diff --git a/app-config.yaml b/app-config.yaml
index 5651b03f91..89e417fad3 100644
--- a/app-config.yaml
+++ b/app-config.yaml
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ backend:
   # auth:
   #   keys:
   #     - secret: ${BACKEND_SECRET}
+
   auth:
     # TODO: once plugins have been migrated we can remove this, but right now it
     # is require for the backend-next to work in this repo
diff --git a/packages/backend-defaults/src/entrypoints/actions/DefaultActionsService.ts b/packages/backend-defaults/src/entrypoints/actions/DefaultActionsService.ts
index de3959ec6c..4f11050646 100644
--- a/packages/backend-defaults/src/entrypoints/actions/DefaultActionsService.ts
+++ b/packages/backend-defaults/src/entrypoints/actions/DefaultActionsService.ts
@@ -47,15 +47,14 @@ export class DefaultActionsService implements ActionsService {
     return new DefaultActionsService(discovery, config, logger, auth);
   }
 
-  async listActions({ credentials }: { credentials: BackstageCredentials }) {
+  async list({ credentials }: { credentials: BackstageCredentials }) {
     const pluginSources =
       this.config.getOptionalStringArray('backend.actions.pluginSources') ?? [];
 
     const remoteActionsList = await Promise.all(
       pluginSources.map(async source => {
-        const pluginBaseUrl = await this.discovery.getBaseUrl(source);
         const response = await this.makeRequest({
-          url: `${pluginBaseUrl}/.backstage/actions/v1/actions`,
+          path: `/.backstage/actions/v1/actions`,
           pluginId: source,
           credentials,
         });
@@ -76,17 +75,16 @@ export class DefaultActionsService implements ActionsService {
     return { actions: remoteActionsList.flat() };
   }
 
-  async invokeAction(opts: {
+  async invoke(opts: {
     id: string;
     input?: JsonObject;
     credentials: BackstageCredentials;
   }) {
     const pluginId = this.pluginIdFromActionId(opts.id);
-
-    const baseUrl = await this.discovery.getBaseUrl(pluginId);
-
     const response = await this.makeRequest({
-      url: `${baseUrl}/.backstage/actions/v1/actions/${opts.id}/invoke`,
+      path: `/.backstage/actions/v1/actions/${encodeURIComponent(
+        opts.id,
+      )}/invoke`,
       pluginId,
       credentials: opts.credentials,
       options: {
@@ -107,18 +105,20 @@ export class DefaultActionsService implements ActionsService {
   }
 
   private async makeRequest(opts: {
-    url: string;
+    path: string;
     pluginId: string;
     options?: RequestInit;
     credentials: BackstageCredentials;
   }) {
-    const { url, credentials, options } = opts;
+    const { path, pluginId, credentials, options } = opts;
+    const baseUrl = await this.discovery.getBaseUrl(pluginId);
+
     const { token } = await this.auth.getPluginRequestToken({
       onBehalfOf: credentials,
       targetPluginId: opts.pluginId,
     });
 
-    return fetch(url, {
+    return fetch(`${baseUrl}${path}`, {
       ...options,
       headers: {
         ...options?.headers,
diff --git a/packages/backend-defaults/src/entrypoints/actions/actionsServiceFactory.test.ts b/packages/backend-defaults/src/entrypoints/actions/actionsServiceFactory.test.ts
index f1bb54a184..7b7285c89a 100644
--- a/packages/backend-defaults/src/entrypoints/actions/actionsServiceFactory.test.ts
+++ b/packages/backend-defaults/src/entrypoints/actions/actionsServiceFactory.test.ts
@@ -66,6 +66,10 @@ describe('actionsServiceFactory', () => {
       id: 'my-plugin:test',
       name: 'testy',
       title: 'Test',
+      schema: {
+        input: {},
+        output: {},
+      },
     };
 
     beforeEach(() => {
@@ -89,13 +93,13 @@ describe('actionsServiceFactory', () => {
       );
     });
 
-    describe('listActions', () => {
+    describe('list', () => {
       it('should list all plugins in config to find actions and handle failures gracefully', async () => {
         const subject = await ServiceFactoryTester.from(actionsServiceFactory, {
           dependencies: defaultServices,
         }).getSubject();
 
-        const { actions } = await subject.listActions({
+        const { actions } = await subject.list({
           credentials: mockCredentials.service('user:default/mock'),
         });
 
@@ -106,7 +110,7 @@ describe('actionsServiceFactory', () => {
       });
     });
 
-    describe('invokeAction', () => {
+    describe('invoke', () => {
       it('should invoke the action and return the output', async () => {
         server.use(
           rest.post(
@@ -118,7 +122,7 @@ describe('actionsServiceFactory', () => {
           dependencies: defaultServices,
         }).getSubject();
 
-        const { output } = await subject.invokeAction({
+        const { output } = await subject.invoke({
           id: 'my-plugin:test',
           credentials: mockCredentials.service('user:default/mock'),
         });
@@ -139,7 +143,7 @@ describe('actionsServiceFactory', () => {
         }).getSubject();
 
         await expect(
-          subject.invokeAction({
+          subject.invoke({
             id: 'my-plugin:test',
             credentials: mockCredentials.service('user:default/mock'),
           }),
@@ -159,7 +163,7 @@ describe('actionsServiceFactory', () => {
         }).getSubject();
 
         await expect(
-          subject.invokeAction({
+          subject.invoke({
             id: 'my-plugin:test',
             credentials: mockCredentials.service('user:default/mock'),
           }),
@@ -238,7 +242,7 @@ describe('actionsServiceFactory', () => {
 
                 innerRouter.post('/invoke', async (req, res) => {
                   const { id, input } = req.body;
-                  const response = await actionsService.invokeAction({
+                  const response = await actionsService.invoke({
                     id,
                     input,
                     credentials: await httpAuth.credentials(req),
@@ -247,7 +251,7 @@ describe('actionsServiceFactory', () => {
                 });
 
                 innerRouter.get('/actions', async (req, res) => {
-                  const response = await actionsService.listActions({
+                  const response = await actionsService.list({
                     credentials: await httpAuth.credentials(req),
                   });
 
diff --git a/packages/backend-defaults/src/entrypoints/actionsRegistry/DefaultActionsRegistryService.ts b/packages/backend-defaults/src/entrypoints/actionsRegistry/DefaultActionsRegistryService.ts
index bcc5c23805..a1777cb9b6 100644
--- a/packages/backend-defaults/src/entrypoints/actionsRegistry/DefaultActionsRegistryService.ts
+++ b/packages/backend-defaults/src/entrypoints/actionsRegistry/DefaultActionsRegistryService.ts
@@ -34,19 +34,15 @@ import {
 } from '@backstage/errors';
 
 export class DefaultActionsRegistryService implements ActionsRegistryService {
+  private actions: Map<string, ActionsRegistryActionOptions<any, any>> =
+    new Map();
+
   private constructor(
-    private readonly actions: Map<
-      string,
-      ActionsRegistryActionOptions<any, any>
-    >,
-    private readonly router: Router,
     private readonly logger: LoggerService,
     private readonly httpAuth: HttpAuthService,
     private readonly auth: AuthService,
     private readonly metadata: PluginMetadataService,
-  ) {
-    this.bindRoutes();
-  }
+  ) {}
 
   static create({
     httpAuth,
@@ -59,36 +55,14 @@ export class DefaultActionsRegistryService implements ActionsRegistryService {
     auth: AuthService;
     metadata: PluginMetadataService;
   }): DefaultActionsRegistryService {
-    return new DefaultActionsRegistryService(
-      new Map(),
-      PromiseRouter(),
-      logger,
-      httpAuth,
-      auth,
-      metadata,
-    );
+    return new DefaultActionsRegistryService(logger, httpAuth, auth, metadata);
   }
 
-  getRouter(): Router {
-    return this.router;
-  }
+  createRouter(): Router {
+    const router = PromiseRouter();
+    router.use(json());
 
-  register<TInputSchema extends ZodType, TOutputSchema extends ZodType>(
-    options: ActionsRegistryActionOptions<TInputSchema, TOutputSchema>,
-  ): void {
-    const id = `${this.metadata.getId()}:${options.name}`;
-
-    if (this.actions.has(id)) {
-      throw new Error(`Action with id "${id}" is already registered`);
-    }
-
-    this.actions.set(id, options);
-  }
-
-  private bindRoutes() {
-    this.router.use(json());
-
-    this.router.get('/.backstage/actions/v1/actions', (_, res) => {
+    router.get('/.backstage/actions/v1/actions', (_, res) => {
       return res.json({
         actions: Array.from(this.actions.entries()).map(([id, action]) => ({
           id,
@@ -105,7 +79,7 @@ export class DefaultActionsRegistryService implements ActionsRegistryService {
       });
     });
 
-    this.router.post(
+    router.post(
       '/.backstage/actions/v1/actions/:actionId/invoke',
       async (req, res) => {
         const action = this.actions.get(req.params.actionId);
@@ -165,5 +139,18 @@ export class DefaultActionsRegistryService implements ActionsRegistryService {
         }
       },
     );
+    return router;
+  }
+
+  register<TInputSchema extends ZodType, TOutputSchema extends ZodType>(
+    options: ActionsRegistryActionOptions<TInputSchema, TOutputSchema>,
+  ): void {
+    const id = `${this.metadata.getId()}:${options.name}`;
+
+    if (this.actions.has(id)) {
+      throw new Error(`Action with id "${id}" is already registered`);
+    }
+
+    this.actions.set(id, options);
   }
 }
diff --git a/packages/backend-defaults/src/entrypoints/actionsRegistry/actionsRegistryServiceFactory.test.ts b/packages/backend-defaults/src/entrypoints/actionsRegistry/actionsRegistryServiceFactory.test.ts
index 832155f794..5d47ff055d 100644
--- a/packages/backend-defaults/src/entrypoints/actionsRegistry/actionsRegistryServiceFactory.test.ts
+++ b/packages/backend-defaults/src/entrypoints/actionsRegistry/actionsRegistryServiceFactory.test.ts
@@ -194,7 +194,11 @@ describe('actionsRegistryServiceFactory', () => {
                 name: 'test',
                 title: 'Test',
                 description: 'Test',
-                action: async () => ({ output: { ok: true } }),
+                schema: {
+                  input: z => z.undefined(),
+                  output: z => z.string(),
+                },
+                action: async () => ({ output: 'ok' }),
               });
             },
           });
diff --git a/packages/backend-defaults/src/entrypoints/actionsRegistry/actionsRegistryServiceFactory.ts b/packages/backend-defaults/src/entrypoints/actionsRegistry/actionsRegistryServiceFactory.ts
index 70bfbf9986..85515a6046 100644
--- a/packages/backend-defaults/src/entrypoints/actionsRegistry/actionsRegistryServiceFactory.ts
+++ b/packages/backend-defaults/src/entrypoints/actionsRegistry/actionsRegistryServiceFactory.ts
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ export const actionsRegistryServiceFactory = createServiceFactory({
       metadata,
     });
 
-    httpRouter.use(actionsRegistryService.getRouter());
+    httpRouter.use(actionsRegistryService.createRouter());
 
     return actionsRegistryService;
   },
diff --git a/packages/backend-plugin-api/report.api.md b/packages/backend-plugin-api/report.api.md
index b8c8534029..68597dcbe1 100644
--- a/packages/backend-plugin-api/report.api.md
+++ b/packages/backend-plugin-api/report.api.md
@@ -44,16 +44,16 @@ export type ActionsRegistryActionOptions<
   name: string;
   title: string;
   description: string;
-  schema?: {
-    input?: (zod: typeof z) => TInputSchema;
-    output?: (zod: typeof z) => TOutputSchema;
+  schema: {
+    input: (zod: typeof z) => TInputSchema;
+    output: (zod: typeof z) => TOutputSchema;
   };
   action: (context: ActionsRegistryActionContext<TInputSchema>) => Promise<
-    TOutputSchema extends ZodType
-      ? {
+    z.infer<TOutputSchema> extends void
+      ? void
+      : {
           output: z.infer<TOutputSchema>;
         }
-      : void
   >;
 };
 
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ export interface ActionsRegistryService {
 // @public (undocumented)
 export interface ActionsService {
   // (undocumented)
-  invokeAction(opts: {
+  invoke(opts: {
     id: string;
     input?: JsonObject;
     credentials: BackstageCredentials;
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ export interface ActionsService {
     output: JsonValue;
   }>;
   // (undocumented)
-  listActions: (opts: { credentials: BackstageCredentials }) => Promise<{
+  list: (opts: { credentials: BackstageCredentials }) => Promise<{
     actions: ActionsServiceAction[];
   }>;
 }
@@ -87,9 +87,9 @@ export type ActionsServiceAction = {
   name: string;
   title: string;
   description: string;
-  schema?: {
-    input?: JSONSchema7;
-    output?: JSONSchema7;
+  schema: {
+    input: JSONSchema7;
+    output: JSONSchema7;
   };
 };
 
diff --git a/packages/backend-plugin-api/src/services/definitions/ActionsRegistryService.ts b/packages/backend-plugin-api/src/services/definitions/ActionsRegistryService.ts
index ab6539a33e..3044c84ed8 100644
--- a/packages/backend-plugin-api/src/services/definitions/ActionsRegistryService.ts
+++ b/packages/backend-plugin-api/src/services/definitions/ActionsRegistryService.ts
@@ -36,14 +36,16 @@ export type ActionsRegistryActionOptions<
   name: string;
   title: string;
   description: string;
-  schema?: {
-    input?: (zod: typeof z) => TInputSchema;
-    output?: (zod: typeof z) => TOutputSchema;
+  schema: {
+    input: (zod: typeof z) => TInputSchema;
+    output: (zod: typeof z) => TOutputSchema;
   };
   action: (
     context: ActionsRegistryActionContext<TInputSchema>,
   ) => Promise<
-    TOutputSchema extends ZodType ? { output: z.infer<TOutputSchema> } : void
+    z.infer<TOutputSchema> extends void
+      ? void
+      : { output: z.infer<TOutputSchema> }
   >;
 };
 
diff --git a/packages/backend-plugin-api/src/services/definitions/ActionsService.ts b/packages/backend-plugin-api/src/services/definitions/ActionsService.ts
index 156513ebc8..69b13afaaa 100644
--- a/packages/backend-plugin-api/src/services/definitions/ActionsService.ts
+++ b/packages/backend-plugin-api/src/services/definitions/ActionsService.ts
@@ -25,9 +25,9 @@ export type ActionsServiceAction = {
   name: string;
   title: string;
   description: string;
-  schema?: {
-    input?: JSONSchema7;
-    output?: JSONSchema7;
+  schema: {
+    input: JSONSchema7;
+    output: JSONSchema7;
   };
 };
 
@@ -35,10 +35,10 @@ export type ActionsServiceAction = {
  * @public
  */
 export interface ActionsService {
-  listActions: (opts: {
+  list: (opts: {
     credentials: BackstageCredentials;
   }) => Promise<{ actions: ActionsServiceAction[] }>;
-  invokeAction(opts: {
+  invoke(opts: {
     id: string;
     input?: JsonObject;
     credentials: BackstageCredentials;
diff --git a/packages/backend-test-utils/report.api.md b/packages/backend-test-utils/report.api.md
index 7edcf6e1b7..379a2a70ac 100644
--- a/packages/backend-test-utils/report.api.md
+++ b/packages/backend-test-utils/report.api.md
@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@
 > Do not edit this file. It is a report generated by [API Extractor](https://api-extractor.com/).
 
 ```ts
+import { ActionsRegistryService } from '@backstage/backend-plugin-api';
+import { ActionsService } from '@backstage/backend-plugin-api';
 import { AuditorService } from '@backstage/backend-plugin-api';
 import { AuthService } from '@backstage/backend-plugin-api';
 import { Backend } from '@backstage/backend-app-api';
@@ -161,6 +163,28 @@ export function mockErrorHandler(): ErrorRequestHandler<
 
 // @public
 export namespace mockServices {
+  // (undocumented)
+  export namespace actions {
+    const // (undocumented)
+      factory: () => ServiceFactory<ActionsService, 'plugin', 'singleton'>;
+    const // (undocumented)
+      mock: (
+        partialImpl?: Partial<ActionsService> | undefined,
+      ) => ServiceMock<ActionsService>;
+  }
+  // (undocumented)
+  export namespace actionsRegistry {
+    const // (undocumented)
+      factory: () => ServiceFactory<
+        ActionsRegistryService,
+        'plugin',
+        'singleton'
+      >;
+    const // (undocumented)
+      mock: (
+        partialImpl?: Partial<ActionsRegistryService> | undefined,
+      ) => ServiceMock<ActionsRegistryService>;
+  }
   // (undocumented)
   export namespace auditor {
     const // (undocumented)
diff --git a/packages/backend-test-utils/src/next/services/mockServices.ts b/packages/backend-test-utils/src/next/services/mockServices.ts
index f68f1337b9..0c5b18bd1e 100644
--- a/packages/backend-test-utils/src/next/services/mockServices.ts
+++ b/packages/backend-test-utils/src/next/services/mockServices.ts
@@ -53,6 +53,8 @@ import { MockRootLoggerService } from './MockRootLoggerService';
 import { MockUserInfoService } from './MockUserInfoService';
 import { mockCredentials } from './mockCredentials';
 import { MockEventsService } from './MockEventsService';
+import { actionsServiceFactory } from '@backstage/backend-defaults/actions';
+import { actionsRegistryServiceFactory } from '@backstage/backend-defaults/actionsRegistry';
 
 /** @internal */
 function createLoggerMock() {
@@ -518,6 +520,20 @@ export namespace mockServices {
       search: jest.fn(),
     }));
   }
+  export namespace actions {
+    export const factory = () => actionsServiceFactory;
+    export const mock = simpleMock(coreServices.actions, () => ({
+      list: jest.fn(),
+      invoke: jest.fn(),
+    }));
+  }
+
+  export namespace actionsRegistry {
+    export const factory = () => actionsRegistryServiceFactory;
+    export const mock = simpleMock(coreServices.actionsRegistry, () => ({
+      register: jest.fn(),
+    }));
+  }
 
   /**
    * Creates a functional mock implementation of the