diff --git a/tests/remote/test_remote_zuul_json.py b/tests/remote/test_remote_zuul_json.py
index 11c03e207a..36c6b6bb61 100644
--- a/tests/remote/test_remote_zuul_json.py
+++ b/tests/remote/test_remote_zuul_json.py
@@ -81,6 +81,22 @@ class TestZuulJSON(AnsibleZuulTestCase):
             self.assertIn('rosebud', text)
             self.assertNotIn('setec', text)
 
+    def test_json_task_action(self):
+        job = self._run_job('no-log')
+        with self.jobLog(job):
+            build = self.history[-1]
+            self.assertEqual(build.result, 'SUCCESS')
+
+            text = self._get_json_as_text(build)
+            json_result = json.loads(text)
+            tasks = json_result[0]['plays'][0]['tasks']
+            expected_actions = [
+                'debug', 'debug', 'debug', 'copy', 'find', 'stat', 'debug'
+            ]
+            for i, expected in enumerate(expected_actions):
+                host_result = tasks[i]['hosts']['controller']
+                self.assertEquals(expected, host_result['action'])
+
     def test_json_role_log(self):
         job = self._run_job('json-role')
         with self.jobLog(job):
diff --git a/zuul/ansible/callback/zuul_json.py b/zuul/ansible/callback/zuul_json.py
index bbd2c24868..e52e2e24d1 100644
--- a/zuul/ansible/callback/zuul_json.py
+++ b/zuul/ansible/callback/zuul_json.py
@@ -132,6 +132,7 @@ class CallbackModule(CallbackBase):
 
     def v2_runner_on_ok(self, result, **kwargs):
         host = result._host
+        action = result._task.action
         if result._result.get('_ansible_no_log', False) or result._task.no_log:
             self.results[-1]['tasks'][-1]['hosts'][host.name] = dict(
                 censored="the output has been hidden due to the fact that"
@@ -155,6 +156,7 @@ class CallbackModule(CallbackBase):
         end_time = current_time()
         self.results[-1]['tasks'][-1]['task']['duration']['end'] = end_time
         self.results[-1]['play']['duration']['end'] = end_time
+        self.results[-1]['tasks'][-1]['hosts'][host.name]['action'] = action
 
     def v2_playbook_on_stats(self, stats):
         """Display info about playbook statistics"""