diff --git a/spec/actions_spec.lua b/spec/actions_spec.lua
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0ec0af5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/actions_spec.lua
@@ -0,0 +1,94 @@
+local argparse = require "argparse"
+
+describe("tests related to actions", function()
+   it("calls actions for options", function()
+      local action1 = spy.new(function(x) end)
+      local action2 = spy.new(function(x) end)
+
+      local parser = argparse.parser()
+      parser:option "-f" "--from" {
+         action = action1
+      }
+      parser:option "-p" "--pair" {
+         action = action2,
+         count = "*",
+         args = 2
+      }
+
+      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()
+      local action1 = spy.new(function(x) end)
+      local action2 = spy.new(function(x) end)
+      local action3 = spy.new(function(x) end)
+
+      local parser = argparse.parser()
+      parser:flag "-v" "--verbose" {
+         action = action1,
+         count = "0-3"
+      }
+      parser:flag "-q" "--quiet" {
+         action = action2
+      }
+      parser:flag "-a" "--another-flag" {
+         action = action3
+      }
+
+      local args = parser:parse{"-vv", "--quiet"}
+      assert.same({verbose = 2, quiet = true}, args)
+      assert.spy(action1).called(2)
+      assert.spy(action2).called(1)
+      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 = argparse.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 parser = argparse.parser "name" {
+         action = action1
+      }
+      parser:flag "-v" "--verbose" {
+         count = "0-3"
+      }
+      local add = parser:command "add" {
+         action = action2
+      }
+      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)
+   end)
+end)