diff --git a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/AbstractProps.scala b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/AbstractProps.scala
index e7506cb13a..e1284d3bb6 100644
--- a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/AbstractProps.scala
+++ b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/AbstractProps.scala
@@ -20,9 +20,15 @@ private[akka] trait AbstractProps {
   /**
    * INTERNAL API
    */
-  private[akka] def validate(clazz: Class[_]) =
-    if (Modifier.isAbstract(clazz.getModifiers))
+  private[akka] def validate(clazz: Class[_]): Unit = {
+    if (Modifier.isAbstract(clazz.getModifiers)) {
       throw new IllegalArgumentException(s"Actor class [${clazz.getName}] must not be abstract")
+    } else if (!classOf[Actor].isAssignableFrom(clazz) &&
+               !classOf[IndirectActorProducer].isAssignableFrom(clazz)) {
+      throw new IllegalArgumentException(
+        s"Actor class [${clazz.getName}] must be subClass of akka.actor.Actor or akka.actor.IndirectActorProducer.")
+    }
+  }
 
   /**
    * Java API: create a Props given a class and its constructor arguments.