diff --git a/pom.xml b/pom.xml
index b901fe72d..2cab032af 100644
--- a/pom.xml
+++ b/pom.xml
@@ -16,12 +16,12 @@
     <assets.dir>${basedir}/src/main/resources/assets</assets.dir>
 
     <!-- language versions -->
-    <java.abi>1.7</java.abi>
-    <scala.version>2.11.2</scala.version>
-    <scala.abi>2.11.2</scala.abi>
+    <java.abi>11</java.abi>
+    <scala.version>2.11.12</scala.version>
+    <scala.abi>2.11.12</scala.abi>
 
     <!-- runtime deps versions -->
-    <akka.version>2.3.16</akka.version>
+    <akka.version>2.4.12</akka.version>
     <cassandra-driver-core.version>3.1.2</cassandra-driver-core.version>
     <chaos.version>0.6.7</chaos.version>
     <commons-math3.version>3.2</commons-math3.version>
@@ -36,20 +36,20 @@
     <raven.version>7.8.0</raven.version>
 
     <!-- test deps versions -->
-    <akka-testkit.version>2.3.16</akka-testkit.version>
-    <junit.version>4.11</junit.version>
-    <mockito.version>1.9.5</mockito.version>
-    <specs2.version>3.6.4-20150927082714-7cac887</specs2.version>
+    <akka-testkit.version>2.4.12</akka-testkit.version>
+    <junit.version>4.12</junit.version>
+    <mockito.version>2.0.2-beta</mockito.version>
+    <specs2.version>3.8.6</specs2.version>
 
     <!-- maven versions-->
-    <maven-antrun-plugin.version>1.7</maven-antrun-plugin.version>
-    <maven-clean-plugin.version>2.5</maven-clean-plugin.version>
-    <maven-compiler-plugin.version>3.1</maven-compiler-plugin.version>
-    <maven-javadoc-plugin.version>2.9</maven-javadoc-plugin.version>
-    <maven-jar-plugin.version>2.4</maven-jar-plugin.version>
-    <maven-shade-plugin.version>2.3</maven-shade-plugin.version>
-    <maven-surefire-plugins.version>2.14.1</maven-surefire-plugins.version>
-    <scala-maven-plugin.version>3.1.0</scala-maven-plugin.version>
+    <maven-antrun-plugin.version>1.8</maven-antrun-plugin.version>
+    <maven-clean-plugin.version>3.1.0</maven-clean-plugin.version>
+    <maven-compiler-plugin.version>3.8.0</maven-compiler-plugin.version>
+    <maven-javadoc-plugin.version>3.1.0</maven-javadoc-plugin.version>
+    <maven-jar-plugin.version>3.1.1</maven-jar-plugin.version>
+    <maven-shade-plugin.version>3.2.1</maven-shade-plugin.version>
+    <maven-surefire-plugins.version>3.0.0-M3</maven-surefire-plugins.version>
+    <scala-maven-plugin.version>4.0.1</scala-maven-plugin.version>
   </properties>
 
   <repositories>
@@ -238,6 +238,26 @@
       <version>${specs2.version}</version>
       <scope>test</scope>
     </dependency>
+    <dependency>
+      <groupId>javax.xml.bind</groupId>
+      <artifactId>jaxb-api</artifactId>
+      <version>2.2.11</version>
+    </dependency>
+    <dependency>
+      <groupId>com.sun.xml.bind</groupId>
+      <artifactId>jaxb-core</artifactId>
+      <version>2.2.11</version>
+    </dependency>
+    <dependency>
+      <groupId>com.sun.xml.bind</groupId>
+      <artifactId>jaxb-impl</artifactId>
+      <version>2.2.11</version>
+    </dependency>
+    <dependency>
+      <groupId>javax.activation</groupId>
+      <artifactId>activation</artifactId>
+      <version>1.1.1</version>
+    </dependency>
     <dependency>
       <groupId>org.specs2</groupId>
       <artifactId>specs2-junit_2.11</artifactId>
diff --git a/src/main/scala/org/apache/mesos/chronos/scheduler/config/ZookeeperModule.scala b/src/main/scala/org/apache/mesos/chronos/scheduler/config/ZookeeperModule.scala
index db6b206e3..a9fbc5fc5 100644
--- a/src/main/scala/org/apache/mesos/chronos/scheduler/config/ZookeeperModule.scala
+++ b/src/main/scala/org/apache/mesos/chronos/scheduler/config/ZookeeperModule.scala
@@ -11,7 +11,6 @@ import mesosphere.mesos.util.FrameworkIdUtil
 import org.apache.curator.framework.recipes.leader.LeaderLatch
 import org.apache.curator.framework.{CuratorFramework, CuratorFrameworkFactory}
 import org.apache.curator.retry.ExponentialBackoffRetry
-import org.apache.curator.utils.EnsurePath
 import org.apache.mesos.state.{State, ZooKeeperState}
 
 /**
@@ -72,8 +71,11 @@ class ZookeeperModule(val config: SchedulerConfiguration with HttpConf)
   @Singleton
   @Provides
   def provideStore(zk: CuratorFramework, state: State): PersistenceStore = {
-    val ensurePath: EnsurePath = new EnsurePath(config.zooKeeperStatePath)
-    ensurePath.ensure(zk.getZookeeperClient)
+    if (zk.checkExists().forPath(config.zooKeeperStatePath) != null) {
+      zk.checkExists().creatingParentContainersIfNeeded()
+    } else {
+      zk.create().creatingParentContainersIfNeeded()
+    }
 
     new MesosStatePersistenceStore(zk, config, state)
   }
@@ -88,8 +90,11 @@ class ZookeeperModule(val config: SchedulerConfiguration with HttpConf)
   @Singleton
   @Provides
   def provideLeaderLatch(curator: CuratorFramework): LeaderLatch = {
-    val ensurePath: EnsurePath = new EnsurePath(config.zooKeeperCandidatePath)
-    ensurePath.ensure(curator.getZookeeperClient)
+    if (curator.checkExists().forPath(config.zooKeeperCandidatePath) != null) {
+      curator.checkExists().creatingParentContainersIfNeeded()
+    } else {
+      curator.create().creatingParentContainersIfNeeded()
+    }
 
     val id = "%s:%d".format(config.hostname(), config.httpPort())
     new LeaderLatch(curator, config.zooKeeperCandidatePath, id)
diff --git a/src/test/scala/org/apache/mesos/chronos/scheduler/jobs/JobSchedulerElectionSpec.scala b/src/test/scala/org/apache/mesos/chronos/scheduler/jobs/JobSchedulerElectionSpec.scala
index f0c39a33f..3e17287e5 100644
--- a/src/test/scala/org/apache/mesos/chronos/scheduler/jobs/JobSchedulerElectionSpec.scala
+++ b/src/test/scala/org/apache/mesos/chronos/scheduler/jobs/JobSchedulerElectionSpec.scala
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ import org.apache.curator.framework.recipes.leader.LeaderLatch
 import org.apache.curator.framework.{CuratorFramework, CuratorFrameworkFactory}
 import org.apache.curator.retry.ExponentialBackoffRetry
 import org.apache.curator.test.{InstanceSpec, TestingCluster}
-import org.apache.curator.utils.{CloseableUtils, EnsurePath}
+import org.apache.curator.utils.CloseableUtils
 import org.joda.time.Period
 import org.junit.Assert.{assertFalse, assertTrue}
 import org.junit.Test
@@ -135,8 +135,11 @@ class JobSchedulerElectionSpec
       jobsObserver = mock[JobsObserver.Observer]
     )
 
-    val ensurePath: EnsurePath = new EnsurePath(leaderPath)
-    ensurePath.ensure(curator.getZookeeperClient)
+    if (curator.checkExists().forPath(leaderPath) != null) {
+      curator.checkExists().creatingParentContainersIfNeeded()
+    } else {
+      curator.create().creatingParentContainersIfNeeded()
+    }
 
     (scheduler, curator, leaderLatch)
   }
diff --git a/src/test/scala/org/apache/mesos/chronos/scheduler/mesos/MesosOfferReviverActorSpec.scala b/src/test/scala/org/apache/mesos/chronos/scheduler/mesos/MesosOfferReviverActorSpec.scala
index 2faa8d2d7..fbb3d2da1 100644
--- a/src/test/scala/org/apache/mesos/chronos/scheduler/mesos/MesosOfferReviverActorSpec.scala
+++ b/src/test/scala/org/apache/mesos/chronos/scheduler/mesos/MesosOfferReviverActorSpec.scala
@@ -2,15 +2,17 @@ package org.apache.mesos.chronos.scheduler.mesos
 
 import akka.actor._
 import akka.testkit.TestProbe
-import com.codahale.metrics.{ Counter, MetricRegistry }
+import com.codahale.metrics.{Counter, MetricRegistry}
 import mesosphere.chaos.http.HttpConf
 import mesosphere.mesos.util.FrameworkIdUtil
 import org.apache.mesos.SchedulerDriver
 import org.apache.mesos.chronos.scheduler.config.SchedulerConfiguration
+import org.specs2.matcher.ThrownExpectations
 import org.specs2.mock.Mockito
 import org.specs2.mutable._
-import scala.concurrent.duration.FiniteDuration
-import org.specs2.matcher.ThrownExpectations
+
+import scala.concurrent.Await
+import scala.concurrent.duration.{FiniteDuration, _}
 
 class MesosOfferReviverActorSpec extends SpecificationWithJUnit with Mockito {
   "MesosOfferReviverActor" should {
@@ -39,8 +41,8 @@ class MesosOfferReviverActorSpec extends SpecificationWithJUnit with Mockito {
       probe.watch(actorRef)
       probe.expectMsgAnyClassOf(classOf[Terminated])
 
-      actorSystem.shutdown()
-      actorSystem.awaitTermination()
+      actorSystem.terminate()
+      Await.result(actorSystem.whenTerminated, Duration.Inf)
 
       there was one(reviveOffersCounter).inc()
     }
@@ -98,8 +100,8 @@ trait context extends BeforeAfter with Mockito with ThrownExpectations {
   }
 
   def after = {
-    actorSystem.shutdown()
-    actorSystem.awaitTermination()
+    actorSystem.terminate()
+    Await.result(actorSystem.whenTerminated, Duration.Inf)
   }
 
   def startActor(props: Props = MesosOfferReviverActor.props(conf, driverFactory, metrics)): ActorRef = {