diff --git a/src/playsim/p_lnspec.h b/src/playsim/p_lnspec.h
index 7072e31e53c..1adba828349 100644
--- a/src/playsim/p_lnspec.h
+++ b/src/playsim/p_lnspec.h
@@ -219,7 +219,7 @@ static inline bool P_IsACSSpecial(int specnum)
 FLineSpecial *P_GetLineSpecialInfo(int num);
 int P_GetMaxLineSpecial();
 int P_FindLineSpecial (const char *string, int *min_args=NULL, int *max_args=NULL);
-bool P_ActivateThingSpecial(AActor * thing, AActor * trigger, bool death=false);
+int P_ActivateThingSpecial(AActor * thing, AActor * trigger, bool death=false);
 int P_ExecuteSpecial(
 	FLevelLocals	*lev,
 	int			num,
diff --git a/src/playsim/p_map.cpp b/src/playsim/p_map.cpp
index ef5438afdff..c4b4c96ebc8 100644
--- a/src/playsim/p_map.cpp
+++ b/src/playsim/p_map.cpp
@@ -7211,7 +7211,7 @@ static void SpawnDeepSplash(AActor *t1, const FTraceResults &trace, AActor *puff
 //
 //=============================================================================
 
-bool P_ActivateThingSpecial(AActor * thing, AActor * trigger, bool death)
+int P_ActivateThingSpecial(AActor * thing, AActor * trigger, bool death)
 {
 	bool res = false;
 
@@ -7267,3 +7267,11 @@ bool P_ActivateThingSpecial(AActor * thing, AActor * trigger, bool death)
 	// Returns the result
 	return res;
 }
+
+DEFINE_ACTION_FUNCTION_NATIVE(AActor, ActivateSpecial, P_ActivateThingSpecial)
+{
+	PARAM_SELF_PROLOGUE(AActor);
+	PARAM_OBJECT_NOT_NULL(activator, AActor);
+	PARAM_BOOL(death);
+	ACTION_RETURN_BOOL(P_ActivateThingSpecial(self, activator, death));
+}
diff --git a/wadsrc/static/zscript/actors/actor.zs b/wadsrc/static/zscript/actors/actor.zs
index e0633d599b8..320b2e554c0 100644
--- a/wadsrc/static/zscript/actors/actor.zs
+++ b/wadsrc/static/zscript/actors/actor.zs
@@ -690,6 +690,7 @@ class Actor : Thinker native
 	native clearscope static int ApplyDamageFactors(class<Inventory> itemcls, Name damagetype, int damage, int defdamage);
 	native void RemoveFromHash();
 	native void ChangeTid(int newtid);
+	native bool ActivateSpecial(Actor activator, bool death = false);
 	deprecated("3.8", "Use Level.FindUniqueTid() instead") static int FindUniqueTid(int start = 0, int limit = 0)
 	{
 		return level.FindUniqueTid(start, limit);