diff --git a/akka-actor-tests/src/test/scala/akka/actor/DeployerSpec.scala b/akka-actor-tests/src/test/scala/akka/actor/DeployerSpec.scala
index 92e1f4f3ab..faae7350b6 100644
--- a/akka-actor-tests/src/test/scala/akka/actor/DeployerSpec.scala
+++ b/akka-actor-tests/src/test/scala/akka/actor/DeployerSpec.scala
@@ -38,6 +38,13 @@ object DeployerSpec {
           router = scatter-gather
           within = 2 seconds
         }
+        /service-pool {
+          router = round-robin
+          pool {
+            lower-bound = 1
+            upper-bound = 10
+          }
+        }
       }
       """, ConfigParseOptions.defaults)
 
@@ -121,18 +128,19 @@ class DeployerSpec extends AkkaSpec(DeployerSpec.deployerConf) {
       assertRouting(ScatterGatherFirstCompletedRouter(nrOfInstances = 1, within = 2 seconds), "/service-scatter-gather")
     }
 
+    "be able to parse 'akka.actor.deployment._' with router pool" in {
+      val pool = DefaultRouterPool()
+      assertRouting(RoundRobinRouter(pool = Some(pool)), "/service-pool")
+    }
+
     def assertRouting(expected: RouterConfig, service: String) {
       val deployment = system.asInstanceOf[ActorSystemImpl].provider.deployer.lookup(service)
       deployment must be('defined)
-
-      deployment must be(Some(
-        Deploy(
-          service,
-          deployment.get.config,
-          None,
-          expected,
-          LocalScope)))
-
+      deployment.get.path must be(service)
+      deployment.get.recipe must be(None)
+      deployment.get.routing.getClass must be(expected.getClass)
+      deployment.get.routing.pool must be(expected.pool)
+      deployment.get.scope must be(LocalScope)
     }
 
   }
diff --git a/akka-actor-tests/src/test/scala/akka/routing/RouterPoolSpec.scala b/akka-actor-tests/src/test/scala/akka/routing/RouterPoolSpec.scala
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..3ca71e3180
--- /dev/null
+++ b/akka-actor-tests/src/test/scala/akka/routing/RouterPoolSpec.scala
@@ -0,0 +1,93 @@
+/**
+ * Copyright (C) 2009-2011 Typesafe Inc. <http://www.typesafe.com>
+ */
+package akka.routing
+
+import akka.actor.Actor
+import akka.testkit.AkkaSpec
+import akka.testkit.DefaultTimeout
+import akka.testkit.ImplicitSender
+import akka.testkit.TestLatch
+import akka.actor.Props
+import akka.dispatch.Await
+import akka.util.duration._
+import akka.actor.ActorRef
+
+object RouterPoolSpec {
+
+  val config = """
+    akka.actor.deployment {
+      /router1 {
+        router = round-robin
+        pool {
+          lower-bound = 2
+          upper-bound = 3
+        }
+      }
+    }
+    """
+
+  class TestActor extends Actor {
+    def receive = {
+      case latch: TestLatch ⇒ latch.countDown()
+    }
+  }
+
+}
+
+@org.junit.runner.RunWith(classOf[org.scalatest.junit.JUnitRunner])
+class RouterPoolSpec extends AkkaSpec(RouterPoolSpec.config) with DefaultTimeout with ImplicitSender {
+
+  import akka.routing.RouterPoolSpec._
+
+  "DefaultRouterPool" must {
+
+    "use settings to evaluate capacity" in {
+      val pool = DefaultRouterPool(
+        lowerBound = 2,
+        upperBound = 3)
+
+      val c1 = pool.capacity(IndexedSeq.empty[ActorRef])
+      c1 must be(2)
+
+      val current = IndexedSeq(system.actorOf(Props[TestActor]), system.actorOf(Props[TestActor]))
+      val c2 = pool.capacity(current)
+      c2 must be(0)
+    }
+
+    "be possible to define programatically" in {
+      val latch = new TestLatch(3)
+
+      val pool = DefaultRouterPool(
+        lowerBound = 2,
+        upperBound = 3)
+      val router = system.actorOf(Props[TestActor].withRouter(RoundRobinRouter(pool = Some(pool))))
+
+      router ! latch
+      router ! latch
+      router ! latch
+
+      Await.ready(latch, 5 seconds)
+
+      val current = Await.result(router ? CurrentRoutees, 5 seconds).asInstanceOf[RouterRoutees]
+      current.routees.size must be(2)
+    }
+
+    "be possible to define in configuration" in {
+      val latch = new TestLatch(3)
+
+      val router = system.actorOf(Props[TestActor].withRouter(FromConfig()), "router1")
+
+      router ! latch
+      router ! latch
+      router ! latch
+
+      Await.ready(latch, 5 seconds)
+
+      val current = Await.result(router ? CurrentRoutees, 5 seconds).asInstanceOf[RouterRoutees]
+      current.routees.size must be(2)
+    }
+
+  }
+
+}
diff --git a/akka-actor/src/main/resources/reference.conf b/akka-actor/src/main/resources/reference.conf
index 236eadc579..7d4800e807 100644
--- a/akka-actor/src/main/resources/reference.conf
+++ b/akka-actor/src/main/resources/reference.conf
@@ -97,6 +97,18 @@ akka {
           # precedence over nr-of-instances
           paths = []
         }
+
+        # FIXME document pool settings
+        pool {
+          lower-bound = 1
+          upper-bound = 10
+          pressure-threshold = 3
+          rampup-rate = 0.2
+          backoff-threshold = 0.7
+          backoff-rate = 0.1
+          # When the pool shrink the abandoned actors are stopped with PoisonPill after this delay
+          stop-delay = 1 second
+        }
       }
     }
 
diff --git a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/Deployer.scala b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/Deployer.scala
index 988d6bf126..48475169ee 100644
--- a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/Deployer.scala
+++ b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/Deployer.scala
@@ -55,12 +55,26 @@ class Deployer(val settings: ActorSystem.Settings) {
 
     val within = Duration(deployment.getMilliseconds("within"), TimeUnit.MILLISECONDS)
 
+    val pool: Option[RouterPool] = if (config.hasPath("pool")) {
+      val poolConfig = deployment.getConfig("pool")
+      Some(DefaultRouterPool(
+        lowerBound = poolConfig.getInt("lower-bound"),
+        upperBound = poolConfig.getInt("upper-bound"),
+        pressureThreshold = poolConfig.getInt("pressure-threshold"),
+        rampupRate = poolConfig.getDouble("rampup-rate"),
+        backoffThreshold = poolConfig.getDouble("backoff-threshold"),
+        backoffRate = poolConfig.getDouble("backoff-rate"),
+        stopDelay = Duration(poolConfig.getMilliseconds("stop-delay"), TimeUnit.MILLISECONDS)))
+    } else {
+      None
+    }
+
     val router: RouterConfig = deployment.getString("router") match {
       case "from-code"      ⇒ NoRouter
-      case "round-robin"    ⇒ RoundRobinRouter(nrOfInstances, routees)
-      case "random"         ⇒ RandomRouter(nrOfInstances, routees)
-      case "scatter-gather" ⇒ ScatterGatherFirstCompletedRouter(nrOfInstances, routees, within)
-      case "broadcast"      ⇒ BroadcastRouter(nrOfInstances, routees)
+      case "round-robin"    ⇒ RoundRobinRouter(nrOfInstances, routees, pool)
+      case "random"         ⇒ RandomRouter(nrOfInstances, routees, pool)
+      case "scatter-gather" ⇒ ScatterGatherFirstCompletedRouter(nrOfInstances, routees, within, pool)
+      case "broadcast"      ⇒ BroadcastRouter(nrOfInstances, routees, pool)
       case x                ⇒ throw new ConfigurationException("unknown router type " + x + " for path " + key)
     }
 
diff --git a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/routing/Routing.scala b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/routing/Routing.scala
index 5ee7ca76d1..2e4e01992e 100644
--- a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/routing/Routing.scala
+++ b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/routing/Routing.scala
@@ -4,8 +4,11 @@
 package akka.routing
 
 import akka.actor._
+import akka.dispatch.Future
 import java.util.concurrent.atomic.AtomicLong
+import java.util.concurrent.atomic.AtomicBoolean
 import akka.util.{ Duration, Timeout }
+import akka.util.duration._
 import akka.config.ConfigurationException
 import scala.collection.JavaConversions.iterableAsScalaIterable
 
@@ -20,11 +23,24 @@ private[akka] class RoutedActorRef(_system: ActorSystemImpl, _props: Props, _sup
     _supervisor,
     _path) {
 
+  private val routeeProps = _props.copy(routerConfig = NoRouter)
+
   @volatile
-  private[akka] var _routees: IndexedSeq[ActorRef] = _ // this MUST be initialized during createRoute
+  private var _routees: IndexedSeq[ActorRef] = IndexedSeq.empty[ActorRef] // this MUST be initialized during createRoute
   def routees = _routees
 
-  val route = _props.routerConfig.createRoute(_props.copy(routerConfig = NoRouter), actorContext, this)
+  def addRoutees(newRoutees: IndexedSeq[ActorRef]) {
+    _routees = _routees ++ newRoutees
+    // subscribe to Terminated messages for all route destinations, to be handled by Router actor
+    newRoutees foreach underlying.watch
+  }
+
+  def removeRoutees(abandonedRoutees: IndexedSeq[ActorRef]) {
+    _routees = _routees filterNot (x ⇒ abandonedRoutees.contains(x))
+    abandonedRoutees foreach underlying.unwatch
+  }
+
+  val route = _props.routerConfig.createRoute(routeeProps, actorContext, this)
 
   def applyRoute(sender: ActorRef, message: Any): Iterable[Destination] = message match {
     case _: AutoReceivedMessage ⇒ Nil
@@ -37,15 +53,16 @@ private[akka] class RoutedActorRef(_system: ActorSystemImpl, _props: Props, _sup
       else Nil
   }
 
+  if (_props.routerConfig.pool.isEmpty && _routees.isEmpty)
+    throw new ActorInitializationException("router " + _props.routerConfig + " did not register routees!")
+
   _routees match {
-    case null ⇒ throw new ActorInitializationException("router " + _props.routerConfig + " did not register routees!")
-    case x ⇒
-      _routees = x // volatile write to publish the route before sending messages
-      // subscribe to Terminated messages for all route destinations, to be handled by Router actor
-      _routees foreach underlying.watch
+    case x ⇒ _routees = x // volatile write to publish the route before sending messages
   }
 
   override def !(message: Any)(implicit sender: ActorRef = null): Unit = {
+    _props.routerConfig.resizePool(routeeProps, actorContext, routees)
+
     val s = if (sender eq null) underlying.system.deadLetters else sender
 
     val msg = message match {
@@ -58,6 +75,11 @@ private[akka] class RoutedActorRef(_system: ActorSystemImpl, _props: Props, _sup
       case refs ⇒ refs foreach (p ⇒ p.recipient.!(msg)(p.sender))
     }
   }
+
+  override def ?(message: Any)(implicit timeout: Timeout): Future[Any] = {
+    _props.routerConfig.resizePool(routeeProps, actorContext, routees)
+    super.?(message)(timeout)
+  }
 }
 
 /**
@@ -94,18 +116,47 @@ trait RouterConfig {
 
   protected def toAll(sender: ActorRef, routees: Iterable[ActorRef]): Iterable[Destination] = routees.map(Destination(sender, _))
 
-  protected def createRoutees(props: Props, context: ActorContext, nrOfInstances: Int, routees: Iterable[String]): IndexedSeq[ActorRef] = (nrOfInstances, routees) match {
+  def createRoutees(props: Props, context: ActorContext, nrOfInstances: Int, routees: Iterable[String]): IndexedSeq[ActorRef] = (nrOfInstances, routees) match {
     case (0, Nil) ⇒ throw new IllegalArgumentException("Insufficient information - missing configuration.")
     case (x, Nil) ⇒ (1 to x).map(_ ⇒ context.actorOf(props))(scala.collection.breakOut)
     case (_, xs)  ⇒ xs.map(context.actorFor(_))(scala.collection.breakOut)
   }
 
   protected def createAndRegisterRoutees(props: Props, context: ActorContext, nrOfInstances: Int, routees: Iterable[String]): Unit = {
-    registerRoutees(context, createRoutees(props, context, nrOfInstances, routees))
+    pool match {
+      case None    ⇒ registerRoutees(context, createRoutees(props, context, nrOfInstances, routees))
+      case Some(p) ⇒ resizePool(props, context, context.self.asInstanceOf[RoutedActorRef].routees)
+    }
   }
 
-  protected def registerRoutees(context: ActorContext, routees: IndexedSeq[ActorRef]): Unit = {
-    context.self.asInstanceOf[RoutedActorRef]._routees = routees
+  /**
+   * Adds new routees to the router.
+   */
+  def registerRoutees(context: ActorContext, routees: IndexedSeq[ActorRef]): Unit = {
+    context.self.asInstanceOf[RoutedActorRef].addRoutees(routees)
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Removes routees from the router. This method doesn't stop the routees.
+   */
+  def unregisterRoutees(context: ActorContext, routees: IndexedSeq[ActorRef]): Unit = {
+    context.self.asInstanceOf[RoutedActorRef].removeRoutees(routees)
+  }
+
+  def pool: Option[RouterPool] = None
+
+  private val resizePoolInProgress = new AtomicBoolean
+
+  def resizePool(props: Props, context: ActorContext, currentRoutees: IndexedSeq[ActorRef]) {
+    for (p ← pool) {
+      if (resizePoolInProgress.compareAndSet(false, true)) {
+        try {
+          p.resize(props, context, currentRoutees, this)
+        } finally {
+          resizePoolInProgress.set(false)
+        }
+      }
+    }
   }
 
 }
@@ -151,7 +202,7 @@ trait Router extends Actor {
   final def receive = ({
 
     case Terminated(child) ⇒
-      ref._routees = ref._routees filterNot (_ == child)
+      ref.removeRoutees(IndexedSeq(child))
       if (ref.routees.isEmpty) context.stop(self)
 
   }: Receive) orElse routerReceive
@@ -236,7 +287,8 @@ object RoundRobinRouter {
  * if you provide either 'nrOfInstances' or 'routees' to during instantiation they will
  * be ignored if the 'nrOfInstances' is defined in the configuration file for the actor being used.
  */
-case class RoundRobinRouter(nrOfInstances: Int = 0, routees: Iterable[String] = Nil) extends RouterConfig with RoundRobinLike {
+case class RoundRobinRouter(nrOfInstances: Int = 0, routees: Iterable[String] = Nil, override val pool: Option[RouterPool] = None)
+  extends RouterConfig with RoundRobinLike {
 
   /**
    * Constructor that sets nrOfInstances to be created.
@@ -253,6 +305,12 @@ case class RoundRobinRouter(nrOfInstances: Int = 0, routees: Iterable[String] =
   def this(t: java.lang.Iterable[String]) = {
     this(routees = iterableAsScalaIterable(t))
   }
+
+  /**
+   * Constructor that sets the pool to be used.
+   * Java API
+   */
+  def this(pool: RouterPool) = this(pool = Some(pool))
 }
 
 trait RoundRobinLike { this: RouterConfig ⇒
@@ -303,7 +361,8 @@ object RandomRouter {
  * if you provide either 'nrOfInstances' or 'routees' to during instantiation they will
  * be ignored if the 'nrOfInstances' is defined in the configuration file for the actor being used.
  */
-case class RandomRouter(nrOfInstances: Int = 0, routees: Iterable[String] = Nil) extends RouterConfig with RandomLike {
+case class RandomRouter(nrOfInstances: Int = 0, routees: Iterable[String] = Nil, override val pool: Option[RouterPool] = None)
+  extends RouterConfig with RandomLike {
 
   /**
    * Constructor that sets nrOfInstances to be created.
@@ -320,6 +379,12 @@ case class RandomRouter(nrOfInstances: Int = 0, routees: Iterable[String] = Nil)
   def this(t: java.lang.Iterable[String]) = {
     this(routees = iterableAsScalaIterable(t))
   }
+
+  /**
+   * Constructor that sets the pool to be used.
+   * Java API
+   */
+  def this(pool: RouterPool) = this(pool = Some(pool))
 }
 
 trait RandomLike { this: RouterConfig ⇒
@@ -373,7 +438,8 @@ object BroadcastRouter {
  * if you provide either 'nrOfInstances' or 'routees' to during instantiation they will
  * be ignored if the 'nrOfInstances' is defined in the configuration file for the actor being used.
  */
-case class BroadcastRouter(nrOfInstances: Int = 0, routees: Iterable[String] = Nil) extends RouterConfig with BroadcastLike {
+case class BroadcastRouter(nrOfInstances: Int = 0, routees: Iterable[String] = Nil, override val pool: Option[RouterPool] = None)
+  extends RouterConfig with BroadcastLike {
 
   /**
    * Constructor that sets nrOfInstances to be created.
@@ -390,6 +456,13 @@ case class BroadcastRouter(nrOfInstances: Int = 0, routees: Iterable[String] = N
   def this(t: java.lang.Iterable[String]) = {
     this(routees = iterableAsScalaIterable(t))
   }
+
+  /**
+   * Constructor that sets the pool to be used.
+   * Java API
+   */
+  def this(pool: RouterPool) = this(pool = Some(pool))
+
 }
 
 trait BroadcastLike { this: RouterConfig ⇒
@@ -432,7 +505,8 @@ object ScatterGatherFirstCompletedRouter {
  * if you provide either 'nrOfInstances' or 'routees' to during instantiation they will
  * be ignored if the 'nrOfInstances' is defined in the configuration file for the actor being used.
  */
-case class ScatterGatherFirstCompletedRouter(nrOfInstances: Int = 0, routees: Iterable[String] = Nil, within: Duration)
+case class ScatterGatherFirstCompletedRouter(nrOfInstances: Int = 0, routees: Iterable[String] = Nil, within: Duration,
+                                             override val pool: Option[RouterPool] = None)
   extends RouterConfig with ScatterGatherFirstCompletedLike {
 
   /**
@@ -450,6 +524,12 @@ case class ScatterGatherFirstCompletedRouter(nrOfInstances: Int = 0, routees: It
   def this(t: java.lang.Iterable[String], w: Duration) = {
     this(routees = iterableAsScalaIterable(t), within = w)
   }
+
+  /**
+   * Constructor that sets the pool to be used.
+   * Java API
+   */
+  def this(pool: RouterPool, w: Duration) = this(pool = Some(pool), within = w)
 }
 
 trait ScatterGatherFirstCompletedLike { this: RouterConfig ⇒
@@ -473,3 +553,159 @@ trait ScatterGatherFirstCompletedLike { this: RouterConfig ⇒
     }
   }
 }
+
+/**
+ * Routers with dynamically resizable number of routees is implemented by providing a pool
+ * implementation in [[akka.routing.RouterConfig]]. When the resize method is invoked you can
+ * create and register more routees with `routerConfig.registerRoutees(actorContext, newRoutees)
+ * or remove routees with `routerConfig.unregisterRoutees(actorContext, abandonedRoutees)` and
+ * sending [[akka.actor.PoisonPill]] to them.
+ */
+trait RouterPool {
+  def resize(props: Props, actorContext: ActorContext, currentRoutees: IndexedSeq[ActorRef], routerConfig: RouterConfig)
+}
+
+case class DefaultRouterPool(
+  /**
+   * The fewest number of routees the pool should ever have
+   */
+  lowerBound: Int = 1,
+  /**
+ * The most number of routees the pool should ever have
+ */
+  upperBound: Int = 10,
+  /**
+ * A routee is considered to be busy (under pressure) when
+ * it has at least this number of messages in its mailbox.
+ * When pressureThreshold is defined as 0 the routee
+ * is considered busy when it is currently processing a
+ * message.
+ */
+  pressureThreshold: Int = 3,
+  /**
+ * Percentage to increase capacity whenever all routees are busy.
+ * For example, 0.2 would increase 20%, etc.
+ */
+  rampupRate: Double = 0.2,
+  /**
+ * Fraction of capacity the pool has to fall below before backing off.
+ * For example, if this is 0.7, then we'll remove some routees when
+ * less than 70% of routees are busy.
+ * Use 0.0 to avoid removal of routees.
+ */
+  backoffThreshold: Double = 0.7,
+  /**
+ * Fraction of routees to be removed when the pool reaches the
+ * backoffThreshold.
+ * Use 0.0 to avoid removal of routees.
+ */
+  backoffRate: Double = 0.1,
+  /**
+ * When the pool shrink the abandoned actors are stopped with PoisonPill after this delay
+ */
+  stopDelay: Duration = 1.second) extends RouterPool {
+
+  def resize(props: Props, actorContext: ActorContext, currentRoutees: IndexedSeq[ActorRef], routerConfig: RouterConfig) {
+    val requestedCapacity = capacity(currentRoutees)
+
+    if (requestedCapacity > 0) {
+      val newRoutees = routerConfig.createRoutees(props, actorContext, requestedCapacity, Nil)
+      routerConfig.registerRoutees(actorContext, newRoutees)
+    } else if (requestedCapacity < 0) {
+      val (keep, abandon) = currentRoutees.splitAt(currentRoutees.length + requestedCapacity)
+      routerConfig.unregisterRoutees(actorContext, abandon)
+      delayedStop(actorContext.system.scheduler, abandon)
+    }
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Give concurrent messages a chance to be placed in mailbox before
+   * sending PoisonPill.
+   */
+  protected def delayedStop(scheduler: Scheduler, abandon: IndexedSeq[ActorRef]) {
+    scheduler.scheduleOnce(stopDelay) {
+      abandon foreach (_ ! PoisonPill)
+    }
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Returns the overall desired change in pool capacity. Positive value will
+   * add routees to the pool. Negative value will remove routees from the
+   * pool.
+   * @param routees The current actor in the pool
+   * @return the number of routees by which the pool should be adjusted (positive, negative or zero)
+   */
+  def capacity(routees: IndexedSeq[ActorRef]): Int = {
+    val currentSize = routees.size
+    val delta = filter(pressure(routees), currentSize)
+    val proposed = currentSize + delta
+
+    if (proposed < lowerBound) delta + (lowerBound - proposed)
+    else if (proposed > upperBound) delta - (proposed - upperBound)
+    else delta
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Number of routees considered busy, or above 'pressure level'.
+   *
+   * Default implementation:
+   * When `pressureThreshold` > 0 the number of routees with at least
+   * the configured `pressureThreshold` messages in their mailbox,
+   * otherwise number of routees currently processing a
+   * message.
+   *
+   * @param routees the current pool of routees
+   * @return number of busy routees, between 0 and routees.size
+   */
+  def pressure(routees: Seq[ActorRef]): Int = {
+    if (pressureThreshold > 0) {
+      routees count {
+        case a: LocalActorRef ⇒ a.underlying.mailbox.numberOfMessages >= pressureThreshold
+        case _                ⇒ false
+      }
+    } else {
+      routees count {
+        case a: LocalActorRef ⇒
+          val cell = a.underlying
+          cell.mailbox.isScheduled && cell.currentMessage != null
+        case _ ⇒ false
+      }
+    }
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * This method can be used to smooth the capacity delta by considering
+   * the current pressure and current capacity.
+   *
+   * @param pressure current number of busy routees
+   * @param capacity current number of routees
+   * @return proposed change in the capacity
+   */
+  def filter(pressure: Int, capacity: Int): Int = {
+    rampup(pressure, capacity) + backoff(pressure, capacity)
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Computes a proposed positive (or zero) capacity delta using
+   * the configured `rampupRate`.
+   * @param pressure the current number of busy routees
+   * @param capacity the current number of total routees
+   * @return proposed increase in capacity
+   */
+  def rampup(pressure: Int, capacity: Int): Int =
+    if (pressure < capacity) 0 else math.ceil(rampupRate * capacity) toInt
+
+  /**
+   * Computes a proposed negative (or zero) capacity delta using
+   * the configured `backoffThreshold` and `backoffRate`
+   * @param pressure the current number of busy routees
+   * @param capacity the current number of total routees
+   * @return proposed decrease in capacity (as a negative number)
+   */
+  def backoff(pressure: Int, capacity: Int): Int =
+    if (backoffThreshold > 0.0 && backoffRate > 0.0 && capacity > 0 && pressure.toDouble / capacity < backoffThreshold)
+      math.ceil(-1.0 * backoffRate * capacity) toInt
+    else 0
+
+}
+