diff --git a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/ActorSystem.scala b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/ActorSystem.scala
index 88b41c0073..6d2e3fbba7 100644
--- a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/ActorSystem.scala
+++ b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/ActorSystem.scala
@@ -648,6 +648,19 @@ private[akka] class ActorSystemImpl(val name: String, applicationConfig: Config,
     guardian.stop()
   }
 
+  @volatile var aborting = false
+
+  /**
+   * This kind of shutdown attempts to bring the system down and release its
+   * resources more forcefully than plain shutdown. For example it will not
+   * wait for remote-deployed child actors to terminate before terminating their
+   * parents.
+   */
+  def abort(): Unit = {
+    aborting = true
+    shutdown()
+  }
+
   //#create-scheduler
   /**
    * Create the scheduler service. This one needs one special behavior: if
diff --git a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/dungeon/FaultHandling.scala b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/dungeon/FaultHandling.scala
index ae4c6532fa..26b7c2e626 100644
--- a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/dungeon/FaultHandling.scala
+++ b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/dungeon/FaultHandling.scala
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ import scala.collection.immutable
 import scala.concurrent.duration.Duration
 import scala.util.control.Exception._
 import scala.util.control.NonFatal
+import akka.actor.ActorRefScope
 
 private[akka] trait FaultHandling { this: ActorCell ⇒
 
@@ -148,6 +149,14 @@ private[akka] trait FaultHandling { this: ActorCell ⇒
     // stop all children, which will turn childrenRefs into TerminatingChildrenContainer (if there are children)
     children foreach stop
 
+    if (systemImpl.aborting) {
+      // separate iteration because this is a very rare case that should not penalize normal operation
+      children foreach {
+        case ref: ActorRefScope if !ref.isLocal ⇒ self.sendSystemMessage(DeathWatchNotification(ref, true, false))
+        case _                                  ⇒
+      }
+    }
+
     val wasTerminating = isTerminating
 
     if (setChildrenTerminationReason(ChildrenContainer.Termination)) {
diff --git a/akka-multi-node-testkit/src/main/java/akka/remote/testconductor/TestConductorProtocol.java b/akka-multi-node-testkit/src/main/java/akka/remote/testconductor/TestConductorProtocol.java
index 66ad015941..1384937522 100644
--- a/akka-multi-node-testkit/src/main/java/akka/remote/testconductor/TestConductorProtocol.java
+++ b/akka-multi-node-testkit/src/main/java/akka/remote/testconductor/TestConductorProtocol.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 // Generated by the protocol buffer compiler.  DO NOT EDIT!
-// source: TestConductorProtocol.proto
+// source: protobuf/TestConductorProtocol.proto
 
 package akka.remote.testconductor;
 
@@ -133,6 +133,10 @@ public final class TestConductorProtocol {
      * <code>Shutdown = 5;</code>
      */
     Shutdown(4, 5),
+    /**
+     * <code>ShutdownAbrupt = 6;</code>
+     */
+    ShutdownAbrupt(5, 6),
     ;
 
     /**
@@ -155,6 +159,10 @@ public final class TestConductorProtocol {
      * <code>Shutdown = 5;</code>
      */
     public static final int Shutdown_VALUE = 5;
+    /**
+     * <code>ShutdownAbrupt = 6;</code>
+     */
+    public static final int ShutdownAbrupt_VALUE = 6;
 
 
     public final int getNumber() { return value; }
@@ -166,6 +174,7 @@ public final class TestConductorProtocol {
         case 3: return Abort;
         case 4: return Exit;
         case 5: return Shutdown;
+        case 6: return ShutdownAbrupt;
         default: return null;
       }
     }
@@ -5427,26 +5436,27 @@ public final class TestConductorProtocol {
       descriptor;
   static {
     java.lang.String[] descriptorData = {
-      "\n\033TestConductorProtocol.proto\"\216\001\n\007Wrappe" +
-      "r\022\025\n\005hello\030\001 \001(\0132\006.Hello\022\036\n\007barrier\030\002 \001(" +
-      "\0132\r.EnterBarrier\022\037\n\007failure\030\003 \001(\0132\016.Inje" +
-      "ctFailure\022\014\n\004done\030\004 \001(\t\022\035\n\004addr\030\005 \001(\0132\017." +
-      "AddressRequest\"0\n\005Hello\022\014\n\004name\030\001 \002(\t\022\031\n" +
-      "\007address\030\002 \002(\0132\010.Address\"E\n\014EnterBarrier" +
-      "\022\014\n\004name\030\001 \002(\t\022\026\n\002op\030\002 \002(\0162\n.BarrierOp\022\017" +
-      "\n\007timeout\030\003 \001(\003\"6\n\016AddressRequest\022\014\n\004nod" +
-      "e\030\001 \002(\t\022\026\n\004addr\030\002 \001(\0132\010.Address\"G\n\007Addre" +
-      "ss\022\020\n\010protocol\030\001 \002(\t\022\016\n\006system\030\002 \002(\t\022\014\n\004",
-      "host\030\003 \002(\t\022\014\n\004port\030\004 \002(\005\"\212\001\n\rInjectFailu" +
-      "re\022\032\n\007failure\030\001 \002(\0162\t.FailType\022\035\n\tdirect" +
-      "ion\030\002 \001(\0162\n.Direction\022\031\n\007address\030\003 \001(\0132\010" +
-      ".Address\022\020\n\010rateMBit\030\006 \001(\002\022\021\n\texitValue\030" +
-      "\007 \001(\005*;\n\tBarrierOp\022\t\n\005Enter\020\001\022\010\n\004Fail\020\002\022" +
-      "\r\n\tSucceeded\020\003\022\n\n\006Failed\020\004*K\n\010FailType\022\014" +
-      "\n\010Throttle\020\001\022\016\n\nDisconnect\020\002\022\t\n\005Abort\020\003\022" +
-      "\010\n\004Exit\020\004\022\014\n\010Shutdown\020\005*,\n\tDirection\022\010\n\004" +
-      "Send\020\001\022\013\n\007Receive\020\002\022\010\n\004Both\020\003B\035\n\031akka.re" +
-      "mote.testconductorH\001"
+      "\n$protobuf/TestConductorProtocol.proto\"\216" +
+      "\001\n\007Wrapper\022\025\n\005hello\030\001 \001(\0132\006.Hello\022\036\n\007bar" +
+      "rier\030\002 \001(\0132\r.EnterBarrier\022\037\n\007failure\030\003 \001" +
+      "(\0132\016.InjectFailure\022\014\n\004done\030\004 \001(\t\022\035\n\004addr" +
+      "\030\005 \001(\0132\017.AddressRequest\"0\n\005Hello\022\014\n\004name" +
+      "\030\001 \002(\t\022\031\n\007address\030\002 \002(\0132\010.Address\"E\n\014Ent" +
+      "erBarrier\022\014\n\004name\030\001 \002(\t\022\026\n\002op\030\002 \002(\0162\n.Ba" +
+      "rrierOp\022\017\n\007timeout\030\003 \001(\003\"6\n\016AddressReque" +
+      "st\022\014\n\004node\030\001 \002(\t\022\026\n\004addr\030\002 \001(\0132\010.Address" +
+      "\"G\n\007Address\022\020\n\010protocol\030\001 \002(\t\022\016\n\006system\030",
+      "\002 \002(\t\022\014\n\004host\030\003 \002(\t\022\014\n\004port\030\004 \002(\005\"\212\001\n\rIn" +
+      "jectFailure\022\032\n\007failure\030\001 \002(\0162\t.FailType\022" +
+      "\035\n\tdirection\030\002 \001(\0162\n.Direction\022\031\n\007addres" +
+      "s\030\003 \001(\0132\010.Address\022\020\n\010rateMBit\030\006 \001(\002\022\021\n\te" +
+      "xitValue\030\007 \001(\005*;\n\tBarrierOp\022\t\n\005Enter\020\001\022\010" +
+      "\n\004Fail\020\002\022\r\n\tSucceeded\020\003\022\n\n\006Failed\020\004*_\n\010F" +
+      "ailType\022\014\n\010Throttle\020\001\022\016\n\nDisconnect\020\002\022\t\n" +
+      "\005Abort\020\003\022\010\n\004Exit\020\004\022\014\n\010Shutdown\020\005\022\022\n\016Shut" +
+      "downAbrupt\020\006*,\n\tDirection\022\010\n\004Send\020\001\022\013\n\007R" +
+      "eceive\020\002\022\010\n\004Both\020\003B\035\n\031akka.remote.testco",
+      "nductorH\001"
     };
     com.google.protobuf.Descriptors.FileDescriptor.InternalDescriptorAssigner assigner =
       new com.google.protobuf.Descriptors.FileDescriptor.InternalDescriptorAssigner() {
diff --git a/akka-multi-node-testkit/src/main/protobuf/TestConductorProtocol.proto b/akka-multi-node-testkit/src/main/protobuf/TestConductorProtocol.proto
index 2c8b65908a..bb86537b11 100644
--- a/akka-multi-node-testkit/src/main/protobuf/TestConductorProtocol.proto
+++ b/akka-multi-node-testkit/src/main/protobuf/TestConductorProtocol.proto
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@ enum FailType {
   Abort = 3;
   Exit = 4;
   Shutdown = 5;
+  ShutdownAbrupt = 6;
 }
 
 enum Direction {
diff --git a/akka-multi-node-testkit/src/main/scala/akka/remote/testconductor/Conductor.scala b/akka-multi-node-testkit/src/main/scala/akka/remote/testconductor/Conductor.scala
index 4b1e61bf46..c73fdbf247 100644
--- a/akka-multi-node-testkit/src/main/scala/akka/remote/testconductor/Conductor.scala
+++ b/akka-multi-node-testkit/src/main/scala/akka/remote/testconductor/Conductor.scala
@@ -185,7 +185,7 @@ trait Conductor { this: TestConductorExt ⇒
     import system.dispatcher
     // the recover is needed to handle ClientDisconnectedException exception,
     // which is normal during shutdown
-    controller ? Terminate(node, Some(exitValue)) mapTo classTag[Done] recover { case _: ClientDisconnectedException ⇒ Done }
+    controller ? Terminate(node, Right(exitValue)) mapTo classTag[Done] recover { case _: ClientDisconnectedException ⇒ Done }
   }
 
   /**
@@ -194,12 +194,21 @@ trait Conductor { this: TestConductorExt ⇒
    *
    * @param node is the symbolic name of the node which is to be affected
    */
-  def shutdown(node: RoleName): Future[Done] = {
+  def shutdown(node: RoleName): Future[Done] = shutdown(node, abort = false)
+
+  /**
+   * Tell the actor system at the remote node to shut itself down without
+   * awaiting termination of remote-deployed children. The node will also be
+   * removed, so that the remaining nodes may still pass subsequent barriers.
+   *
+   * @param node is the symbolic name of the node which is to be affected
+   */
+  def shutdown(node: RoleName, abort: Boolean): Future[Done] = {
     import Settings.QueryTimeout
     import system.dispatcher
     // the recover is needed to handle ClientDisconnectedException exception,
     // which is normal during shutdown
-    controller ? Terminate(node, None) mapTo classTag[Done] recover { case _: ClientDisconnectedException ⇒ Done }
+    controller ? Terminate(node, Left(abort)) mapTo classTag[Done] recover { case _: ClientDisconnectedException ⇒ Done }
   }
 
   /**
@@ -455,9 +464,10 @@ private[akka] class Controller(private var initialParticipants: Int, controllerP
         case Disconnect(node, target, abort) ⇒
           val t = nodes(target)
           nodes(node).fsm forward ToClient(DisconnectMsg(t.addr, abort))
-        case Terminate(node, exitValue) ⇒
+        case Terminate(node, shutdownOrExit) ⇒
           barrier ! BarrierCoordinator.RemoveClient(node)
-          nodes(node).fsm forward ToClient(TerminateMsg(exitValue))
+          nodes(node).fsm forward ToClient(TerminateMsg(shutdownOrExit))
+          nodes -= node
         case Remove(node) ⇒
           barrier ! BarrierCoordinator.RemoveClient(node)
       }
diff --git a/akka-multi-node-testkit/src/main/scala/akka/remote/testconductor/DataTypes.scala b/akka-multi-node-testkit/src/main/scala/akka/remote/testconductor/DataTypes.scala
index 03af7f8614..cc8361f158 100644
--- a/akka-multi-node-testkit/src/main/scala/akka/remote/testconductor/DataTypes.scala
+++ b/akka-multi-node-testkit/src/main/scala/akka/remote/testconductor/DataTypes.scala
@@ -43,8 +43,8 @@ private[akka] final case class ThrottleMsg(target: Address, direction: Direction
 private[akka] final case class Disconnect(node: RoleName, target: RoleName, abort: Boolean) extends CommandOp
 private[akka] final case class DisconnectMsg(target: Address, abort: Boolean) extends ConfirmedClientOp with NetworkOp
 
-private[akka] final case class Terminate(node: RoleName, exitValue: Option[Int]) extends CommandOp
-private[akka] final case class TerminateMsg(exitValue: Option[Int]) extends ConfirmedClientOp with NetworkOp
+private[akka] final case class Terminate(node: RoleName, shutdownOrExit: Either[Boolean, Int]) extends CommandOp
+private[akka] final case class TerminateMsg(shutdownOrExit: Either[Boolean, Int]) extends ConfirmedClientOp with NetworkOp
 
 private[akka] final case class GetAddress(node: RoleName) extends ServerOp with NetworkOp
 private[akka] final case class AddressReply(node: RoleName, addr: Address) extends UnconfirmedClientOp with NetworkOp
@@ -94,10 +94,12 @@ private[akka] class MsgEncoder extends OneToOneEncoder {
         case DisconnectMsg(target, abort) ⇒
           w.setFailure(TCP.InjectFailure.newBuilder.setAddress(target)
             .setFailure(if (abort) TCP.FailType.Abort else TCP.FailType.Disconnect))
-        case TerminateMsg(Some(exitValue)) ⇒
+        case TerminateMsg(Right(exitValue)) ⇒
           w.setFailure(TCP.InjectFailure.newBuilder.setFailure(TCP.FailType.Exit).setExitValue(exitValue))
-        case TerminateMsg(None) ⇒
+        case TerminateMsg(Left(false)) ⇒
           w.setFailure(TCP.InjectFailure.newBuilder.setFailure(TCP.FailType.Shutdown))
+        case TerminateMsg(Left(true)) ⇒
+          w.setFailure(TCP.InjectFailure.newBuilder.setFailure(TCP.FailType.ShutdownAbrupt))
         case GetAddress(node) ⇒
           w.setAddr(TCP.AddressRequest.newBuilder.setNode(node.name))
         case AddressReply(node, addr) ⇒
@@ -139,11 +141,12 @@ private[akka] class MsgDecoder extends OneToOneDecoder {
         val f = w.getFailure
         import TCP.{ FailType ⇒ FT }
         f.getFailure match {
-          case FT.Throttle   ⇒ ThrottleMsg(f.getAddress, f.getDirection, f.getRateMBit)
-          case FT.Abort      ⇒ DisconnectMsg(f.getAddress, true)
-          case FT.Disconnect ⇒ DisconnectMsg(f.getAddress, false)
-          case FT.Exit       ⇒ TerminateMsg(Some(f.getExitValue))
-          case FT.Shutdown   ⇒ TerminateMsg(None)
+          case FT.Throttle       ⇒ ThrottleMsg(f.getAddress, f.getDirection, f.getRateMBit)
+          case FT.Abort          ⇒ DisconnectMsg(f.getAddress, true)
+          case FT.Disconnect     ⇒ DisconnectMsg(f.getAddress, false)
+          case FT.Exit           ⇒ TerminateMsg(Right(f.getExitValue))
+          case FT.Shutdown       ⇒ TerminateMsg(Left(false))
+          case FT.ShutdownAbrupt ⇒ TerminateMsg(Left(true))
         }
       } else if (w.hasAddr) {
         val a = w.getAddr
diff --git a/akka-multi-node-testkit/src/main/scala/akka/remote/testconductor/Player.scala b/akka-multi-node-testkit/src/main/scala/akka/remote/testconductor/Player.scala
index d39d563654..80cd9a87fa 100644
--- a/akka-multi-node-testkit/src/main/scala/akka/remote/testconductor/Player.scala
+++ b/akka-multi-node-testkit/src/main/scala/akka/remote/testconductor/Player.scala
@@ -31,8 +31,9 @@ trait Player { this: TestConductorExt ⇒
 
   private var _client: ActorRef = _
   private def client = _client match {
-    case null ⇒ throw new IllegalStateException("TestConductor client not yet started")
-    case x    ⇒ x
+    case null                     ⇒ throw new IllegalStateException("TestConductor client not yet started")
+    case _ if system.isTerminated ⇒ throw new IllegalStateException("TestConductor unavailable because system is shutdown; you need to startNewSystem() before this point")
+    case x                        ⇒ x
   }
 
   /**
@@ -239,10 +240,13 @@ private[akka] class ClientFSM(name: RoleName, controllerAddr: InetSocketAddress)
           import context.dispatcher // FIXME is this the right EC for the future below?
           // FIXME: Currently ignoring, needs support from Remoting
           stay
-        case TerminateMsg(None) ⇒
+        case TerminateMsg(Left(false)) ⇒
           context.system.shutdown()
           stay
-        case TerminateMsg(Some(exitValue)) ⇒
+        case TerminateMsg(Left(true)) ⇒
+          context.system.asInstanceOf[ActorSystemImpl].abort()
+          stay
+        case TerminateMsg(Right(exitValue)) ⇒
           System.exit(exitValue)
           stay // needed because Java doesn’t have Nothing
         case _: Done ⇒ stay //FIXME what should happen?
diff --git a/akka-multi-node-testkit/src/main/scala/akka/remote/testkit/MultiNodeSpec.scala b/akka-multi-node-testkit/src/main/scala/akka/remote/testkit/MultiNodeSpec.scala
index 7377e9cc14..65ceb61ee9 100644
--- a/akka-multi-node-testkit/src/main/scala/akka/remote/testkit/MultiNodeSpec.scala
+++ b/akka-multi-node-testkit/src/main/scala/akka/remote/testkit/MultiNodeSpec.scala
@@ -327,7 +327,7 @@ abstract class MultiNodeSpec(val myself: RoleName, _system: ActorSystem, _roles:
    * been started either in Conductor or Player mode when the constructor of
    * MultiNodeSpec finishes, i.e. do not call the start*() methods yourself!
    */
-  val testConductor: TestConductorExt = TestConductor(system)
+  var testConductor: TestConductorExt = null
 
   /**
    * Execute the given block of code only on the given nodes (names according
@@ -376,52 +376,85 @@ abstract class MultiNodeSpec(val myself: RoleName, _system: ActorSystem, _roles:
    */
 
   private val controllerAddr = new InetSocketAddress(serverName, serverPort)
-  if (selfIndex == 0) {
-    Await.result(testConductor.startController(initialParticipants, myself, controllerAddr),
-      testConductor.Settings.BarrierTimeout.duration)
-  } else {
-    Await.result(testConductor.startClient(myself, controllerAddr),
-      testConductor.Settings.BarrierTimeout.duration)
+
+  protected def attachConductor(tc: TestConductorExt): Unit = {
+    val timeout = tc.Settings.BarrierTimeout.duration
+    val startFuture =
+      if (selfIndex == 0) tc.startController(initialParticipants, myself, controllerAddr)
+      else tc.startClient(myself, controllerAddr)
+    try Await.result(startFuture, timeout)
+    catch {
+      case NonFatal(x) ⇒ throw new RuntimeException("failure while attaching new conductor", x)
+    }
+    testConductor = tc
   }
 
+  attachConductor(TestConductor(system))
+
   // now add deployments, if so desired
 
   private final case class Replacement(tag: String, role: RoleName) {
     lazy val addr = node(role).address.toString
   }
+
   private val replacements = roles map (r ⇒ Replacement("@" + r.name + "@", r))
-  private val deployer = system.asInstanceOf[ExtendedActorSystem].provider.deployer
-  deployments(myself) foreach { str ⇒
-    val deployString = (str /: replacements) {
-      case (base, r @ Replacement(tag, _)) ⇒
-        base.indexOf(tag) match {
-          case -1 ⇒ base
-          case start ⇒
-            val replaceWith = try
-              r.addr
-            catch {
-              case NonFatal(e) ⇒
-                // might happen if all test cases are ignored (excluded) and
-                // controller node is finished/exited before r.addr is run
-                // on the other nodes
-                val unresolved = "akka://unresolved-replacement-" + r.role.name
-                log.warning(unresolved + " due to: " + e.getMessage)
-                unresolved
-            }
-            base.replace(tag, replaceWith)
-        }
-    }
-    import scala.collection.JavaConverters._
-    ConfigFactory.parseString(deployString).root.asScala foreach {
-      case (key, value: ConfigObject) ⇒ deployer.parseConfig(key, value.toConfig) foreach deployer.deploy
-      case (key, x)                   ⇒ throw new IllegalArgumentException(s"key $key must map to deployment section, not simple value $x")
+
+  protected def injectDeployments(sys: ActorSystem, role: RoleName): Unit = {
+    val deployer = sys.asInstanceOf[ExtendedActorSystem].provider.deployer
+    deployments(role) foreach { str ⇒
+      val deployString = (str /: replacements) {
+        case (base, r @ Replacement(tag, _)) ⇒
+          base.indexOf(tag) match {
+            case -1 ⇒ base
+            case start ⇒
+              val replaceWith = try
+                r.addr
+              catch {
+                case NonFatal(e) ⇒
+                  // might happen if all test cases are ignored (excluded) and
+                  // controller node is finished/exited before r.addr is run
+                  // on the other nodes
+                  val unresolved = "akka://unresolved-replacement-" + r.role.name
+                  log.warning(unresolved + " due to: " + e.getMessage)
+                  unresolved
+              }
+              base.replace(tag, replaceWith)
+          }
+      }
+      import scala.collection.JavaConverters._
+      ConfigFactory.parseString(deployString).root.asScala foreach {
+        case (key, value: ConfigObject) ⇒ deployer.parseConfig(key, value.toConfig) foreach deployer.deploy
+        case (key, x)                   ⇒ throw new IllegalArgumentException(s"key $key must map to deployment section, not simple value $x")
+      }
     }
   }
 
-  // useful to see which jvm is running which role, used by LogRoleReplace utility
-  log.info("Role [{}] started with address [{}]", myself.name,
-    system.asInstanceOf[ExtendedActorSystem].provider.asInstanceOf[RemoteActorRefProvider].transport.defaultAddress)
+  injectDeployments(system, myself)
 
+  protected val myAddress = system.asInstanceOf[ExtendedActorSystem].provider.getDefaultAddress
+
+  // useful to see which jvm is running which role, used by LogRoleReplace utility
+  log.info("Role [{}] started with address [{}]", myself.name, myAddress)
+
+  /**
+   * This method starts a new ActorSystem with the same configuration as the
+   * previous one on the current node, including deployments. It also creates
+   * a new TestConductor client and registers itself with the conductor so
+   * that it is possible to use barriers etc. normally after this method has
+   * been called.
+   *
+   * NOTICE: you MUST start a new system before trying to enter a barrier or
+   * otherwise using the TestConductor after having terminated this node’s
+   * system.
+   */
+  protected def startNewSystem(): ActorSystem = {
+    val config = ConfigFactory.parseString(s"akka.remote.netty.tcp{port=${myAddress.port.get}\nhostname=${myAddress.host.get}}")
+      .withFallback(system.settings.config)
+    val sys = ActorSystem(system.name, config)
+    injectDeployments(sys, myself)
+    attachConductor(TestConductor(sys))
+    sys
+  }
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/akka-testkit/src/main/scala/akka/testkit/TestKit.scala b/akka-testkit/src/main/scala/akka/testkit/TestKit.scala
index 16b4517db3..fb9338c1a0 100644
--- a/akka-testkit/src/main/scala/akka/testkit/TestKit.scala
+++ b/akka-testkit/src/main/scala/akka/testkit/TestKit.scala
@@ -630,7 +630,7 @@ trait TestKitBase {
     for { x ← 1 to n } yield {
       val timeout = stop - now
       val o = receiveOne(timeout)
-      assert(o ne null, s"timeout ($max) while expecting $n messages")
+      assert(o ne null, s"timeout ($max) while expecting $n messages (got ${x - 1})")
       o
     }
   }