diff --git a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/ActorRef.scala b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/ActorRef.scala
index 5e3de885ea..042a5cdd6a 100644
--- a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/ActorRef.scala
+++ b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/ActorRef.scala
@@ -421,8 +421,9 @@ private[akka] class EmptyLocalActorRef(override val provider: ActorRefProvider,
   }
 
   override def !(message: Any)(implicit sender: ActorRef = null): Unit = message match {
-    case d: DeadLetter ⇒ // do NOT form endless loops, since deadLetters will resend!
-    case _             ⇒ eventStream.publish(DeadLetter(message, sender, this))
+    case DeadLetter(w: Watch, _, _) ⇒ sendSystemMessage(w)
+    case d: DeadLetter              ⇒ // do NOT form endless loops, since deadLetters will resend!
+    case _                          ⇒ eventStream.publish(DeadLetter(message, sender, this))
   }
 }
 
@@ -442,8 +443,9 @@ private[akka] class DeadLetterActorRef(_provider: ActorRefProvider,
   }
 
   override def !(message: Any)(implicit sender: ActorRef = this): Unit = message match {
-    case d: DeadLetter ⇒ eventStream.publish(d)
-    case _             ⇒ eventStream.publish(DeadLetter(message, sender, this))
+    case DeadLetter(w: Watch, _, _) ⇒ sendSystemMessage(w)
+    case d: DeadLetter              ⇒ eventStream.publish(d)
+    case _                          ⇒ eventStream.publish(DeadLetter(message, sender, this))
   }
 
   @throws(classOf[java.io.ObjectStreamException])
diff --git a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/ActorSystem.scala b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/ActorSystem.scala
index 94ee24336a..993e7e98e4 100644
--- a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/ActorSystem.scala
+++ b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/ActorSystem.scala
@@ -542,7 +542,8 @@ private[akka] class ActorSystemImpl(val name: String, applicationConfig: Config,
 
   //FIXME Why do we need this at all?
   val deadLetterQueue: MessageQueue = new MessageQueue {
-    def enqueue(receiver: ActorRef, envelope: Envelope) { deadLetters ! DeadLetter(envelope.message, envelope.sender, receiver) }
+    def enqueue(receiver: ActorRef, envelope: Envelope): Unit =
+      deadLetters ! DeadLetter(envelope.message, envelope.sender, receiver)
     def dequeue() = null
     def hasMessages = false
     def numberOfMessages = 0
@@ -551,7 +552,8 @@ private[akka] class ActorSystemImpl(val name: String, applicationConfig: Config,
   //FIXME Why do we need this at all?
   val deadLetterMailbox: Mailbox = new Mailbox(null, deadLetterQueue) {
     becomeClosed()
-    def systemEnqueue(receiver: ActorRef, handle: SystemMessage): Unit = deadLetters ! DeadLetter(handle, receiver, receiver)
+    def systemEnqueue(receiver: ActorRef, handle: SystemMessage): Unit =
+      deadLetters ! DeadLetter(handle, receiver, receiver)
     def systemDrain(): SystemMessage = null
     def hasSystemMessages = false
   }