diff --git a/benchmarks/src/main/java/com/squareup/okhttp/benchmarks/Benchmark.java b/benchmarks/src/main/java/com/squareup/okhttp/benchmarks/Benchmark.java
index 8a5505158d54..7f0073cc7da5 100644
--- a/benchmarks/src/main/java/com/squareup/okhttp/benchmarks/Benchmark.java
+++ b/benchmarks/src/main/java/com/squareup/okhttp/benchmarks/Benchmark.java
@@ -173,7 +173,7 @@ private MockWebServer startServer() throws IOException {
       }
     });
 
-    server.play();
+    server.start();
     return server;
   }
 
diff --git a/mockwebserver/README.md b/mockwebserver/README.md
index 9596ec163998..c72966826ce0 100644
--- a/mockwebserver/README.md
+++ b/mockwebserver/README.md
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ public void test() throws Exception {
   server.enqueue(new MockResponse().setBody("yo dog"));
 
   // Start the server.
-  server.play();
+  server.start();
 
   // Ask the server for its URL. You'll need this to make HTTP requests.
   URL baseUrl = server.getUrl("/v1/chat/");
diff --git a/mockwebserver/src/main/java/com/squareup/okhttp/mockwebserver/MockWebServer.java b/mockwebserver/src/main/java/com/squareup/okhttp/mockwebserver/MockWebServer.java
index 06ef70ee99ad..6041089a2899 100644
--- a/mockwebserver/src/main/java/com/squareup/okhttp/mockwebserver/MockWebServer.java
+++ b/mockwebserver/src/main/java/com/squareup/okhttp/mockwebserver/MockWebServer.java
@@ -127,17 +127,19 @@ public void setServerSocketFactory(ServerSocketFactory serverSocketFactory) {
   }
 
   public int getPort() {
-    if (port == -1) throw new IllegalStateException("Call play() before getPort()");
+    if (port == -1) throw new IllegalStateException("Call start() before getPort()");
     return port;
   }
 
   public String getHostName() {
-    if (inetAddress == null) throw new IllegalStateException("Call play() before getHostName()");
+    if (inetAddress == null) throw new IllegalStateException("Call start() before getHostName()");
     return inetAddress.getHostName();
   }
 
   public Proxy toProxyAddress() {
-    if (inetAddress == null) throw new IllegalStateException("Call play() before toProxyAddress()");
+    if (inetAddress == null) {
+      throw new IllegalStateException("Call start() before toProxyAddress()");
+    }
     return new Proxy(Proxy.Type.HTTP, new InetSocketAddress(inetAddress, getPort()));
   }
 
@@ -258,20 +260,30 @@ public void enqueue(MockResponse response) {
     ((QueueDispatcher) dispatcher).enqueueResponse(response.clone());
   }
 
-  /** Equivalent to {@code play(0)}. */
+  /** @deprecated Use {@link #start()}. */
   public void play() throws IOException {
-    play(0);
+    start();
+  }
+
+  /** @deprecated Use {@link #start(int)}. */
+  public void play(int port) throws IOException {
+    start(port);
+  }
+
+  /** Equivalent to {@code start(0)}. */
+  public void start() throws IOException {
+    start(0);
   }
 
   /**
-   * Starts the server, serves all enqueued requests, and shuts the server down.
+   * Starts the server.
    *
    * @param port the port to listen to, or 0 for any available port. Automated
    *     tests should always use port 0 to avoid flakiness when a specific port
    *     is unavailable.
    */
-  public void play(int port) throws IOException {
-    if (executor != null) throw new IllegalStateException("play() already called");
+  public void start(int port) throws IOException {
+    if (executor != null) throw new IllegalStateException("start() already called");
     executor = Executors.newCachedThreadPool(Util.threadFactory("MockWebServer", false));
     inetAddress = InetAddress.getByName(null);
     serverSocket = serverSocketFactory.createServerSocket();
diff --git a/mockwebserver/src/main/java/com/squareup/okhttp/mockwebserver/rule/MockWebServerRule.java b/mockwebserver/src/main/java/com/squareup/okhttp/mockwebserver/rule/MockWebServerRule.java
index e7200e266532..01df8e219ada 100644
--- a/mockwebserver/src/main/java/com/squareup/okhttp/mockwebserver/rule/MockWebServerRule.java
+++ b/mockwebserver/src/main/java/com/squareup/okhttp/mockwebserver/rule/MockWebServerRule.java
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ public class MockWebServerRule extends ExternalResource {
     if (started) return;
     started = true;
     try {
-      server.play();
+      server.start();
     } catch (IOException e) {
       throw new RuntimeException(e);
     }
diff --git a/mockwebserver/src/test/java/com/squareup/okhttp/mockwebserver/CustomDispatcherTest.java b/mockwebserver/src/test/java/com/squareup/okhttp/mockwebserver/CustomDispatcherTest.java
index efd34742c527..1c8c8206c96d 100644
--- a/mockwebserver/src/test/java/com/squareup/okhttp/mockwebserver/CustomDispatcherTest.java
+++ b/mockwebserver/src/test/java/com/squareup/okhttp/mockwebserver/CustomDispatcherTest.java
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ public class CustomDispatcherTest {
   }
 
   @Test public void simpleDispatch() throws Exception {
-    mockWebServer.play();
+    mockWebServer.start();
     final List<RecordedRequest> requestsMade = new ArrayList<>();
     final Dispatcher dispatcher = new Dispatcher() {
       @Override
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ public MockResponse dispatch(RecordedRequest request) throws InterruptedExceptio
   @Test public void outOfOrderResponses() throws Exception {
     AtomicInteger firstResponseCode = new AtomicInteger();
     AtomicInteger secondResponseCode = new AtomicInteger();
-    mockWebServer.play();
+    mockWebServer.start();
     final String secondRequest = "/bar";
     final String firstRequest = "/foo";
     final CountDownLatch latch = new CountDownLatch(1);
diff --git a/okhttp-apache/src/test/java/com/squareup/okhttp/apache/OkApacheClientTest.java b/okhttp-apache/src/test/java/com/squareup/okhttp/apache/OkApacheClientTest.java
index 9e816d369812..ca47c0131aab 100644
--- a/okhttp-apache/src/test/java/com/squareup/okhttp/apache/OkApacheClientTest.java
+++ b/okhttp-apache/src/test/java/com/squareup/okhttp/apache/OkApacheClientTest.java
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ public class OkApacheClientTest {
   @Before public void setUp() throws IOException {
     client = new OkApacheClient();
     server = new MockWebServer();
-    server.play();
+    server.start();
   }
 
   @After public void tearDown() throws IOException {
diff --git a/okhttp-tests/src/test/java/com/squareup/okhttp/CacheTest.java b/okhttp-tests/src/test/java/com/squareup/okhttp/CacheTest.java
index b76b9a2be417..94df054c50d7 100644
--- a/okhttp-tests/src/test/java/com/squareup/okhttp/CacheTest.java
+++ b/okhttp-tests/src/test/java/com/squareup/okhttp/CacheTest.java
@@ -164,7 +164,7 @@ private void assertCached(boolean shouldPut, int responseCode) throws Exception
       mockResponse.addHeader("WWW-Authenticate: Basic realm=\"protected area\"");
     }
     server.enqueue(mockResponse);
-    server.play();
+    server.start();
 
     Request request = new Request.Builder()
         .url(server.getUrl("/"))
diff --git a/okhttp-tests/src/test/java/com/squareup/okhttp/ConnectionPoolTest.java b/okhttp-tests/src/test/java/com/squareup/okhttp/ConnectionPoolTest.java
index 0bdc9f58a43a..ebeb698ae3fc 100644
--- a/okhttp-tests/src/test/java/com/squareup/okhttp/ConnectionPoolTest.java
+++ b/okhttp-tests/src/test/java/com/squareup/okhttp/ConnectionPoolTest.java
@@ -80,14 +80,14 @@ private void setUp(int poolSize) throws Exception {
     List<ConnectionSpec> connectionSpecs = Util.immutableList(
         ConnectionSpec.MODERN_TLS, ConnectionSpec.CLEARTEXT);
 
-    httpServer.play();
+    httpServer.start();
     httpAddress = new Address(httpServer.getHostName(), httpServer.getPort(), socketFactory, null,
         null, null, AuthenticatorAdapter.INSTANCE, null,
         Util.immutableList(Protocol.SPDY_3, Protocol.HTTP_1_1), connectionSpecs, proxySelector);
     httpSocketAddress = new InetSocketAddress(InetAddress.getByName(httpServer.getHostName()),
         httpServer.getPort());
 
-    spdyServer.play();
+    spdyServer.start();
     spdyAddress = new Address(spdyServer.getHostName(), spdyServer.getPort(), socketFactory,
         sslContext.getSocketFactory(), new RecordingHostnameVerifier(), CertificatePinner.DEFAULT,
         AuthenticatorAdapter.INSTANCE, null, Util.immutableList(Protocol.SPDY_3, Protocol.HTTP_1_1),
@@ -558,7 +558,7 @@ private void assertPooled(ConnectionPool pool, Connection... connections) throws
   private static class FakeExecutor implements Executor {
 
     private Runnable runnable;
-    
+
     @Override
     public void execute(Runnable runnable) {
       // This is a bonus assertion for the invariant: At no time should two runnables be scheduled.
diff --git a/okhttp-tests/src/test/java/com/squareup/okhttp/SocksProxyTest.java b/okhttp-tests/src/test/java/com/squareup/okhttp/SocksProxyTest.java
index 234e449d8586..9b10213c27e4 100644
--- a/okhttp-tests/src/test/java/com/squareup/okhttp/SocksProxyTest.java
+++ b/okhttp-tests/src/test/java/com/squareup/okhttp/SocksProxyTest.java
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ public final class SocksProxyTest {
   private final MockWebServer server = new MockWebServer();
 
   @Before public void setUp() throws Exception {
-    server.play();
+    server.start();
     socksProxy.play();
   }
 
diff --git a/okhttp-tests/src/test/java/com/squareup/okhttp/internal/http/CookiesTest.java b/okhttp-tests/src/test/java/com/squareup/okhttp/internal/http/CookiesTest.java
index a738cde08243..f9648d7d62a1 100644
--- a/okhttp-tests/src/test/java/com/squareup/okhttp/internal/http/CookiesTest.java
+++ b/okhttp-tests/src/test/java/com/squareup/okhttp/internal/http/CookiesTest.java
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ public void testNetscapeResponse() throws Exception {
     CookieManager cookieManager = new CookieManager(null, ACCEPT_ORIGINAL_SERVER);
     CookieHandler.setDefault(cookieManager);
     MockWebServer server = new MockWebServer();
-    server.play();
+    server.start();
 
     server.enqueue(new MockResponse().addHeader("Set-Cookie: a=android; "
         + "expires=Fri, 31-Dec-9999 23:59:59 GMT; "
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ public void testNetscapeResponse() throws Exception {
     CookieManager cookieManager = new CookieManager(null, ACCEPT_ORIGINAL_SERVER);
     CookieHandler.setDefault(cookieManager);
     MockWebServer server = new MockWebServer();
-    server.play();
+    server.start();
 
     server.enqueue(new MockResponse().addHeader("Set-Cookie: a=android; "
         + "Comment=this cookie is delicious; "
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@ public void testNetscapeResponse() throws Exception {
     CookieManager cookieManager = new CookieManager(null, ACCEPT_ORIGINAL_SERVER);
     CookieHandler.setDefault(cookieManager);
     MockWebServer server = new MockWebServer();
-    server.play();
+    server.start();
 
     server.enqueue(new MockResponse().addHeader("Set-Cookie2: a=android; "
         + "Comment=this cookie is delicious; "
@@ -155,7 +155,7 @@ public void testNetscapeResponse() throws Exception {
     CookieManager cookieManager = new CookieManager(null, ACCEPT_ORIGINAL_SERVER);
     CookieHandler.setDefault(cookieManager);
     MockWebServer server = new MockWebServer();
-    server.play();
+    server.start();
 
     server.enqueue(new MockResponse().addHeader("Set-Cookie2: a=\"android\"; "
         + "Comment=\"this cookie is delicious\"; "
@@ -188,7 +188,7 @@ public void testNetscapeResponse() throws Exception {
   @Test public void testSendingCookiesFromStore() throws Exception {
     MockWebServer server = new MockWebServer();
     server.enqueue(new MockResponse());
-    server.play();
+    server.start();
 
     CookieManager cookieManager = new CookieManager(null, ACCEPT_ORIGINAL_SERVER);
     HttpCookie cookieA = new HttpCookie("a", "android");
@@ -213,13 +213,13 @@ public void testNetscapeResponse() throws Exception {
   @Test public void testRedirectsDoNotIncludeTooManyCookies() throws Exception {
     MockWebServer redirectTarget = new MockWebServer();
     redirectTarget.enqueue(new MockResponse().setBody("A"));
-    redirectTarget.play();
+    redirectTarget.start();
 
     MockWebServer redirectSource = new MockWebServer();
     redirectSource.enqueue(new MockResponse()
         .setResponseCode(HttpURLConnection.HTTP_MOVED_TEMP)
         .addHeader("Location: " + redirectTarget.getUrl("/")));
-    redirectSource.play();
+    redirectSource.start();
 
     CookieManager cookieManager = new CookieManager(null, ACCEPT_ORIGINAL_SERVER);
     HttpCookie cookie = new HttpCookie("c", "cookie");
@@ -267,7 +267,7 @@ public Map<String, List<String>> get(URI uri,
     });
     MockWebServer server = new MockWebServer();
     server.enqueue(new MockResponse());
-    server.play();
+    server.start();
 
     HttpURLConnection connection = new OkUrlFactory(client).open(server.getUrl("/"));
     assertEquals(Collections.<String, List<String>>emptyMap(),
@@ -316,7 +316,7 @@ public Map<String, List<String>> get(URI uri,
     });
     MockWebServer server = new MockWebServer();
     server. enqueue(new MockResponse());
-    server.play();
+    server.start();
 
     get(server, "/");
 
diff --git a/okhttp-tests/src/test/java/com/squareup/okhttp/internal/http/DisconnectTest.java b/okhttp-tests/src/test/java/com/squareup/okhttp/internal/http/DisconnectTest.java
index ff86560d90db..7a70d03e3406 100644
--- a/okhttp-tests/src/test/java/com/squareup/okhttp/internal/http/DisconnectTest.java
+++ b/okhttp-tests/src/test/java/com/squareup/okhttp/internal/http/DisconnectTest.java
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ protected void configureSocket(Socket socket) throws IOException {
 
     server.enqueue(new MockResponse()
         .throttleBody(64 * 1024, 125, TimeUnit.MILLISECONDS)); // 500 Kbps
-    server.play();
+    server.start();
 
     HttpURLConnection connection = new OkUrlFactory(client).open(server.getUrl("/"));
     disconnectLater(connection, 500);
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ protected void configureSocket(Socket socket) throws IOException {
     server.enqueue(new MockResponse()
         .setBody(new Buffer().write(new byte[responseBodySize]))
         .throttleBody(64 * 1024, 125, TimeUnit.MILLISECONDS)); // 500 Kbps
-    server.play();
+    server.start();
 
     HttpURLConnection connection = new OkUrlFactory(client).open(server.getUrl("/"));
     disconnectLater(connection, 500);
diff --git a/okhttp-tests/src/test/java/com/squareup/okhttp/internal/http/ThreadInterruptTest.java b/okhttp-tests/src/test/java/com/squareup/okhttp/internal/http/ThreadInterruptTest.java
index 505796d57fc3..63f55e1f18a6 100644
--- a/okhttp-tests/src/test/java/com/squareup/okhttp/internal/http/ThreadInterruptTest.java
+++ b/okhttp-tests/src/test/java/com/squareup/okhttp/internal/http/ThreadInterruptTest.java
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ protected void configureSocket(Socket socket) throws IOException {
 
     server.enqueue(new MockResponse()
         .throttleBody(64 * 1024, 125, TimeUnit.MILLISECONDS)); // 500 Kbps
-    server.play();
+    server.start();
 
     interruptLater(500);
 
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ protected void configureSocket(Socket socket) throws IOException {
     server.enqueue(new MockResponse()
         .setBody(new Buffer().write(new byte[responseBodySize]))
         .throttleBody(64 * 1024, 125, TimeUnit.MILLISECONDS)); // 500 Kbps
-    server.play();
+    server.start();
 
     interruptLater(500);
 
diff --git a/okhttp-urlconnection/src/test/java/com/squareup/okhttp/UrlConnectionCacheTest.java b/okhttp-urlconnection/src/test/java/com/squareup/okhttp/UrlConnectionCacheTest.java
index 277e4eca1d8d..513cd9d49e4e 100644
--- a/okhttp-urlconnection/src/test/java/com/squareup/okhttp/UrlConnectionCacheTest.java
+++ b/okhttp-urlconnection/src/test/java/com/squareup/okhttp/UrlConnectionCacheTest.java
@@ -173,7 +173,7 @@ private void assertCached(boolean shouldPut, int responseCode) throws Exception
       response.addHeader("WWW-Authenticate: Basic realm=\"protected area\"");
     }
     server.enqueue(response);
-    server.play();
+    server.start();
 
     URL url = server.getUrl("/");
     HttpURLConnection conn = client.open(url);
diff --git a/okhttp-urlconnection/src/test/java/com/squareup/okhttp/internal/huc/CacheAdapterTest.java b/okhttp-urlconnection/src/test/java/com/squareup/okhttp/internal/huc/CacheAdapterTest.java
index 270fb837ee74..3b3a4b54d43b 100644
--- a/okhttp-urlconnection/src/test/java/com/squareup/okhttp/internal/huc/CacheAdapterTest.java
+++ b/okhttp-urlconnection/src/test/java/com/squareup/okhttp/internal/huc/CacheAdapterTest.java
@@ -254,14 +254,14 @@ private void executePost(HttpURLConnection connection) throws IOException {
 
   private URL configureServer(MockResponse mockResponse) throws Exception {
     server.enqueue(mockResponse);
-    server.play();
+    server.start();
     return server.getUrl("/");
   }
 
   private URL configureHttpsServer(MockResponse mockResponse) throws Exception {
     server.useHttps(sslContext.getSocketFactory(), false /* tunnelProxy */);
     server.enqueue(mockResponse);
-    server.play();
+    server.start();
     return server.getUrl("/");
   }
 }
diff --git a/samples/static-server/src/main/java/com/squareup/okhttp/sample/SampleServer.java b/samples/static-server/src/main/java/com/squareup/okhttp/sample/SampleServer.java
index c7a479ec18ac..a2fd19d42443 100644
--- a/samples/static-server/src/main/java/com/squareup/okhttp/sample/SampleServer.java
+++ b/samples/static-server/src/main/java/com/squareup/okhttp/sample/SampleServer.java
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ public void run() throws IOException {
     MockWebServer server = new MockWebServer();
     server.useHttps(sslContext.getSocketFactory(), false);
     server.setDispatcher(this);
-    server.play(port);
+    server.start(port);
   }
 
   @Override public MockResponse dispatch(RecordedRequest request) {