diff --git a/actor-testkit-typed/src/main/scala/org/apache/pekko/actor/testkit/typed/internal/TestAppender.scala b/actor-testkit-typed/src/main/scala/org/apache/pekko/actor/testkit/typed/internal/TestAppender.scala
index d2d86099443..ddfe5f34458 100644
--- a/actor-testkit-typed/src/main/scala/org/apache/pekko/actor/testkit/typed/internal/TestAppender.scala
+++ b/actor-testkit-typed/src/main/scala/org/apache/pekko/actor/testkit/typed/internal/TestAppender.scala
@@ -16,12 +16,13 @@ package org.apache.pekko.actor.testkit.typed.internal
 import ch.qos.logback.classic.spi.ILoggingEvent
 import ch.qos.logback.classic.spi.ThrowableProxy
 import ch.qos.logback.core.AppenderBase
-import org.slf4j.Marker
-
+import org.slf4j.{ MDC, Marker }
 import org.apache.pekko
 import pekko.actor.testkit.typed.LoggingEvent
 import pekko.annotation.InternalApi
 
+import java.util.Collections
+
 /**
  * INTERNAL API
  *
@@ -90,6 +91,12 @@ import pekko.annotation.InternalApi
     }
 
     val marker: Option[Marker] = Option(event.getMarkerList).flatMap(_.asScala.headOption)
+    val mdc: Map[String, String] = Option(event.getMDCPropertyMap)
+      .filterNot(_.isEmpty)
+      .orElse(Option(MDC.getMDCAdapter.getCopyOfContextMap))
+      .getOrElse(Collections.emptyMap())
+      .asScala.toMap
+
     val loggingEvent = LoggingEvent(
       level = convertLevel(event.getLevel),
       message = event.getFormattedMessage,
@@ -98,7 +105,7 @@ import pekko.annotation.InternalApi
       timeStamp = event.getTimeStamp,
       marker = marker,
       throwable = throwable,
-      mdc = event.getMDCPropertyMap.asScala.toMap)
+      mdc = mdc)
 
     filter(loggingEvent)
   }
diff --git a/cluster-typed/src/test/scala/org/apache/pekko/cluster/typed/ClusterActorLoggingSpec.scala b/cluster-typed/src/test/scala/org/apache/pekko/cluster/typed/ClusterActorLoggingSpec.scala
index b0dfe770dc9..f32d43e194c 100644
--- a/cluster-typed/src/test/scala/org/apache/pekko/cluster/typed/ClusterActorLoggingSpec.scala
+++ b/cluster-typed/src/test/scala/org/apache/pekko/cluster/typed/ClusterActorLoggingSpec.scala
@@ -28,12 +28,8 @@ import pekko.actor.typed.scaladsl.Behaviors
 object ClusterActorLoggingSpec {
   def config = ConfigFactory.parseString("""
     pekko.actor.provider = cluster
-    pekko.remote.classic.netty.tcp.port = 0
     pekko.remote.artery.canonical.port = 0
     pekko.remote.artery.canonical.hostname = 127.0.0.1
-    # generous timeout for cluster forming probes
-    pekko.actor.testkit.typed.default-timeout = 10s
-    pekko.actor.testkit.typed.filter-leeway = 10s
     """)
 }
 
@@ -58,8 +54,10 @@ class ClusterActorLoggingSpec
       LoggingTestKit
         .info("Starting")
         .withCustom { event =>
+          event.mdc.contains(ActorMdc.PekkoAddressKey) &&
           event.mdc(ActorMdc.PekkoAddressKey) == addressString
         }
+        .withLoggerName("org.apache.pekko.cluster.typed.ClusterActorLoggingSpec")
         .expect {
           spawn(behavior)
         }