diff --git a/app/widgets/gimpactionimpl.c b/app/widgets/gimpactionimpl.c
index 0146719c5b..ffd6e3ce91 100644
--- a/app/widgets/gimpactionimpl.c
+++ b/app/widgets/gimpactionimpl.c
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ static void   gimp_action_impl_get_property       (GObject             *object,
 /* XXX Implementations for our GimpAction are widely inspired by GSimpleAction
  * implementations.
  */
-static void   gimp_action_impl_g_activate         (GAction             *action,
+static void   gimp_action_impl_activate           (GAction             *action,
                                                    GVariant            *parameter);
 static void   gimp_action_impl_change_state       (GAction             *action,
                                                    GVariant            *value);
@@ -84,8 +84,6 @@ static GVariant *
 static GVariant *
               gimp_action_impl_get_state_hint     (GAction             *action);
 
-static void   gimp_action_impl_activate           (GtkAction           *action);
-
 static void   gimp_action_impl_set_state          (GimpAction          *gimp_action,
                                                    GVariant            *value);
 
@@ -102,8 +100,7 @@ static guint gimp_action_impl_signals[LAST_SIGNAL] = { 0 };
 static void
 gimp_action_impl_class_init (GimpActionImplClass *klass)
 {
-  GObjectClass   *object_class = G_OBJECT_CLASS (klass);
-  GtkActionClass *action_class = GTK_ACTION_CLASS (klass);
+  GObjectClass *object_class = G_OBJECT_CLASS (klass);
 
   gimp_action_impl_signals[CHANGE_STATE] =
     g_signal_new ("change-state",
@@ -118,8 +115,6 @@ gimp_action_impl_class_init (GimpActionImplClass *klass)
   object_class->set_property  = gimp_action_impl_set_property;
   object_class->get_property  = gimp_action_impl_get_property;
 
-  action_class->activate      = gimp_action_impl_activate;
-
   gimp_action_install_properties (object_class);
 
   /**
@@ -179,7 +174,7 @@ gimp_action_impl_class_init (GimpActionImplClass *klass)
 static void
 gimp_action_g_action_iface_init (GActionInterface *iface)
 {
-  iface->activate           = gimp_action_impl_g_activate;
+  iface->activate           = gimp_action_impl_activate;
   iface->change_state       = gimp_action_impl_change_state;
   iface->get_enabled        = gimp_action_impl_get_enabled;
   iface->get_name           = (const gchar* (*) (GAction*)) gimp_action_get_name;
@@ -285,8 +280,8 @@ gimp_action_impl_set_property (GObject      *object,
 }
 
 static void
-gimp_action_impl_g_activate (GAction  *action,
-                             GVariant *parameter)
+gimp_action_impl_activate (GAction  *action,
+                           GVariant *parameter)
 {
   gimp_action_emit_activate (GIMP_ACTION (action), parameter);
 
@@ -351,17 +346,6 @@ gimp_action_impl_get_state_hint (GAction *action)
     return NULL;
 }
 
-static void
-gimp_action_impl_activate (GtkAction *action)
-{
-  if (GTK_ACTION_CLASS (parent_class)->activate)
-    GTK_ACTION_CLASS (parent_class)->activate (action);
-
-  gimp_action_emit_activate (GIMP_ACTION (action), NULL);
-
-  gimp_action_history_action_activated (GIMP_ACTION (action));
-}
-
 
 /*  public functions  */
 
diff --git a/app/widgets/gimpdoubleaction.c b/app/widgets/gimpdoubleaction.c
index c05f50ae20..3ca85f02e3 100644
--- a/app/widgets/gimpdoubleaction.c
+++ b/app/widgets/gimpdoubleaction.c
@@ -49,9 +49,7 @@ static void   gimp_double_action_get_property        (GObject          *object,
                                                       GValue           *value,
                                                       GParamSpec       *pspec);
 
-static void   gimp_double_action_activate            (GtkAction        *action);
-
-static void   gimp_double_action_g_activate          (GAction          *action,
+static void   gimp_double_action_activate            (GAction          *action,
                                                       GVariant         *parameter);
 
 
@@ -64,14 +62,11 @@ G_DEFINE_TYPE_WITH_CODE (GimpDoubleAction, gimp_double_action, GIMP_TYPE_ACTION_
 static void
 gimp_double_action_class_init (GimpDoubleActionClass *klass)
 {
-  GObjectClass   *object_class = G_OBJECT_CLASS (klass);
-  GtkActionClass *action_class = GTK_ACTION_CLASS (klass);
+  GObjectClass *object_class = G_OBJECT_CLASS (klass);
 
   object_class->set_property = gimp_double_action_set_property;
   object_class->get_property = gimp_double_action_get_property;
 
-  action_class->activate = gimp_double_action_activate;
-
   g_object_class_install_property (object_class, PROP_VALUE,
                                    g_param_spec_double ("value",
                                                         NULL, NULL,
@@ -88,7 +83,7 @@ gimp_double_action_init (GimpDoubleAction *action)
 static void
 gimp_double_action_g_action_iface_init (GActionInterface *iface)
 {
-  iface->activate = gimp_double_action_g_activate;
+  iface->activate = gimp_double_action_activate;
 }
 
 static void
@@ -155,19 +150,8 @@ gimp_double_action_new (const gchar *name,
 }
 
 static void
-gimp_double_action_activate (GtkAction *action)
-{
-  GimpDoubleAction *double_action = GIMP_DOUBLE_ACTION (action);
-
-  gimp_action_emit_activate (GIMP_ACTION (action),
-                             g_variant_new_double (double_action->value));
-
-  gimp_action_history_action_activated (GIMP_ACTION (action));
-}
-
-static void
-gimp_double_action_g_activate (GAction  *action,
-                               GVariant *parameter)
+gimp_double_action_activate (GAction  *action,
+                             GVariant *parameter)
 {
   GimpDoubleAction *double_action = GIMP_DOUBLE_ACTION (action);
 
diff --git a/app/widgets/gimpprocedureaction.c b/app/widgets/gimpprocedureaction.c
index 565ed56267..6185cb6f99 100644
--- a/app/widgets/gimpprocedureaction.c
+++ b/app/widgets/gimpprocedureaction.c
@@ -54,9 +54,7 @@ static void   gimp_procedure_action_get_property        (GObject          *objec
                                                          GValue           *value,
                                                          GParamSpec       *pspec);
 
-static void   gimp_procedure_action_activate            (GtkAction        *action);
-
-static void   gimp_procedure_action_g_activate          (GAction          *action,
+static void   gimp_procedure_action_activate            (GAction          *action,
                                                          GVariant         *parameter);
 
 
@@ -69,15 +67,12 @@ G_DEFINE_TYPE_WITH_CODE (GimpProcedureAction, gimp_procedure_action, GIMP_TYPE_A
 static void
 gimp_procedure_action_class_init (GimpProcedureActionClass *klass)
 {
-  GObjectClass   *object_class = G_OBJECT_CLASS (klass);
-  GtkActionClass *action_class = GTK_ACTION_CLASS (klass);
+  GObjectClass *object_class = G_OBJECT_CLASS (klass);
 
   object_class->finalize      = gimp_procedure_action_finalize;
   object_class->set_property  = gimp_procedure_action_set_property;
   object_class->get_property  = gimp_procedure_action_get_property;
 
-  action_class->activate      = gimp_procedure_action_activate;
-
   g_object_class_install_property (object_class, PROP_PROCEDURE,
                                    g_param_spec_object ("procedure",
                                                         NULL, NULL,
@@ -88,7 +83,7 @@ gimp_procedure_action_class_init (GimpProcedureActionClass *klass)
 static void
 gimp_procedure_action_g_action_iface_init (GActionInterface *iface)
 {
-  iface->activate = gimp_procedure_action_g_activate;
+  iface->activate = gimp_procedure_action_activate;
 }
 
 static void
@@ -149,28 +144,8 @@ gimp_procedure_action_set_property (GObject      *object,
 }
 
 static void
-gimp_procedure_action_activate (GtkAction *action)
-{
-  GimpProcedureAction *procedure_action = GIMP_PROCEDURE_ACTION (action);
-
-  /* Not all actions have procedures associated with them, for example
-   * unused "filters-recent-[N]" actions, so check for NULL before we
-   * invoke the action
-   */
-  if (procedure_action->procedure)
-    {
-      gsize hack = GPOINTER_TO_SIZE (procedure_action->procedure);
-
-      gimp_action_emit_activate (GIMP_ACTION (action),
-                                 g_variant_new_uint64 (hack));
-
-      gimp_action_history_action_activated (GIMP_ACTION (action));
-    }
-}
-
-static void
-gimp_procedure_action_g_activate (GAction  *action,
-                                  GVariant *parameter)
+gimp_procedure_action_activate (GAction  *action,
+                                GVariant *parameter)
 {
   GimpProcedureAction *procedure_action = GIMP_PROCEDURE_ACTION (action);
 
diff --git a/app/widgets/gimpstringaction.c b/app/widgets/gimpstringaction.c
index 9e3c695855..f9fe64611e 100644
--- a/app/widgets/gimpstringaction.c
+++ b/app/widgets/gimpstringaction.c
@@ -50,9 +50,7 @@ static void   gimp_string_action_get_property        (GObject          *object,
                                                       GValue           *value,
                                                       GParamSpec       *pspec);
 
-static void   gimp_string_action_activate            (GtkAction        *action);
-
-static void   gimp_string_action_g_activate          (GimpAction       *action,
+static void   gimp_string_action_activate            (GAction          *action,
                                                       GVariant         *parameter);
 
 
@@ -65,15 +63,12 @@ G_DEFINE_TYPE_WITH_CODE (GimpStringAction, gimp_string_action, GIMP_TYPE_ACTION_
 static void
 gimp_string_action_class_init (GimpStringActionClass *klass)
 {
-  GObjectClass   *object_class = G_OBJECT_CLASS (klass);
-  GtkActionClass *action_class = GTK_ACTION_CLASS (klass);
+  GObjectClass *object_class = G_OBJECT_CLASS (klass);
 
   object_class->finalize     = gimp_string_action_finalize;
   object_class->set_property = gimp_string_action_set_property;
   object_class->get_property = gimp_string_action_get_property;
 
-  action_class->activate = gimp_string_action_activate;
-
   g_object_class_install_property (object_class, PROP_VALUE,
                                    g_param_spec_string ("value",
                                                         NULL, NULL,
@@ -84,7 +79,7 @@ gimp_string_action_class_init (GimpStringActionClass *klass)
 static void
 gimp_string_action_g_action_iface_init (GActionInterface *iface)
 {
-  iface->activate = gimp_string_action_g_activate;
+  iface->activate = gimp_string_action_activate;
 }
 
 static void
@@ -167,19 +162,8 @@ gimp_string_action_new (const gchar *name,
 }
 
 static void
-gimp_string_action_activate (GtkAction *action)
-{
-  GimpStringAction *string_action = GIMP_STRING_ACTION (action);
-
-  gimp_action_emit_activate (GIMP_ACTION (action),
-                             g_variant_new_string (string_action->value));
-
-  gimp_action_history_action_activated (GIMP_ACTION (action));
-}
-
-static void
-gimp_string_action_g_activate (GimpAction *action,
-                               GVariant   *parameter)
+gimp_string_action_activate (GAction  *action,
+                             GVariant *parameter)
 {
   GimpStringAction *string_action = GIMP_STRING_ACTION (action);