diff --git a/akka-io/src/test/scala/akka/io/TcpConnectionSpec.scala b/akka-io/src/test/scala/akka/io/TcpConnectionSpec.scala
index 8ca5d7cc70..3232a68caf 100644
--- a/akka-io/src/test/scala/akka/io/TcpConnectionSpec.scala
+++ b/akka-io/src/test/scala/akka/io/TcpConnectionSpec.scala
@@ -6,6 +6,8 @@ package akka.io
 
 import scala.annotation.tailrec
 
+import org.scalatest.matchers.{ MatchResult, BeMatcher }
+
 import java.nio.channels.{ Selector, SelectionKey, SocketChannel, ServerSocketChannel }
 import java.nio.ByteBuffer
 import java.nio.channels.spi.SelectorProvider
@@ -191,7 +193,7 @@ class TcpConnectionSpec extends AkkaSpec("akka.io.tcp.register-timeout = 500ms")
       closeCommander.expectMsg(Closed)
       assertThisConnectionActorTerminated()
 
-      checkFor(serverSelectionKey, SelectionKey.OP_READ, 2000)
+      serverSelectionKey must be(selectedAs(SelectionKey.OP_READ, 2.seconds))
 
       val buffer = ByteBuffer.allocate(1)
       serverSideChannel.read(buffer) must be(-1)
@@ -239,7 +241,7 @@ class TcpConnectionSpec extends AkkaSpec("akka.io.tcp.register-timeout = 500ms")
       connectionHandler.expectNoMsg(100.millis) // not yet
 
       val buffer = ByteBuffer.allocate(1)
-      checkFor(serverSelectionKey, SelectionKey.OP_READ, 2000)
+      serverSelectionKey must be(selectedAs(SelectionKey.OP_READ, 2.seconds))
       serverSideChannel.read(buffer) must be(-1)
       serverSideChannel.close()
 
@@ -377,15 +379,13 @@ class TcpConnectionSpec extends AkkaSpec("akka.io.tcp.register-timeout = 500ms")
 
     def checkFor(key: SelectionKey, interest: Int, millis: Int = 100): Boolean =
       if (key.isValid) {
-        if ((key.readyOps() & interest) != 0) true
-        else {
-          key.interestOps(interest)
-          val ret = nioSelector.select(millis)
-          key.interestOps(0)
+        key.interestOps(interest)
+        nioSelector.selectedKeys().clear()
+        val ret = nioSelector.select(millis)
+        key.interestOps(0)
 
-          ret > 0 && nioSelector.selectedKeys().contains(key) && key.isValid &&
-            (key.readyOps() & interest) != 0
-        }
+        ret > 0 && nioSelector.selectedKeys().contains(key) && key.isValid &&
+          (key.readyOps() & interest) != 0
       } else false
 
     def openSelectorFor(channel: SocketChannel, interests: Int): (Selector, SelectionKey) = {
@@ -452,6 +452,23 @@ class TcpConnectionSpec extends AkkaSpec("akka.io.tcp.register-timeout = 500ms")
       verifyActorTermination(connectionActor)
       clientSideChannel must not be ('open)
     }
+
+    def selectedAs(interest: Int, duration: Duration): BeMatcher[SelectionKey] =
+      new BeMatcher[SelectionKey] {
+        def apply(key: SelectionKey) =
+          MatchResult(
+            checkFor(key, interest, duration.toMillis.toInt),
+            "%s key was not selected for %s after %s" format (key.attachment(), interestsDesc(interest), duration),
+            "%s key was selected for %s after %s" format (key.attachment(), interestsDesc(interest), duration))
+      }
+
+    val interestsNames = Seq(
+      SelectionKey.OP_ACCEPT -> "accepting",
+      SelectionKey.OP_CONNECT -> "connecting",
+      SelectionKey.OP_READ -> "reading",
+      SelectionKey.OP_WRITE -> "writing")
+    def interestsDesc(interests: Int): String =
+      interestsNames.filter(i ⇒ (i._1 & interests) != 0).map(_._2).mkString(", ")
   }
   def withUnacceptedConnection(
     setServerSocketOptions: ServerSocketChannel ⇒ Unit = _ ⇒ (),