diff --git a/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/SparkEnv.scala b/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/SparkEnv.scala
index c52dd42f3d10e..ef78df63ef6c6 100644
--- a/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/SparkEnv.scala
+++ b/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/SparkEnv.scala
@@ -146,7 +146,7 @@ object SparkEnv extends Logging {
     }
 
     val securityManager = new SecurityManager(conf)
-    val actorSystemName = if (isDriver) "driver actor" else "executor actor"
+    val actorSystemName = if (isDriver) "driver-actor" else "executor-actor"
     val (actorSystem, boundPort) = AkkaUtils.createActorSystem(
       actorSystemName, hostname, port, conf, securityManager)
 
diff --git a/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/util/AkkaUtils.scala b/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/util/AkkaUtils.scala
index d6afb73b74242..01b326b2093be 100644
--- a/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/util/AkkaUtils.scala
+++ b/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/util/AkkaUtils.scala
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ private[spark] object AkkaUtils extends Logging {
     val startService: Int => (ActorSystem, Int) = { actualPort =>
       doCreateActorSystem(name, host, actualPort, conf, securityManager)
     }
-    Utils.startServiceOnPort(port, startService, name)
+    Utils.startServiceOnPort(port, startService, name.replaceAll("-", " "))
   }
 
   private def doCreateActorSystem(