diff --git a/akka-remote/src/main/resources/reference.conf b/akka-remote/src/main/resources/reference.conf
index 1e3c0c0e175..7ff85ab94cd 100644
--- a/akka-remote/src/main/resources/reference.conf
+++ b/akka-remote/src/main/resources/reference.conf
@@ -47,6 +47,8 @@ akka {
       # This com.google.protobuf serialization binding is only used if the class can be loaded,
       # i.e. com.google.protobuf dependency has been added in the application project.
       "com.google.protobuf.GeneratedMessage" = proto
+      
+      "java.util.Optional" = akka-misc
     }
 
     # For the purpose of preserving protocol backward compatibility these bindings are not
diff --git a/akka-remote/src/main/scala/akka/remote/serialization/MiscMessageSerializer.scala b/akka-remote/src/main/scala/akka/remote/serialization/MiscMessageSerializer.scala
index b29c5a2f2de..9b2fcdf1319 100644
--- a/akka-remote/src/main/scala/akka/remote/serialization/MiscMessageSerializer.scala
+++ b/akka-remote/src/main/scala/akka/remote/serialization/MiscMessageSerializer.scala
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import akka.actor._
 import akka.protobuf.ByteString
 import akka.remote.{ ContainerFormats, RemoteWatcher }
 import akka.serialization.{ BaseSerializer, Serialization, SerializationExtension, SerializerWithStringManifest }
+import java.util.Optional
 
 class MiscMessageSerializer(val system: ExtendedActorSystem) extends SerializerWithStringManifest with BaseSerializer {
 
@@ -22,6 +23,7 @@ class MiscMessageSerializer(val system: ExtendedActorSystem) extends SerializerW
     case identity: ActorIdentity           ⇒ serializeActorIdentity(identity)
     case Some(value)                       ⇒ serializeSome(value)
     case None                              ⇒ ParameterlessSerializedMessage
+    case o: Optional[_]                    ⇒ serializeOptional(o)
     case r: ActorRef                       ⇒ serializeActorRef(r)
     case s: Status.Success                 ⇒ serializeStatusSuccess(s)
     case f: Status.Failure                 ⇒ serializeStatusFailure(f)
@@ -60,6 +62,16 @@ class MiscMessageSerializer(val system: ExtendedActorSystem) extends SerializerW
       .build()
       .toByteArray
 
+  private def serializeOptional(opt: Optional[_]): Array[Byte] = {
+    if (opt.isPresent)
+      ContainerFormats.Option.newBuilder()
+        .setValue(payloadSupport.payloadBuilder(opt.get))
+        .build()
+        .toByteArray
+    else
+      ParameterlessSerializedMessage
+  }
+
   private def serializeActorRef(ref: ActorRef): Array[Byte] =
     actorRefBuilder(ref).build().toByteArray
 
@@ -95,6 +107,7 @@ class MiscMessageSerializer(val system: ExtendedActorSystem) extends SerializerW
   private val StatusFailureManifest = "E"
   private val ThrowableManifest = "F"
   private val ActorRefManifest = "G"
+  private val OptionalManifest = "H"
   private val PoisonPillManifest = "P"
   private val KillManifest = "K"
   private val RemoteWatcherHBManifest = "RWHB"
@@ -110,18 +123,19 @@ class MiscMessageSerializer(val system: ExtendedActorSystem) extends SerializerW
     ThrowableManifest → throwableSupport.deserializeThrowable,
     ActorRefManifest → deserializeActorRefBytes,
     OptionManifest → deserializeOption,
+    OptionalManifest → deserializeOptional,
     PoisonPillManifest → ((_) ⇒ PoisonPill),
     KillManifest → ((_) ⇒ Kill),
     RemoteWatcherHBManifest → ((_) ⇒ RemoteWatcher.Heartbeat),
     RemoteWatcherHBRespManifest → deserializeHeartbeatRsp,
-    ActorInitializationExceptionManifest → deserializeActorInitializationException
-  )
+    ActorInitializationExceptionManifest → deserializeActorInitializationException)
 
   override def manifest(o: AnyRef): String =
     o match {
       case _: Identify                     ⇒ IdentifyManifest
       case _: ActorIdentity                ⇒ ActorIdentityManifest
       case _: Option[Any]                  ⇒ OptionManifest
+      case _: Optional[_]                  ⇒ OptionalManifest
       case _: ActorRef                     ⇒ ActorRefManifest
       case _: Status.Success               ⇒ StatusSuccessManifest
       case _: Status.Failure               ⇒ StatusFailureManifest
@@ -174,6 +188,15 @@ class MiscMessageSerializer(val system: ExtendedActorSystem) extends SerializerW
     }
   }
 
+  private def deserializeOptional(bytes: Array[Byte]): Optional[Any] = {
+    if (bytes.length == 0)
+      Optional.empty()
+    else {
+      val optionProto = ContainerFormats.Option.parseFrom(bytes)
+      Optional.of(payloadSupport.deserializePayload(optionProto.getValue))
+    }
+  }
+
   private def deserializeStatusSuccess(bytes: Array[Byte]): Status.Success =
     Status.Success(payloadSupport.deserializePayload(ContainerFormats.Payload.parseFrom(bytes)))
 
@@ -197,8 +220,7 @@ class MiscMessageSerializer(val system: ExtendedActorSystem) extends SerializerW
     ActorInitializationException(
       if (serializedEx.hasActor) ref else null,
       reconstructedMessage,
-      payloadSupport.deserializePayload(serializedEx.getCause).asInstanceOf[Throwable]
-    )
+      payloadSupport.deserializePayload(serializedEx.getCause).asInstanceOf[Throwable])
   }
 
 }
diff --git a/akka-remote/src/test/scala/akka/remote/serialization/MiscMessageSerializerSpec.scala b/akka-remote/src/test/scala/akka/remote/serialization/MiscMessageSerializerSpec.scala
index 5e0a2c3b4db..24b4f7a6c76 100644
--- a/akka-remote/src/test/scala/akka/remote/serialization/MiscMessageSerializerSpec.scala
+++ b/akka-remote/src/test/scala/akka/remote/serialization/MiscMessageSerializerSpec.scala
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import akka.testkit.AkkaSpec
 import com.typesafe.config.ConfigFactory
 
 import scala.util.control.NoStackTrace
+import java.util.Optional
 
 object MiscMessageSerializerSpec {
   val serializationTestOverrides =
@@ -77,11 +78,12 @@ class MiscMessageSerializerSpec extends AkkaSpec(MiscMessageSerializerSpec.testC
       "ActorRef" → ref,
       "Some" → Some("value"),
       "None" → None,
+      "Optional.present" → Optional.of("value2"),
+      "Optional.empty" → Optional.empty(),
       "Kill" → Kill,
       "PoisonPill" → PoisonPill,
       "RemoteWatcher.Heartbeat" → RemoteWatcher.Heartbeat,
-      "RemoteWatcher.HertbeatRsp" → RemoteWatcher.HeartbeatRsp(65537)
-    ).foreach {
+      "RemoteWatcher.HertbeatRsp" → RemoteWatcher.HeartbeatRsp(65537)).foreach {
         case (scenario, item) ⇒
           s"resolve serializer for $scenario" in {
             val serializer = SerializationExtension(system)