diff --git a/src/action.ml b/src/action.ml
index 990bbe5d..1bc05e48 100644
--- a/src/action.ml
+++ b/src/action.ml
@@ -93,6 +93,29 @@ struct
     | Remove_tree x -> List [Atom "remove-tree"; path x]
     | Mkdir x       -> List [Atom "mkdir"; path x]
     | Digest_files paths -> List [Atom "digest-files"; List (List.map paths ~f:path)]
+
+  let run prog args = Run (prog, args)
+  let chdir path t = Chdir (path, t)
+  let setenv var value t = Setenv (var, value, t)
+  let with_stdout_to path t = Redirect (Stdout, path, t)
+  let with_stderr_to path t = Redirect (Stderr, path, t)
+  let with_outputs_to path t = Redirect (Outputs, path, t)
+  let ignore_stdout t = Ignore (Stdout, t)
+  let ignore_stderr t = Ignore (Stderr, t)
+  let ignore_outputs t = Ignore (Outputs, t)
+  let progn ts = Progn ts
+  let echo s = Echo s
+  let cat path = Cat path
+  let copy a b = Copy (a, b)
+  let symlink a b = Symlink (a, b)
+  let copy_and_add_line_directive a b = Copy_and_add_line_directive (a, b)
+  let system s = System s
+  let bash s = Bash s
+  let write_file p s = Write_file (p, s)
+  let rename a b = Rename (a, b)
+  let remove_tree path = Remove_tree path
+  let mkdir path = Mkdir path
+  let digest_files files = Digest_files files
 end
 
 module Make_mapper
@@ -534,7 +557,7 @@ type exec_context =
   ; env     : string array
   }
 
-let run ~ectx ~dir ~env_extra ~stdout_to ~stderr_to prog args =
+let exec_run ~ectx ~dir ~env_extra ~stdout_to ~stderr_to prog args =
   begin match ectx.context with
    | None
    | Some { Context.for_host = None; _ } -> ()
@@ -567,7 +590,7 @@ let rec exec t ~ectx ~dir ~env_extra ~stdout_to ~stderr_to =
   | Run (Error e, _) ->
     Prog.Not_found.raise e
   | Run (Ok prog, args) ->
-    run ~ectx ~dir ~env_extra ~stdout_to ~stderr_to prog args
+    exec_run ~ectx ~dir ~env_extra ~stdout_to ~stderr_to prog args
   | Chdir (dir, t) ->
     exec t ~ectx ~dir ~env_extra ~stdout_to ~stderr_to
   | Setenv (var, value, t) ->
@@ -633,9 +656,9 @@ let rec exec t ~ectx ~dir ~env_extra ~stdout_to ~stderr_to =
     let path, arg =
       Utils.system_shell_exn ~needed_to:"interpret (system ...) actions"
     in
-    run ~ectx ~dir ~env_extra ~stdout_to ~stderr_to path [arg; cmd]
+    exec_run ~ectx ~dir ~env_extra ~stdout_to ~stderr_to path [arg; cmd]
   | Bash cmd ->
-    run ~ectx ~dir ~env_extra ~stdout_to ~stderr_to
+    exec_run ~ectx ~dir ~env_extra ~stdout_to ~stderr_to
       (Utils.bash_exn ~needed_to:"interpret (bash ...) actions")
       ["-e"; "-u"; "-o"; "pipefail"; "-c"; cmd]
   | Write_file (fn, s) ->
diff --git a/src/action.mli b/src/action.mli
index 12fbcb9c..92da5758 100644
--- a/src/action.mli
+++ b/src/action.mli
@@ -35,6 +35,12 @@ include Action_intf.Ast
   with type path    := Path.t
   with type string  := string
 
+include Action_intf.Helpers
+  with type program := Prog.t
+  with type path    := Path.t
+  with type string  := string
+  with type t       := t
+
 val t : t Sexp.Of_sexp.t
 val sexp_of_t : t Sexp.To_sexp.t
 
diff --git a/src/action_intf.ml b/src/action_intf.ml
index 01c76026..b2039448 100644
--- a/src/action_intf.ml
+++ b/src/action_intf.ml
@@ -31,3 +31,29 @@ module type Ast = sig
     | Digest_files   of path list
 end
 
+module type Helpers = sig
+  include Ast
+
+  val run : program -> string list -> t
+  val chdir : path -> t -> t
+  val setenv : string -> string -> t -> t
+  val with_stdout_to : path -> t -> t
+  val with_stderr_to : path -> t -> t
+  val with_outputs_to : path -> t -> t
+  val ignore_stdout : t -> t
+  val ignore_stderr : t -> t
+  val ignore_outputs : t -> t
+  val progn : t list -> t
+  val echo : string -> t
+  val cat : path -> t
+  val copy : path -> path -> t
+  val symlink : path -> path -> t
+  val copy_and_add_line_directive : path -> path -> t
+  val system : string -> t
+  val bash : string -> t
+  val write_file : path -> string -> t
+  val rename : path -> path -> t
+  val remove_tree : path -> t
+  val mkdir : path -> t
+  val digest_files : path list -> t
+end