diff --git a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/dispatch/ExecutorBasedEventDrivenWorkStealingDispatcher.scala b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/dispatch/ExecutorBasedEventDrivenWorkStealingDispatcher.scala
index d5f1307a84..7829e47712 100644
--- a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/dispatch/ExecutorBasedEventDrivenWorkStealingDispatcher.scala
+++ b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/dispatch/ExecutorBasedEventDrivenWorkStealingDispatcher.scala
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ class ExecutorBasedEventDrivenWorkStealingDispatcher(
 
   override private[akka] def dispatch(invocation: MessageInvocation) = {
     val mbox = getMailbox(invocation.receiver)
-    if (donationInProgress.value == false && mbox.dispatcherLock.locked && attemptDonationOf(invocation, mbox)) {
+    if (donationInProgress.value == false && (!mbox.isEmpty || mbox.dispatcherLock.locked) && attemptDonationOf(invocation, mbox)) {
       //We were busy and we got to donate the message to some other lucky guy, we're done here
     } else {
       mbox enqueue invocation