diff --git a/src/d_dehacked.cpp b/src/d_dehacked.cpp
index 82d26d7ab7..cceb7c20e1 100644
--- a/src/d_dehacked.cpp
+++ b/src/d_dehacked.cpp
@@ -1715,7 +1715,7 @@ static void SetPointer(FState *state, PFunction *sym, int frame = 0)
 {
 	if (sym == NULL)
 	{
-		state->SetAction(NULL);
+		state->ClearAction();
 		return;
 	}
 	else
diff --git a/src/info.cpp b/src/info.cpp
index 3a800e2cf5..d827cd7a0a 100644
--- a/src/info.cpp
+++ b/src/info.cpp
@@ -61,6 +61,11 @@ FRandom FState::pr_statetics("StateTics");
 
 cycle_t ActionCycles;
 
+void FState::SetAction(const char *name)
+{
+	ActionFunc = FindGlobalActionFunction(name)->Variants[0].Implementation;
+}
+
 bool FState::CallAction(AActor *self, AActor *stateowner)
 {
 	if (ActionFunc != NULL)
diff --git a/src/info.h b/src/info.h
index 460adb0fba..5d9d36879c 100644
--- a/src/info.h
+++ b/src/info.h
@@ -126,6 +126,8 @@ struct FState
 		Frame = frame - 'A';
 	}
 	void SetAction(VMFunction *func) { ActionFunc = func; }
+	void ClearAction() { ActionFunc = NULL; }
+	void SetAction(const char *name);
 	bool CallAction(AActor *self, AActor *stateowner);
 	static PClassActor *StaticFindStateOwner (const FState *state);
 	static PClassActor *StaticFindStateOwner (const FState *state, PClassActor *info);
diff --git a/src/thingdef/olddecorations.cpp b/src/thingdef/olddecorations.cpp
index fa543e372a..b04c589eeb 100644
--- a/src/thingdef/olddecorations.cpp
+++ b/src/thingdef/olddecorations.cpp
@@ -234,24 +234,24 @@ void ParseOldDecoration(FScanner &sc, EDefinitionType def)
 			{
 				if (extra.bExplosive)
 				{
-					type->OwnedStates[extra.DeathStart].SetAction(FindGlobalActionFunction("A_Explode")->Variants[0].Implementation);
+					type->OwnedStates[extra.DeathStart].SetAction("A_Explode");
 				}
 			}
 			else
 			{
 				// The first frame plays the death sound and
 				// the second frame makes it nonsolid.
-				type->OwnedStates[extra.DeathStart].SetAction(FindGlobalActionFunction("A_Scream")->Variants[0].Implementation);
+				type->OwnedStates[extra.DeathStart].SetAction("A_Scream");
 				if (extra.bSolidOnDeath)
 				{
 				}
 				else if (extra.DeathStart + 1 < extra.DeathEnd)
 				{
-					type->OwnedStates[extra.DeathStart+1].SetAction(FindGlobalActionFunction("A_NoBlocking")->Variants[0].Implementation);
+					type->OwnedStates[extra.DeathStart+1].SetAction("A_NoBlocking");
 				}
 				else
 				{
-					type->OwnedStates[extra.DeathStart].SetAction(FindGlobalActionFunction("A_ScreamAndUnblock")->Variants[0].Implementation);
+					type->OwnedStates[extra.DeathStart].SetAction("A_ScreamAndUnblock");
 				}
 
 				if (extra.DeathHeight == 0)
@@ -283,17 +283,17 @@ void ParseOldDecoration(FScanner &sc, EDefinitionType def)
 
 			// The first frame plays the burn sound and
 			// the second frame makes it nonsolid.
-			type->OwnedStates[extra.FireDeathStart].SetAction(FindGlobalActionFunction("A_ActiveSound")->Variants[0].Implementation);
+			type->OwnedStates[extra.FireDeathStart].SetAction("A_ActiveSound");
 			if (extra.bSolidOnBurn)
 			{
 			}
 			else if (extra.FireDeathStart + 1 < extra.FireDeathEnd)
 			{
-				type->OwnedStates[extra.FireDeathStart+1].SetAction(FindGlobalActionFunction("A_NoBlocking")->Variants[0].Implementation);
+				type->OwnedStates[extra.FireDeathStart+1].SetAction("A_NoBlocking");
 			}
 			else
 			{
-				type->OwnedStates[extra.FireDeathStart].SetAction(FindGlobalActionFunction("A_ActiveAndUnblock")->Variants[0].Implementation);
+				type->OwnedStates[extra.FireDeathStart].SetAction("A_ActiveAndUnblock");
 			}
 
 			if (extra.BurnHeight == 0) extra.BurnHeight = ((AActor*)(type->Defaults))->height;
@@ -314,14 +314,14 @@ void ParseOldDecoration(FScanner &sc, EDefinitionType def)
 			type->OwnedStates[i].Tics = 5;
 			type->OwnedStates[i].TicRange = 0;
 			type->OwnedStates[i].Misc1 = 0;
-			type->OwnedStates[i].SetAction(FindGlobalActionFunction("A_FreezeDeath")->Variants[0].Implementation);
+			type->OwnedStates[i].SetAction("A_FreezeDeath");
 
 			i = type->NumOwnedStates - 1;
 			type->OwnedStates[i].NextState = &type->OwnedStates[i];
 			type->OwnedStates[i].Tics = 1;
 			type->OwnedStates[i].TicRange = 0;
 			type->OwnedStates[i].Misc1 = 0;
-			type->OwnedStates[i].SetAction(FindGlobalActionFunction("A_FreezeDeathChunks")->Variants[0].Implementation);
+			type->OwnedStates[i].SetAction("A_FreezeDeathChunks");
 			bag.statedef.SetStateLabel("Ice", &type->OwnedStates[extra.IceDeathStart]);
 		}
 		else if (extra.bGenericIceDeath)