diff --git a/akka-cluster/src/multi-jvm/scala/akka/cluster/JoinTwoClustersSpec.scala b/akka-cluster/src/multi-jvm/scala/akka/cluster/JoinTwoClustersSpec.scala
index 9ed003944f..c15af5e651 100644
--- a/akka-cluster/src/multi-jvm/scala/akka/cluster/JoinTwoClustersSpec.scala
+++ b/akka-cluster/src/multi-jvm/scala/akka/cluster/JoinTwoClustersSpec.scala
@@ -18,13 +18,7 @@ object JoinTwoClustersMultiJvmSpec extends MultiNodeConfig {
   val c1 = role("c1")
   val c2 = role("c2")
 
-  commonConfig(debugConfig(on = false).withFallback(ConfigFactory.parseString("""
-    akka.cluster {
-      gossip-frequency = 200 ms
-      leader-actions-frequency = 200 ms
-      periodic-tasks-initial-delay = 300 ms
-    }
-    """)))
+  commonConfig(debugConfig(on = false).withFallback(MultiNodeClusterSpec.clusterConfig))
 
 }
 
@@ -35,13 +29,11 @@ class JoinTwoClustersMultiJvmNode4 extends JoinTwoClustersSpec
 class JoinTwoClustersMultiJvmNode5 extends JoinTwoClustersSpec
 class JoinTwoClustersMultiJvmNode6 extends JoinTwoClustersSpec
 
-abstract class JoinTwoClustersSpec extends MultiNodeSpec(JoinTwoClustersMultiJvmSpec) with ImplicitSender with BeforeAndAfter {
+abstract class JoinTwoClustersSpec extends MultiNodeSpec(JoinTwoClustersMultiJvmSpec) with MultiNodeClusterSpec with ImplicitSender with BeforeAndAfter {
   import JoinTwoClustersMultiJvmSpec._
 
   override def initialParticipants = 6
 
-  def cluster: Cluster = Cluster(system)
-
   after {
     testConductor.enter("after")
   }
@@ -50,12 +42,6 @@ abstract class JoinTwoClustersSpec extends MultiNodeSpec(JoinTwoClustersMultiJvm
   val b1Address = node(b1).address
   val c1Address = node(c1).address
 
-  def awaitUpConvergence(numberOfMembers: Int): Unit = {
-    awaitCond(cluster.latestGossip.members.size == numberOfMembers)
-    awaitCond(cluster.latestGossip.members.forall(_.status == MemberStatus.Up))
-    awaitCond(cluster.convergence.isDefined)
-  }
-
   "Three different clusters (A, B and C)" must {
 
     "be able to 'elect' a single leader after joining (A -> B)" in {
@@ -72,7 +58,9 @@ abstract class JoinTwoClustersSpec extends MultiNodeSpec(JoinTwoClustersMultiJvm
 
       awaitUpConvergence(numberOfMembers = 2)
 
-      cluster.isLeader must be(ifNode(a1, b1, c1)(true)(false))
+      assertLeader(a1, a2)
+      assertLeader(b1, b2)
+      assertLeader(c1, c2)
 
       runOn(b2) {
         cluster.join(a1Address)
@@ -82,7 +70,8 @@ abstract class JoinTwoClustersSpec extends MultiNodeSpec(JoinTwoClustersMultiJvm
         awaitUpConvergence(numberOfMembers = 4)
       }
 
-      cluster.isLeader must be(ifNode(a1, c1)(true)(false))
+      assertLeader(a1, a2, b1, b2)
+      assertLeader(c1, c2)
 
     }
 
@@ -94,7 +83,7 @@ abstract class JoinTwoClustersSpec extends MultiNodeSpec(JoinTwoClustersMultiJvm
 
       awaitUpConvergence(numberOfMembers = 6)
 
-      cluster.isLeader must be(ifNode(a1)(true)(false))
+      assertLeader(a1, a2, b1, b2, c1, c2)
     }
   }
 
diff --git a/akka-cluster/src/multi-jvm/scala/akka/cluster/MembershipChangeListenerSpec.scala b/akka-cluster/src/multi-jvm/scala/akka/cluster/MembershipChangeListenerSpec.scala
index c5ae2f11e7..844d2803a1 100644
--- a/akka-cluster/src/multi-jvm/scala/akka/cluster/MembershipChangeListenerSpec.scala
+++ b/akka-cluster/src/multi-jvm/scala/akka/cluster/MembershipChangeListenerSpec.scala
@@ -16,13 +16,7 @@ object MembershipChangeListenerMultiJvmSpec extends MultiNodeConfig {
   val second = role("second")
   val third = role("third")
 
-  commonConfig(debugConfig(on = false).withFallback(ConfigFactory.parseString("""
-    akka.cluster {
-      gossip-frequency = 200 ms
-      leader-actions-frequency = 200 ms
-      periodic-tasks-initial-delay = 300 ms
-    }
-    """)))
+  commonConfig(debugConfig(on = false).withFallback(MultiNodeClusterSpec.clusterConfig))
 
 }
 
@@ -30,13 +24,12 @@ class MembershipChangeListenerMultiJvmNode1 extends MembershipChangeListenerSpec
 class MembershipChangeListenerMultiJvmNode2 extends MembershipChangeListenerSpec
 class MembershipChangeListenerMultiJvmNode3 extends MembershipChangeListenerSpec
 
-abstract class MembershipChangeListenerSpec extends MultiNodeSpec(MembershipChangeListenerMultiJvmSpec) with ImplicitSender with BeforeAndAfter {
+abstract class MembershipChangeListenerSpec extends MultiNodeSpec(MembershipChangeListenerMultiJvmSpec)
+  with MultiNodeClusterSpec with ImplicitSender with BeforeAndAfter {
   import MembershipChangeListenerMultiJvmSpec._
 
   override def initialParticipants = 3
 
-  def cluster: Cluster = Cluster(system)
-
   after {
     testConductor.enter("after")
   }
diff --git a/akka-cluster/src/multi-jvm/scala/akka/cluster/MultiNodeClusterSpec.scala b/akka-cluster/src/multi-jvm/scala/akka/cluster/MultiNodeClusterSpec.scala
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..873d819dbb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/akka-cluster/src/multi-jvm/scala/akka/cluster/MultiNodeClusterSpec.scala
@@ -0,0 +1,63 @@
+/**
+ *  Copyright (C) 2009-2012 Typesafe Inc. <http://www.typesafe.com>
+ */
+package akka.cluster
+
+import com.typesafe.config.Config
+import com.typesafe.config.ConfigFactory
+import akka.actor.Address
+import akka.remote.testconductor.RoleName
+import akka.remote.testkit.MultiNodeSpec
+import akka.util.duration._
+
+object MultiNodeClusterSpec {
+  def clusterConfig: Config = ConfigFactory.parseString("""
+    akka.cluster {
+      gossip-frequency = 200 ms
+      leader-actions-frequency = 200 ms
+      periodic-tasks-initial-delay = 300 ms
+    }
+    akka.test {
+      single-expect-default = 5 s
+    }
+    """)
+}
+
+trait MultiNodeClusterSpec { self: MultiNodeSpec ⇒
+
+  def cluster: Cluster = Cluster(system)
+
+  /**
+   * Assert that the member addresses match the expected addresses in the
+   * sort order used by the cluster.
+   */
+  def assertMembers(gotMembers: Iterable[Member], expectedAddresses: Address*): Unit = {
+    import Member.addressOrdering
+    val members = gotMembers.toIndexedSeq
+    members.size must be(expectedAddresses.length)
+    expectedAddresses.sorted.zipWithIndex.foreach { case (a, i) ⇒ members(i).address must be(a) }
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Assert that the cluster has elected the correct leader
+   * out of all nodes in the cluster. First
+   * member in the cluster ring is expected leader.
+   */
+  def assertLeader(nodesInCluster: RoleName*): Unit = if (nodesInCluster.contains(mySelf)) {
+    nodesInCluster.length must not be (0)
+    import Member.addressOrdering
+    val expectedLeader = nodesInCluster.map(role ⇒ (role, node(role).address)).sortBy(_._2).head._1
+    cluster.isLeader must be(ifNode(expectedLeader)(true)(false))
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Wait until the expected number of members has status Up
+   * and convergence has been reached.
+   */
+  def awaitUpConvergence(numberOfMembers: Int): Unit = {
+    awaitCond(cluster.latestGossip.members.size == numberOfMembers)
+    awaitCond(cluster.latestGossip.members.forall(_.status == MemberStatus.Up))
+    awaitCond(cluster.convergence.isDefined, 10 seconds)
+  }
+
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/akka-cluster/src/multi-jvm/scala/akka/cluster/NodeMembershipSpec.scala b/akka-cluster/src/multi-jvm/scala/akka/cluster/NodeMembershipSpec.scala
index a8af644fe0..b5dc5d4d42 100644
--- a/akka-cluster/src/multi-jvm/scala/akka/cluster/NodeMembershipSpec.scala
+++ b/akka-cluster/src/multi-jvm/scala/akka/cluster/NodeMembershipSpec.scala
@@ -14,13 +14,7 @@ object NodeMembershipMultiJvmSpec extends MultiNodeConfig {
   val second = role("second")
   val third = role("third")
 
-  commonConfig(debugConfig(on = false).withFallback(ConfigFactory.parseString("""
-    akka.cluster {
-      gossip-frequency = 200 ms
-      leader-actions-frequency = 200 ms
-      periodic-tasks-initial-delay = 300 ms
-    }
-    """)))
+  commonConfig(debugConfig(on = false).withFallback(MultiNodeClusterSpec.clusterConfig))
 
 }
 
@@ -28,13 +22,11 @@ class NodeMembershipMultiJvmNode1 extends NodeMembershipSpec
 class NodeMembershipMultiJvmNode2 extends NodeMembershipSpec
 class NodeMembershipMultiJvmNode3 extends NodeMembershipSpec
 
-abstract class NodeMembershipSpec extends MultiNodeSpec(NodeMembershipMultiJvmSpec) with ImplicitSender with BeforeAndAfter {
+abstract class NodeMembershipSpec extends MultiNodeSpec(NodeMembershipMultiJvmSpec) with MultiNodeClusterSpec with ImplicitSender with BeforeAndAfter {
   import NodeMembershipMultiJvmSpec._
 
   override def initialParticipants = 3
 
-  def cluster: Cluster = Cluster(system)
-
   after {
     testConductor.enter("after")
   }
@@ -50,11 +42,7 @@ abstract class NodeMembershipSpec extends MultiNodeSpec(NodeMembershipMultiJvmSp
       runOn(first, second) {
         cluster.join(firstAddress)
         awaitCond(cluster.latestGossip.members.size == 2)
-        val members = cluster.latestGossip.members.toIndexedSeq
-        members.size must be(2)
-        val sortedAddresses = IndexedSeq(firstAddress, secondAddress).sortBy(_.toString)
-        members(0).address must be(sortedAddresses(0))
-        members(1).address must be(sortedAddresses(1))
+        assertMembers(cluster.latestGossip.members, firstAddress, secondAddress)
         awaitCond {
           cluster.latestGossip.members.forall(_.status == MemberStatus.Up)
         }
@@ -69,14 +57,8 @@ abstract class NodeMembershipSpec extends MultiNodeSpec(NodeMembershipMultiJvmSp
         cluster.join(firstAddress)
       }
 
-      // runOn all
       awaitCond(cluster.latestGossip.members.size == 3)
-      val members = cluster.latestGossip.members.toIndexedSeq
-      members.size must be(3)
-      val sortedAddresses = IndexedSeq(firstAddress, secondAddress, thirdAddress).sortBy(_.toString)
-      members(0).address must be(sortedAddresses(0))
-      members(1).address must be(sortedAddresses(1))
-      members(2).address must be(sortedAddresses(2))
+      assertMembers(cluster.latestGossip.members, firstAddress, secondAddress, thirdAddress)
       awaitCond {
         cluster.latestGossip.members.forall(_.status == MemberStatus.Up)
       }
diff --git a/akka-cluster/src/multi-jvm/scala/akka/cluster/NodeStartupSpec.scala b/akka-cluster/src/multi-jvm/scala/akka/cluster/NodeStartupSpec.scala
index f2206f8d89..55a0b15f63 100644
--- a/akka-cluster/src/multi-jvm/scala/akka/cluster/NodeStartupSpec.scala
+++ b/akka-cluster/src/multi-jvm/scala/akka/cluster/NodeStartupSpec.scala
@@ -13,26 +13,18 @@ object NodeStartupMultiJvmSpec extends MultiNodeConfig {
   val first = role("first")
   val second = role("second")
 
-  commonConfig(debugConfig(on = false).withFallback(ConfigFactory.parseString("""
-    akka.cluster {
-      gossip-frequency = 200 ms
-      leader-actions-frequency = 200 ms
-      periodic-tasks-initial-delay = 300 ms
-    }
-    """)))
+  commonConfig(debugConfig(on = false).withFallback(MultiNodeClusterSpec.clusterConfig))
 
 }
 
 class NodeStartupMultiJvmNode1 extends NodeStartupSpec
 class NodeStartupMultiJvmNode2 extends NodeStartupSpec
 
-abstract class NodeStartupSpec extends MultiNodeSpec(NodeStartupMultiJvmSpec) with ImplicitSender with BeforeAndAfter {
+abstract class NodeStartupSpec extends MultiNodeSpec(NodeStartupMultiJvmSpec) with MultiNodeClusterSpec with ImplicitSender with BeforeAndAfter {
   import NodeStartupMultiJvmSpec._
 
   override def initialParticipants = 2
 
-  def cluster: Cluster = Cluster(system)
-
   after {
     testConductor.enter("after")
   }