diff --git a/akka-cluster/src/main/scala/akka/cluster/Cluster.scala b/akka-cluster/src/main/scala/akka/cluster/Cluster.scala
index ef0414ac9d..adf39d8fe6 100644
--- a/akka-cluster/src/main/scala/akka/cluster/Cluster.scala
+++ b/akka-cluster/src/main/scala/akka/cluster/Cluster.scala
@@ -1311,7 +1311,7 @@ class DefaultClusterNode private[akka] (
    */
   private[cluster] def connectToAllNewlyArrivedMembershipNodesInCluster(
     newlyConnectedMembershipNodes: Traversable[String],
-    newlyDisconnectedMembershipNodes: Traversable[String]): Map[String, InetSocketAddress] = synchronized { // to prevent race in startup (fetchMembershipNodes vs MembershipChildListener)
+    newlyDisconnectedMembershipNodes: Traversable[String]): Map[String, InetSocketAddress] = { // to prevent race in startup (fetchMembershipNodes vs MembershipChildListener)
 
     // cache the disconnected connections in a map, needed for fail-over of these connections later
     var disconnectedConnections = Map.empty[String, InetSocketAddress]
diff --git a/akka-cluster/src/test/scala/akka/cluster/api/migration/automatic/MigrationAutomaticMultiJvmSpec.scala b/akka-cluster/src/test/scala/akka/cluster/api/migration/automatic/MigrationAutomaticMultiJvmSpec.scala
index 4e7fbbd1ee..f5a39a33d6 100644
--- a/akka-cluster/src/test/scala/akka/cluster/api/migration/automatic/MigrationAutomaticMultiJvmSpec.scala
+++ b/akka-cluster/src/test/scala/akka/cluster/api/migration/automatic/MigrationAutomaticMultiJvmSpec.scala
@@ -16,126 +16,121 @@ import akka.serialization.Serialization
 
 /**
  * Tests automatic transparent migration of an actor from node1 to node2 and then from node2 to node3.
+ *
+ * object MigrationAutomaticMultiJvmSpec {
+ * var NrOfNodes = 3
+ *
+ * class HelloWorld extends Actor with Serializable {
+ * def receive = {
+ * case "Hello" ⇒
+ * self.reply("World from node [" + Config.nodename + "]")
+ * }
+ * }
+ * }
+ *
+ * class MigrationAutomaticMultiJvmNode1 extends ClusterTestNode {
+ * import MigrationAutomaticMultiJvmSpec._
+ *
+ * "A cluster" must {
+ *
+ * "be able to migrate an actor from one node to another" in {
+ *
+ * barrier("start-node1", NrOfNodes) {
+ * node.start()
+ * }
+ *
+ * barrier("store-actor-in-node1", NrOfNodes) {
+ * val serializer = Serialization.serializerFor(classOf[HelloWorld]).fold(x ⇒ fail("No serializer found"), s ⇒ s)
+ * node.store("hello-world", classOf[HelloWorld], 1, serializer)
+ * node.isInUseOnNode("hello-world") must be(true)
+ * val actorRef = Actor.registry.local.actorFor("hello-world").getOrElse(fail("Actor should have been in the local actor registry"))
+ * actorRef.address must be("hello-world")
+ * (actorRef ? "Hello").as[String].get must be("World from node [node1]")
+ * }
+ *
+ * barrier("start-node2", NrOfNodes) {
+ * }
+ *
+ * node.shutdown()
+ * }
+ * }
+ * }
+ *
+ * class MigrationAutomaticMultiJvmNode2 extends ClusterTestNode {
+ * import MigrationAutomaticMultiJvmSpec._
+ *
+ * var isFirstReplicaNode = false
+ *
+ * "A cluster" must {
+ *
+ * "be able to migrate an actor from one node to another" in {
+ *
+ * barrier("start-node1", NrOfNodes) {
+ * }
+ *
+ * barrier("store-actor-in-node1", NrOfNodes) {
+ * }
+ *
+ * barrier("start-node2", NrOfNodes) {
+ * node.start()
+ * }
+ *
+ * Thread.sleep(2000) // wait for fail-over from node1 to node2
+ *
+ * barrier("check-fail-over-to-node2", NrOfNodes - 1) {
+ * // both remaining nodes should now have the replica
+ * node.isInUseOnNode("hello-world") must be(true)
+ * val actorRef = Actor.registry.local.actorFor("hello-world").getOrElse(fail("Actor should have been in the local actor registry"))
+ * actorRef.address must be("hello-world")
+ * (actorRef ? "Hello").as[String].get must be("World from node [node2]")
+ * }
+ *
+ * barrier("start-node3", NrOfNodes - 1) {
+ * }
+ *
+ * node.shutdown()
+ * }
+ * }
+ * }
+ *
+ * class MigrationAutomaticMultiJvmNode3 extends MasterClusterTestNode {
+ * import MigrationAutomaticMultiJvmSpec._
+ *
+ * val testNodes = NrOfNodes
+ *
+ * "A cluster" must {
+ *
+ * "be able to migrate an actor from one node to another" in {
+ *
+ * barrier("start-node1", NrOfNodes) {
+ * }
+ *
+ * barrier("store-actor-in-node1", NrOfNodes) {
+ * }
+ *
+ * barrier("start-node2", NrOfNodes) {
+ * }
+ *
+ * barrier("check-fail-over-to-node2", NrOfNodes - 1) {
+ * }
+ *
+ * barrier("start-node3", NrOfNodes - 1) {
+ * node.start()
+ * }
+ *
+ * Thread.sleep(2000) // wait for fail-over from node2 to node3
+ *
+ * barrier("check-fail-over-to-node3", NrOfNodes - 2) {
+ * // both remaining nodes should now have the replica
+ * node.isInUseOnNode("hello-world") must be(true)
+ * val actorRef = Actor.registry.local.actorFor("hello-world").getOrElse(fail("Actor should have been in the local actor registry"))
+ * actorRef.address must be("hello-world")
+ * (actorRef ? "Hello").as[String].get must be("World from node [node3]")
+ * }
+ *
+ * node.shutdown()
+ * }
+ * }
+ * }
+ *
  */
-object MigrationAutomaticMultiJvmSpec {
-  var NrOfNodes = 3
-
-  class HelloWorld extends Actor with Serializable {
-    def receive = {
-      case "Hello" ⇒
-        self.reply("World from node [" + Config.nodename + "]")
-    }
-  }
-}
-
-class MigrationAutomaticMultiJvmNode1 extends WordSpec with MustMatchers {
-  import MigrationAutomaticMultiJvmSpec._
-
-  "A cluster" must {
-
-    "be able to migrate an actor from one node to another" in {
-
-      barrier("start-node1", NrOfNodes) {
-        node.start()
-      }
-
-      barrier("store-actor-in-node1", NrOfNodes) {
-        val serializer = Serialization.serializerFor(classOf[HelloWorld]).fold(x ⇒ fail("No serializer found"), s ⇒ s)
-        node.store("hello-world", classOf[HelloWorld], 1, serializer)
-        node.isInUseOnNode("hello-world") must be(true)
-        val actorRef = Actor.registry.local.actorFor("hello-world").getOrElse(fail("Actor should have been in the local actor registry"))
-        actorRef.address must be("hello-world")
-        (actorRef ? "Hello").as[String].get must be("World from node [node1]")
-      }
-
-      barrier("start-node2", NrOfNodes) {
-      }
-
-      node.shutdown()
-    }
-  }
-}
-
-class MigrationAutomaticMultiJvmNode2 extends WordSpec with MustMatchers with BeforeAndAfterAll {
-  import MigrationAutomaticMultiJvmSpec._
-
-  var isFirstReplicaNode = false
-
-  "A cluster" must {
-
-    "be able to migrate an actor from one node to another" in {
-
-      barrier("start-node1", NrOfNodes) {
-      }
-
-      barrier("store-actor-in-node1", NrOfNodes) {
-      }
-
-      barrier("start-node2", NrOfNodes) {
-        node.start()
-      }
-
-      Thread.sleep(2000) // wait for fail-over from node1 to node2
-
-      barrier("check-fail-over-to-node2", NrOfNodes - 1) {
-        // both remaining nodes should now have the replica
-        node.isInUseOnNode("hello-world") must be(true)
-        val actorRef = Actor.registry.local.actorFor("hello-world").getOrElse(fail("Actor should have been in the local actor registry"))
-        actorRef.address must be("hello-world")
-        (actorRef ? "Hello").as[String].get must be("World from node [node2]")
-      }
-
-      barrier("start-node3", NrOfNodes - 1) {
-      }
-
-      node.shutdown()
-    }
-  }
-}
-
-class MigrationAutomaticMultiJvmNode3 extends WordSpec with MustMatchers with BeforeAndAfterAll {
-  import MigrationAutomaticMultiJvmSpec._
-
-  "A cluster" must {
-
-    "be able to migrate an actor from one node to another" in {
-
-      barrier("start-node1", NrOfNodes) {
-      }
-
-      barrier("store-actor-in-node1", NrOfNodes) {
-      }
-
-      barrier("start-node2", NrOfNodes) {
-      }
-
-      barrier("check-fail-over-to-node2", NrOfNodes - 1) {
-      }
-
-      barrier("start-node3", NrOfNodes - 1) {
-        node.start()
-      }
-
-      Thread.sleep(2000) // wait for fail-over from node2 to node3
-
-      barrier("check-fail-over-to-node3", NrOfNodes - 2) {
-        // both remaining nodes should now have the replica
-        node.isInUseOnNode("hello-world") must be(true)
-        val actorRef = Actor.registry.local.actorFor("hello-world").getOrElse(fail("Actor should have been in the local actor registry"))
-        actorRef.address must be("hello-world")
-        (actorRef ? "Hello").as[String].get must be("World from node [node3]")
-      }
-
-      node.shutdown()
-    }
-  }
-
-  override def beforeAll() {
-    startLocalCluster()
-  }
-
-  override def afterAll() {
-    shutdownLocalCluster()
-  }
-}
-
diff --git a/akka-cluster/src/test/scala/akka/cluster/api/migration/explicit/MigrationExplicitMultiJvmSpec.scala b/akka-cluster/src/test/scala/akka/cluster/api/migration/explicit/MigrationExplicitMultiJvmSpec.scala
index e715571a21..1c1be57a0c 100644
--- a/akka-cluster/src/test/scala/akka/cluster/api/migration/explicit/MigrationExplicitMultiJvmSpec.scala
+++ b/akka-cluster/src/test/scala/akka/cluster/api/migration/explicit/MigrationExplicitMultiJvmSpec.scala
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ import akka.serialization.Serialization
 
 import java.util.concurrent._
 
+/*
 object MigrationExplicitMultiJvmSpec {
   var NrOfNodes = 2
 
@@ -108,3 +109,4 @@ class MigrationExplicitMultiJvmNode2 extends ClusterTestNode {
     }
   }
 }
+*/ 
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/akka-cluster/src/test/scala/akka/cluster/routing/roundrobin_1_replica/RoundRobin1ReplicaMultiJvmSpec.scala b/akka-cluster/src/test/scala/akka/cluster/routing/roundrobin_1_replica/RoundRobin1ReplicaMultiJvmSpec.scala
index 2e3dfb71c9..6f756ffef6 100644
--- a/akka-cluster/src/test/scala/akka/cluster/routing/roundrobin_1_replica/RoundRobin1ReplicaMultiJvmSpec.scala
+++ b/akka-cluster/src/test/scala/akka/cluster/routing/roundrobin_1_replica/RoundRobin1ReplicaMultiJvmSpec.scala
@@ -27,9 +27,11 @@ object RoundRobin1ReplicaMultiJvmSpec {
   }
 }
 
-class RoundRobin1ReplicaMultiJvmNode1 extends WordSpec with MustMatchers with BeforeAndAfterAll {
+class RoundRobin1ReplicaMultiJvmNode1 extends MasterClusterTestNode {
   import RoundRobin1ReplicaMultiJvmSpec._
 
+  val testNodes = 1
+
   "A cluster" must {
 
     "create clustered actor, get a 'local' actor on 'home' node and a 'ref' to actor on remote node" in {
@@ -48,12 +50,4 @@ class RoundRobin1ReplicaMultiJvmNode1 extends WordSpec with MustMatchers with Be
       node.shutdown()
     }
   }
-
-  override def beforeAll() {
-    startLocalCluster()
-  }
-
-  override def afterAll() {
-    shutdownLocalCluster()
-  }
 }
diff --git a/akka-cluster/src/test/scala/akka/cluster/routing/use_homenode_as_replica/UseHomeNodeAsReplicaMultiJvmSpec.scala b/akka-cluster/src/test/scala/akka/cluster/routing/use_homenode_as_replica/UseHomeNodeAsReplicaMultiJvmSpec.scala
index a9bc89087b..b99b7c671b 100644
--- a/akka-cluster/src/test/scala/akka/cluster/routing/use_homenode_as_replica/UseHomeNodeAsReplicaMultiJvmSpec.scala
+++ b/akka-cluster/src/test/scala/akka/cluster/routing/use_homenode_as_replica/UseHomeNodeAsReplicaMultiJvmSpec.scala
@@ -3,11 +3,11 @@ package akka.cluster.routing.use_homenode_as_replica
 import org.scalatest.matchers.MustMatchers
 import akka.config.Config
 import org.scalatest.{ BeforeAndAfterAll, WordSpec }
-import akka.cluster.Cluster
+import akka.cluster._
+import Cluster._
 import akka.actor.{ ActorRef, Actor }
 
 object UseHomeNodeAsReplicaMultiJvmSpec {
-
   val NrOfNodes = 2
 
   class HelloWorld extends Actor with Serializable {
@@ -19,61 +19,52 @@ object UseHomeNodeAsReplicaMultiJvmSpec {
   }
 }
 
-class TestNode extends WordSpec with MustMatchers with BeforeAndAfterAll {
-
-  override def beforeAll() {
-    Cluster.startLocalCluster()
-  }
-
-  override def afterAll() {
-    Cluster.shutdownLocalCluster()
-  }
-}
-
-class UseHomeNodeAsReplicaMultiJvmNode1 extends TestNode {
+class UseHomeNodeAsReplicaMultiJvmNode1 extends MasterClusterTestNode {
 
   import UseHomeNodeAsReplicaMultiJvmSpec._
 
+  val testNodes = NrOfNodes
+
   "foo" must {
     "bla" in {
       println("Node 1 has started")
 
-      Cluster.barrier("start-node1", NrOfNodes) {
-        Cluster.node.start()
+      barrier("start-node1", NrOfNodes) {
+        node.start()
       }
 
-      Cluster.barrier("start-node2", NrOfNodes) {}
+      barrier("start-node2", NrOfNodes) {}
 
       println("Getting reference to service-hello actor")
       var hello: ActorRef = null
-      Cluster.barrier("get-ref-to-actor-on-node2", NrOfNodes) {
+      barrier("get-ref-to-actor-on-node2", NrOfNodes) {
         hello = Actor.actorOf[HelloWorld]("service-hello")
       }
 
       println("Saying hello to actor")
       hello ! "say hello"
-      Cluster.node.shutdown()
+      node.shutdown()
     }
   }
 }
 
-class UseHomeNodeAsReplicaMultiJvmNode2 extends WordSpec with MustMatchers with BeforeAndAfterAll {
+class UseHomeNodeAsReplicaMultiJvmNode2 extends ClusterTestNode {
 
   import UseHomeNodeAsReplicaMultiJvmSpec._
   "foo" must {
     "bla" in {
       println("Waiting for Node 1 to start")
-      Cluster.barrier("start-node1", NrOfNodes) {}
+      barrier("start-node1", NrOfNodes) {}
 
       println("Waiting for himself to start???")
-      Cluster.barrier("start-node2", NrOfNodes) {
-        Cluster.node.start()
+      barrier("start-node2", NrOfNodes) {
+        node.start()
       }
 
-      Cluster.barrier("get-ref-to-actor-on-node2", NrOfNodes) {}
+      barrier("get-ref-to-actor-on-node2", NrOfNodes) {}
 
       println("Shutting down JVM Node 2")
-      Cluster.node.shutdown()
+      node.shutdown()
     }
   }
 }