diff --git a/.github/workflows/build-test-prValidation.yml b/.github/workflows/build-test-prValidation.yml
index 082d665981..1b91aa346d 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build-test-prValidation.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build-test-prValidation.yml
@@ -156,7 +156,7 @@ jobs:
         # note that this is not running any multi-jvm tests because multi-in-test=false
         run: |-
           sbt \
-          -Djava.security.egd=file:/dev/./urandom \
+          -Djava.security.egd=file:/dev/urandom \
           -Dpekko.remote.artery.enabled=off \
           -Dpekko.test.timefactor=2 \
           -Dpekko.actor.testkit.typed.timefactor=2 \
diff --git a/.github/workflows/nightly-1.0-builds.yml b/.github/workflows/nightly-1.0-builds.yml
index b47d8e8a1f..9206384e1e 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/nightly-1.0-builds.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/nightly-1.0-builds.yml
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ jobs:
           DEVELOCITY_ACCESS_KEY: ${{ secrets.DEVELOCITY_ACCESS_KEY }}
         run: |-
           sbt \
-            -Djava.security.egd=file:/dev/./urandom \
+            -Djava.security.egd=file:/dev/urandom \
             -Dpekko.test.sigar=true \
             -Dpekko.cluster.assert=on \
             -Dpekko.test.timefactor=2 \
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ jobs:
         # note that this is not running any multi-jvm tests because multi-in-test=false
         run: |-
           sbt \
-          -Djava.security.egd=file:/dev/./urandom \
+          -Djava.security.egd=file:/dev/urandom \
           -Dpekko.remote.artery.enabled=off \
           -Dpekko.test.timefactor=2 \
           -Dpekko.actor.testkit.typed.timefactor=2 \
diff --git a/.github/workflows/nightly-1.1-builds.yml b/.github/workflows/nightly-1.1-builds.yml
index d0bcaae854..90b909960e 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/nightly-1.1-builds.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/nightly-1.1-builds.yml
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ jobs:
           DEVELOCITY_ACCESS_KEY: ${{ secrets.DEVELOCITY_ACCESS_KEY }}
         run: |-
           sbt \
-            -Djava.security.egd=file:/dev/./urandom \
+            -Djava.security.egd=file:/dev/urandom \
             -Dpekko.test.sigar=true \
             -Dpekko.cluster.assert=on \
             -Dpekko.test.timefactor=2 \
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ jobs:
         # note that this is not running any multi-jvm tests because multi-in-test=false
         run: |-
           sbt \
-          -Djava.security.egd=file:/dev/./urandom \
+          -Djava.security.egd=file:/dev/urandom \
           -Dpekko.remote.artery.enabled=off \
           -Dpekko.test.timefactor=2 \
           -Dpekko.actor.testkit.typed.timefactor=2 \
diff --git a/.github/workflows/nightly-1.2-builds.yml b/.github/workflows/nightly-1.2-builds.yml
index ce8d5d66d5..c36dc6abdf 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/nightly-1.2-builds.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/nightly-1.2-builds.yml
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ jobs:
           DEVELOCITY_ACCESS_KEY: ${{ secrets.DEVELOCITY_ACCESS_KEY }}
         run: |-
           sbt \
-            -Djava.security.egd=file:/dev/./urandom \
+            -Djava.security.egd=file:/dev/urandom \
             -Dpekko.test.sigar=true \
             -Dpekko.cluster.assert=on \
             -Dpekko.test.timefactor=2 \
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ jobs:
         # note that this is not running any multi-jvm tests because multi-in-test=false
         run: |-
           sbt \
-          -Djava.security.egd=file:/dev/./urandom \
+          -Djava.security.egd=file:/dev/urandom \
           -Dpekko.remote.artery.enabled=off \
           -Dpekko.test.timefactor=2 \
           -Dpekko.actor.testkit.typed.timefactor=2 \
diff --git a/.github/workflows/nightly-1.3-builds.yml b/.github/workflows/nightly-1.3-builds.yml
index a324d3fe5a..1344a3f28a 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/nightly-1.3-builds.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/nightly-1.3-builds.yml
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ jobs:
           DEVELOCITY_ACCESS_KEY: ${{ secrets.DEVELOCITY_ACCESS_KEY }}
         run: |-
           sbt \
-            -Djava.security.egd=file:/dev/./urandom \
+            -Djava.security.egd=file:/dev/urandom \
             -Dpekko.test.sigar=true \
             -Dpekko.cluster.assert=on \
             -Dpekko.test.timefactor=2 \
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ jobs:
         # note that this is not running any multi-jvm tests because multi-in-test=false
         run: |-
           sbt \
-          -Djava.security.egd=file:/dev/./urandom \
+          -Djava.security.egd=file:/dev/urandom \
           -Dpekko.remote.artery.enabled=off \
           -Dpekko.test.timefactor=2 \
           -Dpekko.actor.testkit.typed.timefactor=2 \
diff --git a/.github/workflows/nightly-1.4-builds.yml b/.github/workflows/nightly-1.4-builds.yml
index 2d92cfdc65..b53ffe114b 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/nightly-1.4-builds.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/nightly-1.4-builds.yml
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ jobs:
           DEVELOCITY_ACCESS_KEY: ${{ secrets.DEVELOCITY_ACCESS_KEY }}
         run: |-
           sbt \
-            -Djava.security.egd=file:/dev/./urandom \
+            -Djava.security.egd=file:/dev/urandom \
             -Dpekko.test.sigar=true \
             -Dpekko.cluster.assert=on \
             -Dpekko.test.timefactor=2 \
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ jobs:
         # note that this is not running any multi-jvm tests because multi-in-test=false
         run: |-
           sbt \
-          -Djava.security.egd=file:/dev/./urandom \
+          -Djava.security.egd=file:/dev/urandom \
           -Dpekko.remote.artery.enabled=off \
           -Dpekko.test.timefactor=2 \
           -Dpekko.actor.testkit.typed.timefactor=2 \
diff --git a/.github/workflows/nightly-1.5-builds.yml b/.github/workflows/nightly-1.5-builds.yml
index ea9447107a..9c9e2f999a 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/nightly-1.5-builds.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/nightly-1.5-builds.yml
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ jobs:
           DEVELOCITY_ACCESS_KEY: ${{ secrets.DEVELOCITY_ACCESS_KEY }}
         run: |-
           sbt \
-            -Djava.security.egd=file:/dev/./urandom \
+            -Djava.security.egd=file:/dev/urandom \
             -Dpekko.test.sigar=true \
             -Dpekko.cluster.assert=on \
             -Dpekko.test.timefactor=2 \
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ jobs:
         # note that this is not running any multi-jvm tests because multi-in-test=false
         run: |-
           sbt \
-          -Djava.security.egd=file:/dev/./urandom \
+          -Djava.security.egd=file:/dev/urandom \
           -Dpekko.remote.artery.enabled=off \
           -Dpekko.test.timefactor=2 \
           -Dpekko.actor.testkit.typed.timefactor=2 \
diff --git a/.github/workflows/nightly-1.6-builds.yml b/.github/workflows/nightly-1.6-builds.yml
index 0453f6d6d6..01ff3061ff 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/nightly-1.6-builds.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/nightly-1.6-builds.yml
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ jobs:
           DEVELOCITY_ACCESS_KEY: ${{ secrets.DEVELOCITY_ACCESS_KEY }}
         run: |-
           sbt \
-            -Djava.security.egd=file:/dev/./urandom \
+            -Djava.security.egd=file:/dev/urandom \
             -Dpekko.test.sigar=true \
             -Dpekko.cluster.assert=on \
             -Dpekko.test.timefactor=2 \
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ jobs:
         # note that this is not running any multi-jvm tests because multi-in-test=false
         run: |-
           sbt \
-          -Djava.security.egd=file:/dev/./urandom \
+          -Djava.security.egd=file:/dev/urandom \
           -Dpekko.remote.artery.enabled=off \
           -Dpekko.test.timefactor=2 \
           -Dpekko.actor.testkit.typed.timefactor=2 \
diff --git a/.github/workflows/nightly-1.7-builds.yml b/.github/workflows/nightly-1.7-builds.yml
index 4e311f1a5b..a1b3066403 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/nightly-1.7-builds.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/nightly-1.7-builds.yml
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ jobs:
           DEVELOCITY_ACCESS_KEY: ${{ secrets.DEVELOCITY_ACCESS_KEY }}
         run: |-
           sbt \
-            -Djava.security.egd=file:/dev/./urandom \
+            -Djava.security.egd=file:/dev/urandom \
             -Dpekko.test.sigar=true \
             -Dpekko.cluster.assert=on \
             -Dpekko.test.timefactor=2 \
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@ jobs:
         # note that this is not running any multi-jvm tests because multi-in-test=false
         run: |-
           sbt \
-          -Djava.security.egd=file:/dev/./urandom \
+          -Djava.security.egd=file:/dev/urandom \
           -Dpekko.remote.artery.enabled=off \
           -Dpekko.test.timefactor=2 \
           -Dpekko.actor.testkit.typed.timefactor=2 \
diff --git a/.github/workflows/nightly-builds-aeron.yml b/.github/workflows/nightly-builds-aeron.yml
index 54a817c2d2..a0a5e91562 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/nightly-builds-aeron.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/nightly-builds-aeron.yml
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ jobs:
         # note that this is not running any multi-jvm tests because multi-in-test=false
         run: |-
           sbt \
-          -Djava.security.egd=file:/dev/./urandom \
+          -Djava.security.egd=file:/dev/urandom \
           -Dpekko.remote.artery.transport=aeron-udp \
           -Dpekko.test.timefactor=2 \
           -Dpekko.actor.testkit.typed.timefactor=2 \
diff --git a/.github/workflows/nightly-builds.yml b/.github/workflows/nightly-builds.yml
index 547656a4fc..f5734f07df 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/nightly-builds.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/nightly-builds.yml
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ jobs:
           DEVELOCITY_ACCESS_KEY: ${{ secrets.DEVELOCITY_ACCESS_KEY }}
         run: |-
           sbt \
-            -Djava.security.egd=file:/dev/./urandom \
+            -Djava.security.egd=file:/dev/urandom \
             -Dpekko.test.sigar=true \
             -Dpekko.cluster.assert=on \
             -Dpekko.test.timefactor=2 \
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ jobs:
         # note that this is not running any multi-jvm tests because multi-in-test=false
         run: |-
           sbt \
-          -Djava.security.egd=file:/dev/./urandom \
+          -Djava.security.egd=file:/dev/urandom \
           -Dpekko.remote.artery.enabled=off \
           -Dpekko.test.timefactor=2 \
           -Dpekko.actor.testkit.typed.timefactor=2 \
diff --git a/.github/workflows/timing-tests.yml b/.github/workflows/timing-tests.yml
index 3ece02a150..64e75a33c7 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/timing-tests.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/timing-tests.yml
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ jobs:
           DEVELOCITY_ACCESS_KEY: ${{ secrets.DEVELOCITY_ACCESS_KEY }}
         run: |-
           sbt \
-            -Djava.security.egd=file:/dev/./urandom \
+            -Djava.security.egd=file:/dev/urandom \
             -Dpekko.cluster.assert=on \
             -Dpekko.test.timefactor=2 \
             -Dpekko.actor.testkit.typed.timefactor=2 \
diff --git a/.jvmopts-ci b/.jvmopts-ci
index d984212d94..8936b33075 100644
--- a/.jvmopts-ci
+++ b/.jvmopts-ci
@@ -10,6 +10,8 @@
 -XX:+UseCompressedOops
 -XX:MetaspaceSize=512M
 -XX:-ClassUnloadingWithConcurrentMark
--Djava.security.egd=file:/dev/./urandom
+# Non-blocking seed source. Keep the plain path: `/dev/./urandom` switches the
+# default SecureRandom away from NativePRNG (to DRBG, or SHA1PRNG on JDK 8).
+-Djava.security.egd=file:/dev/urandom
 -Dpekko.ci-server=true
 -Dio.netty.leakDetection.level=PARANOID
diff --git a/project/PekkoBuild.scala b/project/PekkoBuild.scala
index a74535152c..b57b09eb63 100644
--- a/project/PekkoBuild.scala
+++ b/project/PekkoBuild.scala
@@ -212,8 +212,11 @@ object PekkoBuild {
         "-XX:MaxGCPauseMillis=300",
         // nio direct memory limit for artery/aeron (probably)
         "-XX:MaxDirectMemorySize=256m",
-        // faster random source
-        "-Djava.security.egd=file:/dev/./urandom")
+        // Non-blocking seed source. Keep the plain path: `/dev/./urandom` does
+        // not match SunEntries.URL_DEV_URANDOM, which switches the default
+        // SecureRandom away from NativePRNG (to DRBG, or SHA1PRNG on JDK 8),
+        // so CI would stop exercising the algorithm users get.
+        "-Djava.security.egd=file:/dev/urandom")
 
       defaults ++
       CliOptions.runningOnCi