diff --git a/salt/cloud/__init__.py b/salt/cloud/__init__.py
index 436770d96b..4bddbd2cd4 100644
--- a/salt/cloud/__init__.py
+++ b/salt/cloud/__init__.py
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ from __future__ import absolute_import, print_function, generators
 import os
 import copy
 import glob
+import inspect
 import time
 import signal
 import logging
@@ -1460,8 +1461,14 @@ class Cloud(object):
                             ret[alias][driver] = {}
 
                         if kwargs:
+                            argnames = inspect.getargspec(self.clouds[fun]).args
+                            [argnames.pop(0) for _ in inspect.getargspec(self.clouds[fun]).defaults]
+                            kws = {}
+                            for kwarg in argnames:
+                                kws[kwarg] = kwargs.get(kwarg, None)
+                            kws['call'] = 'action'
                             ret[alias][driver][vm_name] = self.clouds[fun](
-                                vm_name, kwargs, call='action'
+                                vm_name, **kws
                             )
                         else:
                             ret[alias][driver][vm_name] = self.clouds[fun](
diff --git a/salt/runners/cloud.py b/salt/runners/cloud.py
index 66795d5a36..9e2952e60b 100644
--- a/salt/runners/cloud.py
+++ b/salt/runners/cloud.py
@@ -125,18 +125,17 @@ def destroy(instances):
     return info
 
 
-def action(
-        func=None,
-        cloudmap=None,
-        instances=None,
-        provider=None,
-        instance=None,
-        **kwargs):
+def action(*args, **kwargs):
     '''
     Execute a single action on the given map/provider/instance
     '''
     client = _get_client()
-    info = client.action(func, cloudmap, instances, provider, instance, kwargs)
+    info = client.action(args[0],
+                         kwargs.get('cloudmap', None),
+                         args[1:],
+                         kwargs.get('provider', None),
+                         kwargs.get('instance', None),
+                         kwargs)
     return info