diff --git a/CHANGELOG.rst b/CHANGELOG.rst
index 1199f9f70..5305d0a2b 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.rst
+++ b/CHANGELOG.rst
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ This project adheres to `Semantic Versioning`_ starting with version 0.11.0.
 
 Added
 -----
+- Abstract Actions can now be subclassed
 - add warning in case of mismatched version of rasa_core and rasa_core_sdk
 
 Changed
diff --git a/rasa_core_sdk/executor.py b/rasa_core_sdk/executor.py
index 2e668f424..668559785 100644
--- a/rasa_core_sdk/executor.py
+++ b/rasa_core_sdk/executor.py
@@ -149,8 +149,11 @@ def register_package(self, package):
         actions = utils.all_subclasses(Action)
 
         for action in actions:
+            meta = action.__dict__.get('Meta', False)
+            abstract = getattr(meta, 'abstract', False)
             if (not action.__module__.startswith("rasa_core.") and
-                    not action.__module__.startswith("rasa_core_sdk.")):
+                    not action.__module__.startswith("rasa_core_sdk.") and
+                    not abstract):
                 self.register_action(action)
 
     @staticmethod
diff --git a/tests/test_actions.py b/tests/test_actions.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..328ce4c92
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_actions.py
@@ -0,0 +1,49 @@
+from __future__ import absolute_import
+from __future__ import division
+from __future__ import print_function
+from __future__ import unicode_literals
+
+from rasa_core_sdk import Action, Tracker
+from rasa_core_sdk.events import SlotSet
+from rasa_core_sdk.executor import ActionExecutor, CollectingDispatcher
+
+
+class CustomActionBase(Action):
+    @classmethod
+    def name(cls):
+        # Name method needed to test if base action was registered
+        return "base_action"
+
+    class Meta:
+        abstract = True
+
+    @staticmethod
+    def some_common_feature():
+        return "test"
+
+    def run(self, dispatcher, tracker, domain):
+        raise NotImplementedError
+
+
+class CustomAction(CustomActionBase):
+
+    @classmethod
+    def name(cls):
+        return "custom_action"
+
+    def run(self, dispatcher, tracker, domain):
+        return [SlotSet('test', self.some_common_feature())]
+
+
+def test_abstract_action():
+    executor = ActionExecutor()
+    executor.register_package('tests')
+    assert CustomAction.name() in executor.actions
+    assert CustomActionBase.name() not in executor.actions
+
+    dispatcher = CollectingDispatcher()
+    tracker = Tracker('test', {}, {}, [], False, None, {}, 'listen')
+    domain = {}
+
+    events = CustomAction().run(dispatcher, tracker, domain)
+    assert events == [SlotSet('test', "test")]