESSAGE OBJECT TO TWO ACTORS ⬅⬅⬅
   private[akka] def stop(): Unit = dispatcher.systemDispatch(this, Terminate())
 
-  override final def startsWatching(subject: ActorRef): ActorRef = {
+  override final def watch(subject: ActorRef): ActorRef = {
     // ➡➡➡ NEVER SEND THE SAME SYSTEM MESSAGE OBJECT TO TWO ACTORS ⬅⬅⬅
     dispatcher.systemDispatch(this, Link(subject))
     subject
   }
 
-  override final def stopsWatching(subject: ActorRef): ActorRef = {
+  override final def unwatch(subject: ActorRef): ActorRef = {
     // ➡➡➡ NEVER SEND THE SAME SYSTEM MESSAGE OBJECT TO TWO ACTORS ⬅⬅⬅
     dispatcher.systemDispatch(this, Unlink(subject))
     subject
diff --git a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/dispatch/AbstractDispatcher.scala b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/dispatch/AbstractDispatcher.scala
index 203520853a..8943b4022f 100644
--- a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/dispatch/AbstractDispatcher.scala
+++ b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/dispatch/AbstractDispatcher.scala
@@ -61,8 +61,8 @@ case class Suspend() extends SystemMessage // sent to self from ActorCell.suspen
 case class Resume() extends SystemMessage // sent to self from ActorCell.resume
 case class Terminate() extends SystemMessage // sent to self from ActorCell.stop
 case class Supervise(child: ActorRef) extends SystemMessage // sent to supervisor ActorRef from ActorCell.start
-case class Link(subject: ActorRef) extends SystemMessage // sent to self from ActorCell.startsWatching
-case class Unlink(subject: ActorRef) extends SystemMessage // sent to self from ActorCell.stopsWatching
+case class Link(subject: ActorRef) extends SystemMessage // sent to self from ActorCell.watch
+case class Unlink(subject: ActorRef) extends SystemMessage // sent to self from ActorCell.unwatch
 
 final case class TaskInvocation(eventStream: EventStream, function: () ⇒ Unit, cleanup: () ⇒ Unit) extends Runnable {
   def run() {
diff --git a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/event/EventStream.scala b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/event/EventStream.scala
index ae51c7bc52..1ceddb32c0 100644
--- a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/event/EventStream.scala
+++ b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/event/EventStream.scala
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ class EventStream(debug: Boolean = false) extends LoggingBus with SubchannelClas
   def start(system: ActorSystemImpl) {
     reaper = system.systemActorOf(Props(new Actor {
       def receive = {
-        case ref: ActorRef   ⇒ context.startsWatching(ref)
+        case ref: ActorRef   ⇒ context.watch(ref)
         case Terminated(ref) ⇒ unsubscribe(ref)
       }
     }), "MainBusReaper")
diff --git a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/routing/Pool.scala b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/routing/Pool.scala
index cef7d00bc1..7f3fe0797f 100644
--- a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/routing/Pool.scala
+++ b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/routing/Pool.scala
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ trait DefaultActorPool extends ActorPool { this: Actor ⇒
     val requestedCapacity = capacity(_delegates)
     val newDelegates = requestedCapacity match {
       case qty if qty > 0 ⇒
-        _delegates ++ Vector.fill(requestedCapacity)(context.startsWatching(instance(defaultProps)))
+        _delegates ++ Vector.fill(requestedCapacity)(context.watch(instance(defaultProps)))
 
       case qty if qty < 0 ⇒
         _delegates.splitAt(_delegates.length + requestedCapacity) match {
diff --git a/akka-testkit/src/main/scala/akka/testkit/TestActorRef.scala b/akka-testkit/src/main/scala/akka/testkit/TestActorRef.scala
index 18a181eb3f..4bce817978 100644
--- a/akka-testkit/src/main/scala/akka/testkit/TestActorRef.scala
+++ b/akka-testkit/src/main/scala/akka/testkit/TestActorRef.scala
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ class TestActorRef[T <: Actor](
    *
    * @return the same ActorRef that is provided to it, to allow for cleaner invocations
    */
-  def startsWatching(subject: ActorRef): ActorRef = underlying.startsWatching(subject)
+  def watch(subject: ActorRef): ActorRef = underlying.watch(subject)
 
   /**
    * Deregisters this actor from being a death monitor of the provided ActorRef
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ class TestActorRef[T <: Actor](
    *
    * @return the same ActorRef that is provided to it, to allow for cleaner invocations
    */
-  def stopsWatching(subject: ActorRef): ActorRef = underlying.stopsWatching(subject)
+  def unwatch(subject: ActorRef): ActorRef = underlying.unwatch(subject)
 
   override def toString = "TestActor[" + address + "]"
 
diff --git a/akka-testkit/src/test/scala/akka/testkit/TestActorRefSpec.scala b/akka-testkit/src/test/scala/akka/testkit/TestActorRefSpec.scala
index 519301191a..9631ceb831 100644
--- a/akka-testkit/src/test/scala/akka/testkit/TestActorRefSpec.scala
+++ b/akka-testkit/src/test/scala/akka/testkit/TestActorRefSpec.scala
@@ -157,7 +157,7 @@ class TestActorRefSpec extends AkkaSpec with BeforeAndAfterEach with DefaultTime
       EventFilter[ActorKilledException]() intercept {
         val a = TestActorRef(Props[WorkerActor])
         val forwarder = actorOf(Props(new Actor {
-          context.startsWatching(a)
+          context.watch(a)
           def receive = { case x ⇒ testActor forward x }
         }))
         a.!(PoisonPill)(testActor)