diff --git a/contrib/examples/rules/sample-rule.json b/contrib/examples/rules/sample-rule.json
index 58372b706d..4d3bbd3471 100644
--- a/contrib/examples/rules/sample-rule.json
+++ b/contrib/examples/rules/sample-rule.json
@@ -14,9 +14,7 @@
     },
 
     "action": {
-        "type": {
-            "name": "st2.test.action"
-        },
+        "name": "st2.test.action",
         "parameters": {
             "ip1": "{{trigger.t1_p}}",
             "ip2": "{{system.k1}}"
diff --git a/st2common/st2common/models/api/reactor.py b/st2common/st2common/models/api/reactor.py
index 5dedf6e3be..6b9c5b9d67 100644
--- a/st2common/st2common/models/api/reactor.py
+++ b/st2common/st2common/models/api/reactor.py
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import datetime
 from wsme import types as wstypes
 
+from mirantis.resource import Resource
 from st2common.models.api.stormbase import StormBaseAPI, StormFoundationAPI
 from st2common.models.db.reactor import RuleDB, ActionExecutionSpecDB, TriggerDB
 import st2common.validators.api.reactor as validator
@@ -60,6 +61,11 @@ def from_model(kls, model):
         return trigger_instance
 
 
+class ActionSpec(Resource):
+    name = wstypes.text
+    parameters = wstypes.DictType(str, str)
+
+
 class RuleAPI(StormBaseAPI):
     """
     Attribute:
@@ -75,10 +81,10 @@ class RuleAPI(StormBaseAPI):
             , "operator": "contain" }
         }
         action: Specification of the action to execute and the mappings to apply.
-        expected arguments are type, mapping.
+        expected arguments are name, parameters.
         e.g.
         "action":
-        { "type": {"id": "2345678901"}
+        { "name": "st2.action.foo"
         , "parameters":
             { "command": "{{ system.foo }}"
             , "args": "--email {{ trigger.from }} --subject \'{{ user[stanley].ALERT_SUBJECT }}\'"}
@@ -88,7 +94,7 @@ class RuleAPI(StormBaseAPI):
     """
     trigger = wstypes.DictType(str, str)
     criteria = wstypes.DictType(str, wstypes.DictType(str, str))
-    action = wstypes.DictType(str, wstypes.DictType(str, str))
+    action = ActionSpec
     enabled = wstypes.wsattr(bool, default=True)
 
     @classmethod
@@ -96,8 +102,9 @@ def from_model(kls, model):
         rule = StormBaseAPI.from_model(kls, model)
         rule.trigger = model.trigger
         rule.criteria = dict(model.criteria)
-        rule.action = {'type': model.action.action,
-                       'parameters': dict(model.action.parameters)}
+        rule.action = ActionSpec()
+        rule.action.name = model.action.name
+        rule.action.parameters = model.action.parameters
         rule.enabled = model.enabled
         return rule
 
@@ -108,10 +115,8 @@ def to_model(kls, rule):
         model.criteria = dict(rule.criteria)
         validator.validate_criteria(model.criteria)
         model.action = ActionExecutionSpecDB()
-        if 'type' in rule.action:
-            model.action.action = rule.action['type']
-        if 'parameters' in rule.action:
-            model.action.parameters = rule.action['parameters']
+        model.action.name = rule.action.name
+        model.action.parameters = rule.action.parameters
         model.enabled = rule.enabled
         return model
 
diff --git a/st2common/st2common/models/db/reactor.py b/st2common/st2common/models/db/reactor.py
index fdd02b9122..fa589e1994 100644
--- a/st2common/st2common/models/db/reactor.py
+++ b/st2common/st2common/models/db/reactor.py
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ class TriggerInstanceDB(StormFoundationDB):
 
 
 class ActionExecutionSpecDB(me.EmbeddedDocument):
-    action = me.DictField()
+    name = me.StringField(required=True, unique=True)
     parameters = me.DictField()
 
 
diff --git a/st2common/tests/test_db.py b/st2common/tests/test_db.py
index 6dafa64981..076cc5d61d 100644
--- a/st2common/tests/test_db.py
+++ b/st2common/tests/test_db.py
@@ -200,7 +200,7 @@ def _create_save_rule(trigger, action=None, enabled=True):
         created.trigger = reference.get_ref_from_model(trigger)
         created.criteria = {}
         created.action = ActionExecutionSpecDB()
-        created.action.action = reference.get_ref_from_model(action)
+        created.action.name = action.name
         created.action.parameters = {}
         return Rule.add_or_update(created)
 
diff --git a/st2reactor/st2reactor/rules/enforcer.py b/st2reactor/st2reactor/rules/enforcer.py
index 42d4bf8da0..fecb739741 100644
--- a/st2reactor/st2reactor/rules/enforcer.py
+++ b/st2reactor/st2reactor/rules/enforcer.py
@@ -24,9 +24,9 @@ def enforce(self):
         rule_enforcement.rule = reference.get_ref_from_model(self.rule)
         data = self.data_transformer(self.rule.action.parameters)
         LOG.info('Invoking action %s for trigger_instance %s with data %s.',
-                 RuleEnforcer.__get_action_name(self.rule.action), self.trigger_instance.id,
+                 self.rule.action.name, self.trigger_instance.id,
                  json.dumps(data))
-        action_execution = RuleEnforcer.__invoke_action(self.rule.action.action, data)
+        action_execution = RuleEnforcer.__invoke_action(self.rule.action.name, data)
         if action_execution is not None:
             rule_enforcement.action_execution = action_execution
             rule_enforcement = RuleEnforcement.add_or_update(rule_enforcement)
@@ -37,12 +37,6 @@ def enforce(self):
             LOG.error('Action execution failed. Trigger: id: %s, Rule: %s',
                       self.trigger_instance.id, self.rule)
 
-    @staticmethod
-    def __get_action_name(action_exec_spec):
-        if action_exec_spec is None or action_exec_spec.action is None:
-            return ''
-        return action_exec_spec.action['name']
-
     @staticmethod
     def __invoke_action(action, action_args):
         payload = json.dumps({'action': action,
diff --git a/st2reactorcontroller/tests/controllers/test_rules.py b/st2reactorcontroller/tests/controllers/test_rules.py
index c79d056538..fd454a267a 100644
--- a/st2reactorcontroller/tests/controllers/test_rules.py
+++ b/st2reactorcontroller/tests/controllers/test_rules.py
@@ -40,9 +40,7 @@
         }
     },
     'action': {
-        'type': {
-            'name': 'st2.test.action'
-        },
+        'name': 'st2.test.action',
         'parameters': {
             'ip2': '{{rule.k1}}',
             'ip1': '{{trigger.t1_p}}'