diff --git a/akka-actor-tests/src/test/scala/akka/actor/IOActor.scala b/akka-actor-tests/src/test/scala/akka/actor/IOActor.scala
index 13ed9d8c7e..62da560831 100644
--- a/akka-actor-tests/src/test/scala/akka/actor/IOActor.scala
+++ b/akka-actor-tests/src/test/scala/akka/actor/IOActor.scala
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 
 package akka.actor
 
-import akka.util.{ ByteString, Duration, Timer }
+import akka.util.{ ByteString, Duration, Deadline }
 import akka.util.duration._
 import scala.util.continuations._
 import akka.testkit._
@@ -244,13 +244,13 @@ class IOActorSpec extends AkkaSpec with DefaultTimeout {
 
     val promise = Promise[T]()(executor)
 
-    val timer = timeout match {
-      case Some(duration) ⇒ Some(Timer(duration))
+    val timer: Option[Deadline] = timeout match {
+      case Some(duration) ⇒ Some(Deadline(duration))
       case None           ⇒ None
     }
 
     def check(n: Int, e: Throwable): Boolean =
-      (count.isEmpty || (n < count.get)) && (timer.isEmpty || timer.get.isTicking) && (filter.isEmpty || filter.get(e))
+      (count.isEmpty || (n < count.get)) && (timer.isEmpty || !timer.get.isOverdue()) && (filter.isEmpty || filter.get(e))
 
     def run(n: Int) {
       future onComplete {
diff --git a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/util/Duration.scala b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/util/Duration.scala
index b276e4873c..ff33c5c9a9 100644
--- a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/util/Duration.scala
+++ b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/util/Duration.scala
@@ -10,43 +10,12 @@ import java.lang.{ Double ⇒ JDouble }
 
 class TimerException(message: String) extends RuntimeException(message)
 
-/**
- * Simple timer class.
- * Usage:
- * <pre>
- *   import akka.util.duration._
- *   import akka.util.Timer
- *
- *   val timer = Timer(30 seconds)
- *   while (timer.isTicking) { ... }
- * </pre>
- */
-case class Timer(timeout: Duration, throwExceptionOnTimeout: Boolean = false) {
-  val startTime = Duration(System.nanoTime, NANOSECONDS)
-
-  def timeLeft: Duration = {
-    val time = timeout.toNanos - (System.nanoTime - startTime.toNanos)
-    if (time <= 0) Duration(0, NANOSECONDS)
-    else Duration(time, NANOSECONDS)
-  }
-
-  /**
-   * Returns true while the timer is ticking. After that it either throws and exception or
-   * returns false. Depending on if the 'throwExceptionOnTimeout' argument is true or false.
-   */
-  def isTicking: Boolean = {
-    if (!(timeout.toNanos > (System.nanoTime - startTime.toNanos))) {
-      if (throwExceptionOnTimeout) throw new TimerException("Time out after " + timeout)
-      else false
-    } else true
-  }
-}
-
 case class Deadline(time: Duration) {
   def +(other: Duration): Deadline = copy(time = time + other)
   def -(other: Duration): Deadline = copy(time = time - other)
   def -(other: Deadline): Duration = time - other.time
   def timeLeft: Duration = this - Deadline.now
+  def isOverdue(): Boolean = timeLeft < Duration.Zero
 }
 object Deadline {
   def now: Deadline = Deadline(Duration(System.nanoTime, NANOSECONDS))