diff --git a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/ActorPath.scala b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/ActorPath.scala
index f9bf5c4dcd..03a0a761ab 100644
--- a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/ActorPath.scala
+++ b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/ActorPath.scala
@@ -8,6 +8,47 @@ import akka.japi.Util.immutableSeq
 import java.net.MalformedURLException
 import java.lang.{ StringBuilder ⇒ JStringBuilder }
 
+/**
+ * Java API
+ */
+object ActorPaths {
+  // static forwarders to `object ActorPath`, since `trait ActorPath`
+  // could not be changed to `abstract ActorPath` in a binary compatible way
+
+  /**
+   * Parse string as actor path; throws java.net.MalformedURLException if unable to do so.
+   */
+  def fromString(s: String): ActorPath = ActorPath.fromString(s)
+
+  /**
+   * Validates the given actor path element and throws an [[InvalidActorNameException]] if invalid.
+   * See [[#isValidPathElement]] for a non-throwing version.
+   *
+   * @param element actor path element to be validated
+   */
+  final def validatePathElement(element: String): Unit = ActorPath.validatePathElement(element)
+
+  /**
+   * Validates the given actor path element and throws an [[InvalidActorNameException]] if invalid.
+   * See [[#isValidPathElement]] for a non-throwing version.
+   *
+   * @param element actor path element to be validated
+   * @param fullPath optional fullPath element that may be included for better error messages; null if not given
+   */
+  final def validatePathElement(element: String, fullPath: String): Unit =
+    ActorPath.validatePathElement(element, fullPath)
+
+  /**
+   * This method is used to validate a path element (Actor Name).
+   * Since Actors form a tree, it is addressable using an URL, therefore an Actor Name has to conform to:
+   * <a href="http://www.ietf.org/rfc/rfc2396.txt">RFC-2396</a>.
+   *
+   * User defined Actor names may not start from a `$` sign - these are reserved for system names.
+   */
+  final def isValidPathElement(s: String): Boolean = ActorPath.isValidPathElement(s)
+
+}
+
 object ActorPath {
   /**
    * Parse string as actor path; throws java.net.MalformedURLException if unable to do so.
@@ -108,7 +149,7 @@ object ActorPath {
  * when comparing actor paths.
  */
 @SerialVersionUID(1L)
-sealed abstract class ActorPath extends Comparable[ActorPath] with Serializable {
+sealed trait ActorPath extends Comparable[ActorPath] with Serializable {
   /**
    * The Address under which this path can be reached; walks up the tree to
    * the RootActorPath.
diff --git a/project/MiMa.scala b/project/MiMa.scala
index f0b5962f14..0d48c14227 100644
--- a/project/MiMa.scala
+++ b/project/MiMa.scala
@@ -486,12 +486,6 @@ object MiMa extends AutoPlugin {
       ProblemFilters.exclude[MissingMethodProblem]("akka.actor.ActorSystem.terminate"),
       ProblemFilters.exclude[MissingMethodProblem]("akka.actor.ActorSystem.whenTerminated"),
       ProblemFilters.exclude[MissingMethodProblem]("akka.actor.ExtendedActorSystem.logFilter"),
-      // the type hierarchy of class akka.actor.ChildActorPath has changed in new version. Missing types {akka.actor.ActorPath}
-      ProblemFilters.exclude[MissingTypesProblem]("akka.actor.ChildActorPath"),
-      // the type hierarchy of class akka.actor.RootActorPath has changed in new version. Missing types {akka.actor.ActorPath}
-      ProblemFilters.exclude[MissingTypesProblem]("akka.actor.RootActorPath"),
-      // declaration of trait akka.actor.ActorPath has changed to class akka.actor.ActorPath in new version; changing trait to class breaks client code
-      ProblemFilters.exclude[IncompatibleTemplateDefProblem]("akka.actor.ActorPath"),
       ProblemFilters.exclude[MissingMethodProblem]("akka.actor.ActorPath.ValidSymbols"),
       ProblemFilters.exclude[MissingMethodProblem]("akka.actor.LocalActorRefProvider.terminationPromise"),
       ProblemFilters.exclude[MissingClassProblem]("akka.actor.UntypedActorFactoryConsumer"),