diff --git a/akka-cluster/src/main/scala/akka/cluster/ClusterDaemon.scala b/akka-cluster/src/main/scala/akka/cluster/ClusterDaemon.scala
index b23c0f2108..2cd6dca1c5 100644
--- a/akka-cluster/src/main/scala/akka/cluster/ClusterDaemon.scala
+++ b/akka-cluster/src/main/scala/akka/cluster/ClusterDaemon.scala
@@ -72,15 +72,20 @@ private[cluster] object InternalClusterAction {
    */
   case class InitJoinAck(address: Address) extends ClusterMessage
 
-  case object GossipTick
+  /**
+   * Marker interface for periodic tick messages
+   */
+  trait Tick
 
-  case object HeartbeatTick
+  case object GossipTick extends Tick
 
-  case object ReapUnreachableTick
+  case object HeartbeatTick extends Tick
 
-  case object LeaderActionsTick
+  case object ReapUnreachableTick extends Tick
 
-  case object PublishStateTick
+  case object LeaderActionsTick extends Tick
+
+  case object PublishStateTick extends Tick
 
   case class SendClusterMessage(to: Address, msg: ClusterMessage)
 
@@ -223,7 +228,16 @@ private[cluster] final class ClusterCoreDaemon(environment: ClusterEnvironment)
     publishStateTask foreach { _.cancel() }
   }
 
-  def receive = {
+  def uninitialized: Actor.Receive = {
+    case JoinSeedNode                    ⇒ joinSeedNode()
+    case InitJoin                        ⇒ // skip, not ready yet
+    case InitJoinAck(address)            ⇒ join(address)
+    case JoinTo(address)                 ⇒ join(address)
+    case Failure(e: AskTimeoutException) ⇒ joinSeedNodeTimeout()
+    case _: Tick                         ⇒ // ignore periodic tasks until initialized
+  }
+
+  def initialized: Actor.Receive = {
     case msg: GossipEnvelope              ⇒ receiveGossip(msg)
     case msg: GossipMergeConflict         ⇒ receiveGossipMerge(msg)
     case GossipTick                       ⇒ gossip()
@@ -231,10 +245,7 @@ private[cluster] final class ClusterCoreDaemon(environment: ClusterEnvironment)
     case ReapUnreachableTick              ⇒ reapUnreachableMembers()
     case LeaderActionsTick                ⇒ leaderActions()
     case PublishStateTick                 ⇒ publishState()
-    case JoinSeedNode                     ⇒ joinSeedNode()
     case InitJoin                         ⇒ initJoin()
-    case InitJoinAck(address)             ⇒ join(address)
-    case Failure(e: AskTimeoutException)  ⇒ joinSeedNodeTimeout()
     case JoinTo(address)                  ⇒ join(address)
     case ClusterUserAction.Join(address)  ⇒ joining(address)
     case ClusterUserAction.Down(address)  ⇒ downing(address)
@@ -246,10 +257,14 @@ private[cluster] final class ClusterCoreDaemon(environment: ClusterEnvironment)
 
   }
 
+  def receive = uninitialized
+
   def joinSeedNode(): Unit = {
-    val seedRoutees = environment.seedNodes.collect { case a if a != selfAddress ⇒ self.path.toStringWithAddress(a) }
-    if (seedRoutees.isEmpty) join(selfAddress)
+    // only the node which is named first in the list of seed nodes will join itself
+    if (environment.seedNodes.isEmpty || environment.seedNodes.head == selfAddress)
+      join(selfAddress)
     else {
+      val seedRoutees = environment.seedNodes.collect { case a if a != selfAddress ⇒ self.path.toStringWithAddress(a) }
       implicit val within = Timeout(SeedNodeTimeout)
       val seedRouter = context.actorOf(Props.empty.withRouter(ScatterGatherFirstCompletedRouter(routees = seedRoutees, within = within.duration)))
       seedRouter ! InitJoin
@@ -259,7 +274,10 @@ private[cluster] final class ClusterCoreDaemon(environment: ClusterEnvironment)
 
   def initJoin(): Unit = sender ! InitJoinAck(selfAddress)
 
-  def joinSeedNodeTimeout(): Unit = join(selfAddress)
+  def joinSeedNodeTimeout(): Unit = {
+    // try again later, first seed node must be started before other seed nodes can join
+    clusterScheduler.scheduleOnce(SeedNodeTimeout, self, JoinSeedNode)
+  }
 
   /**
    * Try to join this cluster node with the node specified by 'address'.
@@ -276,7 +294,11 @@ private[cluster] final class ClusterCoreDaemon(environment: ClusterEnvironment)
 
     notifyListeners(localGossip)
 
-    coreSender ! SendClusterMessage(address, ClusterUserAction.Join(selfAddress))
+    context.become(initialized)
+    if (address == selfAddress)
+      joining(address)
+    else
+      coreSender ! SendClusterMessage(address, ClusterUserAction.Join(selfAddress))
   }
 
   /**
diff --git a/akka-cluster/src/multi-jvm/scala/akka/cluster/JoinSeedNodeSpec.scala b/akka-cluster/src/multi-jvm/scala/akka/cluster/JoinSeedNodeSpec.scala
index f71ebe3cc3..5dcb091960 100644
--- a/akka-cluster/src/multi-jvm/scala/akka/cluster/JoinSeedNodeSpec.scala
+++ b/akka-cluster/src/multi-jvm/scala/akka/cluster/JoinSeedNodeSpec.scala
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ import scala.concurrent.util.duration._
 object JoinSeedNodeMultiJvmSpec extends MultiNodeConfig {
   val seed1 = role("seed1")
   val seed2 = role("seed2")
+  val seed3 = role("seed3")
   val ordinary1 = role("ordinary1")
   val ordinary2 = role("ordinary2")
 
@@ -25,6 +26,7 @@ class JoinSeedNodeMultiJvmNode1 extends JoinSeedNodeSpec with FailureDetectorPup
 class JoinSeedNodeMultiJvmNode2 extends JoinSeedNodeSpec with FailureDetectorPuppetStrategy
 class JoinSeedNodeMultiJvmNode3 extends JoinSeedNodeSpec with FailureDetectorPuppetStrategy
 class JoinSeedNodeMultiJvmNode4 extends JoinSeedNodeSpec with FailureDetectorPuppetStrategy
+class JoinSeedNodeMultiJvmNode5 extends JoinSeedNodeSpec with FailureDetectorPuppetStrategy
 
 abstract class JoinSeedNodeSpec
   extends MultiNodeSpec(JoinSeedNodeMultiJvmSpec)
@@ -32,37 +34,22 @@ abstract class JoinSeedNodeSpec
 
   import JoinSeedNodeMultiJvmSpec._
 
-  override def seedNodes = IndexedSeq(seed1, seed2)
+  override def seedNodes = IndexedSeq(seed3, seed2, seed1)
 
   "A cluster with configured seed nodes" must {
-    "start the seed nodes sequentially" taggedAs LongRunningTest in {
+    "be able to start the seed nodes concurrently" taggedAs LongRunningTest in {
       // without looking up the addresses first there might be
       // [akka://JoinSeedNodeSpec/user/TestConductorClient] cannot write GetAddress(RoleName(seed2)) while waiting for seed1
-      roles foreach address
+      //      roles foreach address
 
-      runOn(seed1) {
-        startClusterNode()
-      }
-      enterBarrier("seed1-started")
-
-      runOn(seed2) {
-        startClusterNode()
-      }
-      enterBarrier("seed2-started")
-
-      runOn(seed1, seed2) {
-        awaitUpConvergence(2)
+      runOn(seed1, seed2, seed3) {
+        awaitUpConvergence(3)
       }
       enterBarrier("after-1")
     }
 
     "join the seed nodes at startup" taggedAs LongRunningTest in {
-
-      startClusterNode()
-      enterBarrier("all-started")
-
-      awaitUpConvergence(4)
-
+      awaitUpConvergence(roles.size)
       enterBarrier("after-2")
     }
   }
diff --git a/akka-cluster/src/multi-jvm/scala/akka/cluster/MultiNodeClusterSpec.scala b/akka-cluster/src/multi-jvm/scala/akka/cluster/MultiNodeClusterSpec.scala
index 2362da8aef..f7b0352c42 100644
--- a/akka-cluster/src/multi-jvm/scala/akka/cluster/MultiNodeClusterSpec.scala
+++ b/akka-cluster/src/multi-jvm/scala/akka/cluster/MultiNodeClusterSpec.scala
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ import akka.actor.RootActorPath
 object MultiNodeClusterSpec {
   def clusterConfig: Config = ConfigFactory.parseString("""
     akka.cluster {
-      auto-join                         = off
+      auto-join                         = on
       auto-down                         = off
       gossip-interval                   = 200 ms
       heartbeat-interval                = 400 ms