diff --git a/pykka/_actor.py b/pykka/_actor.py
index a0c066f1..185a284d 100644
--- a/pykka/_actor.py
+++ b/pykka/_actor.py
@@ -2,10 +2,10 @@
 import sys
 import threading
 import uuid
+from collections import deque
 
 from pykka import ActorDeadError, ActorRef, ActorRegistry, messages
 
-
 __all__ = ["Actor"]
 
 logger = logging.getLogger("pykka")
@@ -126,6 +126,10 @@ def _start_actor_loop(self):
     #: continue processing messages. Use :meth:`stop` to change it.
     actor_stopped = None
 
+    #: A stack of message handlers. These handlers are tuples of a function and
+    #: its args. It always has at least one element - default :meth:`on_receive`.
+    actor_message_handlers = None
+
     def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
         """
         Your are free to override :meth:`__init__`, but you must call your
@@ -150,6 +154,7 @@ def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
         self.actor_stopped = threading.Event()
 
         self.actor_ref = ActorRef(self)
+        self.actor_message_handlers = deque([(self.on_receive, ())])
 
     def __str__(self):
         return f"{self.__class__.__name__} ({self.actor_urn})"
@@ -298,7 +303,8 @@ def _handle_receive(self, message):
             parent_attr = self._get_attribute_from_path(message.attr_path[:-1])
             attr_name = message.attr_path[-1]
             return setattr(parent_attr, attr_name, message.value)
-        return self.on_receive(message)
+        message_handler, args = self.actor_message_handlers[-1]
+        return message_handler(message, *args)
 
     def on_receive(self, message):
         """
@@ -345,3 +351,27 @@ def _introspect_attributes(self, obj):
         if hasattr(obj, "__dict__"):
             result.update(obj.__dict__)
         return result
+
+    def _become(self, func, *args, discard_old=True):
+        """
+        Adds a specified message handler to a stack to allow changing actor
+        behaviour on the fly.
+
+        If `discard_old` is set to `True`, it replaces the latest handler,
+        so :meth:`_unbecome` will always lead to returning to the original
+        :meth:`on_receive` method.
+        If `discard_old` is set to `False`, the new handler will be placed
+        to the top of the stack, and it will need several :meth:`_unbecome`s
+        to return to the original behaviour.
+        """
+        if discard_old:
+            self._unbecome()
+        self.actor_message_handlers.append((func, args))
+
+    def _unbecome(self):
+        """
+        Removes one message handler from a stack if there are any handlers
+        but the original :meth:`on_receive` method.
+        """
+        if len(self.actor_message_handlers) > 1:
+            self.actor_message_handlers.pop()
diff --git a/pykka/_actor.pyi b/pykka/_actor.pyi
index 27b6b99a..65f3516e 100644
--- a/pykka/_actor.pyi
+++ b/pykka/_actor.pyi
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import threading
+from collections import deque
 from types import TracebackType
-from typing import Any, Dict, Sequence, Type
+from typing import Any, Callable, Dict, Sequence, Type
 
 from typing_extensions import Protocol  # Py38+: Available in ``typing``
 
@@ -23,6 +24,7 @@ class Actor:
     actor_inbox: ActorInbox
     actor_ref: ActorRef
     actor_stopped: threading.Event
+    actor_message_handlers: deque
     def __init__(self, *args: Any, **kwargs: Any) -> None: ...
     def __str__(self) -> str: ...
     def stop(self) -> None: ...
@@ -49,3 +51,7 @@ class Actor:
         self, attr_path: Sequence[str]
     ) -> Dict[str, Any]: ...
     def _introspect_attributes(self, obj: Any) -> Dict[str, Any]: ...
+    def _unbecome(self) -> None: ...
+    def _become(
+        self, func: Callable, *args: Any, discard_old: bool
+    ) -> None: ...
diff --git a/pykka/_future.pyi b/pykka/_future.pyi
index 484b82a8..69f45493 100644
--- a/pykka/_future.pyi
+++ b/pykka/_future.pyi
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ from typing import (
 from pykka._types import OptExcInfo
 
 _T = TypeVar("_T")
-I = TypeVar("I")  # For when T is Iterable[I]  # noqa
+I = TypeVar("I")  # noqa # For when T is Iterable[I]
 
 _M = TypeVar("_M")  # For Future.map()
 _R = TypeVar("_R")  # For Future.reduce()
@@ -26,12 +26,14 @@ class Future(Generic[_T]):
     def set_exception(self, exc_info: Optional[OptExcInfo] = ...) -> None: ...
     def set_get_hook(self, func: GetHookFunc) -> None: ...
     def filter(
-        self: Future[Iterable[I]], func: Callable[[I], bool]
-    ) -> Future[Iterable[I]]: ...
+        self: Future[Iterable[I]], func: Callable[[I], bool]  # noqa
+    ) -> Future[Iterable[I]]: ...  # noqa
     def join(self, *futures: Future[Any]) -> Future[Iterable[Any]]: ...
     def map(self, func: Callable[[_T], _M]) -> Future[_M]: ...
     def reduce(
-        self: Future[Iterable[I]], func: Callable[[_R, I], _R], *args: _R
+        self: Future[Iterable[I]],  # noqa
+        func: Callable[[_R, I], _R],  # noqa
+        *args: _R,
     ) -> Future[_R]: ...
     def __await__(self) -> Generator[None, None, _T]: ...
 
diff --git a/pykka/_ref.pyi b/pykka/_ref.pyi
index a2b50cb8..7d10c9aa 100644
--- a/pykka/_ref.pyi
+++ b/pykka/_ref.pyi
@@ -1,11 +1,5 @@
 import threading
-from typing import (
-    Any,
-    Optional,
-    Type,
-    Union,
-    overload,
-)
+from typing import Any, Optional, Type, Union, overload
 
 from typing_extensions import Literal
 
@@ -32,10 +26,7 @@ class ActorRef:
     ) -> Future[Any]: ...
     @overload  # noqa: Allow redefinition
     def ask(
-        self,
-        message: Any,
-        block: Literal[True],
-        timeout: Optional[float] = ...,
+        self, message: Any, block: Literal[True], timeout: Optional[float] = ...
     ) -> Any: ...
     @overload  # noqa: Allow redefinition
     def ask(
diff --git a/tests/test_actor.py b/tests/test_actor.py
index bb50a45d..9f51b851 100644
--- a/tests/test_actor.py
+++ b/tests/test_actor.py
@@ -70,6 +70,45 @@ def on_stop(self):
     return EarlyStoppingActor
 
 
+@pytest.fixture(scope="module")
+def dynamic_actor_class(runtime):
+    class DynamicActor(runtime.actor_class):
+        def on_receive(self, message):
+            if message.get("command") == "current behaviour":
+                return "default"
+            if message.get("command") == "go deeper":
+                self._become(self.new_behaviour1, "deep")
+            if message.get("command") == "go high":
+                self._unbecome()
+
+        def new_behaviour1(self, message, word1):
+            if message.get("command") == "current behaviour":
+                return word1
+            if message.get("command") == "go deeper":
+                self._become(self.new_behaviour2, "very", "deep")
+            if message.get("command") == "step deeper":
+                self._become(
+                    self.new_behaviour2, "very", "deep", discard_old=False
+                )
+            if message.get("command") == "go high":
+                self._unbecome()
+
+        def new_behaviour2(self, message, word1, word2):
+            if message.get("command") == "current behaviour":
+                return f"{word1} {word2}"
+            if message.get("command") == "go high":
+                self._unbecome()
+
+    return DynamicActor
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def dynamic_actor_ref(dynamic_actor_class):
+    ref = dynamic_actor_class.start()
+    yield ref
+    ref.stop()
+
+
 def test_messages_left_in_queue_after_actor_stops_receive_an_error(
     runtime, actor_ref
 ):
@@ -252,3 +291,48 @@ def test_actor_processes_all_messages_before_stop_on_self_stops_it(
 
     events.on_stop_was_called.wait(5)
     assert len(ActorRegistry.get_all()) == 0
+
+
+def test_actor_changes_behaviour_on_become(dynamic_actor_ref):
+    before_become = dynamic_actor_ref.ask({"command": "current behaviour"})
+    dynamic_actor_ref.tell({"command": "go deeper"})
+    first_become = dynamic_actor_ref.ask({"command": "current behaviour"})
+    dynamic_actor_ref.tell({"command": "go deeper"})
+    second_become = dynamic_actor_ref.ask({"command": "current behaviour"})
+    assert before_become == "default"
+    assert first_become == "deep"
+    assert second_become == "very deep"
+
+
+def test_actor_changes_behaviour_on_unbecome(dynamic_actor_ref):
+    dynamic_actor_ref.tell({"command": "go deeper"})
+    dynamic_actor_ref.tell({"command": "go deeper"})
+    after_become = dynamic_actor_ref.ask({"command": "current behaviour"})
+    dynamic_actor_ref.tell({"command": "go high"})
+    after_unbecome = dynamic_actor_ref.ask({"command": "current behaviour"})
+    assert after_become == "very deep"
+    assert after_unbecome == "default"
+
+
+def test_actor_stacks_handlers(dynamic_actor_ref):
+    dynamic_actor_ref.tell({"command": "go deeper"})
+    dynamic_actor_ref.tell({"command": "step deeper"})
+    after_become = dynamic_actor_ref.ask({"command": "current behaviour"})
+    dynamic_actor_ref.tell({"command": "go high"})
+    after_unbecome = dynamic_actor_ref.ask({"command": "current behaviour"})
+    assert after_become == "very deep"
+    assert after_unbecome == "deep"
+
+
+def test_actor_cant_drop_default_handler(dynamic_actor_ref):
+    before_become = dynamic_actor_ref.ask({"command": "current behaviour"})
+    dynamic_actor_ref.tell({"command": "go deeper"})
+    after_become = dynamic_actor_ref.ask({"command": "current behaviour"})
+    dynamic_actor_ref.tell({"command": "go high"})
+    first_unbecome = dynamic_actor_ref.ask({"command": "current behaviour"})
+    dynamic_actor_ref.tell({"command": "go high"})
+    second_unbecome = dynamic_actor_ref.ask({"command": "current behaviour"})
+    assert before_become == "default"
+    assert after_become == "deep"
+    assert first_unbecome == "default"
+    assert second_unbecome == "default"
diff --git a/tests/test_messages.py b/tests/test_messages.py
index f342c840..b4b91426 100644
--- a/tests/test_messages.py
+++ b/tests/test_messages.py
@@ -1,9 +1,4 @@
-from pykka.messages import (
-    ProxyCall,
-    ProxyGetAttr,
-    ProxySetAttr,
-    _ActorStop,
-)
+from pykka.messages import ProxyCall, ProxyGetAttr, ProxySetAttr, _ActorStop
 
 
 def test_actor_stop():