diff --git a/platypush/message/request/__init__.py b/platypush/message/request/__init__.py
index 7a55e65429..8dda18eb7d 100644
--- a/platypush/message/request/__init__.py
+++ b/platypush/message/request/__init__.py
@@ -64,12 +64,13 @@ class Request(Message):
         msg = super().parse(msg)
         args = {
             'target': msg.get('target', Config.get('device_id')),
-            'action': msg['action'],
+            'action': msg.get('action', msg.get('name')),
             'args': msg.get('args', {}),
             'id': msg['id'] if 'id' in msg else cls._generate_id(),
             'timestamp': msg['_timestamp'] if '_timestamp' in msg else time.time(),
         }
 
+        assert args.get('action'), 'No action specified in the request'
         if 'origin' in msg:
             args['origin'] = msg['origin']
         if 'token' in msg:
diff --git a/platypush/plugins/procedures/__init__.py b/platypush/plugins/procedures/__init__.py
index 3e66f7631e..cffd2f65f1 100644
--- a/platypush/plugins/procedures/__init__.py
+++ b/platypush/plugins/procedures/__init__.py
@@ -286,9 +286,10 @@ class ProceduresPlugin(RunnablePlugin, ProcedureEntityManager):
     @classmethod
     def _serialize_action(cls, data: Union[Iterable, Dict]) -> Union[Dict, List]:
         if isinstance(data, dict):
-            if data.get('action'):
+            name = data.get('action', data.get('name'))
+            if name:
                 return {
-                    'action': data['action'],
+                    'action': name,
                     **({'args': data['args']} if data.get('args') else {}),
                 }