diff --git a/akka-cluster/src/main/scala/akka/cluster/Cluster.scala b/akka-cluster/src/main/scala/akka/cluster/Cluster.scala
index 970aab0ce4..7944157103 100644
--- a/akka-cluster/src/main/scala/akka/cluster/Cluster.scala
+++ b/akka-cluster/src/main/scala/akka/cluster/Cluster.scala
@@ -490,30 +490,34 @@ class Cluster(system: ExtendedActorSystem) extends Extension {
   }
 
   /**
-   * Send command to JOIN one node to another.
+   * Try to join this cluster node with the node specified by 'address'.
+   * A 'Join(thisNodeAddress)'' command is sent to the node to join.
    */
-  def scheduleNodeJoin(address: Address) {
-    clusterCommandDaemon ! ClusterAction.Join(address)
+  def join(address: Address) {
+    val connection = clusterCommandConnectionFor(address)
+    val command = ClusterAction.Join(remoteAddress)
+    log.info("Cluster Node [{}] - Trying to send JOIN to [{}] through connection [{}]", remoteAddress, address, connection)
+    connection ! command
   }
 
   /**
-   * Send command to issue state transition to LEAVING.
+   * Send command to issue state transition to LEAVING for the node specified by 'address'.
    */
-  def scheduleNodeLeave(address: Address) {
+  def leave(address: Address) {
     clusterCommandDaemon ! ClusterAction.Leave(address)
   }
 
   /**
-   * Send command to issue state transition to EXITING.
+   * Send command to issue state transition to from DOWN to EXITING for the node specified by 'address'.
    */
-  def scheduleNodeDown(address: Address) {
+  def down(address: Address) {
     clusterCommandDaemon ! ClusterAction.Down(address)
   }
 
   /**
-   * Send command to issue state transition to REMOVED.
+   * Send command to issue state transition to REMOVED for the node specified by 'address'.
    */
-  def scheduleNodeRemove(address: Address) {
+  def remove(address: Address) {
     clusterCommandDaemon ! ClusterAction.Remove(address)
   }
 
diff --git a/akka-cluster/src/test/scala/akka/cluster/ClientDowningSpec.scala b/akka-cluster/src/test/scala/akka/cluster/ClientDowningSpec.scala
index 430b316179..81feb0d443 100644
--- a/akka-cluster/src/test/scala/akka/cluster/ClientDowningSpec.scala
+++ b/akka-cluster/src/test/scala/akka/cluster/ClientDowningSpec.scala
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ class ClientDowningSpec extends ClusterSpec("akka.cluster.auto-down = off") with
         system3.shutdown()
 
         // client marks node3 as DOWN
-        node1.scheduleNodeDown(address3)
+        node1.down(address3)
 
         println("Give the system time to converge...")
         Thread.sleep(10.seconds.dilated.toMillis)
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ class ClientDowningSpec extends ClusterSpec("akka.cluster.auto-down = off") with
         system4.shutdown()
 
         // clien marks node4 as DOWN
-        node2.scheduleNodeDown(address4)
+        node2.down(address4)
 
         println("Give the system time to converge...")
         Thread.sleep(10.seconds.dilated.toMillis)
diff --git a/akka-cluster/src/test/scala/akka/cluster/JoinTwoClustersSpec.scala b/akka-cluster/src/test/scala/akka/cluster/JoinTwoClustersSpec.scala
index 6b6e1828f0..0e68ad22a5 100644
--- a/akka-cluster/src/test/scala/akka/cluster/JoinTwoClustersSpec.scala
+++ b/akka-cluster/src/test/scala/akka/cluster/JoinTwoClustersSpec.scala
@@ -110,7 +110,8 @@ class JoinTwoClustersSpec extends ClusterSpec("akka.cluster.failure-detector.thr
         node6.isLeader must be(false)
 
         // join
-        node1.scheduleNodeJoin(node4.remoteAddress)
+        node4.join(node1.remoteAddress)
+        //node1.scheduleNodeJoin(node4.remoteAddress)
 
         println("Give the system time to converge...")
         Thread.sleep(10.seconds.dilated.toMillis)
@@ -127,7 +128,8 @@ class JoinTwoClustersSpec extends ClusterSpec("akka.cluster.failure-detector.thr
 
       "be able to 'elect' a single leader after joining (C -> A + B)" taggedAs LongRunningTest in {
         // join
-        node5.scheduleNodeJoin(node4.remoteAddress)
+        node4.join(node5.remoteAddress)
+        //node5.scheduleNodeJoin(node4.remoteAddress)
 
         println("Give the system time to converge...")
         Thread.sleep(10.seconds.dilated.toMillis)
diff --git a/akka-cluster/src/test/scala/akka/cluster/LeaderElectionSpec.scala b/akka-cluster/src/test/scala/akka/cluster/LeaderElectionSpec.scala
index 2fe34ee4b6..346689b5cc 100644
--- a/akka-cluster/src/test/scala/akka/cluster/LeaderElectionSpec.scala
+++ b/akka-cluster/src/test/scala/akka/cluster/LeaderElectionSpec.scala
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ class LeaderElectionSpec extends ClusterSpec with ImplicitSender {
         system1.shutdown()
 
         // user marks node1 as DOWN
-        node2.scheduleNodeDown(address1)
+        node2.down(address1)
 
         println("Give the system time to converge...")
         Thread.sleep(10.seconds.dilated.toMillis)
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ class LeaderElectionSpec extends ClusterSpec with ImplicitSender {
         system2.shutdown()
 
         // user marks node2 as DOWN
-        node3.scheduleNodeDown(address2)
+        node3.down(address2)
 
         println("Give the system time to converge...")
         Thread.sleep(10.seconds.dilated.toMillis)