diff --git a/python/ray/actor.py b/python/ray/actor.py
index ea29780024f..180b903ec33 100644
--- a/python/ray/actor.py
+++ b/python/ray/actor.py
@@ -869,7 +869,8 @@ def _serialization_helper(self, ray_forking):
             _ray_actor_creation_dummy_object_id.id(),
             "actor_method_cpus": self._ray_actor_method_cpus,
             "actor_driver_id": self._ray_actor_driver_id.id(),
-            "previous_actor_handle_id": self._ray_actor_handle_id.id(),
+            "previous_actor_handle_id": self._ray_actor_handle_id.id()
+            if self._ray_actor_handle_id else None,
             "ray_forking": ray_forking
         }
 
diff --git a/python/ray/experimental/__init__.py b/python/ray/experimental/__init__.py
index e9697eee48d..58005f44300 100644
--- a/python/ray/experimental/__init__.py
+++ b/python/ray/experimental/__init__.py
@@ -7,10 +7,11 @@
     flush_redis_unsafe, flush_task_and_object_metadata_unsafe,
     flush_finished_tasks_unsafe, flush_evicted_objects_unsafe,
     _flush_finished_tasks_unsafe_shard, _flush_evicted_objects_unsafe_shard)
+from .named_actors import get_actor, register_actor
 
 __all__ = [
     "TensorFlowVariables", "flush_redis_unsafe",
     "flush_task_and_object_metadata_unsafe", "flush_finished_tasks_unsafe",
     "flush_evicted_objects_unsafe", "_flush_finished_tasks_unsafe_shard",
-    "_flush_evicted_objects_unsafe_shard"
+    "_flush_evicted_objects_unsafe_shard", "get_actor", "register_actor"
 ]
diff --git a/python/ray/experimental/named_actors.py b/python/ray/experimental/named_actors.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..9ae7972fc37
--- /dev/null
+++ b/python/ray/experimental/named_actors.py
@@ -0,0 +1,61 @@
+from __future__ import absolute_import
+from __future__ import division
+from __future__ import print_function
+
+import ray
+import ray.cloudpickle as pickle
+
+
+def _calculate_key(name):
+    """Generate a Redis key with the given name.
+
+    Args:
+        name: The name of the named actor.
+
+    Returns:
+        The key to use for storing a named actor in Redis.
+    """
+    return b"Actor:" + name.encode("ascii")
+
+
+def get_actor(name):
+    """Get a named actor which was previously created.
+
+    If the actor doesn't exist, an exception will be raised.
+
+    Args:
+        name: The name of the named actor.
+
+    Returns:
+        The ActorHandle object corresponding to the name.
+    """
+    worker = ray.worker.get_global_worker()
+    actor_hash = _calculate_key(name)
+    pickled_state = worker.redis_client.hget(actor_hash, name)
+    if pickled_state is None:
+        raise ValueError("The actor with name={} doesn't exist".format(name))
+    handle = pickle.loads(pickled_state)
+    return handle
+
+
+def register_actor(name, actor_handle):
+    """Register a named actor under a string key.
+
+   Args:
+       name: The name of the named actor.
+       actor_handle: The actor object to be associated with this name
+   """
+    worker = ray.worker.get_global_worker()
+    if not isinstance(name, str):
+        raise TypeError("The name argument must be a string.")
+    if not isinstance(actor_handle, ray.actor.ActorHandle):
+        raise TypeError("The actor_handle argument must be an ActorHandle "
+                        "object.")
+    actor_hash = _calculate_key(name)
+    pickled_state = pickle.dumps(actor_handle)
+
+    # Add the actor to Redis if it does not already exist.
+    updated = worker.redis_client.hsetnx(actor_hash, name, pickled_state)
+    if updated == 0:
+        raise ValueError(
+            "Error: the actor with name={} already exists".format(name))
diff --git a/test/actor_test.py b/test/actor_test.py
index 594a82f67b7..4509748cf87 100644
--- a/test/actor_test.py
+++ b/test/actor_test.py
@@ -1906,6 +1906,44 @@ def method(self):
         # we should also test this from a different driver.
         ray.get(new_f.method.remote())
 
+    def testRegisterAndGetNamedActors(self):
+        # TODO(heyucongtom): We should test this from another driver.
+        ray.worker.init(num_workers=1)
+
+        @ray.remote
+        class Foo(object):
+            def __init__(self):
+                self.x = 0
+
+            def method(self):
+                self.x += 1
+                return self.x
+
+        f1 = Foo.remote()
+        # Test saving f.
+        ray.experimental.register_actor("f1", f1)
+        # Test getting f.
+        f2 = ray.experimental.get_actor("f1")
+        self.assertEqual(f1._actor_id, f2._actor_id)
+
+        # Test same name register shall raise error.
+        with self.assertRaises(ValueError):
+            ray.experimental.register_actor("f1", f2)
+
+        # Test register with wrong object type.
+        with self.assertRaises(TypeError):
+            ray.experimental.register_actor("f3", 1)
+
+        # Test getting a nonexistent actor.
+        with self.assertRaises(ValueError):
+            ray.experimental.get_actor("nonexistent")
+
+        # Test method
+        self.assertEqual(ray.get(f1.method.remote()), 1)
+        self.assertEqual(ray.get(f2.method.remote()), 2)
+        self.assertEqual(ray.get(f1.method.remote()), 3)
+        self.assertEqual(ray.get(f2.method.remote()), 4)
+
 
 class ActorPlacementAndResources(unittest.TestCase):
     def tearDown(self):