diff --git a/akka-actor/src/main/resources/reference.conf b/akka-actor/src/main/resources/reference.conf
index 7f6a508f2b..10ff0eee8d 100644
--- a/akka-actor/src/main/resources/reference.conf
+++ b/akka-actor/src/main/resources/reference.conf
@@ -585,6 +585,19 @@ akka {
       "[B" = bytes
       "java.io.Serializable" = java
     }
+    
+    # Set this to on to enable serialization-bindings define in
+    # additional-serialization-bindings. Those are by default not included
+    # for backwards compatibility reasons. They are enabled by default if
+    # akka.remote.artery.enabled=on. 
+    enable-additional-serialization-bindings = off
+    
+    # Additional serialization-bindings that are replacing Java serialization are
+    # defined in this section and not included by default for backwards compatibility 
+    # reasons. They can be enabled with enable-additional-serialization-bindings=on.
+    # They are enabled by default if akka.remote.artery.enabled=on. 
+    additional-serialization-bindings {
+    }
 
     # Log warnings when the default Java serialization is used to serialize messages.
     # The default serializer uses Java serialization which is not very performant and should not
diff --git a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/serialization/Serialization.scala b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/serialization/Serialization.scala
index 4017ac6689..7dfdf6eff1 100644
--- a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/serialization/Serialization.scala
+++ b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/serialization/Serialization.scala
@@ -34,12 +34,20 @@ object Serialization {
   private[akka] val currentTransportInformation = new DynamicVariable[Information](null)
 
   class Settings(val config: Config) {
-    val Serializers: Map[String, String] = configToMap("akka.actor.serializers")
-    val SerializationBindings: Map[String, String] = configToMap("akka.actor.serialization-bindings")
+    val Serializers: Map[String, String] = configToMap(config.getConfig("akka.actor.serializers"))
+    val SerializationBindings: Map[String, String] = {
+      val defaultBindings = config.getConfig("akka.actor.serialization-bindings")
+      val bindings =
+        if (config.getBoolean("akka.actor.enable-additional-serialization-bindings") ||
+          config.getBoolean("akka.remote.artery.enabled"))
+          defaultBindings.withFallback(config.getConfig("akka.actor.additional-serialization-bindings"))
+        else defaultBindings
+      configToMap(bindings)
+    }
 
-    private final def configToMap(path: String): Map[String, String] = {
+    private final def configToMap(cfg: Config): Map[String, String] = {
       import scala.collection.JavaConverters._
-      config.getConfig(path).root.unwrapped.asScala.toMap map { case (k, v) ⇒ (k → v.toString) }
+      cfg.root.unwrapped.asScala.toMap map { case (k, v) ⇒ (k → v.toString) }
     }
   }
 
diff --git a/akka-remote-tests/src/multi-jvm/scala/akka/remote/artery/MaxThroughputSpec.scala b/akka-remote-tests/src/multi-jvm/scala/akka/remote/artery/MaxThroughputSpec.scala
index 0932066320..9488ddd898 100644
--- a/akka-remote-tests/src/multi-jvm/scala/akka/remote/artery/MaxThroughputSpec.scala
+++ b/akka-remote-tests/src/multi-jvm/scala/akka/remote/artery/MaxThroughputSpec.scala
@@ -70,10 +70,10 @@ object MaxThroughputSpec extends MultiNodeConfig {
        """)))
 
   case object Run
-  sealed trait Echo extends DeadLetterSuppression
+  sealed trait Echo extends DeadLetterSuppression with JavaSerializable
   final case object Start extends Echo
   final case object End extends Echo
-  final case class EndResult(totalReceived: Long)
+  final case class EndResult(totalReceived: Long) extends JavaSerializable
   final case class FlowControl(burstStartTime: Long) extends Echo
 
   def receiverProps(reporter: RateReporter, payloadSize: Int, printTaskRunnerMetrics: Boolean): Props =
diff --git a/akka-remote/src/main/resources/reference.conf b/akka-remote/src/main/resources/reference.conf
index bd266bc3f8..2ed7aea466 100644
--- a/akka-remote/src/main/resources/reference.conf
+++ b/akka-remote/src/main/resources/reference.conf
@@ -22,15 +22,7 @@ akka {
 
     serialization-bindings {
       "akka.actor.ActorSelectionMessage" = akka-containers
-      # The classes akka.actor.Identify and akka.actor.ActorIdentity serialization/deserialization are required by
-      # the cluster client to work.
-      # For the purpose of preserving protocol backward compatibility, akka.actor.Identify and akka.actor.ActorIdentity
-      # are stil using java serialization by default.
-      # Should java serialization be disabled, uncomment the following lines
-      # "akka.actor.Identify" = akka-misc
-      # "akka.actor.ActorIdentity" = akka-misc
-      # "scala.Some" = akka-misc
-      # "scala.None$" = akka-misc
+      
       "akka.remote.DaemonMsgCreate" = daemon-create
 
       "akka.remote.artery.ArteryMessage" = artery
@@ -47,6 +39,16 @@ akka {
       # i.e. com.google.protobuf dependency has been added in the application project.
       "com.google.protobuf.GeneratedMessage" = proto
     }
+    
+    # For the purpose of preserving protocol backward compatibility these bindings are not
+    # included by default. They can be enabled with enable-additional-serialization-bindings=on.
+    # They are enabled by default if akka.remote.artery.enabled=on.
+    additional-serialization-bindings {
+      "akka.actor.Identify" = akka-misc
+      "akka.actor.ActorIdentity" = akka-misc
+      "scala.Some" = akka-misc
+      "scala.None$" = akka-misc
+    }  
 
     serialization-identifiers {
       "akka.remote.serialization.ProtobufSerializer" = 2
diff --git a/akka-remote/src/test/scala/akka/remote/artery/LargeMessagesStreamSpec.scala b/akka-remote/src/test/scala/akka/remote/artery/LargeMessagesStreamSpec.scala
index 6312a8bc28..378260c321 100644
--- a/akka-remote/src/test/scala/akka/remote/artery/LargeMessagesStreamSpec.scala
+++ b/akka-remote/src/test/scala/akka/remote/artery/LargeMessagesStreamSpec.scala
@@ -10,10 +10,12 @@ import akka.util.ByteString
 
 import scala.concurrent.Await
 import scala.concurrent.duration._
+import akka.testkit.JavaSerializable
 
 object LargeMessagesStreamSpec {
-  case class Ping(payload: ByteString = ByteString.empty)
-  case class Pong(bytesReceived: Long)
+  case class Ping(payload: ByteString = ByteString.empty) extends JavaSerializable
+  case class Pong(bytesReceived: Long) extends JavaSerializable
+
   class EchoSize extends Actor {
     def receive = {
       case Ping(bytes) ⇒ sender() ! Pong(bytes.size)
diff --git a/akka-remote/src/test/scala/akka/remote/artery/RemoteActorForSpec.scala b/akka-remote/src/test/scala/akka/remote/artery/RemoteActorForSpec.scala
index 4ddd4f4ea5..9474b11be5 100644
--- a/akka-remote/src/test/scala/akka/remote/artery/RemoteActorForSpec.scala
+++ b/akka-remote/src/test/scala/akka/remote/artery/RemoteActorForSpec.scala
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ import akka.util.Timeout
 import scala.concurrent.duration._
 
 object RemoteActorForSpec {
-  final case class ActorForReq(s: String)
+  final case class ActorForReq(s: String) extends JavaSerializable
 }
 
 class RemoteActorForSpec extends ArteryMultiNodeSpec("akka.loglevel=INFO") with ImplicitSender with DefaultTimeout {
diff --git a/akka-remote/src/test/scala/akka/remote/artery/RemoteActorSelectionSpec.scala b/akka-remote/src/test/scala/akka/remote/artery/RemoteActorSelectionSpec.scala
index d8e0c1e115..b4b023c81e 100644
--- a/akka-remote/src/test/scala/akka/remote/artery/RemoteActorSelectionSpec.scala
+++ b/akka-remote/src/test/scala/akka/remote/artery/RemoteActorSelectionSpec.scala
@@ -9,10 +9,11 @@ import akka.testkit.{ AkkaSpec, ImplicitSender, SocketUtil, TestActors }
 import com.typesafe.config.ConfigFactory
 
 import scala.concurrent.duration._
+import akka.testkit.JavaSerializable
 
 object RemoteActorSelectionSpec {
-  final case class ActorSelReq(s: String)
-  final case class ActorCreateReq(props: Props, name: String)
+  final case class ActorSelReq(s: String) extends JavaSerializable
+  final case class ActorCreateReq(props: Props, name: String) extends JavaSerializable
 
   class SelectionActor extends Actor with ActorLogging {
     log.info("Started")
diff --git a/akka-remote/src/test/scala/akka/remote/artery/RemoteWatcherSpec.scala b/akka-remote/src/test/scala/akka/remote/artery/RemoteWatcherSpec.scala
index 3267448214..82650e08d6 100644
--- a/akka-remote/src/test/scala/akka/remote/artery/RemoteWatcherSpec.scala
+++ b/akka-remote/src/test/scala/akka/remote/artery/RemoteWatcherSpec.scala
@@ -37,8 +37,8 @@ object RemoteWatcherSpec {
   }
 
   object TestRemoteWatcher {
-    final case class AddressTerm(address: Address)
-    final case class Quarantined(address: Address, uid: Option[Int])
+    final case class AddressTerm(address: Address) extends JavaSerializable
+    final case class Quarantined(address: Address, uid: Option[Int]) extends JavaSerializable
   }
 
   class TestRemoteWatcher(heartbeatExpectedResponseAfter: FiniteDuration) extends RemoteWatcher(
diff --git a/akka-remote/src/test/scala/akka/remote/artery/UntrustedSpec.scala b/akka-remote/src/test/scala/akka/remote/artery/UntrustedSpec.scala
index 837ffd7dbe..5bbf0f79f8 100644
--- a/akka-remote/src/test/scala/akka/remote/artery/UntrustedSpec.scala
+++ b/akka-remote/src/test/scala/akka/remote/artery/UntrustedSpec.scala
@@ -25,10 +25,11 @@ import akka.testkit.TestEvent
 import akka.event.Logging
 import akka.remote.RARP
 import akka.testkit.EventFilter
+import akka.testkit.JavaSerializable
 
 object UntrustedSpec {
-  final case class IdentifyReq(path: String)
-  final case class StopChild(name: String)
+  final case class IdentifyReq(path: String) extends JavaSerializable
+  final case class StopChild(name: String) extends JavaSerializable
 
   class Receptionist(testActor: ActorRef) extends Actor {
     context.actorOf(Props(classOf[Child], testActor), "child1")
diff --git a/akka-remote/src/test/scala/akka/remote/serialization/MiscMessageSerializerSpec.scala b/akka-remote/src/test/scala/akka/remote/serialization/MiscMessageSerializerSpec.scala
index 069b6c2b8f..a5ed4c45b7 100644
--- a/akka-remote/src/test/scala/akka/remote/serialization/MiscMessageSerializerSpec.scala
+++ b/akka-remote/src/test/scala/akka/remote/serialization/MiscMessageSerializerSpec.scala
@@ -13,13 +13,10 @@ import com.typesafe.config.ConfigFactory
 object MiscMessageSerializerSpec {
   val serializationTestOverrides =
     """
-       |akka.actor.serialization-bindings = {
-       |  "akka.actor.Identify" = akka-misc
-       |  "akka.actor.ActorIdentity" = akka-misc
-       |  "scala.Some" = akka-misc
-       |  "scala.None$" = akka-misc
-       |}
-     """.stripMargin
+    akka.actor.enable-additional-serialization-bindings=on
+    # or they can be enabled with
+    # akka.remote.artery.enabled=on
+    """
 
   val testConfig = ConfigFactory.parseString(serializationTestOverrides).withFallback(AkkaSpec.testConf)
 }
diff --git a/akka-testkit/src/main/resources/reference.conf b/akka-testkit/src/main/resources/reference.conf
index 7adeb68331..ec4c093706 100644
--- a/akka-testkit/src/main/resources/reference.conf
+++ b/akka-testkit/src/main/resources/reference.conf
@@ -26,4 +26,8 @@ akka {
       type = akka.testkit.CallingThreadDispatcherConfigurator
     }
   }
+  
+  actor.serialization-bindings {
+    "akka.testkit.JavaSerializable" = java
+  }
 }
diff --git a/akka-testkit/src/main/scala/akka/testkit/JavaSerializable.scala b/akka-testkit/src/main/scala/akka/testkit/JavaSerializable.scala
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..34fb7d9226
--- /dev/null
+++ b/akka-testkit/src/main/scala/akka/testkit/JavaSerializable.scala
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+/**
+ * Copyright (C) 2016 Lightbend Inc. <http://www.lightbend.com>
+ */
+package akka.testkit
+
+import java.io.Serializable
+
+/**
+ * Marker trait for test messages that will use JavaSerializer.
+ */
+trait JavaSerializable extends Serializable