diff --git a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/ActorCell.scala b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/ActorCell.scala
index 90500cfc88..a07e60ea45 100644
--- a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/ActorCell.scala
+++ b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/ActorCell.scala
@@ -5,16 +5,15 @@
 package akka.actor
 
 import java.io.{ ObjectOutputStream, NotSerializableException }
-
 import scala.annotation.tailrec
 import scala.collection.immutable.TreeSet
 import scala.concurrent.util.Duration
 import scala.util.control.NonFatal
-
 import akka.actor.cell.ChildrenContainer
 import akka.dispatch.{ Watch, Unwatch, Terminate, SystemMessage, Suspend, Supervise, Resume, Recreate, NoMessage, MessageDispatcher, Envelope, Create, ChildTerminated }
 import akka.event.Logging.{ LogEvent, Debug, Error }
 import akka.japi.Procedure
+import akka.dispatch.NullMessage
 
 /**
  * The actor context - the view of the actor cell from the actor.
@@ -365,6 +364,7 @@ private[akka] class ActorCell(
       publish(Debug(self.path.toString, clazz(actor), "received AutoReceiveMessage " + msg))
 
     msg.message match {
+      case NullMessage        ⇒ // do nothing
       case Failed(cause, uid) ⇒ handleFailure(sender, cause, uid)
       case t @ Terminated(actor) ⇒
         getChildByRef(actor) match {
diff --git a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/ActorRefProvider.scala b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/ActorRefProvider.scala
index 5c64e5554b..e71782869d 100644
--- a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/ActorRefProvider.scala
+++ b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/ActorRefProvider.scala
@@ -360,6 +360,7 @@ class LocalActorRefProvider(
 
     override def !(message: Any)(implicit sender: ActorRef = null): Unit = stopped.ifOff(message match {
       case Failed(ex, _) if sender ne null ⇒ causeOfTermination = Some(ex); sender.asInstanceOf[InternalActorRef].stop()
+      case NullMessage                     ⇒ // do nothing
       case _                               ⇒ log.error(this + " received unexpected message [" + message + "]")
     })
 
diff --git a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/cell/Dispatch.scala b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/cell/Dispatch.scala
index 794c051eed..5702ee91cb 100644
--- a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/cell/Dispatch.scala
+++ b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/actor/cell/Dispatch.scala
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ import akka.dispatch.{ Terminate, SystemMessage, Suspend, Resume, Recreate, Mess
 import akka.event.Logging.Error
 import akka.util.Unsafe
 import scala.util.control.NonFatal
+import akka.dispatch.NullMessage
 
 private[akka] trait Dispatch { this: ActorCell ⇒
 
@@ -56,6 +57,7 @@ private[akka] trait Dispatch { this: ActorCell ⇒
     if (sendSupervise) {
       // ➡➡➡ NEVER SEND THE SAME SYSTEM MESSAGE OBJECT TO TWO ACTORS ⬅⬅⬅
       parent.sendSystemMessage(akka.dispatch.Supervise(self, uid))
+      parent.tell(NullMessage)
     }
 
     // This call is expected to start off the actor by scheduling its mailbox.
diff --git a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/dispatch/AbstractDispatcher.scala b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/dispatch/AbstractDispatcher.scala
index 3792748b02..45aac0279f 100644
--- a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/dispatch/AbstractDispatcher.scala
+++ b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/dispatch/AbstractDispatcher.scala
@@ -37,6 +37,13 @@ object Envelope {
   }
 }
 
+/**
+ * This message is sent directly after the Supervise system message in order
+ * to form a barrier wrt. the first real message sent by the child, so that e.g.
+ * Failed() cannot overtake Supervise(). Processing this does nothing.
+ */
+case object NullMessage extends AutoReceivedMessage
+
 /**
  * INTERNAL API
  */