diff --git a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/cluster/ClusterInterface.scala b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/cluster/ClusterInterface.scala
index a43f80578c..e848529a94 100644
--- a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/cluster/ClusterInterface.scala
+++ b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/cluster/ClusterInterface.scala
@@ -129,6 +129,8 @@ trait ClusterNode {
 
   def remoteServerAddress: InetSocketAddress
 
+  def start()
+
   def shutdown()
 
   def isShutdown: Boolean
@@ -298,6 +300,11 @@ trait ClusterNode {
    */
   def isInUseOnNode(actorAddress: String): Boolean
 
+  /**
+   * Is the actor with uuid in use or not?
+   */
+  def isInUseOnNode(actorAddress: String, nodeName: String): Boolean
+
   /**
    * Is the actor with uuid in use or not?
    */
@@ -465,7 +472,7 @@ trait ClusterNode {
    */
   private[cluster] def uuidsForActorsInUseOnNode(nodeName: String): Array[UUID]
 
-  private[cluster] def initializeNode()
+  private[cluster] def boot()
 
   private[cluster] def publish(change: ChangeNotification)
 
diff --git a/akka-cluster/src/main/scala/akka/cluster/Cluster.scala b/akka-cluster/src/main/scala/akka/cluster/Cluster.scala
index c79d68af35..45323b880e 100644
--- a/akka-cluster/src/main/scala/akka/cluster/Cluster.scala
+++ b/akka-cluster/src/main/scala/akka/cluster/Cluster.scala
@@ -378,13 +378,13 @@ class DefaultClusterNode private[akka] (
 
   if (enableJMX) createMBean
 
-  initializeNode()
+  boot()
 
   // =======================================
   // Node
   // =======================================
 
-  private[cluster] def initializeNode() {
+  private[cluster] def boot() {
     EventHandler.info(this,
       ("\nCreating cluster node with" +
         "\n\tcluster name = [%s]" +
@@ -404,6 +404,8 @@ class DefaultClusterNode private[akka] (
 
   def isShutdown = isShutdownFlag.get
 
+  def start() {}
+
   def shutdown() {
     isShutdownFlag.set(true)
 
@@ -715,6 +717,11 @@ class DefaultClusterNode private[akka] (
    */
   def isInUseOnNode(actorAddress: String, node: NodeAddress): Boolean = zkClient.exists(actorAddressToNodesPathFor(actorAddress, node.nodeName))
 
+  /**
+   * Is the actor with uuid in use or not?
+   */
+  def isInUseOnNode(actorAddress: String, nodeName: String): Boolean = zkClient.exists(actorAddressToNodesPathFor(actorAddress, nodeName))
+
   /**
    * Checks out an actor for use on this node, e.g. checked out as a 'LocalActorRef' but it makes it available
    * for remote access through lookup by its UUID.
@@ -1665,7 +1672,7 @@ class StateListener(self: ClusterNode) extends IZkStateListener {
    */
   def handleNewSession() {
     EventHandler.debug(this, "Session expired re-initializing node [%s]".format(self.nodeAddress))
-    self.initializeNode()
+    self.boot()
     self.publish(NewSession)
   }
 }