diff --git a/app/actors/curation_concerns/actors/base_actor.rb b/app/actors/curation_concerns/actors/base_actor.rb
index 19fa79e6c..d1e5b0ec4 100644
--- a/app/actors/curation_concerns/actors/base_actor.rb
+++ b/app/actors/curation_concerns/actors/base_actor.rb
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ def create(attributes)
         @cloud_resources = attributes.delete(:cloud_resources.to_s)
         apply_creation_data_to_curation_concern
         apply_save_data_to_curation_concern(attributes)
-        next_actor.create(attributes) && save && run_callbacks(:after_create_concern)
+        save && next_actor.create(attributes) && run_callbacks(:after_create_concern)
       end
 
       def update(attributes)
diff --git a/app/actors/curation_concerns/actors/initialize_workflow_actor.rb b/app/actors/curation_concerns/actors/initialize_workflow_actor.rb
index 26fabfd12..d8557774f 100644
--- a/app/actors/curation_concerns/actors/initialize_workflow_actor.rb
+++ b/app/actors/curation_concerns/actors/initialize_workflow_actor.rb
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ def create(attributes)
 
         # @return [TrueClass]
         def create_workflow(attributes)
-          workflow_factory.create(curation_concern, attributes)
+          workflow_factory.create(curation_concern, attributes, user)
         end
     end
   end
diff --git a/app/forms/curation_concerns/forms/workflow_action_form.rb b/app/forms/curation_concerns/forms/workflow_action_form.rb
index 258e240bd..ab74cdee2 100644
--- a/app/forms/curation_concerns/forms/workflow_action_form.rb
+++ b/app/forms/curation_concerns/forms/workflow_action_form.rb
@@ -21,18 +21,16 @@ def initialize(current_ability:, work:, attributes: {})
         @work = work
         @name = attributes.fetch(:name, false)
         @comment = attributes.fetch(:comment, nil)
+        convert_to_sipity_objects!
       end
 
       attr_reader :current_ability, :work, :name, :comment
 
       def save
-        convert_to_sipity_objects!
         return false unless valid?
-        update_sipity_workflow_state
-        comment = create_sipity_comment
-        handle_sipity_notifications(comment: comment)
-        handle_additional_sipity_workflow_action_processing(comment: comment)
-        work.update_index # So that the new actions and state are written into solr.
+        Workflow::WorkflowActionService.run(subject: subject,
+                                            action: sipity_workflow_action,
+                                            comment: comment)
         true
       end
 
@@ -41,7 +39,9 @@ def save
 
       def authorized_for_processing
         return true if CurationConcerns::Workflow::PermissionQuery.authorized_for_processing?(
-          user: agent, entity: entity, action: sipity_workflow_action
+          user: subject.agent,
+          entity: subject.entity,
+          action: sipity_workflow_action
         )
         errors.add(:base, :unauthorized)
         false
@@ -50,39 +50,13 @@ def authorized_for_processing
       private
 
         def convert_to_sipity_objects!
-          @entity = PowerConverter.convert(work, to: :sipity_entity)
-          @agent = PowerConverter.convert(current_user, to: :sipity_agent)
-          @sipity_workflow_action = PowerConverter.convert_to_sipity_action(name, scope: entity.workflow)
+          @subject = WorkflowActionInfo.new(work, current_user)
+          @sipity_workflow_action = PowerConverter.convert_to_sipity_action(name, scope: subject.entity.workflow)
         end
 
-        attr_reader :entity, :agent, :sipity_workflow_action
+        attr_reader :subject, :sipity_workflow_action
 
         delegate :current_user, to: :current_ability
-
-        def create_sipity_comment
-          return true unless comment.present?
-          Sipity::Comment.create!(entity: entity, agent: agent, comment: comment)
-        end
-
-        def update_sipity_workflow_state
-          return true unless sipity_workflow_action.resulting_workflow_state_id.present?
-          entity.update_attribute(:workflow_state_id, sipity_workflow_action.resulting_workflow_state_id)
-        end
-
-        def handle_sipity_notifications(comment:)
-          CurationConcerns::Workflow::NotificationService.deliver_on_action_taken(
-            entity: entity,
-            comment: comment,
-            action: sipity_workflow_action,
-            user: current_user
-          )
-        end
-
-        def handle_additional_sipity_workflow_action_processing(comment:)
-          CurationConcerns::Workflow::ActionTakenService.handle_action_taken(
-            entity: entity, comment: comment, action: sipity_workflow_action, user: current_user
-          )
-        end
     end
   end
 end
diff --git a/app/indexers/curation_concerns/indexes_workflow.rb b/app/indexers/curation_concerns/indexes_workflow.rb
index 8903dea72..c6f8006aa 100644
--- a/app/indexers/curation_concerns/indexes_workflow.rb
+++ b/app/indexers/curation_concerns/indexes_workflow.rb
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ def index_workflow_fields(solr_document)
       entity = PowerConverter.convert_to_sipity_entity(object)
       return if entity.nil?
       solr_document[workflow_role_field] = workflow_roles(entity).map { |role| "#{entity.workflow.name}-#{role}" }
-      solr_document[workflow_state_name_field] = entity.workflow_state.name
+      solr_document[workflow_state_name_field] = entity.workflow_state.name if entity.workflow_state
     end
 
     def workflow_state_name_field
diff --git a/app/models/curation_concerns/workflow_action_info.rb b/app/models/curation_concerns/workflow_action_info.rb
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..55c7695e4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/models/curation_concerns/workflow_action_info.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+module CurationConcerns
+  # A simple data object for holding a user, work and their workflow proxies
+  class WorkflowActionInfo
+    def initialize(work, user)
+      @work = work
+      @user = user
+      @entity = PowerConverter.convert(work, to: :sipity_entity)
+      @agent = PowerConverter.convert(user, to: :sipity_agent)
+    end
+
+    attr_reader :entity, :agent, :user, :work
+  end
+end
diff --git a/app/models/sipity/entity.rb b/app/models/sipity/entity.rb
index 167ff8481..f8942ac03 100644
--- a/app/models/sipity/entity.rb
+++ b/app/models/sipity/entity.rb
@@ -18,8 +18,9 @@ class Entity < ActiveRecord::Base
              dependent: :destroy,
              class_name: 'Sipity::Comment'
 
-    # Defines the method #workflow_state_name
-    delegate :name, to: :workflow_state, prefix: :workflow_state
+    def workflow_state_name
+      workflow_state.name if workflow_state
+    end
 
     # Defines the method #workflow_name
     delegate :name, to: :workflow, prefix: :workflow
diff --git a/app/services/curation_concerns/actors/actor_factory.rb b/app/services/curation_concerns/actors/actor_factory.rb
index ac9186de9..8d30e883d 100644
--- a/app/services/curation_concerns/actors/actor_factory.rb
+++ b/app/services/curation_concerns/actors/actor_factory.rb
@@ -15,8 +15,8 @@ def self.stack_actors(curation_concern)
          ApplyOrderActor,
          InterpretVisibilityActor,
          GrantEditToDepositorActor,
-         InitializeWorkflowActor,
-         model_actor(curation_concern)]
+         model_actor(curation_concern),
+         InitializeWorkflowActor]
       end
 
       def self.model_actor(curation_concern)
diff --git a/app/services/curation_concerns/workflow/workflow_action_service.rb b/app/services/curation_concerns/workflow/workflow_action_service.rb
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..6bf5620dd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/services/curation_concerns/workflow/workflow_action_service.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,56 @@
+module CurationConcerns
+  module Workflow
+    class WorkflowActionService
+      def self.run(subject:, action:, comment: nil)
+        new(subject: subject, action: action, comment: comment).run
+      end
+
+      def initialize(subject:, action:, comment:)
+        @subject = subject
+        @action = action
+        @comment_text = comment
+      end
+
+      attr_reader :subject, :action, :comment_text
+
+      def run
+        update_sipity_workflow_state
+        comment = create_sipity_comment
+        handle_sipity_notifications(comment: comment)
+        handle_additional_sipity_workflow_action_processing(comment: comment)
+        subject.work.update_index # So that the new actions and state are written into solr.
+      end
+
+      protected
+
+        def update_sipity_workflow_state
+          return true unless action.resulting_workflow_state_id.present?
+          subject.entity.update_attribute(:workflow_state_id, action.resulting_workflow_state_id)
+        end
+
+        def create_sipity_comment
+          return true unless comment_text.present?
+          Sipity::Comment.create!(entity: subject.entity, agent: subject.agent, comment: comment_text)
+        end
+
+        def handle_sipity_notifications(comment:)
+          CurationConcerns::Workflow::NotificationService.deliver_on_action_taken(
+            entity: subject.entity,
+            comment: comment,
+            action: action,
+            user: subject.user
+          )
+        end
+
+        # Run any configured custom methods
+        def handle_additional_sipity_workflow_action_processing(comment:)
+          CurationConcerns::Workflow::ActionTakenService.handle_action_taken(
+            entity: subject.entity,
+            comment: comment,
+            action: action,
+            user: subject.user
+          )
+        end
+    end
+  end
+end
diff --git a/app/services/curation_concerns/workflow/workflow_factory.rb b/app/services/curation_concerns/workflow/workflow_factory.rb
index e5ab6d304..602f17d19 100644
--- a/app/services/curation_concerns/workflow/workflow_factory.rb
+++ b/app/services/curation_concerns/workflow/workflow_factory.rb
@@ -8,30 +8,35 @@ class WorkflowFactory
       # @param attributes [Hash]
       # @param strategy [#name] strategy for finding which workflow to use. Defaults to an instance of WorkflowByModelNameStrategy
       # @return [TrueClass]
-      def self.create(work, attributes, strategy = nil)
+      def self.create(work, attributes, user, strategy = nil)
         strategy ||= workflow_strategy.new(work, attributes)
-        new(work, attributes, strategy).create
+        new(work, attributes, user, strategy).create
       end
 
       # @param work [#to_global_id]
       # @param attributes [Hash]
       # @param strategy [#name] strategy for finding which workflow to use
-      def initialize(work, attributes, strategy)
+      def initialize(work, attributes, user, strategy)
         @work = work
         @attributes = attributes
+        @user = user
         @strategy = strategy
       end
 
-      attr_reader :work, :attributes, :strategy
+      attr_reader :work, :attributes, :user, :strategy
       private :work, :attributes, :strategy
 
       # Creates a Sipity::Entity for the work.
       # The Sipity::Entity acts as a proxy to a work within a workflow
       # @return [TrueClass]
       def create
-        Sipity::Entity.create(proxy_for_global_id: work.to_global_id.to_s,
-                              workflow: workflow,
-                              workflow_state: starting_workflow_state)
+        Sipity::Entity.create!(proxy_for_global_id: work.to_global_id.to_s,
+                               workflow: workflow,
+                               workflow_state: nil)
+
+        subject = WorkflowActionInfo.new(work, user)
+        Workflow::WorkflowActionService.run(subject: subject,
+                                            action: find_deposit_action)
         true
       end
 
@@ -46,14 +51,12 @@ def workflow
 
       delegate :workflow_name, to: :strategy
 
-      # This returns the initial workflow state. This is derived by finding a WorkflowState
-      # that has no WorkflowActions leading to it.
-      # @return [Sipity::WorkflowState]
-      def starting_workflow_state
-        action_ids = Sipity::WorkflowAction.where(workflow: workflow)
-                                           .pluck(:resulting_workflow_state_id)
-        relation = Sipity::WorkflowState.where(workflow: workflow)
-        relation = relation.where('id NOT IN (?)', action_ids) if action_ids.present?
+      # Find an action that has no starting state. This is the deposit action.
+      # # @return [Sipity::WorkflowAction]
+      def find_deposit_action
+        actions_that_lead_to_states = Sipity::WorkflowStateAction.all.pluck(:workflow_action_id)
+        relation = Sipity::WorkflowAction.where(workflow: workflow)
+        relation = relation.where('id NOT IN (?)', actions_that_lead_to_states) if actions_that_lead_to_states.any?
         relation.first!
       end
     end
diff --git a/db/migrate/20160919151348_create_sipity.rb b/db/migrate/20160919151348_create_sipity.rb
index 104b030cb..ed903aa60 100644
--- a/db/migrate/20160919151348_create_sipity.rb
+++ b/db/migrate/20160919151348_create_sipity.rb
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ def change
     create_table "sipity_entities" do |t|
       t.string   "proxy_for_global_id",           null: false
       t.integer  "workflow_id",                   null: false
-      t.integer  "workflow_state_id",             null: false
+      t.integer  "workflow_state_id",             null: true
       t.datetime "created_at",                    null: false
       t.datetime "updated_at",                    null: false
     end
diff --git a/lib/generators/curation_concerns/templates/workflow.json.erb b/lib/generators/curation_concerns/templates/workflow.json.erb
index d78987b81..48e31a4af 100644
--- a/lib/generators/curation_concerns/templates/workflow.json.erb
+++ b/lib/generators/curation_concerns/templates/workflow.json.erb
@@ -5,6 +5,11 @@
       "label": "Digital collections workflow",
       "description": "A multi-step workflow for digital collections",
       "actions": [
+         {
+           "name": "deposit",
+           "from_states": [],
+           "transition_to": "pending"
+         },
          {
            "name": "finalize_digitization",
            "from_states": [{"names": ["pending"], "roles": ["reviewing"]}],
diff --git a/spec/actors/curation_concerns/interpret_visibility_actor_spec.rb b/spec/actors/curation_concerns/interpret_visibility_actor_spec.rb
index 1379b2d13..3f0b3551b 100644
--- a/spec/actors/curation_concerns/interpret_visibility_actor_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/actors/curation_concerns/interpret_visibility_actor_spec.rb
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
     let(:root_actor) { double }
     before do
       allow(CurationConcerns::Actors::RootActor).to receive(:new).and_return(root_actor)
+      allow(curation_concern).to receive(:save).and_return(true)
     end
 
     context 'when visibility is  set to open' do
diff --git a/spec/actors/curation_concerns/work_actor_spec.rb b/spec/actors/curation_concerns/work_actor_spec.rb
index 5ee79f3d8..a51155993 100644
--- a/spec/actors/curation_concerns/work_actor_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/actors/curation_concerns/work_actor_spec.rb
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@
     context 'success' do
       before do
         redlock_client_stub
-        FactoryGirl.create(:workflow_state)
+        create(:workflow_action)
       end
 
       it "invokes the after_create_concern callback" do
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@
       let(:visibility) { Hydra::AccessControls::AccessRight::VISIBILITY_TEXT_VALUE_AUTHENTICATED }
       before do
         redlock_client_stub
-        FactoryGirl.create(:workflow_state)
+        create(:workflow_action)
       end
 
       context 'with embargo' do
diff --git a/spec/controllers/curation_concerns/workflow_actions_controller_spec.rb b/spec/controllers/curation_concerns/workflow_actions_controller_spec.rb
index 6ed9294e6..c654ce566 100644
--- a/spec/controllers/curation_concerns/workflow_actions_controller_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/controllers/curation_concerns/workflow_actions_controller_spec.rb
@@ -1,27 +1,32 @@
 require 'spec_helper'
 
 RSpec.describe CurationConcerns::WorkflowActionsController, type: :controller do
-  # routes { Rails.application.class.routes }
   let(:user) { FactoryGirl.create(:user) }
   let(:generic_work) { GenericWork.new(id: '123') }
+  let(:form) { instance_double(CurationConcerns::Forms::WorkflowActionForm) }
+
   before do
     allow(ActiveFedora::Base).to receive(:find).with(generic_work.to_param).and_return(generic_work)
     allow(generic_work).to receive(:persisted?).and_return(true)
+    allow(CurationConcerns::Forms::WorkflowActionForm).to receive(:new).and_return(form)
   end
+
   describe '#update' do
     it 'will redirect to login path if user not authenticated' do
       put :update, params: { id: generic_work.to_param, workflow_action: { name: 'advance', comment: '' } }
       expect(response).to redirect_to(main_app.user_session_path)
     end
+
     it 'will render :unauthorized when action is not valid for the given user' do
-      expect_any_instance_of(CurationConcerns::Forms::WorkflowActionForm).to receive(:save).and_return(false)
+      expect(form).to receive(:save).and_return(false)
       sign_in(user)
 
       put :update, params: { id: generic_work.to_param, workflow_action: { name: 'advance', comment: '' } }
       expect(response).to be_unauthorized
     end
+
     it 'will redirect when the form is successfully save' do
-      expect_any_instance_of(CurationConcerns::Forms::WorkflowActionForm).to receive(:save).and_return(true)
+      expect(form).to receive(:save).and_return(true)
       sign_in(user)
 
       put :update, params: { id: generic_work.to_param, workflow_action: { name: 'advance', comment: '' } }
diff --git a/spec/spec_helper.rb b/spec/spec_helper.rb
index ec49a2d3a..59e43ebec 100644
--- a/spec/spec_helper.rb
+++ b/spec/spec_helper.rb
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@
 
     # This is a speedup for workflow specs.  If we don't have this, it will import the
     # full workflow configuration files from config/workflows/*
-    FactoryGirl.create(:workflow_state) if example.metadata[:workflow]
+    FactoryGirl.create(:workflow_action) if example.metadata[:workflow]
   end
 
   config.include FactoryGirl::Syntax::Methods