diff --git a/bmc/Makefile.am b/bmc/Makefile.am
index 63c90b4..993b881 100644
--- a/bmc/Makefile.am
+++ b/bmc/Makefile.am
@@ -45,7 +45,8 @@
 	firmware_handler.cpp \
 	file_handler.cpp \
 	general_systemd.cpp \
-	lpc_handler.cpp
+	lpc_handler.cpp \
+	skip_action.cpp
 
 if ENABLE_ASPEED_LPC
 libfirmwareblob_common_la_SOURCES += lpc_aspeed.cpp
diff --git a/bmc/buildjson.cpp b/bmc/buildjson.cpp
index 478fb7c..3fdda31 100644
--- a/bmc/buildjson.cpp
+++ b/bmc/buildjson.cpp
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
 #include "file_handler.hpp"
 #include "fs.hpp"
 #include "general_systemd.hpp"
+#include "skip_action.hpp"
 
 #include <algorithm>
 #include <cstdio>
@@ -109,18 +110,17 @@
             const auto& a = item.at("actions");
             std::unique_ptr<ActionPack> pack = std::make_unique<ActionPack>();
 
-            /* It hasn't been fully determined if any action being optional is
-             * useful, so for now they will be required.
-             * TODO: Evaluate how the behaviors change if some actions are
-             * missing, does the code just assume it was successful?  I would
-             * think not.
-             */
+            /* to make an action optional, assign type "skip" */
             const auto& prep = a.at("preparation");
             const std::string prepareType = prep.at("type");
             if (prepareType == "systemd")
             {
                 pack->preparation = std::move(buildSystemd(prep));
             }
+            else if (prepareType == "skip")
+            {
+                pack->preparation = SkipAction::CreateSkipAction();
+            }
             else
             {
                 throw std::runtime_error("Invalid preparation type: " +
@@ -137,6 +137,10 @@
             {
                 pack->verification = std::move(buildSystemd(verify));
             }
+            else if (verifyType == "skip")
+            {
+                pack->verification = SkipAction::CreateSkipAction();
+            }
             else
             {
                 throw std::runtime_error("Invalid verification type:" +
@@ -159,6 +163,10 @@
             {
                 pack->update = std::move(buildSystemd(update));
             }
+            else if (updateType == "skip")
+            {
+                pack->update = SkipAction::CreateSkipAction();
+            }
             else
             {
                 throw std::runtime_error("Invalid update type: " + updateType);
diff --git a/bmc/skip_action.cpp b/bmc/skip_action.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4392e97
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bmc/skip_action.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2020 Google Inc.
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+
+#include "skip_action.hpp"
+
+#include <memory>
+
+namespace ipmi_flash
+{
+
+std::unique_ptr<TriggerableActionInterface> SkipAction::CreateSkipAction()
+{
+    return std::make_unique<SkipAction>();
+}
+
+} // namespace ipmi_flash
diff --git a/bmc/skip_action.hpp b/bmc/skip_action.hpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2ae9377
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bmc/skip_action.hpp
@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+#pragma once
+
+#include "status.hpp"
+
+#include <memory>
+
+namespace ipmi_flash
+{
+
+// This type will just return success upon trigger(), and even before calling
+// trigger.
+class SkipAction : public TriggerableActionInterface
+{
+  public:
+    static std::unique_ptr<TriggerableActionInterface> CreateSkipAction();
+
+    SkipAction() = default;
+    ~SkipAction() = default;
+
+    // Disallow copy and assign.
+    SkipAction(const SkipAction&) = delete;
+    SkipAction& operator=(const SkipAction&) = delete;
+    SkipAction(SkipAction&&) = default;
+    SkipAction& operator=(SkipAction&&) = default;
+
+    bool trigger() override
+    {
+        return true;
+    }
+    void abort() override
+    {
+    }
+    ActionStatus status() override
+    {
+        return ActionStatus::success;
+    }
+};
+
+} // namespace ipmi_flash
diff --git a/bmc/test/Makefile.am b/bmc/test/Makefile.am
index 9f1aa37..cbac3eb 100644
--- a/bmc/test/Makefile.am
+++ b/bmc/test/Makefile.am
@@ -42,7 +42,8 @@
 	firmware_state_updatecompleted_unittest \
 	firmware_state_notyetstarted_tarball_unittest \
 	firmware_multiplebundle_unittest \
-	firmware_json_unittest
+	firmware_json_unittest \
+	firmware_skip_unittest
 
 TESTS = $(check_PROGRAMS)
 
@@ -108,3 +109,6 @@
 
 firmware_json_unittest_SOURCES = firmware_json_unittest.cpp
 firmware_json_unittest_LDADD = $(top_builddir)/bmc/libfirmwareblob_common.la
+
+firmware_skip_unittest_SOURCES = firmware_skip_unittest.cpp
+firmware_skip_unittest_LDADD = $(top_builddir)/bmc/libfirmwareblob_common.la
diff --git a/bmc/test/firmware_json_unittest.cpp b/bmc/test/firmware_json_unittest.cpp
index d56a20a..8f3ea30 100644
--- a/bmc/test/firmware_json_unittest.cpp
+++ b/bmc/test/firmware_json_unittest.cpp
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 #include "buildjson.hpp"
 #include "general_systemd.hpp"
+#include "skip_action.hpp"
 
 #include <nlohmann/json.hpp>
 
@@ -581,5 +582,39 @@
     EXPECT_THAT(updater->getMode(), "replace-fake");
 }
 
+TEST(FirmwareJsonTest, VerifySkipFields)
+{
+    // In this configuration, nothing happens because all actions are set to
+    // skip.
+    auto j2 = R"(
+        [{
+            "blob" : "/flash/image",
+            "handler" : {
+                "type" : "file",
+                "path" : "/run/initramfs/bmc-image"
+            },
+            "actions" : {
+                "preparation" : {
+                    "type" : "skip"
+                },
+                "verification" : {
+                    "type" : "skip"
+                },
+                "update" : {
+                    "type" : "skip"
+                }
+            }
+         }]
+    )"_json;
+
+    auto h = buildHandlerFromJson(j2);
+    EXPECT_EQ(h[0].blobId, "/flash/image");
+    EXPECT_FALSE(h[0].handler == nullptr);
+    EXPECT_FALSE(h[0].actions == nullptr);
+    EXPECT_FALSE(h[0].actions->preparation == nullptr);
+    EXPECT_FALSE(h[0].actions->verification == nullptr);
+    EXPECT_FALSE(h[0].actions->update == nullptr);
+}
+
 } // namespace
 } // namespace ipmi_flash
diff --git a/bmc/test/firmware_skip_unittest.cpp b/bmc/test/firmware_skip_unittest.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a549582
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bmc/test/firmware_skip_unittest.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+#include "skip_action.hpp"
+#include "status.hpp"
+
+#include <gmock/gmock.h>
+#include <gtest/gtest.h>
+
+namespace ipmi_flash
+{
+namespace
+{
+
+TEST(SkipActionTest, ValidateTriggerReturnsTrue)
+{
+    SkipAction skip;
+    EXPECT_TRUE(skip.trigger());
+    EXPECT_TRUE(skip.trigger());
+}
+
+TEST(SkipActionTest, ValidateStatusAlwaysSuccess)
+{
+    SkipAction skip;
+    EXPECT_EQ(ActionStatus::success, skip.status());
+    EXPECT_TRUE(skip.trigger());
+    EXPECT_EQ(ActionStatus::success, skip.status());
+}
+
+TEST(SkipActionTest, AbortHasNoImpactOnStatus)
+{
+    SkipAction skip;
+    EXPECT_EQ(ActionStatus::success, skip.status());
+    skip.abort();
+    EXPECT_EQ(ActionStatus::success, skip.status());
+}
+
+} // namespace
+} // namespace ipmi_flash
diff --git a/bmc_json_config.md b/bmc_json_config.md
index 5aed44b..29c7017 100644
--- a/bmc_json_config.md
+++ b/bmc_json_config.md
@@ -203,6 +203,11 @@
 Action types are used to define what to do for a specific requested action, such
 as "verify the blob contents."
 
+#### `skip`
+
+The `skip` type will effectively make that action a no-op and always return
+success.
+
 #### `systemd`
 
 The `systemd` type should be used when you wish to start a systemd service or