diff --git a/akka-actor/src/main/java/akka/dispatch/AbstractNodeQueue.java b/akka-actor/src/main/java/akka/dispatch/AbstractNodeQueue.java
index 14b543112c..e72a6b2e18 100644
--- a/akka-actor/src/main/java/akka/dispatch/AbstractNodeQueue.java
+++ b/akka-actor/src/main/java/akka/dispatch/AbstractNodeQueue.java
@@ -22,10 +22,15 @@ public abstract class AbstractNodeQueue<T> extends AtomicReference<AbstractNodeQ
     }
 
     @SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
-    public final Node<T> peek() {
+    protected final Node<T> peekNode() {
         return ((Node<T>)Unsafe.instance.getObjectVolatile(this, tailOffset)).next();
     }
 
+    public final T peek() {
+        final Node<T> n = peekNode();
+        return (n != null) ? n.value : null;
+    }
+
     public final void add(final T value) {
         final Node<T> n = new Node<T>(value);
         getAndSet(n).setNext(n);
@@ -37,14 +42,14 @@ public abstract class AbstractNodeQueue<T> extends AtomicReference<AbstractNodeQ
 
     public final int count() {
         int count = 0;
-        for(Node<T> n = peek();n != null; n = n.next())
+        for(Node<T> n = peekNode();n != null; n = n.next())
           ++count;
         return count;
     }
 
     @SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
     public final T poll() {
-        final Node<T> next = peek();
+        final Node<T> next = peekNode();
         if (next == null) return null;
         else {
             final T ret = next.value;