diff --git a/apps/openmw/CMakeLists.txt b/apps/openmw/CMakeLists.txt
index 41392def0c..466f7570f7 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/apps/openmw/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -88,6 +88,8 @@ set(GAMEWORLD_HEADER
     mwworld/environment.hpp
     mwworld/globals.hpp
     mwworld/class.hpp
+    mwworld/action.hpp
+    mwworld/nullaction.hpp
     )
 source_group(apps\\openmw\\mwworld FILES ${GAMEWORLD} ${GAMEWORLD_HEADER})
 
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwworld/action.hpp b/apps/openmw/mwworld/action.hpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..1558193355
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwworld/action.hpp
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+#ifndef GAME_MWWORLD_ACTION_H
+#define GAME_MWWORLD_ACTION_H
+
+namespace MWWorld
+{
+    class Environment;
+
+    /// \brief Abstract base for actions
+    class Action
+    {
+            // not implemented
+            Action (const Action& action);
+            Action& operator= (const Action& action);
+
+        public:
+
+            Action() {}
+
+            virtual ~Action() {}
+
+            virtual void execute (Environment& environment) = 0;
+    };
+}
+
+#endif
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwworld/class.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwworld/class.cpp
index e5840b96d8..9a6a73a87f 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwworld/class.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwworld/class.cpp
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 #include <stdexcept>
 
 #include "ptr.hpp"
+#include "nullaction.hpp"
 
 namespace MWWorld
 {
@@ -28,6 +29,16 @@ namespace MWWorld
         throw std::runtime_error ("class does not have item health");
     }
 
+    boost::shared_ptr<Action> Class::activate (const Ptr& ptr) const
+    {
+        return boost::shared_ptr<Action> (new NullAction);
+    }
+
+    boost::shared_ptr<Action> Class::use (const Ptr& ptr) const
+    {
+        return boost::shared_ptr<Action> (new NullAction);
+    }
+
     const Class& Class::get (const std::string& key)
     {
         std::map<std::string, boost::shared_ptr<Class> >::const_iterator iter = sClasses.find (key);
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwworld/class.hpp b/apps/openmw/mwworld/class.hpp
index ceaf142923..8287284c07 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwworld/class.hpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwworld/class.hpp
@@ -6,6 +6,8 @@
 
 #include <boost/shared_ptr.hpp>
 
+#include "action.hpp"
+
 namespace MWMechanics
 {
     struct CreatureStats;
@@ -47,6 +49,13 @@ namespace MWWorld
             ///< Return item max health or throw an exception, if class does not have item health
             /// (default implementation: throw an exceoption)
 
+            virtual boost::shared_ptr<Action> activate (const Ptr& ptr) const;
+            ///< Generate action for activation (default implementation: return a null action).
+
+            virtual boost::shared_ptr<Action> use (const Ptr& ptr) const;
+            ///< Generate action for using via inventory menu (default implementation: return a
+            /// null action).
+
             static const Class& get (const std::string& key);
             ///< If there is no class for this \a key, an exception is thrown.
 
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwworld/nullaction.hpp b/apps/openmw/mwworld/nullaction.hpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..820fc45388
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwworld/nullaction.hpp
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+#ifndef GAME_MWWORLD_NULLACTION_H
+#define GAME_MWWORLD_NULLACTION_H
+
+#include "action.hpp"
+
+namespace MWWorld
+{
+    /// \brief Action: do nothing
+    class NullAction : public Action
+    {
+        public:
+
+            virtual void execute (Environment& environment) {}
+    };
+}
+
+#endif