diff --git a/akka-cluster/src/main/scala/akka/cluster/ClusterDaemon.scala b/akka-cluster/src/main/scala/akka/cluster/ClusterDaemon.scala
index 0c450b12f5..cf50f8a54f 100644
--- a/akka-cluster/src/main/scala/akka/cluster/ClusterDaemon.scala
+++ b/akka-cluster/src/main/scala/akka/cluster/ClusterDaemon.scala
@@ -236,6 +236,7 @@ private[cluster] class ClusterCoreDaemon(publisher: ActorRef) extends Actor with
   var gossipStats = GossipStats()
 
   var seedNodeProcess: Option[ActorRef] = None
+  var seedNodeProcessCounter = 0 // for unique names 
 
   /**
    * Looks up and returns the remote cluster command connection for the specific address.
@@ -372,12 +373,16 @@ private[cluster] class ClusterCoreDaemon(publisher: ActorRef) extends Actor with
         if (seedNodes == immutable.IndexedSeq(selfAddress)) {
           self ! ClusterUserAction.JoinTo(selfAddress)
           None
-        } else if (seedNodes.head == selfAddress) {
-          Some(context.actorOf(Props(classOf[FirstSeedNodeProcess], seedNodes).
-            withDispatcher(UseDispatcher), name = "firstSeedNodeProcess"))
         } else {
-          Some(context.actorOf(Props(classOf[JoinSeedNodeProcess], seedNodes).
-            withDispatcher(UseDispatcher), name = "joinSeedNodeProcess"))
+          // use unique name of this actor, stopSeedNodeProcess doesn't wait for termination
+          seedNodeProcessCounter += 1
+          if (seedNodes.head == selfAddress) {
+            Some(context.actorOf(Props(classOf[FirstSeedNodeProcess], seedNodes).
+              withDispatcher(UseDispatcher), name = "firstSeedNodeProcess-" + seedNodeProcessCounter))
+          } else {
+            Some(context.actorOf(Props(classOf[JoinSeedNodeProcess], seedNodes).
+              withDispatcher(UseDispatcher), name = "joinSeedNodeProcess-" + seedNodeProcessCounter))
+          }
         }
     }
   }
diff --git a/akka-cluster/src/multi-jvm/scala/akka/cluster/JoinSeedNodeSpec.scala b/akka-cluster/src/multi-jvm/scala/akka/cluster/JoinSeedNodeSpec.scala
index 0077e82dbd..9248750359 100644
--- a/akka-cluster/src/multi-jvm/scala/akka/cluster/JoinSeedNodeSpec.scala
+++ b/akka-cluster/src/multi-jvm/scala/akka/cluster/JoinSeedNodeSpec.scala
@@ -47,6 +47,10 @@ abstract class JoinSeedNodeSpec
 
       runOn(seed1, seed2, seed3) {
         cluster.joinSeedNodes(seedNodes)
+        runOn(seed3) {
+          // it is allowed to call this several times (verifies ticket #3973)
+          cluster.joinSeedNodes(seedNodes)
+        }
         awaitMembersUp(3)
       }
       enterBarrier("after-1")