diff --git a/cypress/platform/knsv.html b/cypress/platform/knsv.html
index 4921001fa..85f961989 100644
--- a/cypress/platform/knsv.html
+++ b/cypress/platform/knsv.html
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
     <style>
       body {
         /* background: rgb(221, 208, 208); */
-        background:#333;
+        /* background:#333; */
         font-family: 'Arial';
         /* font-size: 18px !important; */
         }
@@ -53,13 +53,20 @@ stateDiagram
 
 </div>
 <div class="mermaid" style="width: 100%; height: 20%;">
-flowchart LR
-  one --> two
-  three -.-> four[whoa, big arrowhead nine o'clock]
+sequenceDiagram
+  actor Alice as Alice2
+  actor Bob
+  participant John as John2
+  participant Mandy
+  Alice->>Bob: Hi Bob
+  Bob->>Alice: Hi Alice
+  Alice->>John: Hi John
+  John->>Mandy: Hi Mandy
+  Mandy ->>Joan: Hi Joan
 
 </div>
-<div class="mermaid2" style="width: 100%; height: 20%;">
-%%{init: { "apa":"b", "theme":"forest"}}%%
+<div class="mermaid" style="width: 100%; height: 20%;">
+%%{int: { "apa":"b", "theme":"forest"}}%%
 sequenceDiagram
 Alice->>Bob: Hi Bob
 Bob->>Alice: Hi Alice
@@ -112,8 +119,8 @@ YourState
           // console.error('Mermaid error: ', err);
         };
       mermaid.initialize({
-        theme: 'dark',
-        // theme: 'forest',
+        // theme: 'dark',
+        theme: 'forest',
         arrowMarkerAbsolute: true,
         // themeCSS: '.edgePath .path {stroke: red;} .arrowheadPath {fill: red;}',
         logLevel: 2,
diff --git a/src/diagrams/sequence/parser/sequenceDiagram.jison b/src/diagrams/sequence/parser/sequenceDiagram.jison
index 5ffd4b276..5f4b7aae9 100644
--- a/src/diagrams/sequence/parser/sequenceDiagram.jison
+++ b/src/diagrams/sequence/parser/sequenceDiagram.jison
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@
 \%%(?!\{)[^\n]*                                                 /* skip comments */
 [^\}]\%\%[^\n]*                                                 /* skip comments */
 "participant"                                                   { this.begin('ID'); return 'participant'; }
+"actor"                                                   			{ this.begin('ID'); return 'participant_actor'; }
 <ID>[^\->:\n,;]+?(?=((?!\n)\s)+"as"(?!\n)\s|[#\n;]|$)           { yytext = yytext.trim(); this.begin('ALIAS'); return 'ACTOR'; }
 <ALIAS>"as"                                                     { this.popState(); this.popState(); this.begin('LINE'); return 'AS'; }
 <ALIAS>(?:)                                                     { this.popState(); this.popState(); return 'NEWLINE'; }
@@ -103,8 +104,10 @@ directive
   ;
 
 statement
-	: 'participant' actor 'AS' restOfLine 'NEWLINE' {$2.description=yy.parseMessage($4); $$=$2;}
-	| 'participant' actor 'NEWLINE' {$$=$2;}
+	: 'participant' actor 'AS' restOfLine 'NEWLINE' {$2.type='addParticipant';$2.description=yy.parseMessage($4); $$=$2;}
+	| 'participant' actor 'NEWLINE' {$2.type='addParticipant';$$=$2;}
+	| 'participant_actor' actor 'AS' restOfLine 'NEWLINE' {$2.type='addActor';$2.description=yy.parseMessage($4); $$=$2;}
+	| 'participant_actor' actor 'NEWLINE' {$2.type='addActor'; $$=$2;}
 	| signal 'NEWLINE'
 	| autonumber {yy.enableSequenceNumbers()}
 	| 'activate' actor 'NEWLINE' {$$={type: 'activeStart', signalType: yy.LINETYPE.ACTIVE_START, actor: $2};}
@@ -197,9 +200,13 @@ signal
 	{ $$ = [$1,$3,{type: 'addMessage', from:$1.actor, to:$3.actor, signalType:$2, msg:$4}]}
 	;
 
-actor
-	: ACTOR {$$={type: 'addActor', actor:$1}}
-	;
+// actor
+// 	: actor_participant
+// 	| actor_actor
+// 	;
+
+actor: ACTOR {$$={ type: 'addParticipant', actor:$1}};
+// actor_actor: ACTOR {$$={type: 'addActor', actor:$1}};
 
 signaltype
 	: SOLID_OPEN_ARROW  { $$ = yy.LINETYPE.SOLID_OPEN; }
diff --git a/src/diagrams/sequence/sequenceDb.js b/src/diagrams/sequence/sequenceDb.js
index 8df1d0b10..55cccee75 100644
--- a/src/diagrams/sequence/sequenceDb.js
+++ b/src/diagrams/sequence/sequenceDb.js
@@ -15,14 +15,17 @@ export const parseDirective = function (statement, context, type) {
   mermaidAPI.parseDirective(this, statement, context, type);
 };
 
-export const addActor = function (id, name, description) {
+export const addActor = function (id, name, description, type) {
   // Don't allow description nulling
   const old = actors[id];
   if (old && name === old.name && description == null) return;
 
   // Don't allow null descriptions, either
   if (description == null || description.text == null) {
-    description = { text: name, wrap: null };
+    description = { text: name, wrap: null, type };
+  }
+  if (type == null || description.text == null) {
+    description = { text: name, wrap: null, type };
   }
 
   actors[id] = {
@@ -30,6 +33,7 @@ export const addActor = function (id, name, description) {
     description: description.text,
     wrap: (description.wrap === undefined && autoWrap()) || !!description.wrap,
     prevActor: prevActor,
+    type: type || 'participant'
   };
   if (prevActor && actors[prevActor]) {
     actors[prevActor].nextActor = id;
@@ -218,8 +222,11 @@ export const apply = function (param) {
     });
   } else {
     switch (param.type) {
+      case 'addParticipant':
+        addActor(param.actor, param.actor, param.description, 'participant');
+        break;
       case 'addActor':
-        addActor(param.actor, param.actor, param.description);
+        addActor(param.actor, param.actor, param.description, 'actor');
         break;
       case 'activeStart':
         addSignal(param.actor, undefined, undefined, param.signalType);
diff --git a/src/diagrams/sequence/sequenceDiagram.spec.js b/src/diagrams/sequence/sequenceDiagram.spec.js
index 12ca9451d..855635870 100644
--- a/src/diagrams/sequence/sequenceDiagram.spec.js
+++ b/src/diagrams/sequence/sequenceDiagram.spec.js
@@ -121,6 +121,55 @@ B-->A: I am good thanks!`;
 
     mermaidAPI.parse(str);
 
+    const actors = parser.yy.getActors();
+
+    expect(Object.keys(actors)).toEqual(['A', 'B']);
+    expect(actors.A.description).toBe('Alice');
+    expect(actors.B.description).toBe('Bob');
+
+    const messages = parser.yy.getMessages();
+    expect(messages.length).toBe(2);
+    expect(messages[0].from).toBe('A');
+    expect(messages[1].from).toBe('B');
+  });
+  it('it should alias a mix of actors and participants apa12', function() {
+    const str = `
+sequenceDiagram
+  actor Alice as Alice2
+  actor Bob
+  participant John as John2
+  participant Mandy
+  Alice->>Bob: Hi Bob
+  Bob->>Alice: Hi Alice
+  Alice->>John: Hi John
+  John->>Mandy: Hi Mandy
+  Mandy ->>Joan: Hi Joan`;
+
+    mermaidAPI.parse(str);
+
+    const actors = parser.yy.getActors();
+    expect(Object.keys(actors)).toEqual(['Alice', 'Bob', 'John', 'Mandy', 'Joan']);
+    expect(actors.Alice.description).toBe('Alice2');
+    expect(actors.Alice.type).toBe('actor');
+    expect(actors.Bob.description).toBe('Bob');
+    expect(actors.John.type).toBe('participant');
+    expect(actors.Joan.type).toBe('participant');
+
+    const messages = parser.yy.getMessages();
+    expect(messages.length).toBe(5);
+    expect(messages[0].from).toBe('Alice');
+    expect(messages[4].to).toBe('Joan');
+  });
+  it('it should alias actors apa13', function() {
+    const str = `
+sequenceDiagram
+actor A as Alice
+actor B as Bob
+A->B:Hello Bob, how are you?
+B-->A: I am good thanks!`;
+
+    mermaidAPI.parse(str);
+
     const actors = parser.yy.getActors();
     expect(Object.keys(actors)).toEqual(['A', 'B']);
     expect(actors.A.description).toBe('Alice');
diff --git a/src/diagrams/sequence/sequenceRenderer.js b/src/diagrams/sequence/sequenceRenderer.js
index beee944db..1e51b2ef9 100644
--- a/src/diagrams/sequence/sequenceRenderer.js
+++ b/src/diagrams/sequence/sequenceRenderer.js
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import { select, selectAll } from 'd3';
-import svgDraw, { drawText } from './svgDraw';
+import svgDraw, { drawText, fixLifeLineHeights } from './svgDraw';
 import { log } from '../../logger';
 import { parser } from './parser/sequenceDiagram';
 import common from '../common/common';
@@ -421,7 +421,7 @@ export const drawActors = function (diagram, actors, actorKeys, verticalPos) {
   // Draw the actors
   let prevWidth = 0;
   let prevMargin = 0;
-
+  let maxHeight = 0;
   for (let i = 0; i < actorKeys.length; i++) {
     const actor = actors[actorKeys[i]];
 
@@ -434,7 +434,8 @@ export const drawActors = function (diagram, actors, actorKeys, verticalPos) {
     actor.y = verticalPos;
 
     // Draw the box with the attached line
-    svgDraw.drawActor(diagram, actor, conf);
+    const height = svgDraw.drawActor(diagram, actor, conf);
+    maxHeight = Math.max(maxHeight, height);
     bounds.insert(actor.x, verticalPos, actor.x + actor.width, actor.height);
 
     prevWidth += actor.width;
@@ -443,7 +444,7 @@ export const drawActors = function (diagram, actors, actorKeys, verticalPos) {
   }
 
   // Add a margin between the actor boxes and the first arrow
-  bounds.bumpVerticalPos(conf.height);
+  bounds.bumpVerticalPos(maxHeight-conf.boxMargin);
 };
 
 export const setConf = function (cnf) {
@@ -688,6 +689,7 @@ export const draw = function (text, id) {
     // Draw actors below diagram
     bounds.bumpVerticalPos(conf.boxMargin * 2);
     drawActors(diagram, actors, actorKeys, bounds.getVerticalPos());
+    fixLifeLineHeights(diagram, bounds.getVerticalPos());
   }
 
   const { bounds: box } = bounds.getBounds();
diff --git a/src/diagrams/sequence/styles.js b/src/diagrams/sequence/styles.js
index eddbec17b..50632d449 100644
--- a/src/diagrams/sequence/styles.js
+++ b/src/diagrams/sequence/styles.js
@@ -95,6 +95,15 @@ const getStyles = (options) =>
     fill: ${options.activationBkgColor};
     stroke: ${options.activationBorderColor};
   }
+  .actor-man line {
+    stroke: ${options.actorBorder};
+    fill: ${options.actorBkg};
+  }
+  .actor-man circle, line {
+    stroke: ${options.actorBorder};
+    fill: ${options.actorBkg};
+    stroke-width: 2px;
+  }
 `;
 
 export default getStyles;
diff --git a/src/diagrams/sequence/svgDraw.js b/src/diagrams/sequence/svgDraw.js
index e30d50eb1..d9e66d197 100644
--- a/src/diagrams/sequence/svgDraw.js
+++ b/src/diagrams/sequence/svgDraw.js
@@ -181,13 +181,23 @@ export const drawLabel = function (elem, txtObject) {
 };
 
 let actorCnt = -1;
+
+export const fixLifeLineHeights = (diagram, bounds) => {
+  console.log('fixLifeLineHeights', diagram, bounds);
+  diagram
+  .selectAll(".actor-line")
+  .attr("class", "200") //
+  .attr("y2", bounds-55) //
+
+};
+
 /**
  * Draws an actor in the diagram with the attached line
  * @param elem - The diagram we'll draw to.
  * @param actor - The actor to draw.
  * @param conf - drawText implementation discriminator object
  */
-export const drawActor = function (elem, actor, conf) {
+const drawActorTypeParticipant = function (elem, actor, conf) {
   const center = actor.x + actor.width / 2;
 
   const g = elem.append('g');
@@ -225,6 +235,99 @@ export const drawActor = function (elem, actor, conf) {
     { class: 'actor' },
     conf
   );
+
+  return 75;
+};
+
+const drawActorTypeActor = function (elem, actor, conf) {
+  const center = actor.x + actor.width / 2;
+
+
+  if (actor.y === 0) {
+    actorCnt++;
+    elem.append('line')
+    .attr('id', 'actor' + actorCnt)
+    .attr('x1', center)
+    .attr('y1', 80)
+    .attr('x2', center)
+    .attr('y2', 2000)
+    .attr('class', 'actor-line')
+    .attr('stroke-width', '0.5px')
+    .attr('stroke', '#999');
+  }
+  const actElem = elem.append('g');
+  actElem.attr('class', 'actor-man');
+
+  const rect = getNoteRect();
+  rect.x = actor.x;
+  rect.y = actor.y;
+  rect.fill = '#eaeaea';
+  rect.width = actor.width;
+  rect.height = actor.height;
+  rect.class = 'actor';
+  rect.rx = 3;
+  rect.ry = 3;
+  // drawRect(actElem, rect);
+
+  actElem.append('line')
+    .attr('id', 'actor-man-torso' + actorCnt)
+    .attr('x1', center)
+    .attr('y1', actor.y+25)
+    .attr('x2', center)
+    .attr('y2', actor.y+45);
+
+    actElem.append('line')
+    .attr('id', 'actor-man-arms' + actorCnt)
+    .attr('x1', center-18)
+    .attr('y1', actor.y + 33)
+    .attr('x2', center+18)
+    .attr('y2', actor.y + 33);
+    actElem.append('line')
+    .attr('x1', center-18)
+    .attr('y1', actor.y + 60)
+    .attr('x2', center)
+    .attr('y2', actor.y + 45);
+    actElem.append('line')
+    .attr('x1', center)
+    .attr('y1', actor.y + 45)
+    .attr('x2', center+16)
+    .attr('y2', actor.y + 60);
+
+
+  const circle = actElem.append('circle');
+  circle.attr('cx', actor.x + actor.width/2);
+  circle.attr('cy', actor.y+10);
+  circle.attr('r', 15);
+  circle.attr('width', actor.width);
+  circle.attr('height', actor.height);
+  // circle.attr('rx', rectData.rx);
+  // circle.attr('ry', rectData.ry);
+
+  const bounds = actElem.node().getBBox();
+  actor.height = bounds.height;
+
+
+  _drawTextCandidateFunc(conf)(
+    actor.description,
+    actElem,
+    rect.x,
+    rect.y + 35,
+    rect.width,
+    rect.height,
+    { class: 'actor' },
+    conf
+  );
+
+  return 100;
+};
+
+export const drawActor = function (elem, actor, conf) {
+  switch(actor.type) {
+    case 'actor':
+      return drawActorTypeActor(elem, actor, conf);
+    case 'participant':
+      return drawActorTypeParticipant(elem, actor, conf);
+  }
 };
 
 export const anchorElement = function (elem) {
@@ -576,4 +679,5 @@ export default {
   insertArrowCrossHead,
   getTextObj,
   getNoteRect,
+  fixLifeLineHeights,
 };