diff --git a/actions/actions.py b/actions/actions.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7d808e1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/actions/actions.py
@@ -0,0 +1,51 @@
+#!/usr/bin/python
+
+import os
+import sys
+
+from charmhelpers.core.host import service_pause, service_resume
+from charmhelpers.core.hookenv import action_fail, status_set
+
+
+MYSQL_SERVICE = "mysql"
+
+def pause():
+    """Pause the MySQL service.
+
+    @raises Exception should the service fail to stop.
+    """
+    if not service_pause(MYSQL_SERVICE):
+        raise Exception("Failed to pause MySQL service.")
+    status_set(
+        "maintenance", "Paused. Use 'resume' action to resume normal service.")
+
+def resume():
+    """Resume the MySQL service.
+
+    @raises Exception should the service fail to start."""
+    if not service_resume(MYSQL_SERVICE):
+        raise Exception("Failed to resume MySQL service.")
+    status_set("active", "")
+
+
+# A dictionary of all the defined actions to callables (which take
+# parsed arguments).
+ACTIONS = {"pause": pause, "resume": resume}
+
+
+def main(args):
+    action_name = os.path.basename(args[0])
+    try:
+        action = ACTIONS[action_name]
+    except KeyError:
+        return "Action %s undefined" % action_name
+    else:
+        try:
+            action(args)
+        except Exception as e:
+            action_fail(str(e))
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    sys.exit(main(sys.argv[1:]))
+
diff --git a/actions/pause b/actions/pause
deleted file mode 100755
index ec4700b..0000000
--- a/actions/pause
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,9 +0,0 @@
-#!/usr/bin/python
-import sys
-
-from charmhelpers.core import hookenv, host
-
-if __name__ == "__main__":
-    if not host.service_pause("mysql"):
-        hookenv.action_fail("Failed to pause MySQL service.")
-        sys.exit(-1)        
diff --git a/actions/pause b/actions/pause
new file mode 120000
index 0000000..405a394
--- /dev/null
+++ b/actions/pause
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+actions.py
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/actions/resume b/actions/resume
deleted file mode 100755
index 81c90b3..0000000
--- a/actions/resume
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,12 +0,0 @@
-#!/usr/bin/python
-import os
-import sys
-
-from charmhelpers.core import hookenv, host
-
-if __name__ == "__main__":
-    if not host.service_resume("mysql"):
-        hookenv.action_fail("Failed to resume MySQL service.")
-        sys.exit(-1)
-        
-
diff --git a/actions/resume b/actions/resume
new file mode 120000
index 0000000..405a394
--- /dev/null
+++ b/actions/resume
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+actions.py
\ No newline at end of file