diff --git a/dotdrop/action.py b/dotdrop/action.py
index a2e78bb..7052f22 100644
--- a/dotdrop/action.py
+++ b/dotdrop/action.py
@@ -11,13 +11,25 @@ import os
 from dotdrop.logger import Logger
 
 
-class Action:
+class Cmd:
 
     def __init__(self, key, action):
         self.key = key
         self.action = action
         self.log = Logger()
 
+    def __str__(self):
+        return 'key:{} -> \"{}\"'.format(self.key, self.action)
+
+    def __eq__(self, other):
+        return self.__dict__ == other.__dict__
+
+    def __hash__(self):
+        return hash(self.key) ^ hash(self.action)
+
+
+class Action(Cmd):
+
     def execute(self):
         ret = 1
         self.log.sub('executing \"{}\"'.format(self.action))
@@ -27,6 +39,9 @@ class Action:
             self.log.warn('action interrupted')
         return ret == 0
 
+
+class Transform(Cmd):
+
     def transform(self, arg0, arg1):
         '''execute transformation with {0} and {1}
         where {0} is the file to transform and
@@ -43,12 +58,3 @@ class Action:
         except KeyboardInterrupt:
             self.log.warn('action interrupted')
         return ret == 0
-
-    def __str__(self):
-        return 'key:{} -> \"{}\"'.format(self.key, self.action)
-
-    def __eq__(self, other):
-        return self.__dict__ == other.__dict__
-
-    def __hash__(self):
-        return hash(self.key) ^ hash(self.action)
diff --git a/dotdrop/config.py b/dotdrop/config.py
index 4e86089..a37ff1e 100644
--- a/dotdrop/config.py
+++ b/dotdrop/config.py
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ import os
 # local import
 from dotdrop.dotfile import Dotfile
 from dotdrop.logger import Logger
-from dotdrop.action import Action
+from dotdrop.action import Action, Transform
 
 
 class Cfg:
@@ -106,10 +106,8 @@ class Cfg:
         res = {
             self.key_actions_pre: [],
             self.key_actions_post: [],
-            'actions': []
         }
         for entry in entries:
-            key = 'actions'
             action = None
             if self.key_actions_pre in actions and \
                     entry in actions[self.key_actions_pre]:
@@ -123,10 +121,21 @@ class Cfg:
                 self.log.warn('unknown action \"{}\"'.format(entry))
                 continue
             else:
+                key = self.key_actions_post
                 action = actions[entry]
             res[key].append(action)
         return res
 
+    def _parse_trans(self, trans, entries):
+        """ parse trans specified for an element """
+        res = []
+        for entry in entries:
+            if entry not in trans.keys():
+                self.log.warn('unknown trans \"{}\"'.format(entry))
+                continue
+            res.append(trans[entry])
+        return res
+
     def _complete_configs(self):
         """ set config defaults if not present """
         if self.key_backup not in self.configs:
@@ -155,7 +164,7 @@ class Cfg:
         if self.key_trans in self.content:
             if self.content[self.key_trans] is not None:
                 for k, v in self.content[self.key_trans].items():
-                    self.trans[k] = Action(k, v)
+                    self.trans[k] = Transform(k, v)
 
         # parse the profiles
         self.profiles = self.content[self.key_profiles]
@@ -183,7 +192,7 @@ class Cfg:
             actions = self._parse_actions(self.actions, entries)
             entries = v[self.key_dotfiles_trans] if \
                 self.key_dotfiles_trans in v else []
-            trans = self._parse_actions(self.trans, entries)
+            trans = self._parse_trans(self.trans, entries)
             if len(trans) > 0 and link:
                 msg = 'transformations disabled for \"{}\"'.format(dst)
                 msg += ' because link is True'
diff --git a/dotdrop/dotdrop.py b/dotdrop/dotdrop.py
index e708953..112be6f 100644
--- a/dotdrop/dotdrop.py
+++ b/dotdrop/dotdrop.py
@@ -97,10 +97,10 @@ def install(opts, conf):
         else:
             src = dotfile.src
             tmp = None
-            if 'actions' in dotfile.trans and dotfile.trans['actions']:
+            if dotfile.trans:
                 tmp = '{}.{}'.format(src, TRANS_SUFFIX)
                 err = False
-                for trans in dotfile.trans['actions']:
+                for trans in dotfile.trans:
                     LOG.dbg('executing transformation {}'.format(trans))
                     s = os.path.join(opts['dotpath'], src)
                     temp = os.path.join(opts['dotpath'], tmp)
@@ -120,12 +120,6 @@ def install(opts, conf):
                 if os.path.exists(tmp):
                     remove(tmp)
         if len(r) > 0:
-            if 'actions' in dotfile.actions:
-                actions = dotfile.actions['actions']
-                # execute action
-                for action in actions:
-                    LOG.dbg('executing action {}'.format(action))
-                    action.execute()
             if Cfg.key_actions_post in dotfile.actions:
                 actions = dotfile.actions[Cfg.key_actions_post]
                 # execute action
diff --git a/dotdrop/dotfile.py b/dotdrop/dotfile.py
index 09b8eef..828b75b 100644
--- a/dotdrop/dotfile.py
+++ b/dotdrop/dotfile.py
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ represents a dotfile in dotdrop
 class Dotfile:
 
     def __init__(self, key, dst, src,
-                 actions={}, trans={}, link=False):
+                 actions={}, trans=[], link=False):
         # key of dotfile in the config
         self.key = key
         # where to install this dotfile