diff --git a/dotdrop/action.py b/dotdrop/action.py
index 0123051..ccac7ba 100644
--- a/dotdrop/action.py
+++ b/dotdrop/action.py
@@ -21,9 +21,11 @@ class Cmd(DictParser):
         """constructor
         @key: action key
         @action: action string
+        @silent: action silent
         """
         self.key = key
         self.action = action
+        self.silent = key.startswith('_')
 
     def execute(self, templater=None, debug=False):
         """execute the command in the shell"""
@@ -53,7 +55,10 @@ class Cmd(DictParser):
             err += ' with \"{}\"'.format(args)
             self.log.warn(err)
             return False
-        self.log.sub('executing \"{}\"'.format(cmd))
+        if self.silent:
+            self.log.sub('executing silent action \"{}\"'.format(self.key))
+        else:
+            self.log.sub('executing \"{}\"'.format(cmd))
         try:
             ret = subprocess.call(cmd, shell=True)
         except KeyboardInterrupt:
diff --git a/tests-ng/actions.sh b/tests-ng/actions.sh
index 3087ed7..c4e40f9 100755
--- a/tests-ng/actions.sh
+++ b/tests-ng/actions.sh
@@ -65,6 +65,7 @@ actions:
     postaction: echo 'post' > ${tmpa}/post
     postaction2: echo 'post2' > ${tmpa}/post2
   nakedaction: echo 'naked' > ${tmpa}/naked
+  _silentaction: echo 'silent'
 config:
   backup: true
   create: true
@@ -79,6 +80,7 @@ dotfiles:
       - nakedaction
       - preaction2
       - postaction2
+      - _silentaction
 profiles:
   p1:
     dotfiles:
@@ -90,7 +92,7 @@ _EOF
 echo "test" > ${tmps}/dotfiles/abc
 
 # install
-cd ${ddpath} | ${bin} install -f -c ${cfg} -p p1 -V
+cd ${ddpath} | ${bin} install -f -c ${cfg} -p p1 -V 2>&1 | tee ${tmpa}/log
 
 # checks
 [ ! -e ${tmpa}/pre ] && exit 1
@@ -102,7 +104,11 @@ grep naked ${tmpa}/naked >/dev/null
 [ ! -e ${tmpa}/pre2 ] && exit 1
 grep pre2 ${tmpa}/pre2 >/dev/null
 [ ! -e ${tmpa}/post2 ] && exit 1
-grep post2 ${tmpa}/post2 >/dev/null
+grep post ${tmpa}/post2 >/dev/null
+[ ! -e ${tmpa}/log ] && exit 1
+grep "executing \"echo 'naked' > ${tmpa}/naked" ${tmpa}/log >/dev/null
+grep "executing \"echo 'silent'" ${tmpa}/log >/dev/null && false
+grep "executing silent action \"_silentaction\"" ${tmpa}/log >/dev/null
 
 ## CLEANING
 rm -rf ${tmps} ${tmpd} ${tmpa}