diff --git a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/io/TcpConnection.scala b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/io/TcpConnection.scala
index 2f34acda3a..90cc34edce 100644
--- a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/io/TcpConnection.scala
+++ b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/io/TcpConnection.scala
@@ -38,6 +38,16 @@ private[io] abstract class TcpConnection(val tcp: TcpExt, val channel: SocketCha
   private[this] var readingSuspended = pullMode
   private[this] var interestedInResume: Option[ActorRef] = None
   var closedMessage: CloseInformation = _ // for ConnectionClosed message in postStop
+  private var watchedActor: ActorRef = context.system.deadLetters
+
+  def signDeathPact(actor: ActorRef): Unit = {
+    unsignDeathPact()
+    watchedActor = actor
+    context.watch(watchedActor)
+  }
+
+  def unsignDeathPact(): Unit =
+    if (watchedActor ne context.system.deadLetters) context.unwatch(watchedActor)
 
   def writePending = pendingWrite ne EmptyPendingWrite
 
@@ -268,6 +278,8 @@ private[io] abstract class TcpConnection(val tcp: TcpExt, val channel: SocketCha
       peerClosed = true
       context.become(peerSentEOF(info))
     case _ if writePending ⇒ // finish writing first
+      // Our registered actor is now free to terminate cleanly
+      unsignDeathPact()
       if (TraceLogging) log.debug("Got Close command but write is still pending.")
       context.become(closingWithPendingWrite(info, closeCommander, closedEvent))
     case ConfirmedClosed ⇒ // shutdown output and wait for confirmation
diff --git a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/io/TcpIncomingConnection.scala b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/io/TcpIncomingConnection.scala
index 7153022400..a5f835fcfa 100644
--- a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/io/TcpIncomingConnection.scala
+++ b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/io/TcpIncomingConnection.scala
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ private[io] class TcpIncomingConnection(_tcp: TcpExt,
                                         readThrottling: Boolean)
   extends TcpConnection(_tcp, _channel, readThrottling) {
 
-  context.watch(bindHandler) // sign death pact
+  signDeathPact(bindHandler)
 
   registry.register(channel, initialOps = 0)
 
diff --git a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/io/TcpOutgoingConnection.scala b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/io/TcpOutgoingConnection.scala
index 80015d5303..79e6426467 100644
--- a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/io/TcpOutgoingConnection.scala
+++ b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/io/TcpOutgoingConnection.scala
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ private[io] class TcpOutgoingConnection(_tcp: TcpExt,
   import context._
   import connect._
 
-  context.watch(commander) // sign death pact
+  signDeathPact(commander)
 
   options.foreach(_.beforeConnect(channel.socket))
   localAddress.foreach(channel.socket.bind)