diff --git a/akka-actor-tests/src/test/scala/akka/serialization/SerializeSpec.scala b/akka-actor-tests/src/test/scala/akka/serialization/SerializeSpec.scala
index b53dc33328..c27815ad98 100644
--- a/akka-actor-tests/src/test/scala/akka/serialization/SerializeSpec.scala
+++ b/akka-actor-tests/src/test/scala/akka/serialization/SerializeSpec.scala
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ import com.google.protobuf.Message
 
 class ProtobufSerializer extends Serializer {
   val ARRAY_OF_BYTE_ARRAY = Array[Class[_]](classOf[Array[Byte]])
-  def includeManifest: Boolean = false
+  def includeManifest: Boolean = true
   def identifier = 2: Serializer.Identifier
 
   def toBinary(obj: AnyRef): Array[Byte] = {
diff --git a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/TypedActor.scala b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/TypedActor.scala
index e23128c2a8..9ec0314b61 100644
--- a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/TypedActor.scala
+++ b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/TypedActor.scala
@@ -184,7 +184,7 @@ object TypedActor extends ExtensionId[TypedActorExtension] with ExtensionIdProvi
      * @throws the underlying exception if there's an InvocationTargetException thrown on the invocation
      */
     def apply(instance: AnyRef): AnyRef = try {
-      parameters match { //TODO: We do not yet obey Actor.SERIALIZE_MESSAGES
+      parameters match {
         case null                     ⇒ method.invoke(instance)
         case args if args.length == 0 ⇒ method.invoke(instance)
         case args                     ⇒ method.invoke(instance, args: _*)
diff --git a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/serialization/Serialization.scala b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/serialization/Serialization.scala
index 4da4f04e9a..165cb39589 100644
--- a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/serialization/Serialization.scala
+++ b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/serialization/Serialization.scala
@@ -14,8 +14,18 @@ import akka.actor.{ Extension, ActorSystem, ActorSystemImpl }
 case class NoSerializerFoundException(m: String) extends AkkaException(m)
 
 object Serialization {
-  // TODO ensure that these are always set (i.e. withValue()) when doing deserialization
-  val currentSystem = new DynamicVariable[ActorSystemImpl](null)
+  /**
+   * This holds a reference to the current ActorSystem (the surrounding context)
+   * during serialization and deserialization.
+   *
+   * If you are using Serializers yourself, outside of SerializationExtension,
+   * you'll need to surround the serialization/deserialization with:
+   *
+   * currentSystem.withValue(system) {
+   *   ...code...
+   * }
+   */
+  val currentSystem = new DynamicVariable[ActorSystem](null)
 
   class Settings(val config: Config) {
 
@@ -139,14 +149,11 @@ class Serialization(val system: ActorSystemImpl) extends Extension {
    *  bindings is a Map whose keys = FQN of class that is serializable and values = the alias of the serializer to be used
    */
   lazy val bindings: Map[String, String] = {
-    val configBindings = settings.SerializationBindings
-    configBindings.foldLeft(Map[String, String]()) {
-      case (result, (k: String, vs: Seq[_])) ⇒
-        //All keys which are lists, take the Strings from them and Map them
-        result ++ (vs collect { case v: String ⇒ (v, k) })
-      case (result, x) ⇒
-        //For any other values, just skip them
-        result
+    settings.SerializationBindings.foldLeft(Map[String, String]()) {
+      //All keys which are lists, take the Strings from them and Map them
+      case (result, (k: String, vs: Seq[_])) ⇒ result ++ (vs collect { case v: String ⇒ (v, k) })
+      //For any other values, just skip them
+      case (result, _)                       ⇒ result
     }
   }
 
diff --git a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/serialization/Serializer.scala b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/serialization/Serializer.scala
index 27a448ef1e..5e128be769 100644
--- a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/serialization/Serializer.scala
+++ b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/serialization/Serializer.scala
@@ -40,6 +40,9 @@ trait Serializer extends scala.Serializable {
 object JavaSerializer extends JavaSerializer
 object NullSerializer extends NullSerializer
 
+/**
+ * This Serializer uses standard Java Serialization
+ */
 class JavaSerializer extends Serializer {
 
   def includeManifest: Boolean = false
@@ -65,6 +68,9 @@ class JavaSerializer extends Serializer {
   }
 }
 
+/**
+ * This is a special Serializer that Serializes and deserializes nulls only
+ */
 class NullSerializer extends Serializer {
   val nullAsBytes = Array[Byte]()
   def includeManifest: Boolean = false
diff --git a/akka-remote/src/main/scala/akka/serialization/ProtobufSerializer.scala b/akka-remote/src/main/scala/akka/serialization/ProtobufSerializer.scala
index 9a0da2d1ff..86fda01ca9 100644
--- a/akka-remote/src/main/scala/akka/serialization/ProtobufSerializer.scala
+++ b/akka-remote/src/main/scala/akka/serialization/ProtobufSerializer.scala
@@ -7,9 +7,12 @@ package akka.serialization
 import akka.serialization.Serializer
 import com.google.protobuf.Message
 
+/**
+ * This Serializer serializes `com.google.protobuf.Message`s
+ */
 class ProtobufSerializer extends Serializer {
   val ARRAY_OF_BYTE_ARRAY = Array[Class[_]](classOf[Array[Byte]])
-  def includeManifest: Boolean = false
+  def includeManifest: Boolean = true
   def identifier = 2: Serializer.Identifier
 
   def toBinary(obj: AnyRef): Array[Byte] = {