diff --git a/akka-cluster-sharding-typed/src/test/scala/akka/cluster/sharding/typed/ClusterShardingPersistenceSpec.scala b/akka-cluster-sharding-typed/src/test/scala/akka/cluster/sharding/typed/ClusterShardingPersistenceSpec.scala
index ac9821f92c..27dc19a778 100644
--- a/akka-cluster-sharding-typed/src/test/scala/akka/cluster/sharding/typed/ClusterShardingPersistenceSpec.scala
+++ b/akka-cluster-sharding-typed/src/test/scala/akka/cluster/sharding/typed/ClusterShardingPersistenceSpec.scala
@@ -42,13 +42,13 @@ object ClusterShardingPersistenceSpec {
     PersistentActor.persistentEntity[Command, String, String](
       persistenceIdFromActorName = name ⇒ "Test-" + name,
       initialState = "",
-      commandHandler = CommandHandler((_, state, cmd) ⇒ cmd match {
+      commandHandler = (_, state, cmd) ⇒ cmd match {
         case Add(s) ⇒ Effect.persist(s)
         case Get(replyTo) ⇒
           replyTo ! state
           Effect.none
         case StopPlz ⇒ Effect.stop
-      }),
+      },
       eventHandler = (state, evt) ⇒ if (state.isEmpty) evt else state + "|" + evt)
 
   val typeKey = EntityTypeKey[Command]("test")
diff --git a/akka-cluster-typed/src/test/scala/akka/cluster/typed/ClusterSingletonPersistenceSpec.scala b/akka-cluster-typed/src/test/scala/akka/cluster/typed/ClusterSingletonPersistenceSpec.scala
index 470a20bdb5..cdafce169e 100644
--- a/akka-cluster-typed/src/test/scala/akka/cluster/typed/ClusterSingletonPersistenceSpec.scala
+++ b/akka-cluster-typed/src/test/scala/akka/cluster/typed/ClusterSingletonPersistenceSpec.scala
@@ -40,13 +40,13 @@ object ClusterSingletonPersistenceSpec {
     PersistentActor.immutable[Command, String, String](
       persistenceId = "TheSingleton",
       initialState = "",
-      commandHandler = CommandHandler((_, state, cmd) ⇒ cmd match {
+      commandHandler = (_, state, cmd) ⇒ cmd match {
         case Add(s) ⇒ Effect.persist(s)
         case Get(replyTo) ⇒
           replyTo ! state
           Effect.none
         case StopPlz ⇒ Effect.stop
-      }),
+      },
       eventHandler = (state, evt) ⇒ if (state.isEmpty) evt else state + "|" + evt)
 
 }
diff --git a/akka-persistence-typed/src/main/scala/akka/persistence/typed/internal/PersistentActorImpl.scala b/akka-persistence-typed/src/main/scala/akka/persistence/typed/internal/PersistentActorImpl.scala
index c5fd65649f..365344b4e3 100644
--- a/akka-persistence-typed/src/main/scala/akka/persistence/typed/internal/PersistentActorImpl.scala
+++ b/akka-persistence-typed/src/main/scala/akka/persistence/typed/internal/PersistentActorImpl.scala
@@ -80,15 +80,12 @@ import akka.actor.typed.internal.adapter.ActorRefAdapter
     case msg ⇒
       try {
         val effects = msg match {
-          case a.Terminated(ref) ⇒
-            val sig = Terminated(ActorRefAdapter(ref))(null)
-            commandHandler.sigHandler(state).applyOrElse((ctx, state, sig), unhandledSignal)
           case a.ReceiveTimeout ⇒
-            commandHandler.commandHandler(ctx, state, ctxAdapter.receiveTimeoutMsg)
-          // TODO note that PostStop and PreRestart signals are not handled, we wouldn't be able to persist there
+            commandHandler(ctx, state, ctxAdapter.receiveTimeoutMsg)
+          // TODO note that PostStop, PreRestart and Terminated signals are not handled, we wouldn't be able to persist there
           case cmd: C @unchecked ⇒
             // FIXME we could make it more safe by using ClassTag for C
-            commandHandler.commandHandler(ctx, state, cmd)
+            commandHandler(ctx, state, cmd)
         }
 
         applyEffects(msg, effects)
diff --git a/akka-persistence-typed/src/main/scala/akka/persistence/typed/scaladsl/PersistentActor.scala b/akka-persistence-typed/src/main/scala/akka/persistence/typed/scaladsl/PersistentActor.scala
index 685f89a48e..1ea64736eb 100644
--- a/akka-persistence-typed/src/main/scala/akka/persistence/typed/scaladsl/PersistentActor.scala
+++ b/akka-persistence-typed/src/main/scala/akka/persistence/typed/scaladsl/PersistentActor.scala
@@ -4,9 +4,8 @@
 package akka.persistence.typed.scaladsl
 
 import scala.collection.{ immutable ⇒ im }
-import akka.annotation.{ ApiMayChange, DoNotInherit, InternalApi }
+import akka.annotation.{ DoNotInherit, InternalApi }
 import akka.actor.typed.Behavior.UntypedBehavior
-import akka.actor.typed.Signal
 import akka.persistence.typed.internal.PersistentActorImpl
 import akka.actor.typed.scaladsl.ActorContext
 
@@ -144,40 +143,29 @@ object PersistentActor {
   @InternalApi
   private[akka] case object Unhandled extends Effect[Nothing, Nothing]
 
-  type CommandToEffect[Command, Event, State] = (ActorContext[Command], State, Command) ⇒ Effect[Event, State]
-  type SignalHandler[Command, Event, State] = PartialFunction[(ActorContext[Command], State, Signal), Effect[Event, State]]
+  type CommandHandler[Command, Event, State] = (ActorContext[Command], State, Command) ⇒ Effect[Event, State]
 
   /**
-   * The `CommandHandler` defines how to act on commands and partial function for other signals,
-   * e.g. `Termination` messages if `watch` is used.
+   * The `CommandHandler` defines how to act on commands.
    *
    * Note that you can have different command handlers based on current state by using
    * [[CommandHandler#byState]].
    */
   object CommandHandler {
 
-    /**
-     * Create a command handler that will be applied for commands.
-     *
-     * @see [[Effect]] for possible effects of a command.
-     */
-    // Note: using full parameter type instead of type aliase here to make API more straight forward to figure out in an IDE
-    def apply[Command, Event, State](commandHandler: (ActorContext[Command], State, Command) ⇒ Effect[Event, State]): CommandHandler[Command, Event, State] =
-      new CommandHandler(commandHandler, Map.empty)
-
     /**
      * Convenience for simple commands that don't need the state and context.
      *
      * @see [[Effect]] for possible effects of a command.
      */
     def command[Command, Event, State](commandHandler: Command ⇒ Effect[Event, State]): CommandHandler[Command, Event, State] =
-      apply((_, _, cmd) ⇒ commandHandler(cmd))
+      (_, _, cmd) ⇒ commandHandler(cmd)
 
     /**
      * Select different command handlers based on current state.
      */
     def byState[Command, Event, State](choice: State ⇒ CommandHandler[Command, Event, State]): CommandHandler[Command, Event, State] =
-      new ByStateCommandHandler(choice, signalHandler = PartialFunction.empty)
+      new ByStateCommandHandler(choice)
 
   }
 
@@ -185,46 +173,13 @@ object PersistentActor {
    * INTERNAL API
    */
   @InternalApi private[akka] final class ByStateCommandHandler[Command, Event, State](
-    choice:        State ⇒ CommandHandler[Command, Event, State],
-    signalHandler: SignalHandler[Command, Event, State])
-    extends CommandHandler[Command, Event, State](
-      commandHandler = (ctx, state, cmd) ⇒ choice(state).commandHandler(ctx, state, cmd),
-      signalHandler) {
+    choice: State ⇒ CommandHandler[Command, Event, State])
+    extends CommandHandler[Command, Event, State] {
 
-    // SignalHandler may be registered in the wrapper or in the wrapped
-    private[akka] override def sigHandler(state: State): SignalHandler[Command, Event, State] =
-      choice(state).sigHandler(state).orElse(signalHandler)
-
-    // override to preserve the ByStateCommandHandler
-    private[akka] override def withSignalHandler(
-      handler: SignalHandler[Command, Event, State]): CommandHandler[Command, Event, State] =
-      new ByStateCommandHandler(choice, handler)
+    override def apply(ctx: ActorContext[Command], state: State, cmd: Command): Effect[Event, State] =
+      choice(state)(ctx, state, cmd)
 
   }
-
-  /**
-   * `CommandHandler` defines command handlers and partial function for other signals,
-   * e.g. `Termination` messages if `watch` is used.
-   * `CommandHandler` is an immutable class.
-   */
-  @DoNotInherit class CommandHandler[Command, Event, State] private[akka] (
-    val commandHandler: CommandToEffect[Command, Event, State],
-    val signalHandler:  SignalHandler[Command, Event, State]) {
-
-    @InternalApi private[akka] def sigHandler(state: State): SignalHandler[Command, Event, State] =
-      signalHandler
-
-    // Note: using full parameter type instead of type alias here to make API more straight forward to figure out in an IDE
-    def onSignal(handler: PartialFunction[(ActorContext[Command], State, Signal), Effect[Event, State]]): CommandHandler[Command, Event, State] =
-      withSignalHandler(signalHandler.orElse(handler))
-
-    /** INTERNAL API */
-    @InternalApi private[akka] def withSignalHandler(
-      handler: SignalHandler[Command, Event, State]): CommandHandler[Command, Event, State] =
-      new CommandHandler(commandHandler, handler)
-
-  }
-
 }
 
 class PersistentBehavior[Command, Event, State](
diff --git a/akka-persistence-typed/src/test/scala/akka/persistence/typed/scaladsl/PersistentActorCompileOnlyTest.scala b/akka-persistence-typed/src/test/scala/akka/persistence/typed/scaladsl/PersistentActorCompileOnlyTest.scala
index 0b6698f6a2..6837d3512b 100644
--- a/akka-persistence-typed/src/test/scala/akka/persistence/typed/scaladsl/PersistentActorCompileOnlyTest.scala
+++ b/akka-persistence-typed/src/test/scala/akka/persistence/typed/scaladsl/PersistentActorCompileOnlyTest.scala
@@ -111,14 +111,14 @@ object PersistentActorCompileOnlyTest {
 
       initialState = EventsInFlight(0, Map.empty),
 
-      commandHandler = CommandHandler((ctx, state, cmd) ⇒ cmd match {
+      commandHandler = (ctx, state, cmd) ⇒ cmd match {
         case DoSideEffect(data) ⇒
           Effect.persist(IntentRecorded(state.nextCorrelationId, data)).andThen {
             performSideEffect(ctx.self, state.nextCorrelationId, data)
           }
         case AcknowledgeSideEffect(correlationId) ⇒
           Effect.persist(SideEffectAcknowledged(correlationId))
-      }),
+      },
 
       eventHandler = (state, evt) ⇒ evt match {
         case IntentRecorded(correlationId, data) ⇒
@@ -220,7 +220,7 @@ object PersistentActorCompileOnlyTest {
     PersistentActor.immutable[Command, Event, State](
       persistenceId = "asdf",
       initialState = State(Nil),
-      commandHandler = CommandHandler((ctx, _, cmd) ⇒ cmd match {
+      commandHandler = (ctx, _, cmd) ⇒ cmd match {
         case RegisterTask(task) ⇒
           Effect.persist(TaskRegistered(task))
             .andThen {
@@ -229,42 +229,6 @@ object PersistentActorCompileOnlyTest {
               ctx.watchWith(child, TaskDone(task))
             }
         case TaskDone(task) ⇒ Effect.persist(TaskRemoved(task))
-      }),
-      eventHandler = (state, evt) ⇒ evt match {
-        case TaskRegistered(task) ⇒ State(task :: state.tasksInFlight)
-        case TaskRemoved(task)    ⇒ State(state.tasksInFlight.filter(_ != task))
-      })
-  }
-
-  object UsingSignals {
-    type Task = String
-    case class RegisterTask(task: Task)
-
-    sealed trait Event
-    case class TaskRegistered(task: Task) extends Event
-    case class TaskRemoved(task: Task) extends Event
-
-    case class State(tasksInFlight: List[Task])
-
-    def worker(task: Task): Behavior[Nothing] = ???
-
-    PersistentActor.immutable[RegisterTask, Event, State](
-      persistenceId = "asdf",
-      initialState = State(Nil),
-      // The 'onSignal' seems to break type inference here.. not sure if that can be avoided?
-      commandHandler = CommandHandler[RegisterTask, Event, State]((ctx, state, cmd) ⇒ cmd match {
-        case RegisterTask(task) ⇒ Effect.persist(TaskRegistered(task))
-          .andThen {
-            val child = ctx.spawn[Nothing](worker(task), task)
-            // This assumes *any* termination of the child may trigger a `TaskDone`:
-            ctx.watch(child)
-          }
-      }).onSignal {
-        case (ctx, _, Terminated(actorRef)) ⇒
-          // watchWith (as in the above example) is nicer because it means we don't have to
-          // 'manually' associate the task and the child actor, but we wanted to demonstrate
-          // signals here:
-          Effect.persist(TaskRemoved(actorRef.path.name))
       },
       eventHandler = (state, evt) ⇒ evt match {
         case TaskRegistered(task) ⇒ State(task :: state.tasksInFlight)
@@ -321,7 +285,7 @@ object PersistentActorCompileOnlyTest {
         initialState = Nil,
         commandHandler =
           CommandHandler.byState(state ⇒
-            if (isFullyHydrated(basket, state)) CommandHandler { (ctx, state, cmd) ⇒
+            if (isFullyHydrated(basket, state)) (ctx, state, cmd) ⇒
               cmd match {
                 case AddItem(id)    ⇒ addItem(id, ctx.self)
                 case RemoveItem(id) ⇒ Effect.persist(ItemRemoved(id))
@@ -332,8 +296,7 @@ object PersistentActorCompileOnlyTest {
                   sender ! basket.items.map(_.price).sum
                   Effect.none
               }
-            }
-            else CommandHandler { (ctx, state, cmd) ⇒
+            else (ctx, state, cmd) ⇒
               cmd match {
                 case AddItem(id)    ⇒ addItem(id, ctx.self)
                 case RemoveItem(id) ⇒ Effect.persist(ItemRemoved(id))
@@ -348,7 +311,7 @@ object PersistentActorCompileOnlyTest {
                   stash :+= cmd
                   Effect.none
               }
-            }),
+          ),
         eventHandler = (state, evt) ⇒ evt match {
           case ItemAdded(id)   ⇒ id +: state
           case ItemRemoved(id) ⇒ state.filter(_ != id)
@@ -382,7 +345,7 @@ object PersistentActorCompileOnlyTest {
     PersistentActor.immutable[Command, Event, Mood](
       persistenceId = "myPersistenceId",
       initialState = Sad,
-      commandHandler = CommandHandler { (_, state, cmd) ⇒
+      commandHandler = (_, state, cmd) ⇒
         cmd match {
           case Greet(whom) ⇒
             println(s"Hi there, I'm $state!")
@@ -398,8 +361,7 @@ object PersistentActorCompileOnlyTest {
             val commonEffects = changeMoodIfNeeded(state, Happy)
             Effect.persist(commonEffects.events :+ Remembered(memory), commonEffects.sideEffects)
 
-        }
-      },
+        },
       eventHandler = {
         case (_, MoodChanged(to))   ⇒ to
         case (state, Remembered(_)) ⇒ state
diff --git a/akka-persistence-typed/src/test/scala/akka/persistence/typed/scaladsl/PersistentActorSpec.scala b/akka-persistence-typed/src/test/scala/akka/persistence/typed/scaladsl/PersistentActorSpec.scala
index 3024c442da..e8797203df 100644
--- a/akka-persistence-typed/src/test/scala/akka/persistence/typed/scaladsl/PersistentActorSpec.scala
+++ b/akka-persistence-typed/src/test/scala/akka/persistence/typed/scaladsl/PersistentActorSpec.scala
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ object PersistentActorSpec {
   final case object DoNothingAndThenLog extends Command
   final case object EmptyEventsListAndThenLog extends Command
   final case class GetValue(replyTo: ActorRef[State]) extends Command
+  final case object DelayFinished extends Command
   private case object Timeout extends Command
 
   sealed trait Event
@@ -48,7 +49,7 @@ object PersistentActorSpec {
     PersistentActor.immutable[Command, Event, State](
       persistenceId,
       initialState = State(0, Vector.empty),
-      commandHandler = CommandHandler[Command, Event, State]((ctx, state, cmd) ⇒ cmd match {
+      commandHandler = (ctx, state, cmd) ⇒ cmd match {
         case Increment ⇒
           Effect.persist(Incremented(1))
         case GetValue(replyTo) ⇒
@@ -62,8 +63,10 @@ object PersistentActorSpec {
               case Tick ⇒ Actor.stopped
             })
           })
-          ctx.watch(delay)
+          ctx.watchWith(delay, DelayFinished)
           Effect.none
+        case DelayFinished ⇒
+          Effect.persist(Incremented(10))
         case IncrementAfterReceiveTimeout ⇒
           ctx.setReceiveTimeout(10.millis, Timeout)
           Effect.none
@@ -94,11 +97,7 @@ object PersistentActorSpec {
             .andThen {
               loggingActor ! firstLogging
             }
-      })
-        .onSignal {
-          case (_, _, Terminated(_)) ⇒
-            Effect.persist(Incremented(10))
-        },
+      },
       eventHandler = (state, evt) ⇒ evt match {
         case Incremented(delta) ⇒
           State(state.value + delta, state.history :+ state.value)
diff --git a/akka-persistence-typed/src/test/scala/docs/akka/persistence/typed/BasicPersistentActorSpec.scala b/akka-persistence-typed/src/test/scala/docs/akka/persistence/typed/BasicPersistentActorSpec.scala
index b1162fecce..9678307656 100644
--- a/akka-persistence-typed/src/test/scala/docs/akka/persistence/typed/BasicPersistentActorSpec.scala
+++ b/akka-persistence-typed/src/test/scala/docs/akka/persistence/typed/BasicPersistentActorSpec.scala
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ object BasicPersistentActorSpec {
     PersistentActor.immutable[Command, Event, State](
       persistenceId = "abc",
       initialState = State(),
-      commandHandler = PersistentActor.CommandHandler { (ctx, state, cmd) ⇒ ??? },
+      commandHandler = (ctx, state, cmd) ⇒ ???,
       eventHandler = (state, evt) ⇒ ???)
   //#structure
 
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ object BasicPersistentActorSpec {
     PersistentActor.immutable[Command, Event, State](
       persistenceId = "abc",
       initialState = State(),
-      commandHandler = PersistentActor.CommandHandler { (ctx, state, cmd) ⇒ ??? },
+      commandHandler = (ctx, state, cmd) ⇒ ???,
       eventHandler = (state, evt) ⇒ ???)
       .onRecoveryCompleted { (ctx, state) ⇒
         ???
diff --git a/akka-persistence-typed/src/test/scala/docs/akka/persistence/typed/InDepthPersistentActorSpec.scala b/akka-persistence-typed/src/test/scala/docs/akka/persistence/typed/InDepthPersistentActorSpec.scala
index 7bf2264b3e..b3b5ed1bc5 100644
--- a/akka-persistence-typed/src/test/scala/docs/akka/persistence/typed/InDepthPersistentActorSpec.scala
+++ b/akka-persistence-typed/src/test/scala/docs/akka/persistence/typed/InDepthPersistentActorSpec.scala
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ object InDepthPersistentActorSpec {
 
   //#initial-command-handler
   private def initial: CommandHandler[BlogCommand, BlogEvent, BlogState] =
-    CommandHandler { (ctx, state, cmd) ⇒
+    (ctx, state, cmd) ⇒
       cmd match {
         case AddPost(content, replyTo) ⇒
           val evt = PostAdded(content.postId, content)
@@ -64,12 +64,11 @@ object InDepthPersistentActorSpec {
         case _ ⇒
           Effect.unhandled
       }
-    }
   //#initial-command-handler
 
   //#post-added-command-handler
   private def postAdded: CommandHandler[BlogCommand, BlogEvent, BlogState] = {
-    CommandHandler { (ctx, state, cmd) ⇒
+    (ctx, state, cmd) ⇒
       cmd match {
         case ChangeBody(newBody, replyTo) ⇒
           val evt = BodyChanged(state.postId, newBody)
@@ -89,7 +88,6 @@ object InDepthPersistentActorSpec {
         case PassivatePost ⇒
           Effect.stop
       }
-    }
   }
   //#post-added-command-handler