diff --git a/hpx/runtime/actions/basic_action.hpp b/hpx/runtime/actions/basic_action.hpp
index a75a0a48763f..6d10b2b4006a 100644
--- a/hpx/runtime/actions/basic_action.hpp
+++ b/hpx/runtime/actions/basic_action.hpp
@@ -461,6 +461,8 @@ namespace hpx { namespace actions
             return static_cast<int>(components::get_component_type<Component>());
         }
 
+        typedef std::false_type direct_execution;
+
         /// The function \a get_action_type returns whether this action needs
         /// to be executed in a new thread or directly.
         static base_action::action_type get_action_type()
@@ -521,30 +523,14 @@ namespace hpx { namespace actions
         };
     }
 
-    ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
-    template <typename Signature, typename TF, TF F, typename Derived>
-    class basic_action_impl;
-
     ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
     template <typename TF, TF F, typename Derived = detail::this_type>
-    struct action
-      : basic_action_impl<TF, TF, F,
-            typename detail::action_type<
-                action<TF, F, Derived>,
-                Derived
-            >::type>
-    {
-        typedef typename detail::action_type<
-            action, Derived
-        >::type derived_type;
-
-        typedef std::false_type direct_execution;
-    };
+    struct action;
 
     ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
     template <typename TF, TF F, typename Derived = detail::this_type>
     struct direct_action
-      : basic_action_impl<TF, TF, F,
+      : action<TF, F,
             typename detail::action_type<
                 direct_action<TF, F, Derived>,
                 Derived
diff --git a/hpx/runtime/actions/component_action.hpp b/hpx/runtime/actions/component_action.hpp
index cbfde8013f88..da0250b3b838 100644
--- a/hpx/runtime/actions/component_action.hpp
+++ b/hpx/runtime/actions/component_action.hpp
@@ -87,15 +87,23 @@ namespace hpx { namespace actions
     ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
     template <
         typename Component, typename R, typename ...Ps,
-        typename TF, TF F, typename Derived>
-    class basic_action_impl<R (Component::*)(Ps...), TF, F, Derived>
-      : public basic_action<Component, R(Ps...), Derived>
+        R (Component::*F)(Ps...), typename Derived>
+    struct action<R (Component::*)(Ps...), F, Derived>
+      : basic_action<Component, R(Ps...),
+            typename detail::action_type<
+                action<R (Component::*)(Ps...), F, Derived>,
+                Derived
+            >::type
+        >
     {
-    public:
+        typedef typename detail::action_type<
+            action, Derived
+        >::type derived_type;
+
         static std::string get_action_name(naming::address::address_type lva)
         {
             return detail::make_component_action_name(
-                detail::get_action_name<Derived>(),
+                detail::get_action_name<derived_type>(),
                 get_lva<Component>::call(lva));
         }
 
@@ -104,7 +112,7 @@ namespace hpx { namespace actions
             naming::address::address_type lva,
             naming::address::component_type comptype, Ts&&... vs)
         {
-            basic_action<Component, R(Ps...), Derived>::
+            basic_action<Component, R(Ps...), derived_type>::
                 increment_invocation_count();
 
             using is_future = typename traits::is_future<R>::type;
@@ -119,15 +127,23 @@ namespace hpx { namespace actions
     ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
     template <
         typename Component, typename R, typename ...Ps,
-        typename TF, TF F, typename Derived>
-    class basic_action_impl<R (Component::*)(Ps...) const, TF, F, Derived>
-      : public basic_action<Component const, R(Ps...), Derived>
+        R (Component::*F)(Ps...) const, typename Derived>
+    struct action<R (Component::*)(Ps...) const, F, Derived>
+      : basic_action<Component const, R(Ps...),
+            typename detail::action_type<
+                action<R (Component::*)(Ps...) const, F, Derived>,
+                Derived
+            >::type
+        >
     {
-    public:
+        typedef typename detail::action_type<
+            action, Derived
+        >::type derived_type;
+
         static std::string get_action_name(naming::address::address_type lva)
         {
             return detail::make_component_action_name(
-                detail::get_action_name<Derived>(),
+                detail::get_action_name<derived_type>(),
                 get_lva<Component>::call(lva));
         }
 
@@ -136,7 +152,7 @@ namespace hpx { namespace actions
             naming::address::address_type lva,
             naming::address::component_type comptype, Ts&&... vs)
         {
-            basic_action<Component const, R(Ps...), Derived>::
+            basic_action<Component const, R(Ps...), derived_type>::
                 increment_invocation_count();
 
             using is_future = typename traits::is_future<R>::type;
diff --git a/hpx/runtime/actions/lambda_to_action.hpp b/hpx/runtime/actions/lambda_to_action.hpp
index 35cccd948529..1ac4ea320d4a 100644
--- a/hpx/runtime/actions/lambda_to_action.hpp
+++ b/hpx/runtime/actions/lambda_to_action.hpp
@@ -43,8 +43,6 @@ namespace hpx { namespace actions
             lambda_action<F, ReturnType, Args...>>
         {
             typedef lambda_action derived_type;
-            typedef std::false_type direct_execution;
-            typedef void is_plain_action;
 
             static std::string get_action_name(naming::address::address_type /*lva*/)
             {
diff --git a/hpx/runtime/actions/plain_action.hpp b/hpx/runtime/actions/plain_action.hpp
index 677be1108d1a..b95a016df1c1 100644
--- a/hpx/runtime/actions/plain_action.hpp
+++ b/hpx/runtime/actions/plain_action.hpp
@@ -63,15 +63,23 @@ namespace hpx { namespace actions
     ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
     template <
         typename R, typename ...Ps,
-        typename TF, TF F, typename Derived>
-    class basic_action_impl<R (*)(Ps...), TF, F, Derived>
-      : public basic_action<detail::plain_function, R(Ps...), Derived>
+        R (*F)(Ps...), typename Derived>
+    struct action<R (*)(Ps...), F, Derived>
+      : basic_action<detail::plain_function, R(Ps...),
+            typename detail::action_type<
+                action<R (*)(Ps...), F, Derived>,
+                Derived
+            >::type
+        >
     {
-    public:
+        typedef typename detail::action_type<
+            action, Derived
+        >::type derived_type;
+
         static std::string get_action_name(naming::address::address_type /*lva*/)
         {
             return detail::make_plain_action_name(
-                detail::get_action_name<Derived>());
+                detail::get_action_name<derived_type>());
         }
 
         template <typename ...Ts>
@@ -79,7 +87,7 @@ namespace hpx { namespace actions
             naming::address::address_type /*lva*/,
             naming::address::component_type comptype, Ts&&... vs)
         {
-            basic_action<detail::plain_function, R(Ps...), Derived>::
+            basic_action<detail::plain_function, R(Ps...), derived_type>::
                 increment_invocation_count();
             return F(std::forward<Ts>(vs)...);
         }
diff --git a/hpx/runtime/components/server/console_error_sink.hpp b/hpx/runtime/components/server/console_error_sink.hpp
index 3f7dd174c983..87a9895e2150 100644
--- a/hpx/runtime/components/server/console_error_sink.hpp
+++ b/hpx/runtime/components/server/console_error_sink.hpp
@@ -20,9 +20,7 @@ namespace hpx { namespace components { namespace server
     // console logging happens here
     void console_error_sink(std::exception_ptr const&);
 
-    typedef actions::action<
-        void (*)(std::exception_ptr const&), console_error_sink
-    > console_error_sink_action;
+    HPX_DEFINE_PLAIN_ACTION(console_error_sink, console_error_sink_action);
 }}}
 
 HPX_ACTION_HAS_CRITICAL_PRIORITY(