diff --git a/akka-http-testkit/src/main/scala/akka/http/scaladsl/testkit/RouteTestResultComponent.scala b/akka-http-testkit/src/main/scala/akka/http/scaladsl/testkit/RouteTestResultComponent.scala
index 609e6f8236..6d12b01f9c 100644
--- a/akka-http-testkit/src/main/scala/akka/http/scaladsl/testkit/RouteTestResultComponent.scala
+++ b/akka-http-testkit/src/main/scala/akka/http/scaladsl/testkit/RouteTestResultComponent.scala
@@ -82,26 +82,19 @@ trait RouteTestResultComponent {
         case s: HttpEntity.Strict ⇒ () ⇒ s
 
         case HttpEntity.Default(contentType, contentLength, data) ⇒
-          val dataChunks = awaitAllElements(data);
-          { () ⇒ HttpEntity.Default(contentType, contentLength, Source(dataChunks)) }
+          val dataChunks = awaitAllElements(data); { () ⇒ HttpEntity.Default(contentType, contentLength, Source(dataChunks)) }
 
         case HttpEntity.CloseDelimited(contentType, data) ⇒
-          val dataChunks = awaitAllElements(data);
-          { () ⇒ HttpEntity.CloseDelimited(contentType, Source(dataChunks)) }
+          val dataChunks = awaitAllElements(data); { () ⇒ HttpEntity.CloseDelimited(contentType, Source(dataChunks)) }
 
-        case HttpEntity.Chunked(contentType, chunks) ⇒
-          val dataChunks = awaitAllElements(chunks);
-          { () ⇒ HttpEntity.Chunked(contentType, Source(dataChunks)) }
+        case HttpEntity.Chunked(contentType, data) ⇒
+          val dataChunks = awaitAllElements(data); { () ⇒ HttpEntity.Chunked(contentType, Source(dataChunks)) }
       }
 
     private def failNeitherCompletedNorRejected(): Nothing =
       failTest("Request was neither completed nor rejected within " + timeout)
 
-    private def awaitAllElements[T](data: Source[T, _]): immutable.Seq[T] = {
-      data.grouped(100000).runWith(Sink.head).recover({
-        case e: NoSuchElementException ⇒ Nil
-      })(ExecutionContexts.sameThreadExecutionContext)
-        .awaitResult(timeout)
-    }
+    private def awaitAllElements[T](data: Source[T, _]): immutable.Seq[T] =
+      data.grouped(100000).runWith(Sink.headOption).awaitResult(timeout).getOrElse(Nil)
   }
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/akka-http-tests/src/test/scala/akka/http/scaladsl/server/StreamingResponseSpecs.scala b/akka-http-tests/src/test/scala/akka/http/scaladsl/server/StreamingResponseSpecs.scala
index ca8ce7d645..c5b5c19f45 100644
--- a/akka-http-tests/src/test/scala/akka/http/scaladsl/server/StreamingResponseSpecs.scala
+++ b/akka-http-tests/src/test/scala/akka/http/scaladsl/server/StreamingResponseSpecs.scala
@@ -20,8 +20,8 @@ class StreamingResponseSpecs extends RoutingSpec {
       val route = complete(response)
 
       Get() ~> route ~> check {
-        status should ===(OK)
-        responseAs[String] shouldEqual ""
+        status should ===(StatusCodes.OK)
+        responseAs[String] should === ("")
       }
     }
 
diff --git a/akka-stream-tck/src/test/scala/akka/stream/tck/HeadSinkSubscriberTest.scala b/akka-stream-tck/src/test/scala/akka/stream/tck/HeadOptionSinkSubscriberTest.scala
similarity index 64%
rename from akka-stream-tck/src/test/scala/akka/stream/tck/HeadSinkSubscriberTest.scala
rename to akka-stream-tck/src/test/scala/akka/stream/tck/HeadOptionSinkSubscriberTest.scala
index d56527cfb3..ceaca5f123 100644
--- a/akka-stream-tck/src/test/scala/akka/stream/tck/HeadSinkSubscriberTest.scala
+++ b/akka-stream-tck/src/test/scala/akka/stream/tck/HeadOptionSinkSubscriberTest.scala
@@ -9,10 +9,10 @@ import org.reactivestreams.Subscriber
 
 import scala.concurrent.Promise
 
-class HeadSinkSubscriberTest extends AkkaSubscriberBlackboxVerification[Int] {
+class HeadOptionSinkSubscriberTest extends AkkaSubscriberBlackboxVerification[Int] {
   import HeadSink._
 
-  override def createSubscriber(): Subscriber[Int] = new HeadSinkSubscriber[Int]
+  override def createSubscriber(): Subscriber[Int] = new HeadOptionSinkSubscriber[Int]
 
   override def createElement(element: Int): Int = element
 }
diff --git a/akka-stream-tests/src/test/scala/akka/stream/scaladsl/HeadSinkSpec.scala b/akka-stream-tests/src/test/scala/akka/stream/scaladsl/HeadSinkSpec.scala
index 52c3516b57..1d7df4564e 100644
--- a/akka-stream-tests/src/test/scala/akka/stream/scaladsl/HeadSinkSpec.scala
+++ b/akka-stream-tests/src/test/scala/akka/stream/scaladsl/HeadSinkSpec.scala
@@ -67,11 +67,44 @@ class HeadSinkSpec extends AkkaSpec with ScriptedTest {
       proc.sendComplete()
       Await.ready(f, 100.millis)
       f.value.get match {
-        case Failure(e: NoSuchElementException) ⇒ e.getMessage should be("empty stream")
+        case Failure(e: NoSuchElementException) ⇒ e.getMessage should be("head of empty stream")
         case x                                  ⇒ fail("expected NoSuchElementException, got " + x)
       }
     }
 
   }
+  "A Flow with Sink.headOption" must {
+
+    "yield the first value" in assertAllStagesStopped {
+      val p = TestPublisher.manualProbe[Int]()
+      val f: Future[Option[Int]] = Source(p).map(identity).runWith(Sink.headOption)
+      val proc = p.expectSubscription()
+      proc.expectRequest()
+      proc.sendNext(42)
+      Await.result(f, 100.millis) should be(Some(42))
+      proc.expectCancellation()
+    }
+
+    "yield the first error" in assertAllStagesStopped {
+      val p = TestPublisher.manualProbe[Int]()
+      val f = Source(p).runWith(Sink.head)
+      val proc = p.expectSubscription()
+      proc.expectRequest()
+      val ex = new RuntimeException("ex")
+      proc.sendError(ex)
+      Await.ready(f, 100.millis)
+      f.value.get should be(Failure(ex))
+    }
+
+    "yield None for empty stream" in assertAllStagesStopped {
+      val p = TestPublisher.manualProbe[Int]()
+      val f = Source(p).runWith(Sink.headOption)
+      val proc = p.expectSubscription()
+      proc.expectRequest()
+      proc.sendComplete()
+      Await.result(f, 100.millis) should be(None)
+    }
+
+  }
 
 }
diff --git a/akka-stream/src/main/scala/akka/stream/impl/Sinks.scala b/akka-stream/src/main/scala/akka/stream/impl/Sinks.scala
index 8cf2d6c34f..31ee8fa994 100644
--- a/akka-stream/src/main/scala/akka/stream/impl/Sinks.scala
+++ b/akka-stream/src/main/scala/akka/stream/impl/Sinks.scala
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 package akka.stream.impl
 
 import akka.actor.{ Deploy, ActorRef, Props }
+import akka.dispatch.ExecutionContexts
 import akka.stream.actor.ActorPublisherMessage.Request
 import akka.stream.impl.StreamLayout.Module
 import akka.stream._
@@ -90,10 +91,10 @@ private[akka] final class FanoutPublisherSink[In](
  * INTERNAL API
  */
 private[akka] object HeadSink {
-  final class HeadSinkSubscriber[In] extends Subscriber[In] {
+  final class HeadOptionSinkSubscriber[In] extends Subscriber[In] {
     private[this] var subscription: Subscription = null
-    private[this] val promise: Promise[In] = Promise[In]()
-    def future: Future[In] = promise.future
+    private[this] val promise: Promise[Option[In]] = Promise[Option[In]]()
+    def future: Future[Option[In]] = promise.future
     override def onSubscribe(s: Subscription): Unit = {
       ReactiveStreamsCompliance.requireNonNullSubscription(s)
       if (subscription ne null) s.cancel()
@@ -105,7 +106,7 @@ private[akka] object HeadSink {
 
     override def onNext(elem: In): Unit = {
       ReactiveStreamsCompliance.requireNonNullElement(elem)
-      promise.trySuccess(elem)
+      promise.trySuccess(Some(elem))
       subscription.cancel()
       subscription = null
     }
@@ -116,7 +117,7 @@ private[akka] object HeadSink {
     }
 
     override def onComplete(): Unit =
-      promise.tryFailure(new NoSuchElementException("empty stream"))
+      promise.trySuccess(None)
   }
 
 }
@@ -124,19 +125,19 @@ private[akka] object HeadSink {
 /**
  * INTERNAL API
  * Holds a [[scala.concurrent.Future]] that will be fulfilled with the first
- * thing that is signaled to this stream, which can be either an element (after
- * which the upstream subscription is canceled), an error condition (putting
- * the Future into the corresponding failed state) or the end-of-stream
- * (failing the Future with a NoSuchElementException).
+ * element that is signaled to this stream (wrapped in a [[Some]]),
+ * which can be either an element (after which the upstream subscription is canceled),
+ * an error condition (putting the Future into the corresponding failed state) or
+ * the end-of-stream (yielding [[None]]).
  */
-private[akka] final class HeadSink[In](val attributes: Attributes, shape: SinkShape[In]) extends SinkModule[In, Future[In]](shape) {
+private[akka] final class HeadOptionSink[In](val attributes: Attributes, shape: SinkShape[In]) extends SinkModule[In, Future[Option[In]]](shape) {
   override def create(context: MaterializationContext) = {
-    val sub = new HeadSink.HeadSinkSubscriber[In]
+    val sub = new HeadSink.HeadOptionSinkSubscriber[In]
     (sub, sub.future)
   }
-  override protected def newInstance(shape: SinkShape[In]): SinkModule[In, Future[In]] = new HeadSink[In](attributes, shape)
-  override def withAttributes(attr: Attributes): Module = new HeadSink[In](attr, amendShape(attr))
-  override def toString: String = "HeadSink"
+  override protected def newInstance(shape: SinkShape[In]): SinkModule[In, Future[Option[In]]] = new HeadOptionSink[In](attributes, shape)
+  override def withAttributes(attr: Attributes): Module = new HeadOptionSink[In](attr, amendShape(attr))
+  override def toString: String = "HeadOptionSink"
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/akka-stream/src/main/scala/akka/stream/impl/Stages.scala b/akka-stream/src/main/scala/akka/stream/impl/Stages.scala
index 6a0e9d9fcc..e67fbc01fd 100644
--- a/akka-stream/src/main/scala/akka/stream/impl/Stages.scala
+++ b/akka-stream/src/main/scala/akka/stream/impl/Stages.scala
@@ -87,6 +87,7 @@ private[stream] object Stages {
     val subscriberSink = name("subscriberSink")
     val cancelledSink = name("cancelledSink")
     val headSink = name("headSink") and inputBuffer(initial = 1, max = 1)
+    val headOptionSink = name("headOptionSink") and inputBuffer(initial = 1, max = 1)
     val publisherSink = name("publisherSink")
     val fanoutPublisherSink = name("fanoutPublisherSink")
     val ignoreSink = name("ignoreSink")
diff --git a/akka-stream/src/main/scala/akka/stream/javadsl/Sink.scala b/akka-stream/src/main/scala/akka/stream/javadsl/Sink.scala
index 7298f87d77..257d78fc10 100644
--- a/akka-stream/src/main/scala/akka/stream/javadsl/Sink.scala
+++ b/akka-stream/src/main/scala/akka/stream/javadsl/Sink.scala
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 package akka.stream.javadsl
 
 import akka.actor.{ ActorRef, Props }
+import akka.dispatch.ExecutionContexts
 import akka.japi.function
 import akka.stream.impl.StreamLayout
 import akka.stream.{ javadsl, scaladsl, _ }
@@ -90,10 +91,25 @@ object Sink {
 
   /**
    * A `Sink` that materializes into a `Future` of the first value received.
+   * If the stream completes before signaling at least a single element, the Future will be failed with a [[NoSuchElementException]].
+   * If the stream signals an error errors before signaling at least a single element, the Future will be failed with the streams exception.
+   *
+   * See also [[headOption]].
    */
   def head[In](): Sink[In, Future[In]] =
     new Sink(scaladsl.Sink.head[In])
 
+  /**
+   * A `Sink` that materializes into a `Future` of the optional first value received.
+   * If the stream completes before signaling at least a single element, the value of the Future will be an empty [[akka.japi.Option]].
+   * If the stream signals an error errors before signaling at least a single element, the Future will be failed with the streams exception.
+   *
+   * See also [[head]].
+   */
+  def headOption[In](): Sink[In, Future[akka.japi.Option[In]]] =
+    new Sink(scaladsl.Sink.headOption[In].mapMaterializedValue(
+      _.map(akka.japi.Option.fromScalaOption)(ExecutionContexts.sameThreadExecutionContext)))
+
   /**
    * Sends the elements of the stream to the given `ActorRef`.
    * If the target actor terminates the stream will be canceled.
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 ef8a82e4b6..22f7993056 100644
--- a/akka-stream/src/main/scala/akka/stream/scaladsl/Sink.scala
+++ b/akka-stream/src/main/scala/akka/stream/scaladsl/Sink.scala
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 package akka.stream.scaladsl
 
 import akka.actor.{ ActorRef, Props }
+import akka.dispatch.ExecutionContexts
 import akka.stream.actor.ActorSubscriber
 import akka.stream.impl.Stages.DefaultAttributes
 import akka.stream.impl.StreamLayout.Module
@@ -75,8 +76,22 @@ object Sink {
 
   /**
    * A `Sink` that materializes into a `Future` of the first value received.
+   * If the stream completes before signaling at least a single element, the Future will be failed with a [[NoSuchElementException]].
+   * If the stream signals an error errors before signaling at least a single element, the Future will be failed with the streams exception.
+   *
+   * See also [[headOption]].
    */
-  def head[T]: Sink[T, Future[T]] = new Sink(new HeadSink[T](DefaultAttributes.headSink, shape("HeadSink")))
+  def head[T]: Sink[T, Future[T]] = new Sink[T, Future[Option[T]]](new HeadOptionSink[T](DefaultAttributes.headSink, shape("HeadSink")))
+    .mapMaterializedValue(e ⇒ e.map(_.getOrElse(throw new NoSuchElementException("head of empty stream")))(ExecutionContexts.sameThreadExecutionContext))
+
+  /**
+   * A `Sink` that materializes into a `Future` of the optional first value received.
+   * If the stream completes before signaling at least a single element, the value of the Future will be [[None]].
+   * If the stream signals an error errors before signaling at least a single element, the Future will be failed with the streams exception.
+   *
+   * See also [[head]].
+   */
+  def headOption[T]: Sink[T, Future[Option[T]]] = new Sink(new HeadOptionSink[T](DefaultAttributes.headSink, shape("HeadOptionSink")))
 
   /**
    * A `Sink` that materializes into a [[org.reactivestreams.Publisher]].