diff --git a/akka-actor-tests/src/test/scala/akka/actor/ActorLookupSpec.scala b/akka-actor-tests/src/test/scala/akka/actor/ActorLookupSpec.scala
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..ca4e35a7e0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/akka-actor-tests/src/test/scala/akka/actor/ActorLookupSpec.scala
@@ -0,0 +1,229 @@
+/**
+ * Copyright (C) 2009-2011 Typesafe Inc. <http://www.typesafe.com>
+ */
+package akka.actor
+
+import akka.testkit._
+
+object ActorLookupSpec {
+
+  case class Create(child: String)
+
+  trait Query
+  case class LookupElems(path: Iterable[String]) extends Query
+  case class LookupString(path: String) extends Query
+  case class LookupPath(path: ActorPath) extends Query
+  case class GetSender(to: ActorRef) extends Query
+
+  val p = Props[Node]
+
+  class Node extends Actor {
+    def receive = {
+      case Create(name)       ⇒ sender ! context.actorOf(p, name)
+      case LookupElems(path)  ⇒ sender ! context.actorFor(path)
+      case LookupString(path) ⇒ sender ! context.actorFor(path)
+      case LookupPath(path)   ⇒ sender ! context.actorFor(path)
+      case GetSender(ref)     ⇒ ref ! sender
+    }
+  }
+
+}
+
+@org.junit.runner.RunWith(classOf[org.scalatest.junit.JUnitRunner])
+class ActorLookupSpec extends AkkaSpec {
+  import ActorLookupSpec._
+
+  val c1 = system.actorOf(p, "c1")
+  val c2 = system.actorOf(p, "c2")
+  val c21 = (c2 ? Create("c21")).as[ActorRef].get
+
+  val user = system.asInstanceOf[ActorSystemImpl].guardian
+  val syst = system.asInstanceOf[ActorSystemImpl].systemGuardian
+  val root = system.asInstanceOf[ActorSystemImpl].lookupRoot
+
+  "An ActorSystem" must {
+
+    "find actors by looking up their path" in {
+      system.actorFor(c1.path) must be === c1
+      system.actorFor(c2.path) must be === c2
+      system.actorFor(c21.path) must be === c21
+      system.actorFor(system / "c1") must be === c1
+      system.actorFor(system / "c2") must be === c2
+      system.actorFor(system / "c2" / "c21") must be === c21
+      system.actorFor(system / Seq("c2", "c21")) must be === c21
+    }
+
+    "find actors by looking up their string representation" in {
+      system.actorFor(c1.path.toString) must be === c1
+      system.actorFor(c2.path.toString) must be === c2
+      system.actorFor(c21.path.toString) must be === c21
+    }
+
+    "find actors by looking up their root-anchored relative path" in {
+      system.actorFor(c1.path.pathElements.mkString("/", "/", "")) must be === c1
+      system.actorFor(c2.path.pathElements.mkString("/", "/", "")) must be === c2
+      system.actorFor(c21.path.pathElements.mkString("/", "/", "")) must be === c21
+    }
+
+    "find actors by looking up their relative path" in {
+      system.actorFor(c1.path.pathElements.mkString("/")) must be === c1
+      system.actorFor(c2.path.pathElements.mkString("/")) must be === c2
+      system.actorFor(c21.path.pathElements.mkString("/")) must be === c21
+    }
+
+    "find actors by looking up their path elements" in {
+      system.actorFor(c1.path.pathElements) must be === c1
+      system.actorFor(c2.path.pathElements) must be === c2
+      system.actorFor(c21.path.pathElements) must be === c21
+    }
+
+    "find system-generated actors" in {
+      system.actorFor("/user") must be === user
+      system.actorFor("/null") must be === system.deadLetters
+      system.actorFor("/system") must be === syst
+      system.actorFor(syst.path) must be === syst
+      system.actorFor(syst.path.toString) must be === syst
+      system.actorFor("/") must be === root
+      system.actorFor("..") must be === root
+      system.actorFor(root.path) must be === root
+      system.actorFor(root.path.toString) must be === root
+      system.actorFor("user") must be === user
+      system.actorFor("null") must be === system.deadLetters
+      system.actorFor("system") must be === syst
+      system.actorFor("user/") must be === user
+      system.actorFor("null/") must be === system.deadLetters
+      system.actorFor("system/") must be === syst
+    }
+
+    "return deadLetters for non-existing paths" in {
+      system.actorFor("a/b/c") must be === system.deadLetters
+      system.actorFor("") must be === system.deadLetters
+      system.actorFor("akka://all-systems/Nobody") must be === system.deadLetters
+      system.actorFor("akka://all-systems/user") must be === system.deadLetters
+      system.actorFor(system / "hallo") must be === system.deadLetters
+      system.actorFor(Seq()) must be === system.deadLetters
+      system.actorFor(Seq("a")) must be === system.deadLetters
+    }
+
+    "find temporary actors" in {
+      val f = c1 ? GetSender(testActor)
+      val a = expectMsgType[ActorRef]
+      a.path.pathElements.head must be === "temp"
+      system.actorFor(a.path) must be === a
+      system.actorFor(a.path.toString) must be === a
+      system.actorFor(a.path.pathElements) must be === a
+      system.actorFor(a.path.toString + "/") must be === a
+      system.actorFor(a.path.toString + "/hallo") must be === system.deadLetters
+      f.isCompleted must be === false
+      a ! 42
+      f.isCompleted must be === true
+      f.get must be === 42
+      system.actorFor(a.path) must be === system.deadLetters
+    }
+
+  }
+
+  "An ActorContext" must {
+
+    val all = Seq(c1, c2, c21)
+
+    "find actors by looking up their path" in {
+      def check(looker: ActorRef, pathOf: ActorRef, result: ActorRef) {
+        (looker ? LookupPath(pathOf.path)).get must be === result
+      }
+      for {
+        looker ← all
+        target ← all
+      } check(looker, target, target)
+    }
+
+    "find actors by looking up their string representation" in {
+      def check(looker: ActorRef, pathOf: ActorRef, result: ActorRef) {
+        (looker ? LookupString(pathOf.path.toString)).get must be === result
+        (looker ? LookupString(pathOf.path.toString + "/")).get must be === result
+      }
+      for {
+        looker ← all
+        target ← all
+      } check(looker, target, target)
+    }
+
+    "find actors by looking up their root-anchored relative path" in {
+      def check(looker: ActorRef, pathOf: ActorRef, result: ActorRef) {
+        (looker ? LookupString(pathOf.path.pathElements.mkString("/", "/", ""))).get must be === result
+        (looker ? LookupString(pathOf.path.pathElements.mkString("/", "/", "/"))).get must be === result
+      }
+      for {
+        looker ← all
+        target ← all
+      } check(looker, target, target)
+    }
+
+    "find actors by looking up their relative path" in {
+      def check(looker: ActorRef, result: ActorRef, elems: String*) {
+        (looker ? LookupElems(elems)).get must be === result
+        (looker ? LookupString(elems mkString "/")).get must be === result
+        (looker ? LookupString(elems mkString ("", "/", "/"))).get must be === result
+      }
+      check(c1, user, "..")
+      for {
+        looker ← Seq(c1, c2)
+        target ← all
+      } check(looker, target, Seq("..") ++ target.path.pathElements.drop(1): _*)
+      check(c21, user, "..", "..")
+      check(c21, root, "..", "..", "..")
+      check(c21, root, "..", "..", "..", "..")
+    }
+
+    "find system-generated actors" in {
+      def check(target: ActorRef) {
+        for (looker ← all) {
+          (looker ? LookupPath(target.path)).get must be === target
+          (looker ? LookupString(target.path.toString)).get must be === target
+          (looker ? LookupString(target.path.toString + "/")).get must be === target
+          (looker ? LookupString(target.path.pathElements.mkString("/", "/", ""))).get must be === target
+          if (target != root) (looker ? LookupString(target.path.pathElements.mkString("/", "/", "/"))).get must be === target
+        }
+      }
+      for (target ← Seq(root, syst, user, system.deadLetters)) check(target)
+    }
+
+    "return deadLetters for non-existing paths" in {
+      def checkOne(looker: ActorRef, query: Query) {
+        (looker ? query).get must be === system.deadLetters
+      }
+      def check(looker: ActorRef) {
+        Seq(LookupString("a/b/c"),
+          LookupString(""),
+          LookupString("akka://all-systems/Nobody"),
+          LookupPath(system / "hallo"),
+          LookupElems(Seq()),
+          LookupElems(Seq("a"))) foreach (checkOne(looker, _))
+      }
+      for (looker ← all) check(looker)
+    }
+
+    "find temporary actors" in {
+      val f = c1 ? GetSender(testActor)
+      val a = expectMsgType[ActorRef]
+      a.path.pathElements.head must be === "temp"
+      (c2 ? LookupPath(a.path)).get must be === a
+      (c2 ? LookupString(a.path.toString)).get must be === a
+      (c2 ? LookupString(a.path.pathElements.mkString("/", "/", ""))).get must be === a
+      println("start")
+      (c2 ? LookupString("../../" + a.path.pathElements.mkString("/"))).get must be === a
+      (c2 ? LookupString(a.path.toString + "/")).get must be === a
+      (c2 ? LookupString(a.path.pathElements.mkString("/", "/", "") + "/")).get must be === a
+      (c2 ? LookupString("../../" + a.path.pathElements.mkString("/") + "/")).get must be === a
+      (c2 ? LookupElems(Seq("..", "..") ++ a.path.pathElements)).get must be === a
+      (c2 ? LookupElems(Seq("..", "..") ++ a.path.pathElements :+ "")).get must be === a
+      f.isCompleted must be === false
+      a ! 42
+      f.isCompleted must be === true
+      f.get must be === 42
+      (c2 ? LookupPath(a.path)).get must be === system.deadLetters
+    }
+
+  }
+
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/ActorCell.scala b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/ActorCell.scala
index 098d9f5828..96867ce18e 100644
--- a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/ActorCell.scala
+++ b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/ActorCell.scala
@@ -85,6 +85,8 @@ private[akka] class ActorCell(
 
   protected final def guardian = self
 
+  protected final def lookupRoot = self
+
   final def provider = system.provider
 
   override def receiveTimeout: Option[Long] = if (receiveTimeoutData._1 > 0) Some(receiveTimeoutData._1) else None
@@ -97,6 +99,8 @@ private[akka] class ActorCell(
   var receiveTimeoutData: (Long, Cancellable) =
     if (_receiveTimeout.isDefined) (_receiveTimeout.get, emptyCancellable) else emptyReceiveTimeoutData
 
+  // this is accessed without further synchronization during actorFor look-ups
+  @volatile
   var childrenRefs: TreeMap[String, ChildRestartStats] = emptyChildrenRefs
 
   protected def isDuplicate(name: String): Boolean = {
diff --git a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/ActorPath.scala b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/ActorPath.scala
index 1146c4e0f0..416866a8ee 100644
--- a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/ActorPath.scala
+++ b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/ActorPath.scala
@@ -7,6 +7,18 @@ import scala.annotation.tailrec
 object ActorPath {
   // this cannot really be changed due to usage of standard URI syntax
   final val separator = "/"
+  final val sepLen = separator.length
+
+  def split(s: String): List[String] = {
+    @tailrec
+    def rec(pos: Int, acc: List[String]): List[String] = {
+      val from = s.lastIndexOf(separator, pos - 1)
+      val sub = s.substring(from + sepLen, pos)
+      val l = sub :: acc
+      if (from == -1) l else rec(from, l)
+    }
+    rec(s.length, Nil)
+  }
 }
 
 /**
@@ -70,7 +82,7 @@ final case class RootActorPath(address: Address, name: String = ActorPath.separa
 
   def /(child: String): ActorPath = new ChildActorPath(this, child)
 
-  def pathElements: Iterable[String] = Iterable.empty
+  val pathElements: Iterable[String] = List("")
 
   override val toString = address + name
 
diff --git a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/ActorRef.scala b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/ActorRef.scala
index c15663d024..09ec8ddb7a 100644
--- a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/ActorRef.scala
+++ b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/ActorRef.scala
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ import akka.remote.RemoteAddress
 import java.util.concurrent.TimeUnit
 import akka.event.EventStream
 import akka.event.DeathWatch
+import scala.annotation.tailrec
 
 /**
  * ActorRef is an immutable and serializable handle to an Actor.
@@ -166,6 +167,20 @@ private[akka] trait InternalActorRef extends ActorRef with ScalaActorRef {
   def suspend(): Unit
   def restart(cause: Throwable): Unit
   def sendSystemMessage(message: SystemMessage): Unit
+  def getParent: InternalActorRef
+  /**
+   * Obtain ActorRef by possibly traversing the actor tree or looking it up at
+   * some provider-specific location. This method shall return the end result,
+   * i.e. not only the next step in the look-up; this will typically involve
+   * recursive invocation. A path element of ".." signifies the parent, a
+   * trailing "" element must be disregarded. If the requested path does not
+   * exist, return Nobody.
+   */
+  def getChild(name: Iterable[String]): InternalActorRef
+}
+
+private[akka] case object Nobody extends MinimalActorRef {
+  val path = new RootActorPath(new LocalAddress("all-systems"), "/Nobody")
 }
 
 /**
@@ -223,6 +238,40 @@ class LocalActorRef private[akka] (
    */
   def stop(): Unit = actorCell.stop()
 
+  def getParent: InternalActorRef = actorCell.parent
+
+  /**
+   * Method for looking up a single child beneath this actor. Override in order
+   * to inject “synthetic” actor paths like “/temp”.
+   */
+  protected def getSingleChild(name: String): InternalActorRef = {
+    val children = actorCell.childrenRefs
+    if (children contains name) children(name).child.asInstanceOf[InternalActorRef]
+    else Nobody
+  }
+
+  def getChild(names: Iterable[String]): InternalActorRef = {
+    /*
+     * The idea is to recursively descend as far as possible with LocalActor
+     * Refs and hand over to that “foreign” child when we encounter it.
+     */
+    @tailrec
+    def rec(ref: InternalActorRef, name: Iterable[String]): InternalActorRef = ref match {
+      case l: LocalActorRef ⇒
+        val n = name.head
+        val rest = name.tail
+        val next = n match {
+          case ".." ⇒ l.getParent
+          case ""   ⇒ l
+          case _    ⇒ l.getSingleChild(n)
+        }
+        if (next == Nobody || rest.isEmpty) next else rec(next, rest)
+      case _ ⇒
+        ref.getChild(name)
+    }
+    rec(this, names)
+  }
+
   // ========= AKKA PROTECTED FUNCTIONS =========
 
   protected[akka] def underlying: ActorCell = actorCell
@@ -271,6 +320,11 @@ case class SerializedActorRef(path: String) {
  */
 trait MinimalActorRef extends InternalActorRef {
 
+  def getParent: InternalActorRef = Nobody
+  def getChild(name: Iterable[String]): InternalActorRef =
+    if (name.size == 1 && name.head.isEmpty) this
+    else Nobody
+
   //FIXME REMOVE THIS, ticket #1416 
   //FIXME REMOVE THIS, ticket #1415
   def suspend(): Unit = ()
@@ -341,7 +395,13 @@ class DeadLetterActorRef(val eventStream: EventStream) extends MinimalActorRef {
   private def writeReplace(): AnyRef = DeadLetterActorRef.serialized
 }
 
-class AskActorRef(val path: ActorPath, provider: ActorRefProvider, deathWatch: DeathWatch, timeout: Timeout, val dispatcher: MessageDispatcher) extends MinimalActorRef {
+class AskActorRef(
+  val path: ActorPath,
+  override val getParent: InternalActorRef,
+  deathWatch: DeathWatch,
+  timeout: Timeout,
+  val dispatcher: MessageDispatcher) extends MinimalActorRef {
+
   final val result = new DefaultPromise[Any](timeout)(dispatcher)
 
   {
diff --git a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/ActorRefProvider.scala b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/ActorRefProvider.scala
index b2271c85c7..3110ab30d1 100644
--- a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/ActorRefProvider.scala
+++ b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/ActorRefProvider.scala
@@ -27,6 +27,13 @@ import java.io.Closeable
  */
 trait ActorRefProvider {
 
+  /**
+   * Reference to the supervisor of guardian and systemGuardian; this is
+   * exposed so that the ActorSystemImpl can use it as lookupRoot, i.e.
+   * for anchoring absolute actor look-ups.
+   */
+  def rootGuardian: InternalActorRef
+
   /**
    * Reference to the supervisor used for all top-level user actors.
    */
@@ -85,17 +92,18 @@ trait ActorRefProvider {
   /**
    * Create actor reference for a specified local or remote path, which will
    * be parsed using java.net.URI. If no such actor exists, it will be
-   * (equivalent to) a dead letter reference.
+   * (equivalent to) a dead letter reference. If `s` is a relative URI, resolve
+   * it relative to the given ref.
    */
-  def actorFor(s: String): InternalActorRef
+  def actorFor(ref: InternalActorRef, s: String): InternalActorRef
 
   /**
-   * Create actor reference for the specified child path starting at the root
-   * guardian. This method always returns an actor which is “logically local”,
+   * Create actor reference for the specified child path starting at the
+   * given starting point. This method always returns an actor which is “logically local”,
    * i.e. it cannot be used to obtain a reference to an actor which is not
    * physically or logically attached to this actor system.
    */
-  def actorFor(p: Iterable[String]): InternalActorRef
+  def actorFor(ref: InternalActorRef, p: Iterable[String]): InternalActorRef
 
   private[akka] def createDeathWatch(): DeathWatch
 
@@ -127,6 +135,8 @@ trait ActorRefFactory {
    */
   protected def guardian: InternalActorRef
 
+  protected def lookupRoot: InternalActorRef
+
   protected def randomName(): String
 
   /**
@@ -171,9 +181,12 @@ trait ActorRefFactory {
 
   def actorFor(path: ActorPath): ActorRef = provider.actorFor(path)
 
-  def actorFor(path: String): ActorRef = provider.actorFor(path)
+  def actorFor(path: String): ActorRef = provider.actorFor(lookupRoot, path)
 
-  def actorFor(path: Iterable[String]): ActorRef = provider.actorFor(path)
+  /**
+   * For maximum performance use a collection with efficient head & tail operations.
+   */
+  def actorFor(path: Iterable[String]): ActorRef = provider.actorFor(lookupRoot, path)
 }
 
 class ActorRefProviderException(message: String) extends AkkaException(message)
@@ -203,11 +216,11 @@ class LocalActorRefProvider(
    */
   private val tempNumber = new AtomicLong
 
-  private def tempName = "$_" + Helpers.base64(tempNumber.getAndIncrement())
+  private def tempName() = Helpers.base64(tempNumber.getAndIncrement())
 
   private val tempNode = rootPath / "temp"
 
-  def tempPath = tempNode / tempName
+  def tempPath() = tempNode / tempName
 
   /**
    * Top-level anchor for the supervision hierarchy of this actor system. Will
@@ -281,10 +294,36 @@ class LocalActorRefProvider(
   def dispatcher: MessageDispatcher = system.dispatcher
 
   lazy val terminationFuture: DefaultPromise[Unit] = new DefaultPromise[Unit](Timeout.never)(dispatcher)
-  lazy val rootGuardian: InternalActorRef = new LocalActorRef(system, guardianProps, theOneWhoWalksTheBubblesOfSpaceTime, rootPath, true)
+
+  lazy val rootGuardian: InternalActorRef = new LocalActorRef(system, guardianProps, theOneWhoWalksTheBubblesOfSpaceTime, rootPath, true) {
+    override def getParent: InternalActorRef = this
+    override def getSingleChild(name: String): InternalActorRef = {
+      name match {
+        case "temp" ⇒ tempContainer
+        case _      ⇒ super.getSingleChild(name)
+      }
+    }
+  }
+
   lazy val guardian: InternalActorRef = actorOf(system, guardianProps, rootGuardian, "user", true)
+
   lazy val systemGuardian: InternalActorRef = actorOf(system, guardianProps.withCreator(new SystemGuardian), rootGuardian, "system", true)
 
+  lazy val tempContainer = new MinimalActorRef {
+    val children = new ConcurrentHashMap[String, AskActorRef]
+    def path = tempNode
+    override def getParent = rootGuardian
+    override def getChild(name: Iterable[String]): InternalActorRef = {
+      val c = children.get(name.head)
+      if (c == null) Nobody
+      else {
+        val t = name.tail
+        if (t.isEmpty) c
+        else c.getChild(t)
+      }
+    }
+  }
+
   val deathWatch = createDeathWatch()
 
   def init(_system: ActorSystemImpl) {
@@ -294,25 +333,25 @@ class LocalActorRefProvider(
     deathWatch.subscribe(rootGuardian, systemGuardian)
   }
 
-  def actorFor(path: String): InternalActorRef = path match {
-    case LocalActorPath(address, elems) if address == rootPath.address ⇒
-      findInTree(rootGuardian.asInstanceOf[LocalActorRef], elems)
+  def actorFor(ref: InternalActorRef, path: String): InternalActorRef = path match {
+    case RelativeActorPath(elems) ⇒
+      if (elems.isEmpty) deadLetters
+      else if (elems.head.isEmpty) actorFor(rootGuardian, elems.tail)
+      else actorFor(ref, elems)
+    case LocalActorPath(address, elems) if address == rootPath.address ⇒ actorFor(rootGuardian, elems)
     case _ ⇒ deadLetters
   }
 
-  def actorFor(path: ActorPath): InternalActorRef = findInTree(rootGuardian.asInstanceOf[LocalActorRef], path.pathElements)
+  def actorFor(path: ActorPath): InternalActorRef =
+    if (path.root == rootPath) actorFor(rootGuardian, path.pathElements)
+    else deadLetters
 
-  def actorFor(path: Iterable[String]): InternalActorRef = findInTree(rootGuardian.asInstanceOf[LocalActorRef], path)
-
-  @tailrec
-  private def findInTree(start: LocalActorRef, path: Iterable[String]): InternalActorRef = {
-    if (path.isEmpty) start
-    else start.underlying.getChild(path.head) match {
-      case null                 ⇒ deadLetters
-      case child: LocalActorRef ⇒ findInTree(child, path.tail)
-      case _                    ⇒ deadLetters
+  def actorFor(ref: InternalActorRef, path: Iterable[String]): InternalActorRef =
+    if (path.isEmpty) deadLetters
+    else ref.getChild(path) match {
+      case Nobody ⇒ deadLetters
+      case x      ⇒ x
     }
-  }
 
   def actorOf(system: ActorSystemImpl, props: Props, supervisor: InternalActorRef, name: String, systemService: Boolean): InternalActorRef = {
     val path = supervisor.path / name
@@ -377,7 +416,14 @@ class LocalActorRefProvider(
       case t if t.duration.length <= 0 ⇒
         new DefaultPromise[Any](0)(dispatcher) //Abort early if nonsensical timeout
       case t ⇒
-        val a = new AskActorRef(tempPath, this, deathWatch, t, dispatcher)
+        val path = tempPath()
+        val name = path.name
+        val a = new AskActorRef(path, tempContainer, deathWatch, t, dispatcher) {
+          override def whenDone() {
+            tempContainer.children.remove(name)
+          }
+        }
+        tempContainer.children.put(name, a)
         recipient.tell(message, a)
         a.result
     }
diff --git a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/ActorSystem.scala b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/ActorSystem.scala
index 35b100913c..a38cdccb22 100644
--- a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/ActorSystem.scala
+++ b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/ActorSystem.scala
@@ -201,6 +201,11 @@ abstract class ActorSystem extends ActorRefFactory {
    */
   def /(name: String): ActorPath
 
+  /**
+   * Construct a path below the application guardian to be used with [[ActorSystem.actorFor]].
+   */
+  def /(name: Iterable[String]): ActorPath
+
   /**
    * Start-up time in milliseconds since the epoch.
    */
@@ -382,6 +387,7 @@ class ActorSystemImpl(val name: String, applicationConfig: Config) extends Actor
   implicit val dispatcher = dispatcherFactory.defaultGlobalDispatcher
 
   def terminationFuture: Future[Unit] = provider.terminationFuture
+  def lookupRoot: InternalActorRef = provider.rootGuardian
   def guardian: InternalActorRef = provider.guardian
   def systemGuardian: InternalActorRef = provider.systemGuardian
   def deathWatch: DeathWatch = provider.deathWatch
@@ -392,6 +398,7 @@ class ActorSystemImpl(val name: String, applicationConfig: Config) extends Actor
   override protected def randomName(): String = Helpers.base64(nextName.incrementAndGet())
 
   def /(actorName: String): ActorPath = guardian.path / actorName
+  def /(path: Iterable[String]): ActorPath = guardian.path / path
 
   private lazy val _start: this.type = {
     provider.init(this)
diff --git a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/Address.scala b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/Address.scala
index bda9fd6048..2f2560392b 100644
--- a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/Address.scala
+++ b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/Address.scala
@@ -22,6 +22,16 @@ case class LocalAddress(systemName: String) extends Address {
   def hostPort = systemName
 }
 
+object RelativeActorPath {
+  def unapply(addr: String): Option[Iterable[String]] = {
+    try {
+      val uri = new URI(addr)
+      if (uri.isAbsolute) None
+      else Some(ActorPath.split(uri.getPath))
+    }
+  }
+}
+
 object LocalActorPath {
   def unapply(addr: String): Option[(LocalAddress, Iterable[String])] = {
     try {
@@ -30,7 +40,7 @@ object LocalActorPath {
       if (uri.getUserInfo != null) return None
       if (uri.getHost == null) return None
       if (uri.getPath == null) return None
-      Some(LocalAddress(uri.getHost), uri.getPath.split("/").drop(1))
+      Some(LocalAddress(uri.getHost), ActorPath.split(uri.getPath).drop(1))
     } catch {
       case _: URISyntaxException ⇒ None
     }
diff --git a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/remote/RemoteInterface.scala b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/remote/RemoteInterface.scala
index 6b5a0b374e..3ea18c9da5 100644
--- a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/remote/RemoteInterface.scala
+++ b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/remote/RemoteInterface.scala
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ object RemoteActorPath {
       if (uri.getHost == null) return None
       if (uri.getPort == -1) return None
       if (uri.getPath == null) return None
-      Some(RemoteAddress(uri.getUserInfo, uri.getHost, uri.getPort), uri.getPath.split("/").drop(1))
+      Some(RemoteAddress(uri.getUserInfo, uri.getHost, uri.getPort), ActorPath.split(uri.getPath).drop(1))
     } catch {
       case _: URISyntaxException ⇒ None
     }
diff --git a/akka-remote/src/main/scala/akka/remote/Remote.scala b/akka-remote/src/main/scala/akka/remote/Remote.scala
index acd40ac3a1..23f4056dd3 100644
--- a/akka-remote/src/main/scala/akka/remote/Remote.scala
+++ b/akka-remote/src/main/scala/akka/remote/Remote.scala
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@ class RemoteSystemDaemon(remote: Remote) extends Actor {
         message.getActorPath match {
           case RemoteActorPath(addr, elems) if addr == remoteAddress && elems.size > 0 ⇒
             val name = elems.last
-            systemImpl.provider.actorFor(elems.dropRight(1)) match {
+            systemImpl.provider.actorFor(systemImpl.lookupRoot, elems.dropRight(1)) match {
               case x if x eq system.deadLetters ⇒
                 log.error("Parent actor does not exist, ignoring remote system daemon command [{}]", message)
               case parent ⇒
@@ -246,7 +246,7 @@ class RemoteMessage(input: RemoteMessageProtocol, remote: RemoteSupport, classLo
   val provider = remote.system.asInstanceOf[ActorSystemImpl].provider
 
   lazy val sender: ActorRef =
-    if (input.hasSender) provider.actorFor(input.getSender.getPath)
+    if (input.hasSender) provider.actorFor(provider.rootGuardian, input.getSender.getPath)
     else remote.system.deadLetters
 
   lazy val recipient: ActorRef = remote.system.actorFor(input.getRecipient.getPath)
diff --git a/akka-remote/src/main/scala/akka/remote/RemoteActorRefProvider.scala b/akka-remote/src/main/scala/akka/remote/RemoteActorRefProvider.scala
index 84febbb202..95c3fa2e73 100644
--- a/akka-remote/src/main/scala/akka/remote/RemoteActorRefProvider.scala
+++ b/akka-remote/src/main/scala/akka/remote/RemoteActorRefProvider.scala
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ class RemoteActorRefProvider(
   val log = Logging(eventStream, "RemoteActorRefProvider")
 
   def deathWatch = local.deathWatch
+  def rootGuardian = local.rootGuardian
   def guardian = local.guardian
   def systemGuardian = local.systemGuardian
   def nodename = remoteExtension.NodeName
@@ -181,8 +182,8 @@ class RemoteActorRefProvider(
   }
 
   def actorFor(path: ActorPath): InternalActorRef = local.actorFor(path)
-  def actorFor(path: String): InternalActorRef = local.actorFor(path)
-  def actorFor(path: Iterable[String]): InternalActorRef = local.actorFor(path)
+  def actorFor(ref: InternalActorRef, path: String): InternalActorRef = local.actorFor(ref, path)
+  def actorFor(ref: InternalActorRef, path: Iterable[String]): InternalActorRef = local.actorFor(ref, path)
 
   // TODO remove me
   val optimizeLocal = new AtomicBoolean(true)
@@ -267,13 +268,13 @@ private[akka] case class RemoteActorRef private[akka] (
   loader: Option[ClassLoader])
   extends InternalActorRef {
 
+  // FIXME
+  def getParent = Nobody
+  def getChild(name: Iterable[String]) = Nobody
+
   @volatile
   private var running: Boolean = true
 
-  def name = path.name
-
-  def address = remoteAddress + path.toString
-
   def isTerminated: Boolean = !running
 
   def sendSystemMessage(message: SystemMessage): Unit = throw new UnsupportedOperationException("Not supported for RemoteActorRef")