diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index f147cc3..16a9277 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -615,9 +615,7 @@ Error: malformed argument 'baz'
 
 ### Actions
 
-argparse can trigger a callback when an option, argument or command is processed. The callback can be set using `action` field. 
-
-Action are mostly useful for creating flags triggering immediate reaction regardless of whether the rest of command line arguments are correct. 
+argparse can trigger a callback when an option or a command is encountered. The callback can be set using `action` field. Actions are called regardless of whether the rest of command line arguments are correct. 
 
 ```lua
 parser:flag "-v" "--version"
diff --git a/spec/actions_spec.lua b/spec/actions_spec.lua
index 79baebc..646b5c0 100644
--- a/spec/actions_spec.lua
+++ b/spec/actions_spec.lua
@@ -18,10 +18,7 @@ describe("tests related to actions", function()
       local args = parser:parse{"-fnowhere", "--pair", "Alice", "Bob", "-p", "Emma", "John"}
       assert.same({from = "nowhere", pair = {{"Alice", "Bob"}, {"Emma", "John"}}}, args)
       assert.spy(action1).called(1)
-      assert.spy(action1).called_with("nowhere")
       assert.spy(action2).called(2)
-      assert.spy(action2).called_with({"Alice", "Bob"})
-      assert.spy(action2).called_with({"Emma", "John"})
    end)
 
    it("properly calls actions for flags", function()
@@ -48,47 +45,20 @@ describe("tests related to actions", function()
       assert.spy(action3).called(0)
    end)
 
-   it("calls actions for arguments", function()
-      local action1 = spy.new(function(x) end)
-      local action2 = spy.new(function(x) end)
-
-      local parser = Parser()
-      parser:argument "input" {
-         action = action1
-      }
-      parser:argument "other" {
-         action = action2,
-         args = "*"
-      }
-
-      local args = parser:parse{"nothing"}
-      assert.same({input = "nothing", other = {}}, args)
-      assert.spy(action1).called(1)
-      assert.spy(action1).called_with("nothing")
-      assert.spy(action2).called(1)
-      assert.spy(action2).called_with({})
-   end)
-
    it("calls actions for commands", function()
-      local action1 = spy.new(function(x) end)
-      local action2 = spy.new(function(x) end)
+      local action = spy.new(function(x) end)
 
-      local parser = Parser "name" {
-         action = action1
-      }
+      local parser = Parser "name"
       parser:flag "-v" "--verbose" {
          count = "0-3"
       }
       local add = parser:command "add" {
-         action = action2
+         action = action
       }
       add:argument "something"
 
       local args = parser:parse{"add", "me"}
       assert.same({add = true, verbose = 0, something = "me"}, args)
-      assert.spy(action1).called(1)
-      assert.spy(action1).called_with(args)
-      assert.spy(action2).called(1)
-      assert.spy(action2).called_with(args)
+      assert.spy(action).called(1)
    end)
 end)
diff --git a/src/argparse.lua b/src/argparse.lua
index 58d3dca..2c512f4 100644
--- a/src/argparse.lua
+++ b/src/argparse.lua
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ local Parser = class {
    _add_help = true,
    _fields = {
       "name", "description", "epilog", "require_command",
-      "action", "usage", "help", "add_help"
+      "usage", "help", "add_help"
    }
 }:include(Declarative)
 
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ local Argument = class {
    _fields = {
       "name", "description", "target", "args",
       "minargs", "maxargs", "default", "convert",
-      "action", "usage", "argname"
+      "usage", "argname"
    }
 }:include(Declarative)
 
@@ -515,7 +515,6 @@ function Parser:_parse(args, errhandler)
    local result = {}
    local invocations = {}
    local passed = {}
-   local com_callbacks = {}
    local cur_option
    local cur_arg_i = 1
    local cur_arg
@@ -620,24 +619,12 @@ function Parser:_parse(args, errhandler)
             cur_arg_i = cur_arg_i+1
             cur_arg = arguments[cur_arg_i]
          end
-
-         if element._action then
-            if element.multicount or element.twodimensional then
-               element._action(result[element._target][#result[element._target]])
-            else
-               element._action(result[element._target])
-            end
-         end
       end
    end
 
    local function switch(p)
       parser = p:prepare()
 
-      if parser._action then
-         table.insert(com_callbacks, parser._action)
-      end
-
       for _, option in ipairs(parser._options) do
          table.insert(options, option)
 
@@ -675,6 +662,12 @@ function Parser:_parse(args, errhandler)
       return assert_(opt_context[name], "unknown option '%s'%s", name, get_tip(opt_context, name))
    end
 
+   local function do_action(element)
+      if element._action then
+         element._action()
+      end
+   end
+
    local function handle_argument(data)
       if cur_option then
          pass(cur_option, data)
@@ -691,6 +684,7 @@ function Parser:_parse(args, errhandler)
             end
          else
             result[com._target] = true
+            do_action(com)
             switch(com)
          end
       end
@@ -702,6 +696,7 @@ function Parser:_parse(args, errhandler)
       end
 
       cur_option = opt_context[data]
+      do_action(cur_option)
       invoke(cur_option)
    end
 
@@ -785,10 +780,6 @@ function Parser:_parse(args, errhandler)
       end
    end
 
-   for _, callback in ipairs(com_callbacks) do
-      callback(result)
-   end
-
    return result
 end