diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/app-delivery/README.md b/packages/@aws-cdk/app-delivery/README.md
index 66a3f30947573..437aa3b06aeb8 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/app-delivery/README.md
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/app-delivery/README.md
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 ## Continuous Integration / Continuous Delivery for CDK Applications
-This library includes a *CodePipeline* action for deploying AWS CDK Applications.
+This library includes a *CodePipeline* composite Action for deploying AWS CDK Applications.
 
 This module is part of the [AWS Cloud Development Kit](https://github.com/awslabs/aws-cdk) project.
 
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ The example below defines a *CDK App* that contains 3 stacks:
 ```
 
 #### `index.ts`
-```ts
+```typescript
 import codebuild = require('@aws-cdk/aws-codebuild');
 import codepipeline = require('@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline');
 import cdk = require('@aws-cdk/cdk');
@@ -46,11 +46,13 @@ const pipeline = new codepipeline.Pipeline(pipelineStack, 'CodePipeline', {
   restartExecutionOnUpdate: true,
   /* ... */
 });
+
 // Configure the CodePipeline source - where your CDK App's source code is hosted
-const source = new codepipeline.GitHubSourceAction(pipelineStack, 'GitHub', {
-  stage: pipeline.addStage('source'),
+const source = new codepipeline.GitHubSourceAction('GitHub', {
   /* ... */
 });
+pipeline.addStage(new codepipeline.Stage('source').addAction(source));
+
 const project = new codebuild.PipelineProject(pipelineStack, 'CodeBuild', {
   /** 
   * Choose an environment configuration that meets your use case. For NodeJS
@@ -60,12 +62,15 @@ const project = new codebuild.PipelineProject(pipelineStack, 'CodeBuild', {
   * },
   */
 });
-const buildStage = pipeline.addStage('build');
-const buildAction = project.addToPipeline(buildStage, 'CodeBuild');
+const buildAction = project.asCodePipelineAction('CodeBuild', {
+  inputArtifact: source.outputArtifact,
+});
+pipeline.addStage(new codepipeline.Stage('build').addAction(buildAction));
 const synthesizedApp = buildAction.outputArtifact;
 
 // Optionally, self-update the pipeline stack
-const selfUpdateStage = pipeline.addStage('SelfUpdate');
+const selfUpdateStage = new codepipeline.Stage('SelfUpdate');
+pipeline.addStage(selfUpdateStage);
 new cicd.PipelineDeployStackAction(pipelineStack, 'SelfUpdatePipeline', {
   stage: selfUpdateStage,
   stack: pipelineStack,
@@ -73,9 +78,9 @@ new cicd.PipelineDeployStackAction(pipelineStack, 'SelfUpdatePipeline', {
 });
 
 // Now add our service stacks
-const deployStage = pipeline.addStage('Deploy');
+const deployStage = new codepipeline.Stage('Deploy');
+pipeline.addStage(deployStage);
 const serviceStackA = new MyServiceStackA(app, 'ServiceStackA', { /* ... */ });
-const serviceStackB = new MyServiceStackB(app, 'ServiceStackB', { /* ... */ });
 // Add actions to deploy the stacks in the deploy stage:
 const deployServiceAAction = new cicd.PipelineDeployStackAction(pipelineStack, 'DeployServiceStackA', {
   stage: deployStage,
@@ -84,7 +89,6 @@ const deployServiceAAction = new cicd.PipelineDeployStackAction(pipelineStack, '
   // See the note below for details about this option.
   adminPermissions: false, 
 });
-
 // Add the necessary permissions for you service deploy action. This role is
 // is passed to CloudFormation and needs the permissions necessary to deploy
 // stack. Alternatively you can enable [Administrator](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/IAM/latest/UserGuide/access_policies_job-functions.html#jf_administrator) permissions above, 
@@ -95,7 +99,9 @@ deployServiceAAction.addToRolePolicy(
     .addResource(myResource.myResourceArn)
     // add more Action(s) and/or Resource(s) here, as needed
 );
-const deployServiceBAction = new cicd.PipelineDeployStackAction(pipelineStack, 'DeployServiceStackB', {
+
+const serviceStackB = new MyServiceStackB(app, 'ServiceStackB', { /* ... */ });
+new cicd.PipelineDeployStackAction(pipelineStack, 'DeployServiceStackB', {
   stage: deployStage,
   stack: serviceStackB,
   inputArtifact: synthesizedApp,
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/app-delivery/lib/pipeline-deploy-stack-action.ts b/packages/@aws-cdk/app-delivery/lib/pipeline-deploy-stack-action.ts
index 4b9873f6b48b2..05a0c30f0c549 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/app-delivery/lib/pipeline-deploy-stack-action.ts
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/app-delivery/lib/pipeline-deploy-stack-action.ts
@@ -85,8 +85,8 @@ export interface PipelineDeployStackActionProps {
 }
 
 /**
- * A CodePipeline action to deploy a stack that is part of a CDK App. This
- * action takes care of preparing and executing a CloudFormation ChangeSet.
+ * A Construct to deploy a stack that is part of a CDK App, using CodePipeline.
+ * This composite Action takes care of preparing and executing a CloudFormation ChangeSet.
  *
  * It currently does *not* support stacks that make use of ``Asset``s, and
  * requires the deployed stack is in the same account and region where the
@@ -120,24 +120,24 @@ export class PipelineDeployStackAction extends cdk.Construct {
     const changeSetName = props.changeSetName || 'CDK-CodePipeline-ChangeSet';
 
     const capabilities = cfnCapabilities(props.adminPermissions, props.capabilities);
-    const changeSetAction = new cfn.PipelineCreateReplaceChangeSetAction(this, 'ChangeSet', {
+    const changeSetAction = new cfn.PipelineCreateReplaceChangeSetAction('ChangeSet', {
       changeSetName,
       runOrder: createChangeSetRunOrder,
       stackName: props.stack.name,
-      stage: props.stage,
       templatePath: props.inputArtifact.atPath(`${props.stack.name}.template.yaml`),
       adminPermissions: props.adminPermissions,
       role: props.role,
       capabilities,
     });
-    this.role = changeSetAction.role;
+    props.stage
+      .addAction(changeSetAction)
+      .addAction(new cfn.PipelineExecuteChangeSetAction('Execute', {
+        changeSetName,
+        runOrder: executeChangeSetRunOrder,
+        stackName: props.stack.name,
+      }));
 
-    new cfn.PipelineExecuteChangeSetAction(this, 'Execute', {
-      changeSetName,
-      runOrder: executeChangeSetRunOrder,
-      stackName: props.stack.name,
-      stage: props.stage,
-    });
+    this.role = changeSetAction.role;
   }
 
   /**
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/app-delivery/test/integ.cicd.expected.json b/packages/@aws-cdk/app-delivery/test/integ.cicd.expected.json
index e143489256939..e37f96aa079e2 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/app-delivery/test/integ.cicd.expected.json
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/app-delivery/test/integ.cicd.expected.json
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@
               "Effect": "Allow",
               "Resource": {
                 "Fn::GetAtt": [
-                  "DeployStackChangeSetRole4923A126",
+                  "CodePipelineDeployChangeSetRoleF9F2B343",
                   "Arn"
                 ]
               }
@@ -202,7 +202,7 @@
                   "TemplatePath": "Artifact_CICDGitHubF8BA7ADD::CICD.template.yaml",
                   "RoleArn": {
                     "Fn::GetAtt": [
-                      "DeployStackChangeSetRole4923A126",
+                      "CodePipelineDeployChangeSetRoleF9F2B343",
                       "Arn"
                     ]
                   }
@@ -243,7 +243,7 @@
         "CodePipelineRoleDefaultPolicy8D520A8D"
       ]
     },
-    "DeployStackChangeSetRole4923A126": {
+    "CodePipelineDeployChangeSetRoleF9F2B343": {
       "Type": "AWS::IAM::Role",
       "Properties": {
         "AssumeRolePolicyDocument": {
@@ -261,4 +261,4 @@
       }
     }
   }
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/app-delivery/test/integ.cicd.ts b/packages/@aws-cdk/app-delivery/test/integ.cicd.ts
index 48335409f9b5c..44218746ace1a 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/app-delivery/test/integ.cicd.ts
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/app-delivery/test/integ.cicd.ts
@@ -12,14 +12,18 @@ const pipeline = new code.Pipeline(stack, 'CodePipeline', {
     removalPolicy: cdk.RemovalPolicy.Destroy
   })
 });
-const source = new code.GitHubSourceAction(stack, 'GitHub', {
-  stage: pipeline.addStage('Source'),
+const source = new code.GitHubSourceAction('GitHub', {
   owner: 'awslabs',
   repo: 'aws-cdk',
   oauthToken: new cdk.Secret('DummyToken'),
   pollForSourceChanges: true,
+  outputArtifactName: 'Artifact_CICDGitHubF8BA7ADD',
 });
-const stage = pipeline.addStage('Deploy');
+pipeline.addStage(new code.Stage('Source', {
+  actions: [source],
+}));
+const stage = new code.Stage('Deploy');
+pipeline.addStage(stage);
 new cicd.PipelineDeployStackAction(stack, 'DeployStack', {
   stage,
   stack,
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/app-delivery/test/test.pipeline-deploy-stack-action.ts b/packages/@aws-cdk/app-delivery/test/test.pipeline-deploy-stack-action.ts
index 25f41261ec849..850009164a07d 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/app-delivery/test/test.pipeline-deploy-stack-action.ts
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/app-delivery/test/test.pipeline-deploy-stack-action.ts
@@ -29,12 +29,15 @@ export = nodeunit.testCase({
             const app = new cdk.App();
             const stack = new cdk.Stack(app, 'Test', { env: { account: pipelineAccount } });
             const pipeline = new code.Pipeline(stack, 'Pipeline');
-            const fakeAction = new FakeAction(stack, 'Fake', pipeline);
+            const fakeAction = new FakeAction('Fake');
+            pipeline.addStage(new code.Stage('FakeStage', {
+              actions: [fakeAction],
+            }));
             new PipelineDeployStackAction(stack, 'Action', {
               changeSetName: 'ChangeSet',
               inputArtifact: fakeAction.outputArtifact,
               stack: new cdk.Stack(app, 'DeployedStack', { env: { account: stackAccount } }),
-              stage: pipeline.addStage('DeployStage'),
+              stage: new code.Stage('DeployStage'),
               adminPermissions: false,
             });
           }, 'Cross-environment deployment is not supported');
@@ -54,14 +57,17 @@ export = nodeunit.testCase({
             const app = new cdk.App();
             const stack = new cdk.Stack(app, 'Test');
             const pipeline = new code.Pipeline(stack, 'Pipeline');
-            const fakeAction = new FakeAction(stack, 'Fake', pipeline);
+            const fakeAction = new FakeAction('Fake');
+            pipeline.addStage(new code.Stage('FakeStage', {
+              actions: [fakeAction],
+            }));
             new PipelineDeployStackAction(stack, 'Action', {
               changeSetName: 'ChangeSet',
               createChangeSetRunOrder: createRunOrder,
               executeChangeSetRunOrder: executeRunOrder,
               inputArtifact: fakeAction.outputArtifact,
               stack: new cdk.Stack(app, 'DeployedStack'),
-              stage: pipeline.addStage('DeployStage'),
+              stage: new code.Stage('DeployStage'),
               adminPermissions: false,
             });
           }, 'createChangeSetRunOrder must be < executeChangeSetRunOrder');
@@ -80,24 +86,30 @@ export = nodeunit.testCase({
 
     const selfUpdatingStack = createSelfUpdatingStack(pipelineStack);
 
+    const selfUpdateStage1 = new code.Stage('SelfUpdate1');
+    const selfUpdateStage2 = new code.Stage('SelfUpdate2');
+    const selfUpdateStage3 = new code.Stage('SelfUpdate3');
     const pipeline = selfUpdatingStack.pipeline;
-    const selfUpdateStage = pipeline.addStage('SelfUpdate');
+    pipeline
+      .addStage(selfUpdateStage1)
+      .addStage(selfUpdateStage2)
+      .addStage(selfUpdateStage3);
     new PipelineDeployStackAction(pipelineStack, 'SelfUpdatePipeline', {
-      stage: selfUpdateStage,
+      stage: selfUpdateStage1,
       stack: pipelineStack,
       inputArtifact: selfUpdatingStack.synthesizedApp,
       capabilities: cfn.CloudFormationCapabilities.NamedIAM,
       adminPermissions: false,
     });
     new PipelineDeployStackAction(pipelineStack, 'DeployStack', {
-      stage: selfUpdateStage,
+      stage: selfUpdateStage2,
       stack: stackWithNoCapability,
       inputArtifact: selfUpdatingStack.synthesizedApp,
       capabilities: cfn.CloudFormationCapabilities.None,
       adminPermissions: false,
     });
     new PipelineDeployStackAction(pipelineStack, 'DeployStack2', {
-      stage: selfUpdateStage,
+      stage: selfUpdateStage3,
       stack: stackWithAnonymousCapability,
       inputArtifact: selfUpdatingStack.synthesizedApp,
       capabilities: cfn.CloudFormationCapabilities.AnonymousIAM,
@@ -143,8 +155,9 @@ export = nodeunit.testCase({
     const pipelineStack = getTestStack();
     const selfUpdatingStack = createSelfUpdatingStack(pipelineStack);
 
+    const selfUpdateStage = new code.Stage('SelfUpdate');
     const pipeline = selfUpdatingStack.pipeline;
-    const selfUpdateStage = pipeline.addStage('SelfUpdate');
+    pipeline.addStage(selfUpdateStage);
     new PipelineDeployStackAction(pipelineStack, 'SelfUpdatePipeline', {
       stage: selfUpdateStage,
       stack: pipelineStack,
@@ -176,11 +189,12 @@ export = nodeunit.testCase({
     const pipelineStack = getTestStack();
     const selfUpdatingStack = createSelfUpdatingStack(pipelineStack);
 
-    const pipeline = selfUpdatingStack.pipeline;
     const role = new iam.Role(pipelineStack, 'MyRole', {
       assumedBy: new iam.ServicePrincipal('cloudformation.amazonaws.com'),
     });
-    const selfUpdateStage = pipeline.addStage('SelfUpdate');
+    const pipeline = selfUpdatingStack.pipeline;
+    const selfUpdateStage = new code.Stage('SelfUpdate');
+    pipeline.addStage(selfUpdateStage);
     const deployAction = new PipelineDeployStackAction(pipelineStack, 'SelfUpdatePipeline', {
       stage: selfUpdateStage,
       stack: pipelineStack,
@@ -203,7 +217,8 @@ export = nodeunit.testCase({
 
     // WHEN //
     // this our app/service/infra to deploy
-    const deployStage = pipeline.addStage('Deploy');
+    const deployStage = new code.Stage('Deploy');
+    pipeline.addStage(deployStage);
     const deployAction = new PipelineDeployStackAction(pipelineStack, 'DeployServiceStackA', {
       stage: deployStage,
       stack: emptyStack,
@@ -248,7 +263,7 @@ export = nodeunit.testCase({
       },
       Roles: [
         {
-          Ref: 'DeployServiceStackAChangeSetRoleA1245536',
+          Ref: 'CodePipelineDeployChangeSetRoleF9F2B343',
         },
       ],
     }));
@@ -262,13 +277,18 @@ export = nodeunit.testCase({
           const app = new cdk.App();
           const stack = new cdk.Stack(app, 'Test');
           const pipeline = new code.Pipeline(stack, 'Pipeline');
-          const fakeAction = new FakeAction(stack, 'Fake', pipeline);
+          const fakeAction = new FakeAction('Fake');
+          pipeline.addStage(new code.Stage('FakeStage', {
+            actions: [fakeAction],
+          }));
           const deployedStack = new cdk.Stack(app, 'DeployedStack');
+          const deployStage = new code.Stage('DeployStage');
+          pipeline.addStage(deployStage);
           const action = new PipelineDeployStackAction(stack, 'Action', {
             changeSetName: 'ChangeSet',
             inputArtifact: fakeAction.outputArtifact,
             stack: deployedStack,
-            stage: pipeline.addStage('DeployStage'),
+            stage: deployStage,
             adminPermissions: false,
           });
           for (let i = 0 ; i < assetCount ; i++) {
@@ -286,15 +306,18 @@ export = nodeunit.testCase({
 class FakeAction extends api.Action {
   public readonly outputArtifact: api.Artifact;
 
-  constructor(scope: cdk.Construct, id: string, pipeline: code.Pipeline) {
-    super(scope, id, {
+  constructor(actionName: string) {
+    super(actionName, {
       artifactBounds: api.defaultBounds(),
       category: api.ActionCategory.Test,
       provider: 'Test',
-      stage: pipeline.addStage('FakeStage'),
     });
 
-    this.outputArtifact = new api.Artifact(this, 'OutputArtifact');
+    this.outputArtifact = new api.Artifact('OutputArtifact');
+  }
+
+  protected bind(_pipeline: api.IPipeline, _parent: cdk.Construct): void {
+    // do nothing
   }
 }
 
@@ -309,15 +332,21 @@ function createSelfUpdatingStack(pipelineStack: cdk.Stack): SelfUpdatingPipeline
 
   // simple source
   const bucket = s3.Bucket.import( pipeline, 'PatternBucket', { bucketArn: 'arn:aws:s3:::totally-fake-bucket' });
-  new s3.PipelineSourceAction(pipeline, 'S3Source', {
+  const sourceAction = new s3.PipelineSourceAction('S3Source', {
     bucket,
     bucketKey: 'the-great-key',
-    stage: pipeline.addStage('source'),
   });
+  pipeline.addStage(new code.Stage('source', {
+    actions: [sourceAction],
+  }));
 
   const project = new codebuild.PipelineProject(pipelineStack, 'CodeBuild');
-  const buildStage = pipeline.addStage('build');
-  const buildAction = project.addToPipeline(buildStage, 'CodeBuild');
+  const buildAction = project.asCodePipelineAction('CodeBuild', {
+    inputArtifact: sourceAction.outputArtifact,
+  });
+  pipeline.addStage(new code.Stage('build', {
+    actions: [buildAction],
+  }));
   const synthesizedApp = buildAction.outputArtifact;
   return {synthesizedApp, pipeline};
 }
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-cloudformation/lib/pipeline-actions.ts b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-cloudformation/lib/pipeline-actions.ts
index 1c3ee7be6767f..9d53d50491605 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-cloudformation/lib/pipeline-actions.ts
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-cloudformation/lib/pipeline-actions.ts
@@ -5,8 +5,7 @@ import cdk = require('@aws-cdk/cdk');
 /**
  * Properties common to all CloudFormation actions
  */
-export interface PipelineCloudFormationActionProps extends codepipeline.CommonActionProps,
-    codepipeline.CommonActionConstructProps {
+export interface PipelineCloudFormationActionProps extends codepipeline.CommonActionProps {
   /**
    * The name of the stack to apply this action to
    */
@@ -57,9 +56,8 @@ export abstract class PipelineCloudFormationAction extends codepipeline.Action {
    */
   public outputArtifact?: codepipeline.Artifact;
 
-  constructor(scope: cdk.Construct, id: string, props: PipelineCloudFormationActionProps, configuration?: any) {
-    super(scope, id, {
-      stage: props.stage,
+  constructor(actionName: string, props: PipelineCloudFormationActionProps, configuration?: any) {
+    super(actionName, {
       runOrder: props.runOrder,
       region: props.region,
       artifactBounds: {
@@ -79,7 +77,7 @@ export abstract class PipelineCloudFormationAction extends codepipeline.Action {
 
     if (props.outputFileName) {
       this.outputArtifact = this.addOutputArtifact(props.outputArtifactName ||
-        (props.stage.name + this.node.id + 'Artifact'));
+        (`${actionName}_${props.stackName}_Artifact`));
     }
   }
 }
@@ -98,14 +96,20 @@ export interface PipelineExecuteChangeSetActionProps extends PipelineCloudFormat
  * CodePipeline action to execute a prepared change set.
  */
 export class PipelineExecuteChangeSetAction extends PipelineCloudFormationAction {
-  constructor(scope: cdk.Construct, id: string, props: PipelineExecuteChangeSetActionProps) {
-    super(scope, id, props, {
+  private readonly props: PipelineExecuteChangeSetActionProps;
+
+  constructor(actionName: string, props: PipelineExecuteChangeSetActionProps) {
+    super(actionName, props, {
       ActionMode: 'CHANGE_SET_EXECUTE',
       ChangeSetName: props.changeSetName,
     });
 
-    SingletonPolicy.forRole(props.stage.pipeline.role)
-                   .grantExecuteChangeSet(props);
+    this.props = props;
+  }
+
+  protected bind(pipeline: codepipeline.IPipeline, _parent: cdk.Construct): void {
+    SingletonPolicy.forRole(pipeline.role)
+      .grantExecuteChangeSet(this.props);
   }
 }
 
@@ -194,40 +198,57 @@ export interface PipelineCloudFormationDeployActionProps extends PipelineCloudFo
  * Base class for all CloudFormation actions that execute or stage deployments.
  */
 export abstract class PipelineCloudFormationDeployAction extends PipelineCloudFormationAction {
-  public readonly role: iam.IRole;
+  private _role?: iam.IRole;
+  private readonly props: PipelineCloudFormationDeployActionProps;
 
-  constructor(scope: cdk.Construct, id: string, props: PipelineCloudFormationDeployActionProps, configuration: any) {
+  constructor(actionName: string, props: PipelineCloudFormationDeployActionProps, configuration: any) {
     const capabilities = props.adminPermissions && props.capabilities === undefined ? CloudFormationCapabilities.NamedIAM : props.capabilities;
-    super(scope, id, props, {
+    super(actionName, props, {
       ...configuration,
       // None evaluates to empty string which is falsey and results in undefined
       Capabilities: (capabilities && capabilities.toString()) || undefined,
       RoleArn: new cdk.Token(() => this.role.roleArn),
-      ParameterOverrides: new cdk.Token(() => this.node.stringifyJson(props.parameterOverrides)),
+      ParameterOverrides: new cdk.Token(() => this.getParent('resolve').node.stringifyJson(props.parameterOverrides)),
       TemplateConfiguration: props.templateConfiguration ? props.templateConfiguration.location : undefined,
       StackName: props.stackName,
     });
 
-    if (props.role) {
-      this.role = props.role;
+    this.props = props;
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Add statement to the service role assumed by CloudFormation while executing this action.
+   */
+  public addToRolePolicy(statement: iam.PolicyStatement): void {
+    return this.getRole('method addToRolePolicy()').addToPolicy(statement);
+  }
+
+  public get role(): iam.IRole {
+    return this.getRole('property role()');
+  }
+
+  protected bind(pipeline: codepipeline.IPipeline, parent: cdk.Construct): void {
+    if (this.props.role) {
+      this._role = this.props.role;
     } else {
-      this.role = new iam.Role(this, 'Role', {
+      this._role = new iam.Role(parent, 'Role', {
         assumedBy: new iam.ServicePrincipal('cloudformation.amazonaws.com')
       });
 
-      if (props.adminPermissions) {
-        this.role.addToPolicy(new iam.PolicyStatement().addAction('*').addAllResources());
+      if (this.props.adminPermissions) {
+        this._role.addToPolicy(new iam.PolicyStatement().addAction('*').addAllResources());
       }
     }
 
-    SingletonPolicy.forRole(props.stage.pipeline.role).grantPassRole(this.role);
+    SingletonPolicy.forRole(pipeline.role).grantPassRole(this._role);
   }
 
-  /**
-   * Add statement to the service role assumed by CloudFormation while executing this action.
-   */
-  public addToRolePolicy(statement: iam.PolicyStatement) {
-    return this.role.addToPolicy(statement);
+  private getRole(member: string): iam.IRole {
+    if (this._role) {
+      return this._role;
+    } else {
+      throw new Error(`Cannot use the ${member} before the Action has been added to a Pipeline`);
+    }
   }
 }
 
@@ -253,19 +274,28 @@ export interface PipelineCreateReplaceChangeSetActionProps extends PipelineCloud
  * If the change set exists, AWS CloudFormation deletes it, and then creates a new one.
  */
 export class PipelineCreateReplaceChangeSetAction extends PipelineCloudFormationDeployAction {
-  constructor(scope: cdk.Construct, id: string, props: PipelineCreateReplaceChangeSetActionProps) {
-    super(scope, id, props, {
+  private readonly props2: PipelineCreateReplaceChangeSetActionProps;
+
+  constructor(actionName: string, props: PipelineCreateReplaceChangeSetActionProps) {
+    super(actionName, props, {
       ActionMode: 'CHANGE_SET_REPLACE',
       ChangeSetName: props.changeSetName,
       TemplatePath: props.templatePath.location,
     });
 
     this.addInputArtifact(props.templatePath.artifact);
-    if (props.templateConfiguration && props.templateConfiguration.artifact.name !== props.templatePath.artifact.name) {
+    if (props.templateConfiguration &&
+        props.templateConfiguration.artifact.artifactName !== props.templatePath.artifact.artifactName) {
       this.addInputArtifact(props.templateConfiguration.artifact);
     }
 
-    SingletonPolicy.forRole(props.stage.pipeline.role).grantCreateReplaceChangeSet(props);
+    this.props2 = props;
+  }
+
+  protected bind(pipeline: codepipeline.IPipeline, parent: cdk.Construct): void {
+    super.bind(pipeline, parent);
+
+    SingletonPolicy.forRole(pipeline.role).grantCreateReplaceChangeSet(this.props2);
   }
 }
 
@@ -309,18 +339,27 @@ export interface PipelineCreateUpdateStackActionProps extends PipelineCloudForma
  * troubleshooting them. You would typically choose this mode for testing.
  */
 export class PipelineCreateUpdateStackAction extends PipelineCloudFormationDeployAction {
-  constructor(scope: cdk.Construct, id: string, props: PipelineCreateUpdateStackActionProps) {
-    super(scope, id, props, {
+  private readonly props2: PipelineCreateUpdateStackActionProps;
+
+  constructor(actionName: string, props: PipelineCreateUpdateStackActionProps) {
+    super(actionName, props, {
       ActionMode: props.replaceOnFailure ? 'REPLACE_ON_FAILURE' : 'CREATE_UPDATE',
       TemplatePath: props.templatePath.location
     });
 
     this.addInputArtifact(props.templatePath.artifact);
-    if (props.templateConfiguration && props.templateConfiguration.artifact.name !== props.templatePath.artifact.name) {
+    if (props.templateConfiguration &&
+        props.templateConfiguration.artifact.artifactName !== props.templatePath.artifact.artifactName) {
       this.addInputArtifact(props.templateConfiguration.artifact);
     }
 
-    SingletonPolicy.forRole(props.stage.pipeline.role).grantCreateUpdateStack(props);
+    this.props2 = props;
+  }
+
+  protected bind(pipeline: codepipeline.IPipeline, parent: cdk.Construct): void {
+    super.bind(pipeline, parent);
+
+    SingletonPolicy.forRole(pipeline.role).grantCreateUpdateStack(this.props2);
   }
 }
 
@@ -338,11 +377,20 @@ export interface PipelineDeleteStackActionProps extends PipelineCloudFormationDe
  * without deleting a stack.
  */
 export class PipelineDeleteStackAction extends PipelineCloudFormationDeployAction {
-  constructor(scope: cdk.Construct, id: string, props: PipelineDeleteStackActionProps) {
-    super(scope, id, props, {
+  private readonly props2: PipelineDeleteStackActionProps;
+
+  constructor(actionName: string, props: PipelineDeleteStackActionProps) {
+    super(actionName, props, {
       ActionMode: 'DELETE_ONLY',
     });
-    SingletonPolicy.forRole(props.stage.pipeline.role).grantDeleteStack(props);
+
+    this.props2 = props;
+  }
+
+  protected bind(pipeline: codepipeline.IPipeline, parent: cdk.Construct): void {
+    super.bind(pipeline, parent);
+
+    SingletonPolicy.forRole(pipeline.role).grantDeleteStack(this.props2);
   }
 }
 
@@ -501,4 +549,4 @@ interface StatementTemplate {
   conditions?: StatementCondition;
 }
 
-type StatementCondition = { [op: string]: { [attribute: string]: string } };
\ No newline at end of file
+type StatementCondition = { [op: string]: { [attribute: string]: string } };
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-cloudformation/test/test.pipeline-actions.ts b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-cloudformation/test/test.pipeline-actions.ts
index 2e512336c0ab5..c9e4fc1bb9c21 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-cloudformation/test/test.pipeline-actions.ts
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-cloudformation/test/test.pipeline-actions.ts
@@ -11,15 +11,17 @@ export = nodeunit.testCase({
     'works'(test: nodeunit.Test) {
       const stack = new cdk.Stack();
       const pipelineRole = new RoleDouble(stack, 'PipelineRole');
-      const stage = new StageDouble({ pipeline: new PipelineDouble(stack, 'Pipeline', { role: pipelineRole }) });
-      const artifact = new cpapi.Artifact(stack as any, 'TestArtifact');
-      const action = new cloudformation.PipelineCreateReplaceChangeSetAction(stack, 'Action', {
-        stage,
+      const artifact = new cpapi.Artifact('TestArtifact');
+      const action = new cloudformation.PipelineCreateReplaceChangeSetAction('Action', {
         changeSetName: 'MyChangeSet',
         stackName: 'MyStack',
         templatePath: artifact.atPath('path/to/file'),
         adminPermissions: false,
       });
+      const stage = new StageDouble({
+        pipeline: new PipelineDouble(stack, 'Pipeline', { role: pipelineRole }),
+        actions: [action],
+      });
 
       _assertPermissionGranted(test, pipelineRole.statements, 'iam:PassRole', action.role.roleArn);
 
@@ -45,22 +47,23 @@ export = nodeunit.testCase({
     'uses a single permission statement if the same ChangeSet name is used'(test: nodeunit.Test) {
       const stack = new cdk.Stack();
       const pipelineRole = new RoleDouble(stack, 'PipelineRole');
-      const stage = new StageDouble({ pipeline: new PipelineDouble(stack, 'Pipeline', { role: pipelineRole }) });
-      const artifact = new cpapi.Artifact(stack as any, 'TestArtifact');
-      new cloudformation.PipelineCreateReplaceChangeSetAction(stack, 'ActionA', {
-        stage,
-        changeSetName: 'MyChangeSet',
-        stackName: 'StackA',
-        adminPermissions: false,
-        templatePath: artifact.atPath('path/to/file')
-      });
-
-      new cloudformation.PipelineCreateReplaceChangeSetAction(stack, 'ActionB', {
-        stage,
-        changeSetName: 'MyChangeSet',
-        stackName: 'StackB',
-        adminPermissions: false,
-        templatePath: artifact.atPath('path/to/other/file')
+      const artifact = new cpapi.Artifact('TestArtifact');
+      new StageDouble({
+        pipeline: new PipelineDouble(stack, 'Pipeline', { role: pipelineRole }),
+        actions: [
+          new cloudformation.PipelineCreateReplaceChangeSetAction('ActionA', {
+            changeSetName: 'MyChangeSet',
+            stackName: 'StackA',
+            adminPermissions: false,
+            templatePath: artifact.atPath('path/to/file')
+          }),
+          new cloudformation.PipelineCreateReplaceChangeSetAction('ActionB', {
+            changeSetName: 'MyChangeSet',
+            stackName: 'StackB',
+            adminPermissions: false,
+            templatePath: artifact.atPath('path/to/other/file')
+          }),
+        ],
       });
 
       test.deepEqual(
@@ -70,8 +73,8 @@ export = nodeunit.testCase({
             Action: 'iam:PassRole',
             Effect: 'Allow',
             Resource: [
-              { 'Fn::GetAtt': [ 'ActionARole72759154', 'Arn' ] },
-              { 'Fn::GetAtt': [ 'ActionBRole6A2F6804', 'Arn' ] }
+              { 'Fn::GetAtt': [ 'PipelineTestStageActionARole9283FBE3', 'Arn' ] },
+              { 'Fn::GetAtt': [ 'PipelineTestStageActionBRoleCABC8FA5', 'Arn' ] }
             ],
           },
           {
@@ -101,11 +104,14 @@ export = nodeunit.testCase({
     'works'(test: nodeunit.Test) {
       const stack = new cdk.Stack();
       const pipelineRole = new RoleDouble(stack, 'PipelineRole');
-      const stage = new StageDouble({ pipeline: new PipelineDouble(stack, 'Pipeline', { role: pipelineRole }) });
-      new cloudformation.PipelineExecuteChangeSetAction(stack, 'Action', {
-        stage,
-        changeSetName: 'MyChangeSet',
-        stackName: 'MyStack',
+      const stage = new StageDouble({
+        pipeline: new PipelineDouble(stack, 'Pipeline', { role: pipelineRole }),
+        actions: [
+          new cloudformation.PipelineExecuteChangeSetAction('Action', {
+            changeSetName: 'MyChangeSet',
+            stackName: 'MyStack',
+          }),
+        ],
       });
 
       const stackArn = _stackArn('MyStack', stack);
@@ -124,17 +130,18 @@ export = nodeunit.testCase({
     'uses a single permission statement if the same ChangeSet name is used'(test: nodeunit.Test) {
       const stack = new cdk.Stack();
       const pipelineRole = new RoleDouble(stack, 'PipelineRole');
-      const stage = new StageDouble({ pipeline: new PipelineDouble(stack, 'Pipeline', { role: pipelineRole }) });
-      new cloudformation.PipelineExecuteChangeSetAction(stack, 'ActionA', {
-        stage,
-        changeSetName: 'MyChangeSet',
-        stackName: 'StackA',
-      });
-
-      new cloudformation.PipelineExecuteChangeSetAction(stack, 'ActionB', {
-        stage,
-        changeSetName: 'MyChangeSet',
-        stackName: 'StackB',
+      new StageDouble({
+        pipeline: new PipelineDouble(stack, 'Pipeline', { role: pipelineRole }),
+        actions: [
+          new cloudformation.PipelineExecuteChangeSetAction('ActionA', {
+            changeSetName: 'MyChangeSet',
+            stackName: 'StackA',
+          }),
+          new cloudformation.PipelineExecuteChangeSetAction('ActionB', {
+            changeSetName: 'MyChangeSet',
+            stackName: 'StackB',
+          }),
+        ],
       });
 
       test.deepEqual(
@@ -161,13 +168,16 @@ export = nodeunit.testCase({
   'the CreateUpdateStack Action sets the DescribeStack*, Create/Update/DeleteStack & PassRole permissions'(test: nodeunit.Test) {
     const stack = new cdk.Stack();
     const pipelineRole = new RoleDouble(stack, 'PipelineRole');
-    const action = new cloudformation.PipelineCreateUpdateStackAction(stack, 'Action', {
-      stage: new StageDouble({ pipeline: new PipelineDouble(stack, 'Pipeline', { role: pipelineRole }) }),
-      templatePath: new cpapi.Artifact(stack as any, 'TestArtifact').atPath('some/file'),
+    const action = new cloudformation.PipelineCreateUpdateStackAction('Action', {
+      templatePath: new cpapi.Artifact('TestArtifact').atPath('some/file'),
       stackName: 'MyStack',
-        adminPermissions: false,
+      adminPermissions: false,
       replaceOnFailure: true,
     });
+    new StageDouble({
+      pipeline: new PipelineDouble(stack, 'Pipeline', { role: pipelineRole }),
+      actions: [action],
+    });
     const stackArn = _stackArn('MyStack', stack);
 
     _assertPermissionGranted(test, pipelineRole.statements, 'cloudformation:DescribeStack*', stackArn);
@@ -183,11 +193,14 @@ export = nodeunit.testCase({
   'the DeleteStack Action sets the DescribeStack*, DeleteStack & PassRole permissions'(test: nodeunit.Test) {
     const stack = new cdk.Stack();
     const pipelineRole = new RoleDouble(stack, 'PipelineRole');
-    const action = new cloudformation.PipelineDeleteStackAction(stack, 'Action', {
-      stage: new StageDouble({ pipeline: new PipelineDouble(stack, 'Pipeline', { role: pipelineRole }) }),
-        adminPermissions: false,
+    const action = new cloudformation.PipelineDeleteStackAction('Action', {
+      adminPermissions: false,
       stackName: 'MyStack',
     });
+    new StageDouble({
+      pipeline: new PipelineDouble(stack, 'Pipeline', { role: pipelineRole }),
+      actions: [action],
+    });
     const stackArn = _stackArn('MyStack', stack);
 
     _assertPermissionGranted(test, pipelineRole.statements, 'cloudformation:DescribeStack*', stackArn);
@@ -291,49 +304,50 @@ class PipelineDouble extends cdk.Construct implements cpapi.IPipeline {
     this.role = role;
   }
 
-  public get uniqueId(): string {
-    throw new Error("Unsupported");
-  }
-
-  public grantBucketRead(): void {
-    throw new Error("Unsupported");
+  public asEventRuleTarget(_ruleArn: string, _ruleUniqueId: string): events.EventRuleTargetProps {
+    throw new Error('asEventRuleTarget() is unsupported in PipelineDouble');
   }
 
-  public grantBucketReadWrite(): void {
-    throw new Error("Unsupported");
+  public grantBucketRead(_identity?: iam.IPrincipal): void {
+    throw new Error('grantBucketRead() is unsupported in PipelineDouble');
   }
 
-  public asEventRuleTarget(): events.EventRuleTargetProps {
-    throw new Error("Unsupported");
+  public grantBucketReadWrite(_identity?: iam.IPrincipal): void {
+    throw new Error('grantBucketReadWrite() is unsupported in PipelineDouble');
   }
 }
 
-class StageDouble implements cpapi.IStage, cpapi.IInternalStage {
+class StageDouble implements cpapi.IStage {
   public readonly name: string;
   public readonly pipeline: cpapi.IPipeline;
-  public readonly _internal = this;
+  public readonly actions: cpapi.Action[];
 
-  public readonly actions = new Array<cpapi.Action>();
+  constructor({ name, pipeline, actions }: { name?: string, pipeline: PipelineDouble, actions: cpapi.Action[] }) {
+    this.name = name || 'TestStage';
+    this.pipeline = pipeline;
 
-  public get node(): cdk.ConstructNode {
-    throw new Error('this is not a real construct');
+    const stageParent = new cdk.Construct(pipeline, this.name);
+    for (const action of actions) {
+      const actionParent = new cdk.Construct(stageParent, action.actionName);
+      (action as any)._attachActionToPipeline(this.pipeline, this, actionParent);
+    }
+    this.actions = actions;
   }
 
-  constructor({ name, pipeline }: { name?: string, pipeline: cpapi.IPipeline }) {
-    this.name = name || 'TestStage';
-    this.pipeline = pipeline;
+  public get stageName(): string {
+    return this.name;
   }
 
-  public _attachAction(action: cpapi.Action) {
-    this.actions.push(action);
+  public _actionAddedToStage(_action: cpapi.Action): void {
+    // do nothing
   }
 
-  public _generateOutputArtifactName(): string {
-    throw new Error('Unsupported');
+  public addAction(_action: cpapi.Action): cpapi.IStage {
+    throw new Error('addAction() is not supported on StageDouble');
   }
 
-  public _findInputArtifact(): cpapi.Artifact {
-    throw new Error('Unsupported');
+  public render(): any {
+    throw new Error('render() is not supported on StageDouble');
   }
 }
 
@@ -352,4 +366,4 @@ class RoleDouble extends iam.Role {
 
 function resolve(x: any): any {
   return new cdk.Stack().node.resolve(x);
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codebuild/README.md b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codebuild/README.md
index 1c29ef6edbcf3..dd97b5fb0b2b7 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codebuild/README.md
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codebuild/README.md
@@ -170,7 +170,7 @@ rule.addTarget(lambdaFunction);
 
 Example of a Project used in CodePipeline, alongside CodeCommit:
 
-```ts
+```typescript
 import codebuild = require('@aws-cdk/aws-codebuild');
 import codecommit = require('@aws-cdk/aws-codecommit');
 import codepipeline = require('@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline');
@@ -181,15 +181,27 @@ const repository = new codecommit.Repository(this, 'MyRepository', {
 
 const project = new codebuild.PipelineProject(this, 'MyProject');
 
-const pipeline = new codepipeline.Pipeline(this, 'MyPipeline');
+const sourceAction = repository.asCodePipelineAction('CodeCommit');
+const sourceStage = new codepipeline.Stage('Source', {
+  actions: [
+    sourceAction,
+  ],
+});
 
-const sourceStage = pipeline.addStage('Source');
-repository.addToPipeline(sourceStage, 'CodeCommit');
+const buildAction = project.asCodePipelineAction('CodeBuild', {
+  inputArtifact: sourceAction.outputArtifact,
+});
+const buildStage = new codepipeline.Stage('Build', {
+  actions: [
+    buildAction,
+  ],
+});
 
-const buildStage = pipeline.addStage('Build');
-new codebuild.PipelineBuildAction(this, 'CodeBuild', {
-  stage: buildStage,
-  project,
+new codepipeline.Pipeline(this, 'MyPipeline', {
+  stages: [
+    sourceStage,
+    buildStage,
+  ],
 });
 ```
 
@@ -204,30 +216,24 @@ const project = new codebuild.Project(this, 'MyProject', {
 }
 ```
 
-You can also add the Project to the Pipeline directly:
-
-```ts
-// equivalent to the code above:
-const buildAction = project.addToPipeline(buildStage, 'CodeBuild');
-```
-
 In addition to the build Action, there is also a test Action. It works very
 similarly to the build Action, the only difference is that the test Action does
 not always produce an output artifact.
 
 Examples:
 
-```ts
-new codebuild.PipelineTestAction(this, 'IntegrationTest', {
-  stage: buildStage,
+```typescript
+const testAction = new codebuild.PipelineTestAction('IntegrationTest', {
   project,
+  inputArtifact: sourceAction.outputArtifact,
   // outputArtifactName is optional - if you don't specify it,
   // the Action will have an undefined `outputArtifact` property
   outputArtifactName: 'IntegrationTestOutput',
 });
 
 // equivalent to the code above:
-project.addToPipelineAsTest(buildStage, 'IntegrationTest', {
+const testAction = project.asCodePipelineTestAction('IntegrationTest', {
+  inputArtifact: sourceAction.outputArtifact,
     // of course, this property is optional here as well
     outputArtifactName: 'IntegrationTestOutput',
 });
@@ -307,14 +313,12 @@ properties, you need to use the `additionalInputArtifacts` and
 Actions. Example:
 
 ```ts
-const sourceStage = pipeline.addStage('Source');
-const sourceAction1 = repository1.addToPipeline(sourceStage, 'Source1');
-const sourceAction2 = repository2.addToPipeline(sourceStage, 'Source2', {
+const sourceAction1 = repository1.asCodePipelineAction('Source1');
+const sourceAction2 = repository2.asCodePipelineAction('Source2', {
   outputArtifactName: 'source2',
 });
 
-const buildStage = pipeline.addStage('Build');
-const buildAction = project.addToPipeline(buildStage, 'Build', {
+const buildAction = project.asCodePipelineAction('Build', {
     inputArtifact: sourceAction1.outputArtifact,
     outputArtifactName: 'artifact1', // for better buildspec readability - see below
     additionalInputArtifacts: [
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codebuild/lib/pipeline-actions.ts b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codebuild/lib/pipeline-actions.ts
index 718553416a290..a968198d1baa7 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codebuild/lib/pipeline-actions.ts
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codebuild/lib/pipeline-actions.ts
@@ -23,16 +23,14 @@ export interface CommonCodeBuildActionProps {
 /**
  * Common properties for creating {@link PipelineBuildAction} -
  * either directly, through its constructor,
- * or through {@link IProject#addToPipeline}.
+ * or through {@link IProject#asCodePipelineAction}.
  */
 export interface CommonPipelineBuildActionProps extends CommonCodeBuildActionProps,
     codepipeline.CommonActionProps {
   /**
    * The source to use as input for this build.
-   *
-   * @default CodePipeline will use the output of the last Action from a previous Stage as input
    */
-  inputArtifact?: codepipeline.Artifact;
+  inputArtifact: codepipeline.Artifact;
 
   /**
    * The name of the build's output artifact.
@@ -45,8 +43,7 @@ export interface CommonPipelineBuildActionProps extends CommonCodeBuildActionPro
 /**
  * Construction properties of the {@link PipelineBuildAction CodeBuild build CodePipeline Action}.
  */
-export interface PipelineBuildActionProps extends CommonPipelineBuildActionProps,
-    codepipeline.CommonActionConstructProps {
+export interface PipelineBuildActionProps extends CommonPipelineBuildActionProps {
   /**
    * The build project
    */
@@ -57,25 +54,20 @@ export interface PipelineBuildActionProps extends CommonPipelineBuildActionProps
  * CodePipeline build Action that uses AWS CodeBuild.
  */
 export class PipelineBuildAction extends codepipeline.BuildAction {
-  constructor(scope: cdk.Construct, id: string, props: PipelineBuildActionProps) {
-    // This happened when ProjectName was accidentally set to the project's ARN:
-    // https://qiita.com/ikeisuke/items/2fbc0b80b9bbd981b41f
+  private readonly props: PipelineBuildActionProps;
 
-    super(scope, id, {
+  constructor(actionName: string, props: PipelineBuildActionProps) {
+    super(actionName, {
       provider: 'CodeBuild',
       artifactBounds: { minInputs: 1, maxInputs: 5, minOutputs: 0, maxOutputs: 5 },
+      outputArtifactName: props.outputArtifactName || `Artifact_${actionName}_${props.project.node.uniqueId}`,
       configuration: {
         ProjectName: props.project.projectName,
       },
       ...props,
     });
 
-    setCodeBuildNeededPermissions(props.stage, props.project, true);
-
-    handleAdditionalInputOutputArtifacts(props, this,
-      // pass functions to get around protected members
-      (artifact) => this.addInputArtifact(artifact),
-      (artifactName) => this.addOutputArtifact(artifactName));
+    this.props = props;
   }
 
   /**
@@ -104,21 +96,28 @@ export class PipelineBuildAction extends codepipeline.BuildAction {
   public additionalOutputArtifact(name: string): codepipeline.Artifact {
     return findOutputArtifact(this.additionalOutputArtifacts(), name);
   }
+
+  protected bind(pipeline: codepipeline.IPipeline, _parent: cdk.Construct): void {
+    setCodeBuildNeededPermissions(pipeline, this.props.project, true);
+
+    handleAdditionalInputOutputArtifacts(this.props, this,
+        // pass functions to get around protected members
+        (artifact) => this.addInputArtifact(artifact),
+        (artifactName) => this.addOutputArtifact(artifactName));
+  }
 }
 
 /**
  * Common properties for creating {@link PipelineTestAction} -
  * either directly, through its constructor,
- * or through {@link IProject#addToPipelineAsTest}.
+ * or through {@link IProject#asCodePipelineTestAction}.
  */
 export interface CommonPipelineTestActionProps extends CommonCodeBuildActionProps,
     codepipeline.CommonActionProps {
   /**
    * The source to use as input for this test.
-   *
-   * @default CodePipeline will use the output of the last Action from a previous Stage as input
    */
-  inputArtifact?: codepipeline.Artifact;
+  inputArtifact: codepipeline.Artifact;
 
   /**
    * The optional name of the primary output artifact.
@@ -134,8 +133,7 @@ export interface CommonPipelineTestActionProps extends CommonCodeBuildActionProp
 /**
  * Construction properties of the {@link PipelineTestAction CodeBuild test CodePipeline Action}.
  */
-export interface PipelineTestActionProps extends CommonPipelineTestActionProps,
-    codepipeline.CommonActionConstructProps {
+export interface PipelineTestActionProps extends CommonPipelineTestActionProps {
   /**
    * The build Project.
    */
@@ -143,8 +141,10 @@ export interface PipelineTestActionProps extends CommonPipelineTestActionProps,
 }
 
 export class PipelineTestAction extends codepipeline.TestAction {
-  constructor(scope: cdk.Construct, id: string, props: PipelineTestActionProps) {
-    super(scope, id, {
+  private readonly props: PipelineTestActionProps;
+
+  constructor(actionName: string, props: PipelineTestActionProps) {
+    super(actionName, {
       provider: 'CodeBuild',
       artifactBounds: { minInputs: 1, maxInputs: 5, minOutputs: 0, maxOutputs: 5 },
       configuration: {
@@ -153,13 +153,7 @@ export class PipelineTestAction extends codepipeline.TestAction {
       ...props,
     });
 
-    // the Action needs write permissions only if it's producing an output artifact
-    setCodeBuildNeededPermissions(props.stage, props.project, !!props.outputArtifactName);
-
-    handleAdditionalInputOutputArtifacts(props, this,
-      // pass functions to get around protected members
-      (artifact) => this.addInputArtifact(artifact),
-      (artifactName) => this.addOutputArtifact(artifactName));
+    this.props = props;
   }
 
   /**
@@ -190,12 +184,21 @@ export class PipelineTestAction extends codepipeline.TestAction {
   public additionalOutputArtifact(name: string): codepipeline.Artifact {
     return findOutputArtifact(this.additionalOutputArtifacts(), name);
   }
+
+  protected bind(pipeline: codepipeline.IPipeline, _parent: cdk.Construct): void {
+    setCodeBuildNeededPermissions(pipeline, this.props.project, !!this.props.outputArtifactName);
+
+    handleAdditionalInputOutputArtifacts(this.props, this,
+        // pass functions to get around protected members
+        (artifact) => this.addInputArtifact(artifact),
+        (artifactName) => this.addOutputArtifact(artifactName));
+  }
 }
 
-function setCodeBuildNeededPermissions(stage: codepipeline.IStage, project: IProject,
+function setCodeBuildNeededPermissions(pipeline: codepipeline.IPipeline, project: IProject,
                                        needsPipelineBucketWrite: boolean) {
   // grant the Pipeline role the required permissions to this Project
-  stage.pipeline.role.addToPolicy(new iam.PolicyStatement()
+  pipeline.role.addToPolicy(new iam.PolicyStatement()
     .addResource(project.projectArn)
     .addActions(
       'codebuild:BatchGetBuilds',
@@ -205,9 +208,9 @@ function setCodeBuildNeededPermissions(stage: codepipeline.IStage, project: IPro
 
   // allow the Project access to the Pipline's artifact Bucket
   if (needsPipelineBucketWrite) {
-    stage.pipeline.grantBucketReadWrite(project.role);
+    pipeline.grantBucketReadWrite(project.role);
   } else {
-    stage.pipeline.grantBucketRead(project.role);
+    pipeline.grantBucketRead(project.role);
   }
 }
 
@@ -216,7 +219,7 @@ function handleAdditionalInputOutputArtifacts(props: CommonCodeBuildActionProps,
                                               addOutputArtifact: (_: string) => void) {
   if ((props.additionalInputArtifacts || []).length > 0) {
     // we have to set the primary source in the configuration
-    action.configuration.PrimarySource = action._inputArtifacts[0].name;
+    action.configuration.PrimarySource = action._inputArtifacts[0].artifactName;
     // add the additional artifacts
     for (const additionalInputArtifact of props.additionalInputArtifacts || []) {
       addInputArtifact(additionalInputArtifact);
@@ -229,7 +232,7 @@ function handleAdditionalInputOutputArtifacts(props: CommonCodeBuildActionProps,
 }
 
 function findOutputArtifact(artifacts: codepipeline.Artifact[], name: string): codepipeline.Artifact {
-  const ret = artifacts.find((artifact) => artifact.name === name);
+  const ret = artifacts.find((artifact) => artifact.artifactName === name);
   if (!ret) {
     throw new Error(`Could not find output artifact with name '${name}'`);
   }
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codebuild/lib/project.ts b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codebuild/lib/project.ts
index 2ea98fa5e0c15..98e35bb3c14da 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codebuild/lib/project.ts
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codebuild/lib/project.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 import assets = require('@aws-cdk/assets');
 import { DockerImageAsset, DockerImageAssetProps } from '@aws-cdk/assets-docker';
 import cloudwatch = require('@aws-cdk/aws-cloudwatch');
-import codepipeline = require('@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline-api');
 import ecr = require('@aws-cdk/aws-ecr');
 import events = require('@aws-cdk/aws-events');
 import iam = require('@aws-cdk/aws-iam');
@@ -31,26 +30,22 @@ export interface IProject extends cdk.IConstruct, events.IEventRuleTarget {
   readonly role?: iam.Role;
 
   /**
-   * Convenience method for creating a new {@link PipelineBuildAction} build Action,
-   * and adding it to the given Stage.
+   * Convenience method for creating a new {@link PipelineBuildAction CodeBuild build Action}.
    *
-   * @param stage the Pipeline Stage to add the new Action to
-   * @param name the name of the newly created Action
+   * @param actionName the name of the newly created Action
    * @param props the properties of the new Action
-   * @returns the newly created {@link PipelineBuildAction} build Action
+   * @returns the newly created {@link PipelineBuildAction CodeBuild build Action}
    */
-  addToPipeline(stage: codepipeline.IStage, name: string, props?: CommonPipelineBuildActionProps): PipelineBuildAction;
+  asCodePipelineAction(actionName: string, props: CommonPipelineBuildActionProps): PipelineBuildAction;
 
   /**
-   * Convenience method for creating a new {@link PipelineTestAction} test Action,
-   * and adding it to the given Stage.
+   * Convenience method for creating a new {@link PipelineTestAction CodeBuild test Action}.
    *
-   * @param stage the Pipeline Stage to add the new Action to
-   * @param name the name of the newly created Action
+   * @param actionName the name of the newly created Action
    * @param props the properties of the new Action
-   * @returns the newly created {@link PipelineBuildAction} test Action
+   * @returns the newly created {@link PipelineBuildAction CodeBuild test Action}
    */
-  addToPipelineAsTest(stage: codepipeline.IStage, name: string, props?: CommonPipelineTestActionProps): PipelineTestAction;
+  asCodePipelineTestAction(actionName: string, props: CommonPipelineTestActionProps): PipelineTestAction;
 
   /**
    * Defines a CloudWatch event rule triggered when the build project state
@@ -196,35 +191,15 @@ export abstract class ProjectBase extends cdk.Construct implements IProject {
 
   public abstract export(): ProjectImportProps;
 
-  /**
-   * Convenience method for creating a new {@link PipelineBuildAction} build Action,
-   * and adding it to the given Stage.
-   *
-   * @param stage the Pipeline Stage to add the new Action to
-   * @param name the name of the newly created Action
-   * @param props the properties of the new Action
-   * @returns the newly created {@link PipelineBuildAction} build Action
-   */
-  public addToPipeline(stage: codepipeline.IStage, name: string, props: CommonPipelineBuildActionProps = {}): PipelineBuildAction {
-    return new PipelineBuildAction(this, name, {
-      stage,
+  public asCodePipelineAction(actionName: string, props: CommonPipelineBuildActionProps): PipelineBuildAction {
+    return new PipelineBuildAction(actionName, {
       project: this,
       ...props,
     });
   }
 
-  /**
-   * Convenience method for creating a new {@link PipelineTestAction} test Action,
-   * and adding it to the given Stage.
-   *
-   * @param stage the Pipeline Stage to add the new Action to
-   * @param name the name of the newly created Action
-   * @param props the properties of the new Action
-   * @returns the newly created {@link PipelineBuildAction} test Action
-   */
-  public addToPipelineAsTest(stage: codepipeline.IStage, name: string, props: CommonPipelineTestActionProps = {}): PipelineTestAction {
-    return new PipelineTestAction(this, name, {
-      stage,
+  public asCodePipelineTestAction(actionName: string, props: CommonPipelineTestActionProps): PipelineTestAction {
+    return new PipelineTestAction(actionName, {
       project: this,
       ...props,
     });
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codecommit/README.md b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codecommit/README.md
index b8b4753296a07..d1bdd319a6518 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codecommit/README.md
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codecommit/README.md
@@ -26,20 +26,23 @@ To use a CodeCommit Repository in a CodePipeline:
 import codepipeline = require('@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline');
 
 const pipeline = new codepipeline.Pipeline(this, 'MyPipeline', {
-    pipelineName: 'MyPipeline',
+  pipelineName: 'MyPipeline',
 });
-const sourceStage = pipeline.addStage('Source');
-const sourceAction = new codecommit.PipelineSourceAction(this, 'CodeCommit', {
-    stage: sourceStage,
-    repository: repo,
+const sourceAction = new codecommit.PipelineSourceAction('CodeCommit', {
+  repository: repo,
 });
+pipeline.addStage(new codepipeline.Stage('Source', {
+  actions: [
+    sourceAction,
+  ],
+}));
 ```
 
 You can also add the Repository to the Pipeline directly:
 
 ```ts
 // equivalent to the code above:
-const sourceAction = repo.addToPipeline(sourceStage, 'CodeCommit');
+const sourceAction = repo.asCodePipelineAction('CodeCommit');
 ```
 
 ### Events
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codecommit/lib/pipeline-action.ts b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codecommit/lib/pipeline-action.ts
index 596a7d7882cad..688cc67e4468b 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codecommit/lib/pipeline-action.ts
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codecommit/lib/pipeline-action.ts
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ import { IRepository } from './repository';
 /**
  * Common properties for creating {@link PipelineSourceAction} -
  * either directly, through its constructor,
- * or through {@link IRepository#addToPipeline}.
+ * or through {@link IRepository#asCodePipelineAction}.
  */
 export interface CommonPipelineSourceActionProps extends codepipeline.CommonActionProps {
   /**
@@ -34,8 +34,7 @@ export interface CommonPipelineSourceActionProps extends codepipeline.CommonActi
 /**
  * Construction properties of the {@link PipelineSourceAction CodeCommit source CodePipeline Action}.
  */
-export interface PipelineSourceActionProps extends CommonPipelineSourceActionProps,
-    codepipeline.CommonActionConstructProps {
+export interface PipelineSourceActionProps extends CommonPipelineSourceActionProps {
   /**
    * The CodeCommit repository.
    */
@@ -46,9 +45,10 @@ export interface PipelineSourceActionProps extends CommonPipelineSourceActionPro
  * CodePipeline Source that is provided by an AWS CodeCommit repository.
  */
 export class PipelineSourceAction extends codepipeline.SourceAction {
-  constructor(scope: cdk.Construct, id: string, props: PipelineSourceActionProps) {
-    super(scope, id, {
-      stage: props.stage,
+  private readonly props: PipelineSourceActionProps;
+
+  constructor(actionName: string, props: PipelineSourceActionProps) {
+    super(actionName, {
       runOrder: props.runOrder,
       provider: 'CodeCommit',
       configuration: {
@@ -56,11 +56,15 @@ export class PipelineSourceAction extends codepipeline.SourceAction {
         BranchName: props.branch || 'master',
         PollForSourceChanges: props.pollForSourceChanges || false,
       },
-      outputArtifactName: props.outputArtifactName
+      outputArtifactName: props.outputArtifactName || `Artifact_${actionName}_${props.repository.node.uniqueId}`,
     });
 
-    if (!props.pollForSourceChanges) {
-      props.repository.onCommit(props.stage.pipeline.node.uniqueId + 'EventRule', props.stage.pipeline, props.branch || 'master');
+    this.props = props;
+  }
+
+  protected bind(pipeline: codepipeline.IPipeline, _parent: cdk.Construct): void {
+    if (!this.props.pollForSourceChanges) {
+      this.props.repository.onCommit(pipeline.node.uniqueId + 'EventRule', pipeline, this.props.branch || 'master');
     }
 
     // https://docs.aws.amazon.com/codecommit/latest/userguide/auth-and-access-control-permissions-reference.html#aa-acp
@@ -72,8 +76,8 @@ export class PipelineSourceAction extends codepipeline.SourceAction {
       'codecommit:CancelUploadArchive',
     ];
 
-    props.stage.pipeline.role.addToPolicy(new iam.PolicyStatement()
-      .addResource(props.repository.repositoryArn)
+    pipeline.role.addToPolicy(new iam.PolicyStatement()
+      .addResource(this.props.repository.repositoryArn)
       .addActions(...actions));
   }
 }
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codecommit/lib/repository.ts b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codecommit/lib/repository.ts
index 80bb733212c59..7a4d6dfd9bb84 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codecommit/lib/repository.ts
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codecommit/lib/repository.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-import actions = require('@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline-api');
 import events = require('@aws-cdk/aws-events');
 import cdk = require('@aws-cdk/cdk');
 import { CfnRepository } from './codecommit.generated';
@@ -18,15 +17,13 @@ export interface IRepository extends cdk.IConstruct {
   readonly repositoryCloneUrlSsh: string;
 
   /**
-   * Convenience method for creating a new {@link PipelineSourceAction},
-   * and adding it to the given Stage.
+   * Convenience method for creating a new {@link PipelineSourceAction}.
    *
-   * @param stage the Pipeline Stage to add the new Action to
-   * @param name the name of the newly created Action
+   * @param actionName the name of the newly created Action
    * @param props the properties of the new Action
    * @returns the newly created {@link PipelineSourceAction}
    */
-  addToPipeline(stage: actions.IStage, name: string, props?: CommonPipelineSourceActionProps): PipelineSourceAction;
+  asCodePipelineAction(actionName: string, props?: CommonPipelineSourceActionProps): PipelineSourceAction;
 
   /**
    * Defines a CloudWatch event rule which triggers for repository events. Use
@@ -123,19 +120,9 @@ export abstract class RepositoryBase extends cdk.Construct implements IRepositor
 
   public abstract export(): RepositoryImportProps;
 
-  /**
-   * Convenience method for creating a new {@link PipelineSourceAction},
-   * and adding it to the given Stage.
-   *
-   * @param stage the Pipeline Stage to add the new Action to
-   * @param name the name of the newly created Action
-   * @param props the properties of the new Action
-   * @returns the newly created {@link PipelineSourceAction}
-   */
-  public addToPipeline(stage: actions.IStage, name: string, props: CommonPipelineSourceActionProps = {}): PipelineSourceAction {
-    return new PipelineSourceAction(this, name, {
-      stage,
-      repository: this,
+  public asCodePipelineAction(actionName: string, props: CommonPipelineSourceActionProps = {}): PipelineSourceAction {
+    return new PipelineSourceAction(actionName, {
+        repository: this,
       ...props,
     });
   }
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codecommit/package.json b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codecommit/package.json
index 875694c99bdff..8fa8ab7ec3514 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codecommit/package.json
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codecommit/package.json
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@
   },
   "nyc": {
     "lines": 30,
-    "branches": 40
+    "branches": 38
   },
   "keywords": [
     "aws",
@@ -81,4 +81,4 @@
   "engines": {
     "node": ">= 8.10.0"
   }
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codedeploy/README.md b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codedeploy/README.md
index 6bb1f64527847..ee605da2c1974 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codedeploy/README.md
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codedeploy/README.md
@@ -171,16 +171,20 @@ const pipeline = new codepipeline.Pipeline(this, 'MyPipeline', {
 
 // add the source and build Stages to the Pipeline...
 
-const deployStage = pipeline.addStage('Deploy');
-new codedeploy.PipelineDeployAction(this, 'CodeDeploy', {
-    stage: deployStage,
-    deploymentGroup,
+const deployAction = new codedeploy.PipelineDeployAction('CodeDeploy', {
+  inputArtifact: buildAction.outputArtifact,
+  deploymentGroup,
 });
+pipeline.addStage(new codepipeline.Stage('Deploy', {
+  actions: [deployAction],
+}));
 ```
 
 You can also add the Deployment Group to the Pipeline directly:
 
 ```ts
 // equivalent to the code above:
-deploymentGroup.addToPipeline(deployStage, 'CodeDeploy');
+const deployAction = deploymentGroup.asCodePipelineAction('CodeDeploy', {
+  inputArtifact: buildAction.outputArtifact,
+});
 ```
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codedeploy/lib/deployment-group.ts b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codedeploy/lib/deployment-group.ts
index 083cb853653ad..952b009837026 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codedeploy/lib/deployment-group.ts
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codedeploy/lib/deployment-group.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 import autoscaling = require("@aws-cdk/aws-autoscaling");
 import cloudwatch = require("@aws-cdk/aws-cloudwatch");
 import codedeploylb = require("@aws-cdk/aws-codedeploy-api");
-import codepipeline = require("@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline-api");
 import ec2 = require("@aws-cdk/aws-ec2");
 import iam = require('@aws-cdk/aws-iam');
 import s3 = require("@aws-cdk/aws-s3");
@@ -19,6 +18,15 @@ export interface IServerDeploymentGroup extends cdk.IConstruct {
   readonly deploymentConfig: IServerDeploymentConfig;
   readonly autoScalingGroups?: autoscaling.AutoScalingGroup[];
   export(): ServerDeploymentGroupImportProps;
+
+  /**
+   * Convenience method for creating a new {@link PipelineDeployAction}.
+   *
+   * @param actionName the name of the newly created Action
+   * @param props the properties of the new Action
+   * @returns the newly created {@link PipelineDeployAction} deploy Action
+   */
+  asCodePipelineAction(actionName: string, props: CommonPipelineDeployActionProps): PipelineDeployAction;
 }
 
 /**
@@ -73,20 +81,10 @@ export abstract class ServerDeploymentGroupBase extends cdk.Construct implements
 
   public abstract export(): ServerDeploymentGroupImportProps;
 
-  /**
-   * Convenience method for creating a new {@link PipelineDeployAction}
-   * and adding it to the given Stage.
-   *
-   * @param stage the Pipeline Stage to add the new Action to
-   * @param name the name of the newly created Action
-   * @param props the properties of the new Action
-   * @returns the newly created {@link PipelineDeployAction} deploy Action
-   */
-  public addToPipeline(stage: codepipeline.IStage, name: string, props: CommonPipelineDeployActionProps = {}):
+  public asCodePipelineAction(actionName: string, props: CommonPipelineDeployActionProps):
       PipelineDeployAction {
-    return new PipelineDeployAction(this, name, {
+    return new PipelineDeployAction(actionName, {
       deploymentGroup: this,
-      stage,
       ...props,
     });
   }
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codedeploy/lib/pipeline-action.ts b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codedeploy/lib/pipeline-action.ts
index 27bd3485d3ba0..51ab1c27f7ebe 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codedeploy/lib/pipeline-action.ts
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codedeploy/lib/pipeline-action.ts
@@ -6,22 +6,19 @@ import { IServerDeploymentGroup } from './deployment-group';
 /**
  * Common properties for creating a {@link PipelineDeployAction},
  * either directly, through its constructor,
- * or through {@link IServerDeploymentGroup#addToPipeline}.
+ * or through {@link IServerDeploymentGroup#asCodePipelineAction}.
  */
 export interface CommonPipelineDeployActionProps extends codepipeline.CommonActionProps {
   /**
    * The source to use as input for deployment.
-   *
-   * @default CodePipeline will use the output of the last Action from a previous Stage as input
    */
-  inputArtifact?: codepipeline.Artifact;
+  inputArtifact: codepipeline.Artifact;
 }
 
 /**
  * Construction properties of the {@link PipelineDeployAction CodeDeploy deploy CodePipeline Action}.
  */
-export interface PipelineDeployActionProps extends CommonPipelineDeployActionProps,
-    codepipeline.CommonActionConstructProps {
+export interface PipelineDeployActionProps extends CommonPipelineDeployActionProps {
   /**
    * The CodeDeploy Deployment Group to deploy to.
    */
@@ -29,9 +26,10 @@ export interface PipelineDeployActionProps extends CommonPipelineDeployActionPro
 }
 
 export class PipelineDeployAction extends codepipeline.DeployAction {
-  constructor(scope: cdk.Construct, id: string, props: PipelineDeployActionProps) {
-    super(scope, id, {
-      stage: props.stage,
+  private readonly deploymentGroup: IServerDeploymentGroup;
+
+  constructor(actionName: string, props: PipelineDeployActionProps) {
+    super(actionName, {
       runOrder: props.runOrder,
       artifactBounds: { minInputs: 1, maxInputs: 1, minOutputs: 0, maxOutputs: 0 },
       provider: 'CodeDeploy',
@@ -42,32 +40,36 @@ export class PipelineDeployAction extends codepipeline.DeployAction {
       },
     });
 
+    this.deploymentGroup = props.deploymentGroup;
+  }
+
+  protected bind(pipeline: codepipeline.IPipeline, parent: cdk.Construct): void {
     // permissions, based on:
     // https://docs.aws.amazon.com/codedeploy/latest/userguide/auth-and-access-control-permissions-reference.html
 
-    props.stage.pipeline.role.addToPolicy(new iam.PolicyStatement()
-      .addResource(props.deploymentGroup.application.applicationArn)
+    pipeline.role.addToPolicy(new iam.PolicyStatement()
+      .addResource(this.deploymentGroup.application.applicationArn)
       .addActions(
         'codedeploy:GetApplicationRevision',
         'codedeploy:RegisterApplicationRevision',
       ));
 
-    props.stage.pipeline.role.addToPolicy(new iam.PolicyStatement()
-      .addResource(props.deploymentGroup.deploymentGroupArn)
+    pipeline.role.addToPolicy(new iam.PolicyStatement()
+      .addResource(this.deploymentGroup.deploymentGroupArn)
       .addActions(
         'codedeploy:CreateDeployment',
         'codedeploy:GetDeployment',
       ));
 
-    props.stage.pipeline.role.addToPolicy(new iam.PolicyStatement()
-      .addResource(props.deploymentGroup.deploymentConfig.deploymentConfigArn(this))
+    pipeline.role.addToPolicy(new iam.PolicyStatement()
+      .addResource(this.deploymentGroup.deploymentConfig.deploymentConfigArn(parent))
       .addActions(
         'codedeploy:GetDeploymentConfig',
       ));
 
     // grant the ASG Role permissions to read from the Pipeline Bucket
-    for (const asg of props.deploymentGroup.autoScalingGroups || []) {
-      props.stage.pipeline.grantBucketRead(asg.role);
+    for (const asg of this.deploymentGroup.autoScalingGroups || []) {
+      pipeline.grantBucketRead(asg.role);
     }
   }
 }
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline-api/lib/action.ts b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline-api/lib/action.ts
index 0e1bbf2344590..b99e90d174ed7 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline-api/lib/action.ts
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline-api/lib/action.ts
@@ -36,37 +36,6 @@ export function defaultBounds(): ActionArtifactBounds {
   };
 }
 
-/**
- * The API of Stage used internally by the CodePipeline Construct.
- * You should never need to call any of the methods inside of it yourself.
- */
-export interface IInternalStage {
-  /**
-   * Adds an Action to this Stage.
-   *
-   * @param action the Action to add to this Stage
-   */
-  _attachAction(action: Action): void;
-
-  /**
-   * Generates a unique output artifact name for the given Action.
-   *
-   * @param action the Action to generate the output artifact name for
-   */
-  _generateOutputArtifactName(action: Action): string;
-
-  /**
-   * Finds an input artifact for the given Action.
-   * The chosen artifact will be the output artifact of the
-   * last Action in the Pipeline
-   * (up to the Stage this Action belongs to)
-   * with the highest runOrder that has an output artifact.
-   *
-   * @param action the Action to find the input artifact for
-   */
-  _findInputArtifact(action: Action): Artifact;
-}
-
 /**
  * The abstract view of an AWS CodePipeline as required and used by Actions.
  * It extends {@link events.IEventRuleTarget},
@@ -106,22 +75,15 @@ export interface IPipeline extends cdk.IConstruct, events.IEventRuleTarget {
 /**
  * The abstract interface of a Pipeline Stage that is used by Actions.
  */
-export interface IStage extends cdk.IConstruct {
+export interface IStage {
   /**
    * The physical, human-readable name of this Pipeline Stage.
    */
-  readonly name: string;
+  readonly stageName: string;
 
-  /**
-   * The Pipeline this Stage belongs to.
-   */
-  readonly pipeline: IPipeline;
-
-  /**
-   * The API of Stage used internally by the CodePipeline Construct.
-   * You should never need to call any of the methods inside of it yourself.
-   */
-  readonly _internal: IInternalStage;
+  readonly actions: Action[];
+  addAction(action: Action): IStage;
+  render(): any;
 }
 
 /**
@@ -138,20 +100,10 @@ export interface CommonActionProps {
   runOrder?: number;
 }
 
-/**
- * Common properties shared by all Action Constructs.
- */
-export interface CommonActionConstructProps {
-  /**
-   * The Pipeline Stage to add this Action to.
-   */
-  stage: IStage;
-}
-
 /**
  * Construction properties of the low-level {@link Action Action class}.
  */
-export interface ActionProps extends CommonActionProps, CommonActionConstructProps {
+export interface ActionProps extends CommonActionProps {
   category: ActionCategory;
   provider: string;
 
@@ -173,7 +125,7 @@ export interface ActionProps extends CommonActionProps, CommonActionConstructPro
  * It is recommended that concrete types are used instead, such as {@link codecommit.PipelineSourceAction} or
  * {@link codebuild.PipelineBuildAction}.
  */
-export abstract class Action extends cdk.Construct {
+export abstract class Action {
   /**
    * The category of the action.
    * The category defines which action type the owner
@@ -215,16 +167,18 @@ export abstract class Action extends cdk.Construct {
 
   public readonly owner: string;
   public readonly version: string;
+  public readonly actionName: string;
 
   private readonly _actionInputArtifacts = new Array<Artifact>();
   private readonly _actionOutputArtifacts = new Array<Artifact>();
   private readonly artifactBounds: ActionArtifactBounds;
-  private readonly stage: IStage;
 
-  constructor(scope: cdk.Construct, id: string, props: ActionProps) {
-    super(scope, id);
+  private pipeline?: IPipeline;
+  private stage?: IStage;
+  private parent?: cdk.Construct;
 
-    validation.validateName('Action', id);
+  constructor(actionName: string, props: ActionProps) {
+    validation.validateName('Action', actionName);
 
     this.owner = props.owner || 'AWS';
     this.version = props.version || '1';
@@ -234,21 +188,19 @@ export abstract class Action extends cdk.Construct {
     this.configuration = props.configuration;
     this.artifactBounds = props.artifactBounds;
     this.runOrder = props.runOrder === undefined ? 1 : props.runOrder;
-    this.stage = props.stage;
-
-    this.stage._internal._attachAction(this);
+    this.actionName = actionName;
   }
 
   public onStateChange(name: string, target?: events.IEventRuleTarget, options?: events.EventRuleProps) {
-    const rule = new events.EventRule(this, name, options);
+    const rule = new events.EventRule(this.getParent('onStateChange'), name, options);
     rule.addTarget(target);
     rule.addEventPattern({
       detailType: [ 'CodePipeline Stage Execution State Change' ],
       source: [ 'aws.codepipeline' ],
-      resources: [ this.stage.pipeline.pipelineArn ],
+      resources: [ this.pipeline!.pipelineArn ],
       detail: {
-        stage: [ this.stage.name ],
-        action: [ this.node.id ],
+        stage: [ this.stage!.stageName ],
+        action: [ this.actionName ],
       },
     });
     return rule;
@@ -270,16 +222,46 @@ export abstract class Action extends cdk.Construct {
     );
   }
 
-  protected addOutputArtifact(name: string = this.stage._internal._generateOutputArtifactName(this)): Artifact {
-    const artifact = new Artifact(this, name);
+  protected addOutputArtifact(name: string): Artifact {
+    const artifact = new Artifact(name);
     this._actionOutputArtifacts.push(artifact);
     return artifact;
   }
 
-  protected addInputArtifact(artifact: Artifact = this.stage._internal._findInputArtifact(this)): Action {
+  protected addInputArtifact(artifact: Artifact): Action {
     this._actionInputArtifacts.push(artifact);
     return this;
   }
+
+  protected getParent(methodName: string): cdk.Construct {
+    if (this.parent) {
+      return this.parent;
+    } else {
+      throw new Error(`Cannot call method '${methodName}' until the Action has been added to a Pipeline with addAction`);
+    }
+  }
+
+  protected abstract bind(pipeline: IPipeline, parent: cdk.Construct): void;
+
+  // ignore unused private method (it's actually used in Stage)
+  // @ts-ignore
+  private _attachActionToPipeline(pipeline: IPipeline, stage: IStage, parent: cdk.Construct): void {
+    if (this.actionIsAttachedToPipeline()) {
+      throw new Error(`Action '${this.actionName}' has been added to a Pipeline twice`);
+    }
+
+    this.pipeline = pipeline;
+    this.stage = stage;
+    this.parent = parent;
+
+    this.bind(pipeline, parent);
+
+    (stage as any)._actionAddedToStage(this);
+  }
+
+  private actionIsAttachedToPipeline(): boolean {
+    return this.pipeline !== undefined;
+  }
 }
 
 // export class ElasticBeanstalkDeploy extends DeployAction {
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline-api/lib/artifact.ts b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline-api/lib/artifact.ts
index b236622d33f62..4b0d9826e7976 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline-api/lib/artifact.ts
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline-api/lib/artifact.ts
@@ -1,12 +1,10 @@
-import { Construct, Token } from "@aws-cdk/cdk";
-import { Action } from "./action";
+import { Token } from "@aws-cdk/cdk";
 
 /**
  * An output artifact of an action. Artifacts can be used as input by some actions.
  */
-export class Artifact extends Construct {
-  constructor(scope: Action, readonly name: string) {
-    super(scope, name);
+export class Artifact {
+  constructor(readonly artifactName: string) {
   }
 
   /**
@@ -14,7 +12,7 @@ export class Artifact extends Construct {
    * Output is in the form "<artifact-name>::<file-name>"
    * @param fileName The name of the file
    */
-  public atPath(fileName: string) {
+  public atPath(fileName: string): ArtifactPath {
     return new ArtifactPath(this, fileName);
   }
 
@@ -51,7 +49,7 @@ export class Artifact extends Construct {
   }
 
   public toString() {
-    return this.node.id;
+    return this.artifactName;
   }
 }
 
@@ -67,14 +65,14 @@ export class ArtifactPath {
   }
 
   get location() {
-    return `${this.artifact.name}::${this.fileName}`;
+    return `${this.artifact.artifactName}::${this.fileName}`;
   }
 }
 
 function artifactAttribute(artifact: Artifact, attributeName: string) {
-  return new Token(() => ({ 'Fn::GetArtifactAtt': [artifact.name, attributeName] })).toString();
+  return new Token(() => ({ 'Fn::GetArtifactAtt': [artifact.artifactName, attributeName] })).toString();
 }
 
 function artifactGetParam(artifact: Artifact, jsonFile: string, keyName: string) {
-  return new Token(() => ({ 'Fn::GetParam': [artifact.name, jsonFile, keyName] })).toString();
+  return new Token(() => ({ 'Fn::GetParam': [artifact.artifactName, jsonFile, keyName] })).toString();
 }
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline-api/lib/build-action.ts b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline-api/lib/build-action.ts
index b3c3330aa4a05..2c7c627b3492c 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline-api/lib/build-action.ts
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline-api/lib/build-action.ts
@@ -1,15 +1,14 @@
-import cdk = require("@aws-cdk/cdk");
-import { Action, ActionArtifactBounds, ActionCategory, CommonActionConstructProps, CommonActionProps } from "./action";
+import { Action, ActionArtifactBounds, ActionCategory, CommonActionProps } from "./action";
 import { Artifact } from "./artifact";
 
 /**
  * Construction properties of the low level {@link BuildAction build action}.
  */
-export interface BuildActionProps extends CommonActionProps, CommonActionConstructProps {
+export interface BuildActionProps extends CommonActionProps {
   /**
    * The source to use as input for this build.
    */
-  inputArtifact?: Artifact;
+  inputArtifact: Artifact;
 
   /**
    * The service provider that the action calls. For example, a valid provider for Source actions is CodeBuild.
@@ -38,7 +37,7 @@ export interface BuildActionProps extends CommonActionProps, CommonActionConstru
   /**
    * The name of the build's output artifact.
    */
-  outputArtifactName?: string;
+  outputArtifactName: string;
 
   /**
    * The action's configuration. These are key-value pairs that specify input values for an action.
@@ -57,8 +56,8 @@ export interface BuildActionProps extends CommonActionProps, CommonActionConstru
 export abstract class BuildAction extends Action {
   public readonly outputArtifact: Artifact;
 
-  constructor(scope: cdk.Construct, id: string, props: BuildActionProps) {
-    super(scope, id, {
+  constructor(actionName: string, props: BuildActionProps) {
+    super(actionName, {
       category: ActionCategory.Build,
       ...props,
     });
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline-api/lib/deploy-action.ts b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline-api/lib/deploy-action.ts
index 5a86fd5ce2a21..caaaf6f2e3f19 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline-api/lib/deploy-action.ts
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline-api/lib/deploy-action.ts
@@ -1,22 +1,21 @@
-import cdk = require('@aws-cdk/cdk');
-import { Action, ActionArtifactBounds, ActionCategory, CommonActionConstructProps, CommonActionProps } from "./action";
+import { Action, ActionArtifactBounds, ActionCategory, CommonActionProps } from "./action";
 import { Artifact } from './artifact';
 
-export interface DeployActionProps extends CommonActionProps, CommonActionConstructProps {
+export interface DeployActionProps extends CommonActionProps {
   provider: string;
 
   owner?: string;
 
   artifactBounds: ActionArtifactBounds;
 
-  inputArtifact?: Artifact;
+  inputArtifact: Artifact;
 
   configuration?: any;
 }
 
 export abstract class DeployAction extends Action {
-  constructor(scope: cdk.Construct, id: string, props: DeployActionProps) {
-    super(scope, id, {
+  constructor(actionName: string, props: DeployActionProps) {
+    super(actionName, {
       category: ActionCategory.Deploy,
       ...props,
     });
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline-api/lib/source-action.ts b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline-api/lib/source-action.ts
index b18984fefb47a..1fe4519a98650 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline-api/lib/source-action.ts
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline-api/lib/source-action.ts
@@ -1,11 +1,10 @@
-import cdk = require("@aws-cdk/cdk");
-import { Action, ActionCategory, CommonActionConstructProps, CommonActionProps } from "./action";
+import { Action, ActionCategory, CommonActionProps } from "./action";
 import { Artifact } from "./artifact";
 
 /**
  * Construction properties of the low-level {@link SourceAction source Action}.
  */
-export interface SourceActionProps extends CommonActionProps, CommonActionConstructProps {
+export interface SourceActionProps extends CommonActionProps {
   /**
    * The source action owner (could be "AWS", "ThirdParty" or "Custom").
    *
@@ -23,10 +22,8 @@ export interface SourceActionProps extends CommonActionProps, CommonActionConstr
   /**
    * The name of the source's output artifact.
    * Output artifacts are used by CodePipeline as inputs into other actions.
-   *
-   * @default a name will be auto-generated
    */
-  outputArtifactName?: string;
+  outputArtifactName: string;
 
   /**
    * The service provider that the action calls.
@@ -52,8 +49,8 @@ export interface SourceActionProps extends CommonActionProps, CommonActionConstr
 export abstract class SourceAction extends Action {
   public readonly outputArtifact: Artifact;
 
-  constructor(scope: cdk.Construct, id: string, props: SourceActionProps) {
-    super(scope, id, {
+  constructor(actionName: string, props: SourceActionProps) {
+    super(actionName, {
       category: ActionCategory.Source,
       artifactBounds: { minInputs: 0, maxInputs: 0, minOutputs: 1, maxOutputs: 1 },
       ...props,
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline-api/lib/test-action.ts b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline-api/lib/test-action.ts
index b77b74e71fb9e..858e3ffc2160b 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline-api/lib/test-action.ts
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline-api/lib/test-action.ts
@@ -1,17 +1,14 @@
-import cdk = require("@aws-cdk/cdk");
-import { Action, ActionArtifactBounds, ActionCategory, CommonActionConstructProps, CommonActionProps } from "./action";
+import { Action, ActionArtifactBounds, ActionCategory, CommonActionProps } from "./action";
 import { Artifact } from "./artifact";
 
 /**
  * Construction properties of the low-level {@link TestAction test Action}.
  */
-export interface TestActionProps extends CommonActionProps, CommonActionConstructProps {
+export interface TestActionProps extends CommonActionProps {
   /**
    * The source to use as input for this test.
-   *
-   * @default CodePipeline will use the output of the last Action from a previous Stage as input
    */
-  inputArtifact?: Artifact;
+  inputArtifact: Artifact;
 
   /**
    * The optional name of the output artifact.
@@ -71,8 +68,8 @@ export interface TestActionProps extends CommonActionProps, CommonActionConstruc
 export abstract class TestAction extends Action {
   public readonly outputArtifact?: Artifact;
 
-  constructor(scope: cdk.Construct, id: string, props: TestActionProps) {
-    super(scope, id, {
+  constructor(actionName: string, props: TestActionProps) {
+    super(actionName, {
       category: ActionCategory.Test,
       ...props,
     });
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/README.md b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/README.md
index 8a1ae513e972e..07e3f503e99ab 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/README.md
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/README.md
@@ -23,16 +23,14 @@ const pipeline = new codepipeline.Pipeline(this, 'MyFirstPipeline', {
 To append a Stage to a Pipeline:
 
 ```ts
-const sourceStage = pipeline.addStage('Source');
+const sourceStage = new codepipeline.Stage('Source');
+pipeline.addStage(sourceStage);
 ```
 
-You can also instantiate the `Stage` Construct directly,
-which will add it to the Pipeline provided in its construction properties.
-
 You can insert the new Stage at an arbitrary point in the Pipeline:
 
 ```ts
-const sourceStage = pipeline.addStage('Source', {
+pipeline.addStage(sourceStage, {
   placement: {
     // note: you can only specify one of the below properties
     rightBefore: anotherStage,
@@ -48,30 +46,14 @@ const sourceStage = pipeline.addStage('Source', {
 To add an Action to a Stage:
 
 ```ts
-new codepipeline.GitHubSourceAction(this, 'GitHub_Source', {
-  stage: sourceStage,
+const sourceAction = new codepipeline.GitHubSourceAction('GitHub_Source', {
   owner: 'awslabs',
   repo: 'aws-cdk',
   branch: 'develop', // default: 'master'
   oauthToken: ...,
-})
-```
-
-The Pipeline construct will automatically generate and wire together the artifact names CodePipeline uses.
-If you need, you can also name the artifacts explicitly:
-
-```ts
-const sourceAction = new codepipeline.GitHubSourceAction(this, 'GitHub_Source', {
-  // other properties as above...
   outputArtifactName: 'SourceOutput', // this will be the name of the output artifact in the Pipeline
 });
-
-// in a build Action later...
-
-new codepipeline.JenkinsBuildAction(this, 'Jenkins_Build', {
-  // other properties...
-  inputArtifact: sourceAction.outputArtifact,
-});
+sourceStage.addAction(sourceAction);
 ```
 
 #### Manual approval Action
@@ -79,15 +61,16 @@ new codepipeline.JenkinsBuildAction(this, 'Jenkins_Build', {
 This package contains an Action that stops the Pipeline until someone manually clicks the approve button:
 
 ```typescript
-const manualApprovalAction = new codepipeline.ManualApprovalAction(this, 'Approve', {
-  stage: approveStage,
+const manualApprovalAction = new codepipeline.ManualApprovalAction('Approve', {
   notificationTopic: new sns.Topic(this, 'Topic'), // optional
   notifyEmails: [
     'some_email@example.com',
   ], // optional
   additionalInformation: 'additional info', // optional
 });
+approveStage.addAction(manualApprovalAction);
 // `manualApprovalAction.notificationTopic` can be used to access the Topic
+// after the Action has been added to a Pipeline
 ```
 
 If the `notificationTopic` has not been provided,
@@ -129,8 +112,7 @@ With a `JenkinsProvider`,
 we can create a Jenkins Action:
 
 ```ts
-const buildAction = new codepipeline.JenkinsBuildAction(this, 'JenkinsBuild', {
-  stage: buildStage,
+const buildAction = new codepipeline.JenkinsBuildAction('JenkinsBuild', {
   jenkinsProvider: jenkinsProvider,
   projectName: 'MyProject',
 });
@@ -141,11 +123,11 @@ You can also add the Action to the Pipeline directly:
 
 ```ts
 // equivalent to the code above:
-const buildAction = jenkinsProvider.addToPipeline(buildStage, 'JenkinsBuild', {
+const buildAction = jenkinsProvider.asCodePipelineAction('JenkinsBuild', {
   projectName: 'MyProject',
 });
 
-const testAction = jenkinsProvider.addToPipelineAsTest(buildStage, 'JenkinsTest', {
+const testAction = jenkinsProvider.asCodePipelineTestAction('JenkinsTest', {
   projectName: 'MyProject',
 });
 ```
@@ -167,7 +149,7 @@ const pipeline = new codepipeline.Pipeline(this, 'MyFirstPipeline', {
 });
 
 // later in the code...
-new cloudformation.PipelineCreateUpdateStackAction(this, 'CFN_US_West_1', {
+new cloudformation.PipelineCreateUpdateStackAction('CFN_US_West_1', {
   // ...
   region: 'us-west-1',
 });
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/lib/github-source-action.ts b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/lib/github-source-action.ts
index c70c2d048ddf7..5053e44f5dfef 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/lib/github-source-action.ts
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/lib/github-source-action.ts
@@ -5,15 +5,12 @@ import { CfnWebhook } from './codepipeline.generated';
 /**
  * Construction properties of the {@link GitHubSourceAction GitHub source action}.
  */
-export interface GitHubSourceActionProps extends actions.CommonActionProps,
-    actions.CommonActionConstructProps {
+export interface GitHubSourceActionProps extends actions.CommonActionProps {
   /**
    * The name of the source's output artifact. Output artifacts are used by CodePipeline as
    * inputs into other actions.
-   *
-   * @default a name will be auto-generated
    */
-  outputArtifactName?: string;
+  outputArtifactName: string;
 
   /**
    * The GitHub account/user that owns the repo.
@@ -56,9 +53,10 @@ export interface GitHubSourceActionProps extends actions.CommonActionProps,
  * Source that is provided by a GitHub repository.
  */
 export class GitHubSourceAction extends actions.SourceAction {
-  constructor(scope: cdk.Construct, id: string, props: GitHubSourceActionProps) {
-    super(scope, id, {
-      stage: props.stage,
+  private readonly props: GitHubSourceActionProps;
+
+  constructor(actionName: string, props: GitHubSourceActionProps) {
+    super(actionName, {
       runOrder: props.runOrder,
       owner: 'ThirdParty',
       provider: 'GitHub',
@@ -72,11 +70,15 @@ export class GitHubSourceAction extends actions.SourceAction {
       outputArtifactName: props.outputArtifactName
     });
 
-    if (!props.pollForSourceChanges) {
-      new CfnWebhook(this, 'WebhookResource', {
+    this.props = props;
+  }
+
+  protected bind(pipeline: actions.IPipeline, parent: cdk.Construct): void {
+    if (!this.props.pollForSourceChanges) {
+      new CfnWebhook(parent, 'WebhookResource', {
         authentication: 'GITHUB_HMAC',
         authenticationConfiguration: {
-          secretToken: props.oauthToken.toString(),
+          secretToken: this.props.oauthToken.toString(),
         },
         filters: [
           {
@@ -84,8 +86,8 @@ export class GitHubSourceAction extends actions.SourceAction {
             matchEquals: 'refs/heads/{Branch}',
           },
         ],
-        targetAction: this.node.id,
-        targetPipeline: props.stage.pipeline.pipelineName,
+        targetAction: this.actionName,
+        targetPipeline: pipeline.pipelineName,
         targetPipelineVersion: 1,
         registerWithThirdParty: true,
       });
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/lib/jenkins-actions.ts b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/lib/jenkins-actions.ts
index 8de7c426739f3..bb0b3a28e3949 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/lib/jenkins-actions.ts
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/lib/jenkins-actions.ts
@@ -16,16 +16,14 @@ export interface BasicJenkinsActionProps extends cpapi.CommonActionProps {
 
   /**
    * The source to use as input for this build.
-   *
-   * @default CodePipeline will use the output of the last Action from a previous Stage as input
    */
-  inputArtifact?: cpapi.Artifact;
+  inputArtifact: cpapi.Artifact;
 }
 
 /**
  * Common properties for creating {@link JenkinsBuildAction} -
  * either directly, through its constructor,
- * or through {@link JenkinsProvider#addToPipeline}.
+ * or through {@link IJenkinsProvider#asCodePipelineAction}.
  */
 export interface BasicJenkinsBuildActionProps extends BasicJenkinsActionProps {
   /**
@@ -39,8 +37,7 @@ export interface BasicJenkinsBuildActionProps extends BasicJenkinsActionProps {
 /**
  * Construction properties of {@link JenkinsBuildAction}.
  */
-export interface JenkinsBuildActionProps extends BasicJenkinsBuildActionProps,
-    cpapi.CommonActionConstructProps {
+export interface JenkinsBuildActionProps extends BasicJenkinsBuildActionProps {
   /**
    * The Jenkins Provider for this Action.
    */
@@ -53,8 +50,10 @@ export interface JenkinsBuildActionProps extends BasicJenkinsBuildActionProps,
  * @see https://docs.aws.amazon.com/codepipeline/latest/userguide/tutorials-four-stage-pipeline.html
  */
 export class JenkinsBuildAction extends cpapi.BuildAction {
-  constructor(scope: cdk.Construct, id: string, props: JenkinsBuildActionProps) {
-    super(scope, id, {
+  private readonly jenkinsProvider: IJenkinsProvider;
+
+  constructor(actionName: string, props: JenkinsBuildActionProps) {
+    super(actionName, {
       provider: props.jenkinsProvider.providerName,
       owner: 'Custom',
       artifactBounds: jenkinsArtifactsBounds,
@@ -62,17 +61,22 @@ export class JenkinsBuildAction extends cpapi.BuildAction {
       configuration: {
         ProjectName: props.projectName,
       },
+      outputArtifactName: props.outputArtifactName || `Artifact_${actionName}_${props.jenkinsProvider.node.uniqueId}`,
       ...props,
     });
 
-    props.jenkinsProvider._registerBuildProvider();
+    this.jenkinsProvider = props.jenkinsProvider;
+  }
+
+  protected bind(_pipeline: cpapi.IPipeline, _parent: cdk.Construct): void {
+    this.jenkinsProvider._registerBuildProvider();
   }
 }
 
 /**
  * Common properties for creating {@link JenkinsTestAction} -
  * either directly, through its constructor,
- * or through {@link JenkinsProvider#addToPipelineAsTest}.
+ * or through {@link IJenkinsProvider#asCodePipelineTestAction}.
  */
 export interface BasicJenkinsTestActionProps extends BasicJenkinsActionProps {
   /**
@@ -89,8 +93,7 @@ export interface BasicJenkinsTestActionProps extends BasicJenkinsActionProps {
 /**
  * Construction properties of {@link JenkinsTestAction}.
  */
-export interface JenkinsTestActionProps extends BasicJenkinsTestActionProps,
-    cpapi.CommonActionConstructProps {
+export interface JenkinsTestActionProps extends BasicJenkinsTestActionProps {
   /**
    * The Jenkins Provider for this Action.
    */
@@ -103,8 +106,10 @@ export interface JenkinsTestActionProps extends BasicJenkinsTestActionProps,
  * @see https://docs.aws.amazon.com/codepipeline/latest/userguide/tutorials-four-stage-pipeline.html
  */
 export class JenkinsTestAction extends cpapi.TestAction {
-  constructor(scope: cdk.Construct, id: string, props: JenkinsTestActionProps) {
-    super(scope, id, {
+  private readonly jenkinsProvider: IJenkinsProvider;
+
+  constructor(actionName: string, props: JenkinsTestActionProps) {
+    super(actionName, {
       provider: props.jenkinsProvider.providerName,
       owner: 'Custom',
       artifactBounds: jenkinsArtifactsBounds,
@@ -115,6 +120,10 @@ export class JenkinsTestAction extends cpapi.TestAction {
       ...props,
     });
 
-    props.jenkinsProvider._registerTestProvider();
+    this.jenkinsProvider = props.jenkinsProvider;
+  }
+
+  protected bind(_pipeline: cpapi.IPipeline, _parent: cdk.Construct): void {
+    this.jenkinsProvider._registerTestProvider();
   }
 }
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/lib/jenkins-provider.ts b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/lib/jenkins-provider.ts
index b6315e5b8b4e4..775dd99633efc 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/lib/jenkins-provider.ts
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/lib/jenkins-provider.ts
@@ -17,33 +17,29 @@ import {
  * If you want to reference an already registered provider,
  * use the {@link JenkinsProvider#import} method.
  */
-export interface IJenkinsProvider {
+export interface IJenkinsProvider extends cdk.IConstruct {
   readonly providerName: string;
   readonly serverUrl: string;
   readonly version: string;
 
   /**
-   * Convenience method for creating a new {@link JenkinsBuildAction},
-   * and adding it to the given Stage.
+   * Convenience method for creating a new {@link JenkinsBuildAction}.
    *
-   * @param stage the Pipeline Stage to add the new Action to
-   * @param name the name of the newly created Action
+   * @param actionName the name of the newly created Action
    * @param props construction properties of the new Action
    * @returns the newly created {@link JenkinsBuildAction}
    */
-  addToPipeline(stage: cpapi.IStage, name: string, props: BasicJenkinsBuildActionProps):
+  asCodePipelineAction(actionName: string, props: BasicJenkinsBuildActionProps):
       JenkinsBuildAction;
 
   /**
-   * Convenience method for creating a new {@link JenkinsTestAction},
-   * and adding it to the given Stage.
+   * Convenience method for creating a new {@link JenkinsTestAction}.
    *
-   * @param stage the Pipeline Stage to add the new Action to
-   * @param name the name of the newly created Action
+   * @param actionName the name of the newly created Action
    * @param props construction properties of the new Action
    * @returns the newly created {@link JenkinsTestAction}
    */
-  addToPipelineAsTest(stage: cpapi.IStage, name: string, props: BasicJenkinsTestActionProps):
+  asCodePipelineTestAction(actionName: string, props: BasicJenkinsTestActionProps):
       JenkinsTestAction;
 
   /**
@@ -149,19 +145,15 @@ export abstract class BaseJenkinsProvider extends cdk.Construct implements IJenk
     };
   }
 
-  public addToPipeline(stage: cpapi.IStage, name: string, props: BasicJenkinsBuildActionProps):
-      JenkinsBuildAction {
-    return new JenkinsBuildAction(this, name, {
-      stage,
+  public asCodePipelineAction(actionName: string, props: BasicJenkinsBuildActionProps): JenkinsBuildAction {
+    return new JenkinsBuildAction(actionName, {
       jenkinsProvider: this,
       ...props,
     });
   }
 
-  public addToPipelineAsTest(stage: cpapi.IStage, name: string, props: BasicJenkinsTestActionProps):
-      JenkinsTestAction {
-    return new JenkinsTestAction(this, name, {
-      stage,
+  public asCodePipelineTestAction(actionName: string, props: BasicJenkinsTestActionProps): JenkinsTestAction {
+    return new JenkinsTestAction(actionName, {
       jenkinsProvider: this,
       ...props,
     });
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/lib/manual-approval-action.ts b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/lib/manual-approval-action.ts
index 9b5a839d44dd8..d1e9b3a537b76 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/lib/manual-approval-action.ts
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/lib/manual-approval-action.ts
@@ -5,8 +5,7 @@ import cdk = require('@aws-cdk/cdk');
 /**
  * Construction properties of the {@link ManualApprovalAction}.
  */
-export interface ManualApprovalActionProps extends actions.CommonActionProps,
-    actions.CommonActionConstructProps {
+export interface ManualApprovalActionProps extends actions.CommonActionProps {
   /**
    * Optional SNS topic to send notifications to when an approval is pending.
    */
@@ -34,36 +33,45 @@ export class ManualApprovalAction extends actions.Action {
    * If no Topic was passed, but `notifyEmails` were provided,
    * a new Topic will be created.
    */
-  public readonly notificationTopic?: sns.ITopic;
+  private _notificationTopic?: sns.ITopic;
+  private readonly props: ManualApprovalActionProps;
 
-  constructor(scope: cdk.Construct, id: string, props: ManualApprovalActionProps) {
-    super(scope, id, {
+  constructor(actionName: string, props: ManualApprovalActionProps = {}) {
+    super(actionName, {
       category: actions.ActionCategory.Approval,
       provider: 'Manual',
       artifactBounds: { minInputs: 0, maxInputs: 0, minOutputs: 0, maxOutputs: 0 },
-      configuration: new cdk.Token(() => this.actionConfiguration(props)),
+      configuration: new cdk.Token(() => this.actionConfiguration()),
       ...props,
     });
 
-    if (props.notificationTopic) {
-      this.notificationTopic = props.notificationTopic;
-    } else if ((props.notifyEmails || []).length > 0) {
-      this.notificationTopic = new sns.Topic(this, 'TopicResource');
+    this.props = props;
+  }
+
+  public get notificationTopic(): sns.ITopic | undefined {
+    return this._notificationTopic;
+  }
+
+  protected bind(pipeline: actions.IPipeline, parent: cdk.Construct): void {
+    if (this.props.notificationTopic) {
+      this._notificationTopic = this.props.notificationTopic;
+    } else if ((this.props.notifyEmails || []).length > 0) {
+      this._notificationTopic = new sns.Topic(parent, 'TopicResource');
     }
 
-    if (this.notificationTopic) {
-      this.notificationTopic.grantPublish(props.stage.pipeline.role);
-      for (const notifyEmail of props.notifyEmails || []) {
-        this.notificationTopic.subscribeEmail(`Subscription-${notifyEmail}`, notifyEmail);
+    if (this._notificationTopic) {
+      this._notificationTopic.grantPublish(pipeline.role);
+      for (const notifyEmail of this.props.notifyEmails || []) {
+        this._notificationTopic.subscribeEmail(`Subscription-${notifyEmail}`, notifyEmail);
       }
     }
   }
 
-  private actionConfiguration(props: ManualApprovalActionProps): any {
-    return this.notificationTopic
+  private actionConfiguration(): any {
+    return this._notificationTopic
       ? {
-        NotificationArn: this.notificationTopic.topicArn,
-        CustomData: props.additionalInformation,
+        NotificationArn: this._notificationTopic.topicArn,
+        CustomData: this.props.additionalInformation,
       }
       : undefined;
   }
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/lib/pipeline.ts b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/lib/pipeline.ts
index 7c29de60f231a..2680562af6474 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/lib/pipeline.ts
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/lib/pipeline.ts
@@ -5,7 +5,17 @@ import s3 = require('@aws-cdk/aws-s3');
 import cdk = require('@aws-cdk/cdk');
 import { CfnPipeline } from './codepipeline.generated';
 import { CrossRegionScaffoldStack } from './cross-region-scaffold-stack';
-import { CommonStageProps, Stage, StagePlacement } from './stage';
+import { Stage, StagePlacement } from './stage';
+
+export interface StageInsertionProps {
+  /**
+   * Allows specifying where should the newly created {@link Stage}
+   * be placed in the Pipeline.
+   *
+   * @default the stage is added at the end of the Pipeline
+   */
+  placement?: StagePlacement;
+}
 
 export interface PipelineProps {
   /**
@@ -34,6 +44,13 @@ export interface PipelineProps {
    * You can query the generated Stacks using the {@link Pipeline#crossRegionScaffoldStacks} property.
    */
   crossRegionReplicationBuckets?: { [region: string]: string };
+
+  /**
+   * The list of Stages, in order,
+   * to create this Pipeline with.
+   * You can always add more Stages later by calling {@link Pipeline#addStage}.
+   */
+  stages?: cpapi.IStage[];
 }
 
 /**
@@ -44,15 +61,16 @@ export interface PipelineProps {
  * const pipeline = new Pipeline(this, 'Pipeline');
  *
  * // add a stage
- * const sourceStage = new Stage(pipeline, 'Source');
+ * const sourceStage = new Stage('Source');
+ * pipeline.addStage(sourceStage);
  *
  * // add a source action to the stage
- * new codecommit.PipelineSourceAction(sourceStage, 'Source', {
+ * sourceStage.addAction(new codecommit.PipelineSourceAction('Source', {
  *   artifactName: 'SourceArtifact',
  *   repository: repo,
- * });
+ * }));
  *
- * // ... add more stages
+ * // add more Stages & Actions...
  */
 export class Pipeline extends cdk.Construct implements cpapi.IPipeline {
   /**
@@ -81,7 +99,7 @@ export class Pipeline extends cdk.Construct implements cpapi.IPipeline {
    */
   public readonly artifactBucket: s3.IBucket;
 
-  private readonly stages = new Array<Stage>();
+  private readonly stages = new Array<cpapi.IStage>();
   private eventsRole?: iam.Role;
   private readonly pipelineResource: CfnPipeline;
   private readonly crossRegionReplicationBuckets: { [region: string]: string };
@@ -131,21 +149,33 @@ export class Pipeline extends cdk.Construct implements cpapi.IPipeline {
       service: 'codepipeline',
       resource: this.pipelineName
     });
+
+    for (const stage of props.stages || []) {
+      this.addStage(stage);
+    }
   }
 
   /**
-   * Convenience method for creating a new {@link Stage},
-   * and adding it to this Pipeline.
+   * Adds a Stage to this Pipeline.
    *
-   * @param name the name of the newly created Stage
-   * @param props the optional construction properties of the new Stage
-   * @returns the newly created Stage
+   * @param stage the newly created Stage to add to this Pipeline
+   * @param props optional Stage insertion properties
    */
-  public addStage(name: string, props?: CommonStageProps): Stage {
-    return new Stage(this, name, {
-      pipeline: this,
-      ...props,
-    });
+  public addStage(stage: cpapi.IStage, props: StageInsertionProps = {}): Pipeline {
+    // check for duplicate Stages and names
+    if (this.stages.find(s => s.stageName === stage.stageName)) {
+      throw new Error(`Stage with duplicate name '${stage.stageName}' added to the Pipeline`);
+    }
+
+    (stage as any)._attachStageToPipeline(this);
+
+    const index = props.placement
+        ? this.calculateInsertIndexFromPlacement(props.placement)
+        : this.stageCount;
+
+    this.stages.splice(index, 0, stage);
+
+    return this;
   }
 
   /**
@@ -272,8 +302,8 @@ export class Pipeline extends cdk.Construct implements cpapi.IPipeline {
       return;
     }
 
-    if (this.stages.find(x => x.name === stage.name)) {
-      throw new Error(`A stage with name '${stage.name}' already exists`);
+    if (this.stages.find(x => x.stageName === stage.stageName)) {
+      throw new Error(`A stage with name '${stage.stageName}' already exists`);
     }
 
     const index = placement
@@ -328,47 +358,6 @@ export class Pipeline extends cdk.Construct implements cpapi.IPipeline {
     };
   }
 
-  // ignore unused private method (it's actually used in Stage)
-  // @ts-ignore
-  private _generateOutputArtifactName(stage: cpapi.IStage, action: cpapi.Action): string {
-    // generate the artifact name based on the Action's full logical ID,
-    // thus guaranteeing uniqueness
-    return 'Artifact_' + action.node.uniqueId;
-  }
-
-  /**
-   * Finds an input artifact for the given Action.
-   * The chosen artifact will be the output artifact of the
-   * last Action in the Pipeline
-   * (up to the Stage this Action belongs to),
-   * with the highest runOrder, that has an output artifact.
-   *
-   * @param stage the Stage `action` belongs to
-   * @param action the Action to find the input artifact for
-   */
-  // ignore unused private method (it's actually used in Stage)
-  // @ts-ignore
-  private _findInputArtifact(stage: cpapi.IStage, action: cpapi.Action): cpapi.Artifact {
-    // search for the first Action that has an outputArtifact,
-    // and return that
-    const startIndex = this.stages.findIndex(s => s === stage);
-    for (let i = startIndex; i >= 0; i--) {
-      const currentStage = this.stages[i];
-
-      // get all of the Actions in the Stage, sorted by runOrder, descending
-      const currentActions = currentStage.actions.sort((a1, a2) => -(a1.runOrder - a2.runOrder));
-      for (const currentAction of currentActions) {
-        // for the first Stage (the one that `action` belongs to)
-        // we need to only take into account Actions with a smaller runOrder than `action`
-        if ((i !== startIndex || currentAction.runOrder < action.runOrder) && currentAction._outputArtifacts.length > 0) {
-          return currentAction._outputArtifacts[0];
-        }
-      }
-    }
-    throw new Error(`Could not determine the input artifact for Action with name '${action.node.id}'. ` +
-      'Please provide it explicitly with the inputArtifact property.');
-  }
-
   private calculateInsertIndexFromPlacement(placement: StagePlacement): number {
     // check if at most one placement property was provided
     const providedPlacementProps = ['rightBefore', 'justAfter', 'atIndex']
@@ -383,7 +372,7 @@ export class Pipeline extends cdk.Construct implements cpapi.IPipeline {
       const targetIndex = this.findStageIndex(placement.rightBefore);
       if (targetIndex === -1) {
         throw new Error("Error adding Stage to the Pipeline: " +
-          `the requested Stage to add it before, '${placement.rightBefore.name}', was not found`);
+          `the requested Stage to add it before, '${placement.rightBefore.stageName}', was not found`);
       }
       return targetIndex;
     }
@@ -392,7 +381,7 @@ export class Pipeline extends cdk.Construct implements cpapi.IPipeline {
       const targetIndex = this.findStageIndex(placement.justAfter);
       if (targetIndex === -1) {
         throw new Error("Error adding Stage to the Pipeline: " +
-          `the requested Stage to add it after, '${placement.justAfter.name}', was not found`);
+          `the requested Stage to add it after, '${placement.justAfter.stageName}', was not found`);
       }
       return targetIndex + 1;
     }
@@ -410,8 +399,8 @@ export class Pipeline extends cdk.Construct implements cpapi.IPipeline {
     return this.stageCount;
   }
 
-  private findStageIndex(targetStage: Stage) {
-    return this.stages.findIndex((stage: Stage) => stage === targetStage);
+  private findStageIndex(targetStage: cpapi.IStage) {
+    return this.stages.findIndex((stage: cpapi.IStage) => stage === targetStage);
   }
 
   private validateSourceActionLocations(): string[] {
@@ -420,7 +409,7 @@ export class Pipeline extends cdk.Construct implements cpapi.IPipeline {
     for (const stage of this.stages) {
       const onlySourceActionsPermitted = firstStage;
       for (const action of stage.actions) {
-        errors.push(...cpapi.validateSourceAction(onlySourceActionsPermitted, action.category, action.node.id, stage.node.id));
+        errors.push(...cpapi.validateSourceAction(onlySourceActionsPermitted, action.category, action.actionName, stage.stageName));
       }
       firstStage = false;
     }
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/lib/stage.ts b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/lib/stage.ts
index 1a1eb46e6e4ea..c683c3e2b0f89 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/lib/stage.ts
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/lib/stage.ts
@@ -37,27 +37,15 @@ export interface StagePlacement {
   readonly atIndex?: number;
 }
 
-/**
- * The properties for the {@link Pipeline#addStage} method.
- */
-export interface CommonStageProps {
-  /**
-   * Allows specifying where should the newly created {@link Stage}
-   * be placed in the Pipeline.
-   *
-   * @default the stage is added at the end of the Pipeline
-   */
-  placement?: StagePlacement;
-}
-
 /**
  * The construction properties for {@link Stage}.
  */
-export interface StageProps extends CommonStageProps {
+export interface StageProps {
   /**
-   * The Pipeline to add the newly created Stage to.
+   * The list of Actions to create this Stage with.
+   * You can always add more Actions later by calling {@link Stage#addAction}.
    */
-  pipeline: Pipeline;
+  actions?: cpapi.Action[];
 }
 
 /**
@@ -67,35 +55,32 @@ export interface StageProps extends CommonStageProps {
  *
  * @example
  *   // add a Stage to a Pipeline
- *   new Stage(this, 'MyStage', {
- *     pipeline: myPipeline,
+ *   pipeline.addStage(new Stage('MyStage', {
+ *     actions: [
+ *       // ...
+ *     ],
  *   });
  */
-export class Stage extends cdk.Construct implements cpapi.IStage, cpapi.IInternalStage {
-  /**
-   * The Pipeline this Stage is a part of.
-   */
-  public readonly pipeline: cpapi.IPipeline;
-  public readonly name: string;
+export class Stage implements cpapi.IStage {
+  public readonly stageName: string;
+  private readonly _actions = new Array<cpapi.Action>();
 
   /**
-   * The API of Stage used internally by the CodePipeline Construct.
-   * You should never need to call any of the methods inside of it yourself.
+   * The Pipeline this Stage is a part of.
    */
-  public readonly _internal = this;
-
-  private readonly _actions = new Array<cpapi.Action>();
+  private pipeline?: Pipeline;
+  private parent?: cdk.Construct;
 
   /**
    * Create a new Stage.
    */
-  constructor(scope: cdk.Construct, id: string, props: StageProps) {
-    super(scope, id);
-    this.name = id;
-    this.pipeline = props.pipeline;
-    cpapi.validateName('Stage', id);
+  constructor(stageName: string, props: StageProps = {}) {
+    cpapi.validateName('Stage', stageName);
+    this.stageName = stageName;
 
-    (this.pipeline as any)._attachStage(this, props.placement);
+    for (const action of props.actions || []) {
+      this.addAction(action);
+    }
   }
 
   /**
@@ -105,54 +90,85 @@ export class Stage extends cdk.Construct implements cpapi.IStage, cpapi.IInterna
     return this._actions.slice();
   }
 
-  public render(): CfnPipeline.StageDeclarationProperty {
+  public render(): any {
     return {
-      name: this.node.id,
+      name: this.stageName,
       actions: this._actions.map(action => this.renderAction(action)),
     };
   }
 
+  public addAction(action: cpapi.Action): cpapi.IStage {
+    // check for duplicate Actions and names
+    if (this._actions.find(a => a.actionName === action.actionName)) {
+      throw new Error(`Stage ${this.stageName} already contains an Action with name '${action.actionName}'`);
+    }
+
+    this._actions.push(action);
+    if (this.stageIsAttachedToPipeline()) {
+      this.attachActionToPipeline(action);
+    }
+
+    return this;
+  }
+
   public onStateChange(name: string, target?: events.IEventRuleTarget, options?: events.EventRuleProps) {
-    const rule = new events.EventRule(this, name, options);
+    const rule = new events.EventRule(this.getParent('onStateChange'), name, options);
     rule.addTarget(target);
     rule.addEventPattern({
       detailType: [ 'CodePipeline Stage Execution State Change' ],
       source: [ 'aws.codepipeline' ],
-      resources: [ this.pipeline.pipelineArn ],
+      resources: [ this.pipeline!.pipelineArn ],
       detail: {
-        stage: [ this.node.id ],
+        stage: [ this.stageName ],
       },
     });
     return rule;
   }
 
-  // can't make this method private like Pipeline#_attachStage,
-  // as it comes from the IStage interface
-  public _attachAction(action: cpapi.Action): void {
-    // _attachAction should be idempotent in case a customer ever calls it directly
-    if (!this._actions.includes(action)) {
-      this._actions.push(action);
+  protected validate(): string[] {
+    return this.validateHasActions();
+  }
 
-      (this.pipeline as any)._attachActionToRegion(this, action);
+  // ignore unused private method (it's actually used in Pipeline)
+  // @ts-ignore
+  private _attachStageToPipeline(pipeline: Pipeline): void {
+    if (this.stageIsAttachedToPipeline()) {
+      throw new Error(`Stage '${this.stageName}' has been added to a Pipeline twice`);
+    }
+    this.pipeline = pipeline;
+    this.parent = new cdk.Construct(pipeline, this.stageName);
+    for (const action of this._actions) {
+      this.attachActionToPipeline(action);
     }
   }
 
-  public _generateOutputArtifactName(action: cpapi.Action): string {
-    return (this.pipeline as any)._generateOutputArtifactName(this, action);
+  private stageIsAttachedToPipeline() {
+    return this.pipeline !== undefined;
   }
 
-  public _findInputArtifact(action: cpapi.Action): cpapi.Artifact {
-    return (this.pipeline as any)._findInputArtifact(this, action);
+  private attachActionToPipeline(action: cpapi.Action) {
+    const actionParent = new cdk.Construct(this.parent!, action.actionName);
+    (action as any)._attachActionToPipeline(this.pipeline, this, actionParent);
   }
 
-  protected validate(): string[] {
-    return this.validateHasActions();
+  private getParent(methodName: string): cdk.Construct {
+    if (this.parent) {
+      return this.parent;
+    } else {
+      throw new Error(`Cannot call method '${methodName}' until the Stage has been added to a Pipeline with addStage`);
+    }
+  }
+
+  // ignore unused private method (it's actually used in Action)
+  // @ts-ignore
+  private _actionAddedToStage(action: cpapi.Action): void {
+    (this.pipeline as any)._attachActionToRegion(this, action);
   }
 
   private renderAction(action: cpapi.Action): CfnPipeline.ActionDeclarationProperty {
     return {
-      name: action.node.id,
-      inputArtifacts: action._inputArtifacts.map(a => ({ name: a.name })),
+      name: action.actionName,
+      inputArtifacts: action._inputArtifacts.map(a => ({ name: a.artifactName })),
       actionTypeId: {
         category: action.category.toString(),
         version: action.version,
@@ -160,14 +176,14 @@ export class Stage extends cdk.Construct implements cpapi.IStage, cpapi.IInterna
         provider: action.provider,
       },
       configuration: action.configuration,
-      outputArtifacts: action._outputArtifacts.map(a => ({ name: a.name })),
+      outputArtifacts: action._outputArtifacts.map(a => ({ name: a.artifactName })),
       runOrder: action.runOrder,
     };
   }
 
   private validateHasActions(): string[] {
     if (this._actions.length === 0) {
-      return [`Stage '${this.node.id}' must have at least one action`];
+      return [`Stage '${this.stageName}' must have at least one Action`];
     }
     return [];
   }
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/test/integ.cfn-template-from-repo.lit.ts b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/test/integ.cfn-template-from-repo.lit.ts
index 42593fd8ecdfb..a2ab931b324e6 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/test/integ.cfn-template-from-repo.lit.ts
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/test/integ.cfn-template-from-repo.lit.ts
@@ -7,41 +7,44 @@ const app = new cdk.App();
 const stack = new cdk.Stack(app, 'aws-cdk-codepipeline-cloudformation');
 
 /// !show
-const pipeline = new codepipeline.Pipeline(stack, 'Pipeline');
-
 // Source stage: read from repository
 const repo = new codecommit.Repository(stack, 'TemplateRepo', {
   repositoryName: 'template-repo'
 });
-const sourceStage = new codepipeline.Stage(pipeline, 'Source', { pipeline });
-const source = new codecommit.PipelineSourceAction(stack, 'Source', {
-  stage: sourceStage,
+const source = new codecommit.PipelineSourceAction('Source', {
   repository: repo,
   outputArtifactName: 'SourceArtifact',
   pollForSourceChanges: true,
 });
+const sourceStage = new codepipeline.Stage('Source', {
+  actions: [source],
+});
 
 // Deployment stage: create and deploy changeset with manual approval
-const prodStage = new codepipeline.Stage(pipeline, 'Deploy', { pipeline });
 const stackName = 'OurStack';
 const changeSetName = 'StagedChangeSet';
 
-new cfn.PipelineCreateReplaceChangeSetAction(prodStage, 'PrepareChanges', {
-  stage: prodStage,
-  stackName,
-  changeSetName,
-  adminPermissions: true,
-  templatePath: source.outputArtifact.atPath('template.yaml'),
-});
-
-new codepipeline.ManualApprovalAction(stack, 'ApproveChanges', {
-  stage: prodStage,
+const prodStage = new codepipeline.Stage('Deploy', {
+  actions: [
+    new cfn.PipelineCreateReplaceChangeSetAction('PrepareChanges', {
+      stackName,
+      changeSetName,
+      adminPermissions: true,
+      templatePath: source.outputArtifact.atPath('template.yaml'),
+    }),
+    new codepipeline.ManualApprovalAction('ApproveChanges'),
+    new cfn.PipelineExecuteChangeSetAction('ExecuteChanges', {
+      stackName,
+      changeSetName,
+    }),
+  ],
 });
 
-new cfn.PipelineExecuteChangeSetAction(stack, 'ExecuteChanges', {
-  stage: prodStage,
-  stackName,
-  changeSetName,
+new codepipeline.Pipeline(stack, 'Pipeline', {
+  stages: [
+      sourceStage,
+      prodStage,
+  ],
 });
 /// !hide
 
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/test/integ.lambda-pipeline.expected.json b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/test/integ.lambda-pipeline.expected.json
index c8b43657dfa5c..c4eba9bf3313a 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/test/integ.lambda-pipeline.expected.json
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/test/integ.lambda-pipeline.expected.json
@@ -272,4 +272,4 @@
       ]
     }
   }
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/test/integ.lambda-pipeline.ts b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/test/integ.lambda-pipeline.ts
index 2ec36f02994b5..d1b7fd68dc804 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/test/integ.lambda-pipeline.ts
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/test/integ.lambda-pipeline.ts
@@ -9,17 +9,16 @@ const stack = new cdk.Stack(app, 'aws-cdk-codepipeline-lambda');
 
 const pipeline = new codepipeline.Pipeline(stack, 'Pipeline');
 
-const sourceStage = new codepipeline.Stage(pipeline, 'Source', { pipeline });
+const sourceStage = new codepipeline.Stage('Source');
 const bucket = new s3.Bucket(stack, 'PipelineBucket', {
   versioned: true,
   removalPolicy: cdk.RemovalPolicy.Destroy,
 });
-new s3.PipelineSourceAction(stack, 'Source', {
-  stage: sourceStage,
+sourceStage.addAction(new s3.PipelineSourceAction('Source', {
   outputArtifactName: 'SourceArtifact',
   bucket,
   bucketKey: 'key',
-});
+}));
 
 const lambdaFun = new lambda.Function(stack, 'LambdaFun', {
   code: new lambda.InlineCode(`
@@ -30,7 +29,11 @@ const lambdaFun = new lambda.Function(stack, 'LambdaFun', {
   handler: 'index.handler',
   runtime: lambda.Runtime.NodeJS610,
 });
-const lambdaStage = new codepipeline.Stage(pipeline, 'Lambda', { pipeline });
-lambdaFun.addToPipeline(lambdaStage, 'Lambda');
+const lambdaStage = new codepipeline.Stage('Lambda');
+lambdaStage.addAction(lambdaFun.asCodePipelineAction('Lambda'));
+
+pipeline
+  .addStage(sourceStage)
+  .addStage(lambdaStage);
 
 app.run();
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/test/integ.pipeline-cfn-cross-region.expected.json b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/test/integ.pipeline-cfn-cross-region.expected.json
index 99f7e7886620d..a3d0efa9a27ce 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/test/integ.pipeline-cfn-cross-region.expected.json
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/test/integ.pipeline-cfn-cross-region.expected.json
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@
               "Effect": "Allow",
               "Resource": {
                 "Fn::GetAtt": [
-                  "CFNDeployRole68D5E8D3",
+                  "MyPipelineCFNCFNDeployRole9CC99B3F",
                   "Arn"
                 ]
               }
@@ -168,7 +168,7 @@
                 "Name": "S3",
                 "OutputArtifacts": [
                   {
-                    "Name": "Artifact_awscdkcodepipelinecloudformationcrossregionMyBucketS3DBF7878C"
+                    "Name": "Artifact_S3_awscdkcodepipelinecloudformationcrossregionMyBucket99D95A28"
                   }
                 ],
                 "RunOrder": 1
@@ -188,17 +188,17 @@
                 "Configuration": {
                   "StackName": "aws-cdk-codepipeline-cross-region-deploy-stack",
                   "ActionMode": "CREATE_UPDATE",
-                  "TemplatePath": "Artifact_awscdkcodepipelinecloudformationcrossregionMyBucketS3DBF7878C::template.yml",
+                  "TemplatePath": "Artifact_S3_awscdkcodepipelinecloudformationcrossregionMyBucket99D95A28::template.yml",
                   "RoleArn": {
                     "Fn::GetAtt": [
-                      "CFNDeployRole68D5E8D3",
+                      "MyPipelineCFNCFNDeployRole9CC99B3F",
                       "Arn"
                     ]
                   }
                 },
                 "InputArtifacts": [
                   {
-                    "Name": "Artifact_awscdkcodepipelinecloudformationcrossregionMyBucketS3DBF7878C"
+                    "Name": "Artifact_S3_awscdkcodepipelinecloudformationcrossregionMyBucket99D95A28"
                   }
                 ],
                 "Name": "CFN_Deploy",
@@ -227,7 +227,7 @@
         "MyPipelineRoleDefaultPolicy34F09EFA"
       ]
     },
-    "CFNDeployRole68D5E8D3": {
+    "MyPipelineCFNCFNDeployRole9CC99B3F": {
       "Type": "AWS::IAM::Role",
       "Properties": {
         "AssumeRolePolicyDocument": {
@@ -245,4 +245,4 @@
       }
     }
   }
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/test/integ.pipeline-cfn-cross-region.ts b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/test/integ.pipeline-cfn-cross-region.ts
index 85e2a579b68b8..a68b848de8ada 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/test/integ.pipeline-cfn-cross-region.ts
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/test/integ.pipeline-cfn-cross-region.ts
@@ -17,22 +17,27 @@ const bucket = new s3.Bucket(stack, 'MyBucket', {
   removalPolicy: cdk.RemovalPolicy.Destroy,
 });
 
-const pipeline = new codepipeline.Pipeline(stack, 'MyPipeline', {
-  artifactBucket: bucket,
-});
-
-const sourceStage = pipeline.addStage('Source');
-const sourceAction = bucket.addToPipeline(sourceStage, 'S3', {
+const sourceAction = bucket.asCodePipelineAction('S3', {
   bucketKey: 'some/path',
 });
 
-const cfnStage = pipeline.addStage('CFN');
-new cloudformation.PipelineCreateUpdateStackAction(stack, 'CFN_Deploy', {
-  stage: cfnStage,
-  stackName: 'aws-cdk-codepipeline-cross-region-deploy-stack',
-  templatePath: sourceAction.outputArtifact.atPath('template.yml'),
-  adminPermissions: false,
-  region,
+new codepipeline.Pipeline(stack, 'MyPipeline', {
+  artifactBucket: bucket,
+  stages: [
+    new codepipeline.Stage('Source', {
+      actions: [sourceAction],
+    }),
+    new codepipeline.Stage('CFN', {
+      actions: [
+        new cloudformation.PipelineCreateUpdateStackAction('CFN_Deploy', {
+          stackName: 'aws-cdk-codepipeline-cross-region-deploy-stack',
+          templatePath: sourceAction.outputArtifact.atPath('template.yml'),
+          adminPermissions: false,
+          region,
+        }),
+      ],
+    }),
+  ],
 });
 
 app.run();
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/test/integ.pipeline-cfn.ts b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/test/integ.pipeline-cfn.ts
index 8d11ce56897ad..fe761871bf452 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/test/integ.pipeline-cfn.ts
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/test/integ.pipeline-cfn.ts
@@ -11,34 +11,38 @@ const stack = new cdk.Stack(app, 'aws-cdk-codepipeline-cloudformation');
 
 const pipeline = new codepipeline.Pipeline(stack, 'Pipeline');
 
-const sourceStage = new codepipeline.Stage(pipeline, 'Source', { pipeline });
 const bucket = new s3.Bucket(stack, 'PipelineBucket', {
   versioned: true,
   removalPolicy: cdk.RemovalPolicy.Destroy,
 });
-const source = new s3.PipelineSourceAction(stack, 'Source', {
-  stage: sourceStage,
+
+const source = new s3.PipelineSourceAction('Source', {
   outputArtifactName: 'SourceArtifact',
   bucket,
   bucketKey: 'key',
 });
-
-const cfnStage = new codepipeline.Stage(stack, 'CFN', { pipeline });
+const sourceStage = new codepipeline.Stage('Source', {
+  actions: [source],
+});
 
 const changeSetName = "ChangeSetIntegTest";
 const stackName = "IntegTest-TestActionStack";
-
 const role = new Role(stack, 'CfnChangeSetRole', {
   assumedBy: new ServicePrincipal('cloudformation.amazonaws.com'),
 });
 
-new cfn.PipelineCreateReplaceChangeSetAction(stack, 'DeployCFN', {
-  stage: cfnStage,
-  changeSetName,
-  stackName,
-  role,
-  templatePath: source.outputArtifact.atPath('test.yaml'),
-  adminPermissions: false,
-});
+pipeline
+  .addStage(sourceStage)
+  .addStage(new codepipeline.Stage('CFN', {
+    actions: [
+      new cfn.PipelineCreateReplaceChangeSetAction('DeployCFN', {
+        changeSetName,
+        stackName,
+        role,
+        templatePath: source.outputArtifact.atPath('test.yaml'),
+        adminPermissions: false,
+      }),
+    ],
+  }));
 
 app.run();
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/test/integ.pipeline-code-build-multiple-inputs-outputs.expected.json b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/test/integ.pipeline-code-build-multiple-inputs-outputs.expected.json
index fced0f5d6d44e..b963d67086dae 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/test/integ.pipeline-code-build-multiple-inputs-outputs.expected.json
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/test/integ.pipeline-code-build-multiple-inputs-outputs.expected.json
@@ -259,7 +259,7 @@
                 "Name": "Source1",
                 "OutputArtifacts": [
                   {
-                    "Name": "Artifact_awscdkcodepipelinecodebuildmultipleinputsoutputsMyRepoSource1FB3F9DF8"
+                    "Name": "Artifact_Source1_awscdkcodepipelinecodebuildmultipleinputsoutputsMyRepo8C065AEB"
                   }
                 ],
                 "RunOrder": 1
@@ -282,7 +282,7 @@
                 "Name": "Source2",
                 "OutputArtifacts": [
                   {
-                    "Name": "Artifact_awscdkcodepipelinecodebuildmultipleinputsoutputsMyBucketSource22F03F24C"
+                    "Name": "Artifact_Source2_awscdkcodepipelinecodebuildmultipleinputsoutputsMyBucketF8E74713"
                   }
                 ],
                 "RunOrder": 1
@@ -303,20 +303,20 @@
                   "ProjectName": {
                     "Ref": "MyBuildProject30DB9D6E"
                   },
-                  "PrimarySource": "Artifact_awscdkcodepipelinecodebuildmultipleinputsoutputsMyRepoSource1FB3F9DF8"
+                  "PrimarySource": "Artifact_Source1_awscdkcodepipelinecodebuildmultipleinputsoutputsMyRepo8C065AEB"
                 },
                 "InputArtifacts": [
                   {
-                    "Name": "Artifact_awscdkcodepipelinecodebuildmultipleinputsoutputsMyRepoSource1FB3F9DF8"
+                    "Name": "Artifact_Source1_awscdkcodepipelinecodebuildmultipleinputsoutputsMyRepo8C065AEB"
                   },
                   {
-                    "Name": "Artifact_awscdkcodepipelinecodebuildmultipleinputsoutputsMyBucketSource22F03F24C"
+                    "Name": "Artifact_Source2_awscdkcodepipelinecodebuildmultipleinputsoutputsMyBucketF8E74713"
                   }
                 ],
                 "Name": "Build1",
                 "OutputArtifacts": [
                   {
-                    "Name": "Artifact_awscdkcodepipelinecodebuildmultipleinputsoutputsMyBuildProjectBuild121179895"
+                    "Name": "Artifact_Build1_awscdkcodepipelinecodebuildmultipleinputsoutputsMyBuildProject66A94291"
                   },
                   {
                     "Name": "CustomOutput1"
@@ -335,14 +335,14 @@
                   "ProjectName": {
                     "Ref": "MyBuildProject30DB9D6E"
                   },
-                  "PrimarySource": "Artifact_awscdkcodepipelinecodebuildmultipleinputsoutputsMyBucketSource22F03F24C"
+                  "PrimarySource": "Artifact_Source2_awscdkcodepipelinecodebuildmultipleinputsoutputsMyBucketF8E74713"
                 },
                 "InputArtifacts": [
                   {
-                    "Name": "Artifact_awscdkcodepipelinecodebuildmultipleinputsoutputsMyBucketSource22F03F24C"
+                    "Name": "Artifact_Source2_awscdkcodepipelinecodebuildmultipleinputsoutputsMyBucketF8E74713"
                   },
                   {
-                    "Name": "Artifact_awscdkcodepipelinecodebuildmultipleinputsoutputsMyRepoSource1FB3F9DF8"
+                    "Name": "Artifact_Source1_awscdkcodepipelinecodebuildmultipleinputsoutputsMyRepo8C065AEB"
                   }
                 ],
                 "Name": "Build2",
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/test/integ.pipeline-code-build-multiple-inputs-outputs.ts b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/test/integ.pipeline-code-build-multiple-inputs-outputs.ts
index 53d87d2b31a96..64a1c55a562d2 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/test/integ.pipeline-code-build-multiple-inputs-outputs.ts
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/test/integ.pipeline-code-build-multiple-inputs-outputs.ts
@@ -20,15 +20,19 @@ const pipeline = new codepipeline.Pipeline(stack, 'Pipeline', {
   artifactBucket: bucket,
 });
 
-const sourceStage = pipeline.addStage('Source');
-const sourceAction1 = repository.addToPipeline(sourceStage, 'Source1');
-const sourceAction2 = bucket.addToPipeline(sourceStage, 'Source2', {
+const sourceAction1 = repository.asCodePipelineAction('Source1');
+const sourceAction2 = bucket.asCodePipelineAction('Source2', {
   bucketKey: 'some/path',
 });
+pipeline.addStage(new codepipeline.Stage('Source', {
+  actions: [
+    sourceAction1,
+    sourceAction2,
+  ],
+}));
 
 const project = new codebuild.PipelineProject(stack, 'MyBuildProject');
-const buildStage = pipeline.addStage('Build');
-const buildAction = project.addToPipeline(buildStage, 'Build1', {
+const buildAction = project.asCodePipelineAction('Build1', {
   inputArtifact: sourceAction1.outputArtifact,
   additionalInputArtifacts: [
     sourceAction2.outputArtifact,
@@ -37,7 +41,7 @@ const buildAction = project.addToPipeline(buildStage, 'Build1', {
     'CustomOutput1',
   ],
 });
-const testAction = project.addToPipelineAsTest(buildStage, 'Build2', {
+const testAction = project.asCodePipelineTestAction('Build2', {
   inputArtifact: sourceAction2.outputArtifact,
   additionalInputArtifacts: [
     sourceAction1.outputArtifact,
@@ -46,6 +50,12 @@ const testAction = project.addToPipelineAsTest(buildStage, 'Build2', {
     'CustomOutput2',
   ],
 });
+pipeline.addStage(new codepipeline.Stage('Build', {
+  actions: [
+    buildAction,
+    testAction,
+  ],
+}));
 
 // some assertions on the Action helper methods
 if (buildAction.additionalOutputArtifacts().length !== 1) {
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/test/integ.pipeline-code-commit-build.expected.json b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/test/integ.pipeline-code-commit-build.expected.json
index c0083e6923c60..2b00bc31e7057 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/test/integ.pipeline-code-commit-build.expected.json
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/test/integ.pipeline-code-commit-build.expected.json
@@ -190,7 +190,7 @@
                 "Name": "build",
                 "OutputArtifacts": [
                   {
-                    "Name": "Artifact_awscdkcodepipelinecodecommitcodebuildMyBuildProjectbuild61B48DC4"
+                    "Name": "Artifact_build_awscdkcodepipelinecodecommitcodebuildMyBuildProject20018D4F"
                   }
                 ],
                 "RunOrder": 1
@@ -403,4 +403,4 @@
       }
     }
   }
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/test/integ.pipeline-code-commit-build.ts b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/test/integ.pipeline-code-commit-build.ts
index 47ee8fe3477a6..e5ea15b4f4fe6 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/test/integ.pipeline-code-commit-build.ts
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/test/integ.pipeline-code-commit-build.ts
@@ -10,12 +10,7 @@ const stack = new cdk.Stack(app, 'aws-cdk-codepipeline-codecommit-codebuild');
 const repository = new codecommit.Repository(stack, 'MyRepo', {
   repositoryName: 'my-repo',
 });
-
-const pipeline = new codepipeline.Pipeline(stack, 'Pipeline');
-
-const sourceStage = new codepipeline.Stage(pipeline, 'source', { pipeline });
-new codecommit.PipelineSourceAction(stack, 'source', {
-  stage: sourceStage,
+const sourceAction = new codecommit.PipelineSourceAction('source', {
   outputArtifactName: 'SourceArtifact',
   repository,
   pollForSourceChanges: true,
@@ -24,9 +19,25 @@ new codecommit.PipelineSourceAction(stack, 'source', {
 const project = new codebuild.Project(stack, 'MyBuildProject', {
   source: new codebuild.CodePipelineSource(),
 });
+const buildAction = new codebuild.PipelineBuildAction('build', {
+  project,
+  inputArtifact: sourceAction.outputArtifact,
+});
+const testAction = new codebuild.PipelineTestAction('test', {
+  project,
+  inputArtifact: sourceAction.outputArtifact,
+});
 
-const buildStage = new codepipeline.Stage(pipeline, 'build', { pipeline });
-project.addToPipeline(buildStage, 'build');
-project.addToPipelineAsTest(buildStage, 'test');
+new codepipeline.Pipeline(stack, 'Pipeline', {
+  stages: [
+    new codepipeline.Stage('source')
+      .addAction(sourceAction)
+  ],
+}).addStage(new codepipeline.Stage('build', {
+  actions: [
+    buildAction,
+    testAction,
+  ],
+}));
 
 app.run();
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/test/integ.pipeline-code-commit.ts b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/test/integ.pipeline-code-commit.ts
index dc5d80ea8e0ea..4eef93ff99444 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/test/integ.pipeline-code-commit.ts
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/test/integ.pipeline-code-commit.ts
@@ -8,16 +8,21 @@ const stack = new cdk.Stack(app, 'aws-cdk-codepipeline-codecommit');
 
 const repo = new codecommit.Repository(stack, 'MyRepo', { repositoryName: 'my-repo' });
 
-const pipeline = new codepipeline.Pipeline(stack, 'Pipeline');
-
-const sourceStage = pipeline.addStage('source');
-repo.addToPipeline(sourceStage, 'source', {
-  outputArtifactName: 'SourceArtifact',
-});
-
-const buildStage = new codepipeline.Stage(stack, 'build', { pipeline });
-new codepipeline.ManualApprovalAction(stack, 'manual', {
-  stage: buildStage,
+new codepipeline.Pipeline(stack, 'Pipeline', {
+  stages: [
+    new codepipeline.Stage('source', {
+      actions: [
+        repo.asCodePipelineAction('source', {
+          outputArtifactName: 'SourceArtifact',
+        }),
+      ],
+    }),
+    new codepipeline.Stage('build', {
+      actions: [
+        new codepipeline.ManualApprovalAction('manual'),
+      ],
+    }),
+  ],
 });
 
 app.run();
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/test/integ.pipeline-code-deploy.ts b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/test/integ.pipeline-code-deploy.ts
index dfe6f662ba28e..0df8d3cf7b438 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/test/integ.pipeline-code-deploy.ts
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/test/integ.pipeline-code-deploy.ts
@@ -30,13 +30,20 @@ const pipeline = new codepipeline.Pipeline(stack, 'Pipeline', {
   artifactBucket: bucket,
 });
 
-const sourceStage = new codepipeline.Stage(stack, 'Source', { pipeline });
-bucket.addToPipeline(sourceStage, 'S3Source', {
+const sourceStage = new codepipeline.Stage('Source');
+const sourceAction = bucket.asCodePipelineAction('S3Source', {
   bucketKey: 'application.zip',
   outputArtifactName: 'SourceOutput',
 });
+sourceStage.addAction(sourceAction);
 
-const deployStage = new codepipeline.Stage(stack, 'Deploy', { pipeline });
-deploymentGroup.addToPipeline(deployStage, 'CodeDeploy');
+const deployStage = new codepipeline.Stage('Deploy');
+deployStage.addAction(deploymentGroup.asCodePipelineAction('CodeDeploy', {
+  inputArtifact: sourceAction.outputArtifact,
+}));
+
+pipeline
+  .addStage(sourceStage)
+  .addStage(deployStage);
 
 app.run();
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/test/integ.pipeline-ecr-source.expected.json b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/test/integ.pipeline-ecr-source.expected.json
index 6236aba51716e..f9bc433dc4761 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/test/integ.pipeline-ecr-source.expected.json
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/test/integ.pipeline-ecr-source.expected.json
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@
                 "Name": "ECR_Source",
                 "OutputArtifacts": [
                   {
-                    "Name": "Artifact_awscdkcodepipelineecrsourceMyEcrRepoECRSource8525F033"
+                    "Name": "Artifact_ECR_Source_awscdkcodepipelineecrsourceMyEcrRepo7074CE15"
                   }
                 ],
                 "RunOrder": 1
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/test/integ.pipeline-ecr-source.ts b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/test/integ.pipeline-ecr-source.ts
index ed7b9751ba403..c815a2dd3cb6d 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/test/integ.pipeline-ecr-source.ts
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/test/integ.pipeline-ecr-source.ts
@@ -7,20 +7,22 @@ const app = new cdk.App();
 
 const stack = new cdk.Stack(app, 'aws-cdk-codepipeline-ecr-source');
 
+const repository = new ecr.Repository(stack, 'MyEcrRepo');
+const sourceStage = new codepipeline.Stage('Source');
+sourceStage.addAction(repository.asCodePipelineAction('ECR_Source'));
+
+const approveStage = new codepipeline.Stage('Approve');
+approveStage.addAction(new codepipeline.ManualApprovalAction('ManualApproval'));
+
 const bucket = new s3.Bucket(stack, 'MyBucket', {
   removalPolicy: cdk.RemovalPolicy.Destroy,
 });
-const pipeline = new codepipeline.Pipeline(stack, 'MyPipeline', {
+new codepipeline.Pipeline(stack, 'MyPipeline', {
   artifactBucket: bucket,
-});
-
-const repository = new ecr.Repository(stack, 'MyEcrRepo');
-const sourceStage = pipeline.addStage('Source');
-repository.addToPipeline(sourceStage, 'ECR_Source');
-
-const approveStage = pipeline.addStage('Approve');
-new codepipeline.ManualApprovalAction(stack, 'ManualApproval', {
-  stage: approveStage,
+  stages: [
+      sourceStage,
+      approveStage,
+  ],
 });
 
 app.run();
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/test/integ.pipeline-events.expected.json b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/test/integ.pipeline-events.expected.json
index b977353f76690..c78e106199b5e 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/test/integ.pipeline-events.expected.json
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/test/integ.pipeline-events.expected.json
@@ -169,7 +169,7 @@
                 "Name": "CodeBuildAction",
                 "OutputArtifacts": [
                   {
-                    "Name": "Artifact_awscdkpipelineeventtargetCodeBuildAction37D411C2"
+                    "Name": "Artifact_CodeBuildAction_awscdkpipelineeventtargetBuildProject106B7735"
                   }
                 ],
                 "RunOrder": 1
@@ -238,7 +238,7 @@
         ]
       }
     },
-    "SourceOnSourceStateChangeEF8EB16D": {
+    "MyPipelineSourceOnSourceStateChange6DEE3A75": {
       "Type": "AWS::Events::Rule",
       "Properties": {
         "EventPattern": {
@@ -290,7 +290,7 @@
         ]
       }
     },
-    "MyPipelineCodeCommitSourceOnActionStateChange39DCCFC1": {
+    "MyPipelineSourceCodeCommitSourceOnActionStateChangeDCAF781A": {
       "Type": "AWS::Events::Rule",
       "Properties": {
         "EventPattern": {
@@ -531,4 +531,4 @@
       }
     }
   }
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/test/integ.pipeline-events.ts b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/test/integ.pipeline-events.ts
index 99d484f3658d6..08af84fb1c7b6 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/test/integ.pipeline-events.ts
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/test/integ.pipeline-events.ts
@@ -11,25 +11,25 @@ const app = new cdk.App();
 const stack = new cdk.Stack(app, 'aws-cdk-pipeline-event-target');
 
 const pipeline = new codepipeline.Pipeline(stack, 'MyPipeline');
-const sourceStage = new codepipeline.Stage(stack, 'Source', { pipeline });
-const buildStage = new codepipeline.Stage(stack, 'Build', { pipeline });
+const sourceStage = new codepipeline.Stage('Source');
+const buildStage = new codepipeline.Stage('Build');
 
 const repository = new codecommit.Repository(stack, 'CodeCommitRepo', {
   repositoryName: 'foo'
 });
 const project = new codebuild.PipelineProject(stack, 'BuildProject');
 
-const sourceAction = new codecommit.PipelineSourceAction(pipeline, 'CodeCommitSource', {
-  stage: sourceStage,
+const sourceAction = new codecommit.PipelineSourceAction('CodeCommitSource', {
   outputArtifactName: 'Source',
   repository,
   pollForSourceChanges: true,
 });
-new codebuild.PipelineBuildAction(stack, 'CodeBuildAction', {
-  stage: buildStage,
+pipeline.addStage(sourceStage.addAction(sourceAction));
+
+pipeline.addStage(buildStage.addAction(new codebuild.PipelineBuildAction('CodeBuildAction', {
   inputArtifact: sourceAction.outputArtifact,
   project
-});
+})));
 
 const topic = new sns.Topic(stack, 'MyTopic');
 
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/test/integ.pipeline-jenkins.expected.json b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/test/integ.pipeline-jenkins.expected.json
index 56d66c4978305..cc3c404bfd42d 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/test/integ.pipeline-jenkins.expected.json
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/test/integ.pipeline-jenkins.expected.json
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@
                 "Name": "S3",
                 "OutputArtifacts": [
                   {
-                    "Name": "Artifact_awscdkcodepipelinejenkinsMyBucketS32154568D"
+                    "Name": "Artifact_S3_awscdkcodepipelinejenkinsMyBucket1F504D45"
                   }
                 ],
                 "RunOrder": 1
@@ -163,13 +163,13 @@
                 },
                 "InputArtifacts": [
                   {
-                    "Name": "Artifact_awscdkcodepipelinejenkinsMyBucketS32154568D"
+                    "Name": "Artifact_S3_awscdkcodepipelinejenkinsMyBucket1F504D45"
                   }
                 ],
                 "Name": "JenkinsBuild",
                 "OutputArtifacts": [
                   {
-                    "Name": "Artifact_awscdkcodepipelinejenkinsJenkinsProviderJenkinsBuild6007E9FD"
+                    "Name": "Artifact_JenkinsBuild_awscdkcodepipelinejenkinsJenkinsProviderF1B32E8D"
                   }
                 ],
                 "RunOrder": 1
@@ -186,7 +186,7 @@
                 },
                 "InputArtifacts": [
                   {
-                    "Name": "Artifact_awscdkcodepipelinejenkinsMyBucketS32154568D"
+                    "Name": "Artifact_S3_awscdkcodepipelinejenkinsMyBucket1F504D45"
                   }
                 ],
                 "Name": "JenkinsTest",
@@ -205,7 +205,7 @@
                 },
                 "InputArtifacts": [
                   {
-                    "Name": "Artifact_awscdkcodepipelinejenkinsMyBucketS32154568D"
+                    "Name": "Artifact_S3_awscdkcodepipelinejenkinsMyBucket1F504D45"
                   }
                 ],
                 "Name": "JenkinsTest2",
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/test/integ.pipeline-jenkins.ts b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/test/integ.pipeline-jenkins.ts
index 5a1c6c7847101..5aee7536c10fe 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/test/integ.pipeline-jenkins.ts
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/test/integ.pipeline-jenkins.ts
@@ -14,10 +14,12 @@ const pipeline = new codepipeline.Pipeline(stack, 'Pipeline', {
   artifactBucket: bucket,
 });
 
-const sourceStage = pipeline.addStage('Source');
-bucket.addToPipeline(sourceStage, 'S3', {
+const sourceAction = bucket.asCodePipelineAction('S3', {
   bucketKey: 'some/path',
 });
+pipeline.addStage(new codepipeline.Stage('Source', {
+  actions: [sourceAction],
+}));
 
 const jenkinsProvider = new codepipeline.JenkinsProvider(stack, 'JenkinsProvider', {
   providerName: 'JenkinsProvider',
@@ -25,15 +27,21 @@ const jenkinsProvider = new codepipeline.JenkinsProvider(stack, 'JenkinsProvider
   version: '2',
 });
 
-const buildStage = pipeline.addStage('Build');
-jenkinsProvider.addToPipeline(buildStage, 'JenkinsBuild', {
-  projectName: 'JenkinsProject1',
-});
-jenkinsProvider.addToPipelineAsTest(buildStage, 'JenkinsTest', {
-  projectName: 'JenkinsProject2',
-});
-jenkinsProvider.addToPipelineAsTest(buildStage, 'JenkinsTest2', {
-  projectName: 'JenkinsProject3',
-});
+pipeline.addStage(new codepipeline.Stage('Build', {
+  actions: [
+    jenkinsProvider.asCodePipelineAction('JenkinsBuild', {
+      projectName: 'JenkinsProject1',
+      inputArtifact: sourceAction.outputArtifact,
+    }),
+    jenkinsProvider.asCodePipelineTestAction('JenkinsTest', {
+      projectName: 'JenkinsProject2',
+      inputArtifact: sourceAction.outputArtifact,
+    }),
+    jenkinsProvider.asCodePipelineTestAction('JenkinsTest2', {
+      projectName: 'JenkinsProject3',
+      inputArtifact: sourceAction.outputArtifact,
+    }),
+  ],
+}));
 
 app.run();
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/test/integ.pipeline-manual-approval.expected.json b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/test/integ.pipeline-manual-approval.expected.json
index 6015e4df4dd50..c139fd8e92794 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/test/integ.pipeline-manual-approval.expected.json
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/test/integ.pipeline-manual-approval.expected.json
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@
               "Action": "sns:Publish",
               "Effect": "Allow",
               "Resource": {
-                "Ref": "ManualApprovalTopicResource300641E2"
+                "Ref": "PipelineApproveManualApprovalTopicResourceF5A35B20"
               }
             }
           ],
@@ -137,7 +137,7 @@
                 "Name": "S3",
                 "OutputArtifacts": [
                   {
-                    "Name": "Artifact_awscdkcodepipelinemanualapprovalBucketS39750AFE7"
+                    "Name": "Artifact_S3_awscdkcodepipelinemanualapprovalBucketFF0B256C"
                   }
                 ],
                 "RunOrder": 1
@@ -156,7 +156,7 @@
                 },
                 "Configuration": {
                   "NotificationArn": {
-                    "Ref": "ManualApprovalTopicResource300641E2"
+                    "Ref": "PipelineApproveManualApprovalTopicResourceF5A35B20"
                   }
                 },
                 "InputArtifacts": [],
@@ -180,16 +180,16 @@
         "PipelineRoleDefaultPolicyC7A05455"
       ]
     },
-    "ManualApprovalTopicResource300641E2": {
+    "PipelineApproveManualApprovalTopicResourceF5A35B20": {
       "Type": "AWS::SNS::Topic"
     },
-    "ManualApprovalTopicResourceSubscriptionadamruka85gmailcomBACEE98E": {
+    "PipelineApproveManualApprovalTopicResourceSubscriptionadamruka85gmailcom76398FFA": {
       "Type": "AWS::SNS::Subscription",
       "Properties": {
         "Endpoint": "adamruka85@gmail.com",
         "Protocol": "email",
         "TopicArn": {
-          "Ref": "ManualApprovalTopicResource300641E2"
+          "Ref": "PipelineApproveManualApprovalTopicResourceF5A35B20"
         }
       }
     }
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/test/integ.pipeline-manual-approval.ts b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/test/integ.pipeline-manual-approval.ts
index 90feeac7133df..a21294bbfbed0 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/test/integ.pipeline-manual-approval.ts
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/test/integ.pipeline-manual-approval.ts
@@ -12,15 +12,19 @@ const pipeline = new codepipeline.Pipeline(stack, 'Pipeline', {
   artifactBucket: bucket,
 });
 
-const sourceStage = pipeline.addStage('Source');
-bucket.addToPipeline(sourceStage, 'S3', {
+const sourceStage = new codepipeline.Stage('Source');
+sourceStage.addAction(new s3.PipelineSourceAction('S3', {
+  bucket,
   bucketKey: 'file.zip',
-});
+}));
 
-const approveStage = pipeline.addStage('Approve');
-new codepipeline.ManualApprovalAction(stack, 'ManualApproval', {
-  stage: approveStage,
-  notifyEmails: ['adamruka85@gmail.com']
-});
+const approveStage = new codepipeline.Stage('Approve');
+approveStage.addAction(new codepipeline.ManualApprovalAction('ManualApproval', {
+  notifyEmails: ['adamruka85@gmail.com'],
+}));
+
+pipeline
+  .addStage(sourceStage)
+  .addStage(approveStage);
 
 app.run();
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/test/test.action.ts b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/test/test.action.ts
index 33e2709e700e2..094a4ee019a30 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/test/test.action.ts
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/test/test.action.ts
@@ -9,8 +9,6 @@ import codepipeline = require('../lib');
 
 // tslint:disable:object-literal-key-quotes
 
-class TestAction extends actions.Action {}
-
 export = {
   'artifact bounds validation': {
 
@@ -71,12 +69,17 @@ export = {
     const repo = new codecommit.Repository(stack, 'Repo', {
       repositoryName: 'Repo',
     });
-    const sourceStage = pipeline.addStage('Source');
-    repo.addToPipeline(sourceStage, 'CodeCommit');
+    const sourceAction = repo.asCodePipelineAction('CodeCommit');
+    pipeline.addStage(new codepipeline.Stage('Source').addAction(sourceAction));
 
     const project = new codebuild.PipelineProject(stack, 'Project');
-    const buildStage = pipeline.addStage('Build');
-    project.addToPipeline(buildStage, 'CodeBuild');
+    pipeline.addStage(new codepipeline.Stage('Build', {
+      actions: [
+        project.asCodePipelineAction('CodeBuild', {
+          inputArtifact: sourceAction.outputArtifact,
+        }),
+      ],
+    }));
 
     expect(stack).to(haveResourceLike('AWS::CodePipeline::Pipeline', {
       "Stages": [
@@ -88,7 +91,7 @@ export = {
               "InputArtifacts": [],
               "OutputArtifacts": [
                 {
-                  "Name": "Artifact_RepoCodeCommit7910F5F9",
+                  "Name": "Artifact_CodeCommit_Repo",
                 },
               ],
             }
@@ -101,12 +104,12 @@ export = {
               "Name": "CodeBuild",
               "InputArtifacts": [
                 {
-                  "Name": "Artifact_RepoCodeCommit7910F5F9",
+                  "Name": "Artifact_CodeCommit_Repo",
                 }
               ],
               "OutputArtifacts": [
                 {
-                  "Name": "Artifact_ProjectCodeBuildE34AD2EC",
+                  "Name": "Artifact_CodeBuild_Project",
                 },
               ],
             }
@@ -117,21 +120,47 @@ export = {
 
     test.done();
   },
+
+  'the same Action cannot be added to 2 different Stages'(test: Test) {
+    const stack = new cdk.Stack();
+    const pipeline = new codepipeline.Pipeline(stack, 'Pipeline');
+    const action = new FakeAction('FakeAction');
+
+    const stage1 = new codepipeline.Stage('Stage1', {
+      actions: [
+        action,
+      ]
+    });
+    const stage2 = new codepipeline.Stage('Stage2').addAction(action);
+
+    pipeline.addStage(stage1); // fine
+
+    test.throws(() => {
+      pipeline.addStage(stage2);
+    }, /FakeAction/);
+
+    test.done();
+  },
 };
 
 function boundsValidationResult(numberOfArtifacts: number, min: number, max: number): string[] {
-  const stack = new cdk.Stack();
-  const pipeline = new codepipeline.Pipeline(stack, 'pipeline');
-  const stage = new codepipeline.Stage(stack, 'stage', { pipeline });
-  const action = new TestAction(stack, 'TestAction', {
-    stage,
-    artifactBounds: actions.defaultBounds(),
-    category: actions.ActionCategory.Test,
-    provider: 'test provider'
-  });
   const artifacts: actions.Artifact[] = [];
   for (let i = 0; i < numberOfArtifacts; i++) {
-    artifacts.push(new actions.Artifact(action, `TestArtifact${i}`));
+    artifacts.push(new actions.Artifact(`TestArtifact${i}`));
   }
   return actions.validateArtifactBounds('output', artifacts, min, max, 'testCategory', 'testProvider');
 }
+
+class FakeAction extends actions.Action {
+  constructor(actionName: string) {
+    super(actionName, {
+      category: actions.ActionCategory.Source,
+      provider: 'SomeService',
+      artifactBounds: actions.defaultBounds(),
+    });
+  }
+
+  protected bind(_pipeline: actions.IPipeline, _parent: cdk.Construct): void {
+    // do nothing
+  }
+}
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/test/test.cloudformation-pipeline-actions.ts b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/test/test.cloudformation-pipeline-actions.ts
index a33581084b12a..fb555a1738e5e 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/test/test.cloudformation-pipeline-actions.ts
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/test/test.cloudformation-pipeline-actions.ts
@@ -24,55 +24,51 @@ export = {
   /** Source! */
   const repo = new Repository(stack, 'MyVeryImportantRepo', { repositoryName: 'my-very-important-repo' });
 
-  const sourceStage = new Stage(pipeline, 'source', { pipeline });
-
-  const source = new PipelineSourceAction(stack, 'source', {
-    stage: sourceStage,
+  const source = new PipelineSourceAction('source', {
     outputArtifactName: 'SourceArtifact',
     repository: repo,
     pollForSourceChanges: true,
   });
+  pipeline.addStage(new Stage('source').addAction(source));
 
   /** Build! */
 
-  const buildStage = new Stage(pipeline, 'build', { pipeline });
   const buildArtifacts = new CodePipelineBuildArtifacts();
   const project = new Project(stack, 'MyBuildProject', {
     source: new CodePipelineSource(),
     artifacts: buildArtifacts,
   });
 
-  const buildAction = new PipelineBuildAction(stack, 'build', {
-    stage: buildStage,
+  const buildAction = new PipelineBuildAction('build', {
     project,
     inputArtifact: source.outputArtifact,
     outputArtifactName: "OutputYo"
   });
+  pipeline.addStage(new Stage('build').addAction(buildAction));
 
   /** Deploy! */
 
   // To execute a change set - yes, you probably do need *:* 🤷‍♀️
   changeSetExecRole.addToPolicy(new PolicyStatement().addAllResources().addAction("*"));
 
-  const prodStage = new Stage(stack, 'prod', { pipeline });
   const stackName = 'BrelandsStack';
   const changeSetName = 'MyMagicalChangeSet';
-
-  new PipelineCreateReplaceChangeSetAction(stack, 'BuildChangeSetProd', {
-    stage: prodStage,
-    stackName,
-    changeSetName,
-    role: changeSetExecRole,
-    templatePath: new ArtifactPath(buildAction.outputArtifact, 'template.yaml'),
-    templateConfiguration: new ArtifactPath(buildAction.outputArtifact, 'templateConfig.json'),
-    adminPermissions: false,
-  });
-
-  new PipelineExecuteChangeSetAction(stack, 'ExecuteChangeSetProd', {
-    stage: prodStage,
-    stackName,
-    changeSetName,
-  });
+  pipeline.addStage(new Stage('prod', {
+    actions: [
+      new PipelineCreateReplaceChangeSetAction('BuildChangeSetProd', {
+        stackName,
+        changeSetName,
+        role: changeSetExecRole,
+        templatePath: new ArtifactPath(buildAction.outputArtifact, 'template.yaml'),
+        templateConfiguration: new ArtifactPath(buildAction.outputArtifact, 'templateConfig.json'),
+        adminPermissions: false,
+      }),
+      new PipelineExecuteChangeSetAction('ExecuteChangeSetProd', {
+        stackName,
+        changeSetName,
+      }),
+    ],
+  }));
 
   expect(stack).to(haveResourceLike('AWS::CodePipeline::Pipeline', {
     "ArtifactStore": {
@@ -202,12 +198,11 @@ export = {
   const stack = new TestFixture();
 
   // WHEN
-  new PipelineCreateUpdateStackAction(stack.deployStage, 'CreateUpdate', {
-    stage: stack.deployStage,
+  stack.deployStage.addAction(new PipelineCreateUpdateStackAction('CreateUpdate', {
     stackName: 'MyStack',
     templatePath: stack.source.outputArtifact.atPath('template.yaml'),
     adminPermissions: true,
-  });
+  }));
 
   const roleId = "PipelineDeployCreateUpdateRole515CB7D4";
 
@@ -257,13 +252,12 @@ export = {
   const stack = new TestFixture();
 
   // WHEN
-  new PipelineCreateUpdateStackAction(stack, 'CreateUpdate', {
-    stage: stack.deployStage,
+  stack.deployStage.addAction(new PipelineCreateUpdateStackAction('CreateUpdate', {
     stackName: 'MyStack',
     templatePath: stack.source.outputArtifact.atPath('template.yaml'),
     outputFileName: 'CreateResponse.json',
     adminPermissions: false,
-  });
+  }));
 
   // THEN: Action has output artifacts
   expect(stack).to(haveResourceLike('AWS::CodePipeline::Pipeline', {
@@ -273,7 +267,7 @@ export = {
       "Name": "Deploy",
       "Actions": [
       {
-        "OutputArtifacts": [{"Name": "DeployCreateUpdateArtifact"}],
+        "OutputArtifacts": [{"Name": "CreateUpdate_MyStack_Artifact"}],
         "Name": "CreateUpdate",
       },
       ],
@@ -289,13 +283,12 @@ export = {
   const stack = new TestFixture();
 
   // WHEN
-  new PipelineCreateUpdateStackAction(stack, 'CreateUpdate', {
-    stage: stack.deployStage,
+  stack.deployStage.addAction(new PipelineCreateUpdateStackAction('CreateUpdate', {
     stackName: 'MyStack',
     templatePath: stack.source.outputArtifact.atPath('template.yaml'),
     replaceOnFailure: true,
     adminPermissions: false,
-  });
+  }));
 
   // THEN: Action has output artifacts
   expect(stack).to(haveResourceLike('AWS::CodePipeline::Pipeline', {
@@ -323,15 +316,14 @@ export = {
   const stack = new TestFixture();
 
   // WHEN
-  new PipelineCreateUpdateStackAction(stack, 'CreateUpdate', {
-    stage: stack.deployStage,
+  stack.deployStage.addAction(new PipelineCreateUpdateStackAction('CreateUpdate', {
     stackName: 'MyStack',
     templatePath: stack.source.outputArtifact.atPath('template.yaml'),
     adminPermissions: false,
     parameterOverrides: {
     RepoName: stack.repo.repositoryName
     }
-  });
+  }));
 
   // THEN
   expect(stack).to(haveResourceLike('AWS::CodePipeline::Pipeline', {
@@ -370,16 +362,20 @@ class TestFixture extends cdk.Stack {
   public readonly source: PipelineSourceAction;
 
   constructor() {
-  super();
-
-  this.pipeline = new Pipeline(this, 'Pipeline');
-  this.sourceStage = new Stage(this.pipeline, 'Source', { pipeline: this.pipeline });
-  this.deployStage = new Stage(this.pipeline, 'Deploy', { pipeline: this.pipeline });
-  this.repo = new Repository(this, 'MyVeryImportantRepo', { repositoryName: 'my-very-important-repo' });
-  this.source = new PipelineSourceAction(this, 'Source', {
-    stage: this.sourceStage,
-    outputArtifactName: 'SourceArtifact',
-    repository: this.repo,
-  });
+    super();
+
+    this.sourceStage = new Stage('Source');
+    this.deployStage = new Stage('Deploy');
+    this.repo = new Repository(this, 'MyVeryImportantRepo', { repositoryName: 'my-very-important-repo' });
+    this.source = new PipelineSourceAction('Source', {
+      outputArtifactName: 'SourceArtifact',
+      repository: this.repo,
+    });
+    this.pipeline = new Pipeline(this, 'Pipeline', {
+      stages: [
+          this.sourceStage.addAction(this.source),
+          this.deployStage,
+      ],
+    });
   }
 }
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/test/test.general-validation.ts b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/test/test.general-validation.ts
index a152b39a76579..fb786334e7c1e 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/test/test.general-validation.ts
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/test/test.general-validation.ts
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ export = {
     'should fail if Stage has no Actions'(test: Test) {
       const stage = stageForTesting();
 
-      test.deepEqual(stage.node.validateTree().length, 1);
+      test.deepEqual((stage as any).validate().length, 1);
 
       test.done();
     }
@@ -56,22 +56,18 @@ export = {
     'should fail if Pipeline has a Source Action in a non-first Stage'(test: Test) {
       const stack = new cdk.Stack();
       const pipeline = new Pipeline(stack, 'Pipeline');
-      const firstStage = new Stage(stack, 'FirstStage', { pipeline });
-      const secondStage = new Stage(stack, 'SecondStage', { pipeline });
 
       const bucket = new s3.Bucket(stack, 'PipelineBucket');
-      new s3.PipelineSourceAction(stack, 'FirstAction', {
-        stage: firstStage,
+      pipeline.addStage(new Stage('FirstStage').addAction(new s3.PipelineSourceAction('FirstAction', {
         outputArtifactName: 'FirstArtifact',
         bucket,
         bucketKey: 'key',
-      });
-      new s3.PipelineSourceAction(stack, 'SecondAction', {
-        stage: secondStage,
+      })));
+      pipeline.addStage(new Stage('SecondStage').addAction(new s3.PipelineSourceAction('SecondAction', {
         outputArtifactName: 'SecondAction',
         bucket,
         bucketKey: 'key',
-      });
+      })));
 
       test.deepEqual(pipeline.node.validateTree().length, 1);
 
@@ -81,7 +77,5 @@ export = {
 };
 
 function stageForTesting(): Stage {
-  const stack = new cdk.Stack();
-  const pipeline = new Pipeline(stack, 'pipeline');
-  return new Stage(stack, 'stage', { pipeline });
+  return new Stage('stage');
 }
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/test/test.pipeline.ts b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/test/test.pipeline.ts
index de1b69b01c5be..55d8485ec9c7a 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/test/test.pipeline.ts
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/test/test.pipeline.ts
@@ -20,22 +20,19 @@ export = {
     });
 
     const pipeline = new codepipeline.Pipeline(stack, 'Pipeline');
-    const sourceStage = new codepipeline.Stage(pipeline, 'source', { pipeline });
-    const source = new codecommit.PipelineSourceAction(stack, 'source', {
-      stage: sourceStage,
+    const source = new codecommit.PipelineSourceAction('source', {
       outputArtifactName: 'SourceArtifact',
       repository,
     });
+    pipeline.addStage(new codepipeline.Stage('source').addAction(source));
 
-    const buildStage = new codepipeline.Stage(pipeline, 'build', { pipeline });
     const project = new codebuild.Project(stack, 'MyBuildProject', {
        source: new codebuild.CodePipelineSource()
     });
-    new codebuild.PipelineBuildAction(stack, 'build', {
-      stage: buildStage,
+    pipeline.addStage(new codepipeline.Stage('build').addAction(new codebuild.PipelineBuildAction('build', {
       inputArtifact: source.outputArtifact,
       project,
-    });
+    })));
 
     test.notDeepEqual(stack.toCloudFormation(), {});
     test.deepEqual([], pipeline.node.validateTree());
@@ -49,19 +46,16 @@ export = {
 
     const p = new codepipeline.Pipeline(stack, 'P');
 
-    const s1 = new codepipeline.Stage(stack, 'Source', { pipeline: p });
-    new codepipeline.GitHubSourceAction(stack, 'GH', {
-      stage: s1,
+    p.addStage(new codepipeline.Stage('Source').addAction(new codepipeline.GitHubSourceAction('GH', {
       runOrder: 8,
       outputArtifactName: 'A',
       branch: 'branch',
       oauthToken: secret.value,
       owner: 'foo',
       repo: 'bar'
-    });
+    })));
 
-    const s2 = new codepipeline.Stage(stack, 'Two', { pipeline: p });
-    new codepipeline.ManualApprovalAction(stack, 'Boo', { stage: s2 });
+    p.addStage(new codepipeline.Stage('Two').addAction(new codepipeline.ManualApprovalAction('Boo')));
 
     expect(stack).to(haveResourceLike('AWS::CodePipeline::Pipeline', {
       "ArtifactStore": {
@@ -138,16 +132,13 @@ export = {
 
     const pipeline = new codepipeline.Pipeline(stack, 'PL');
 
-    const stage1 = new codepipeline.Stage(stack, 'S1', { pipeline });
-    new s3.PipelineSourceAction(stack, 'A1', {
-      stage: stage1,
+    pipeline.addStage(new codepipeline.Stage('S1').addAction(new s3.PipelineSourceAction('A1', {
       outputArtifactName: 'Artifact',
       bucket: new s3.Bucket(stack, 'Bucket'),
       bucketKey: 'Key'
-    });
+    })));
 
-    const stage2 = new codepipeline.Stage(stack, 'S2', { pipeline });
-    new codepipeline.ManualApprovalAction(stack, 'A2', { stage: stage2 });
+    pipeline.addStage(new codepipeline.Stage('S2').addAction(new codepipeline.ManualApprovalAction('A2')));
 
     pipeline.onStateChange('OnStateChange', topic, {
       description: 'desc',
@@ -219,10 +210,10 @@ export = {
     'allows passing an SNS Topic when constructing it'(test: Test) {
       const stack = new cdk.Stack();
       const topic = new sns.Topic(stack, 'Topic');
-      const manualApprovalAction = new codepipeline.ManualApprovalAction(stack, 'Approve', {
-        stage: stageForTesting(stack),
+      const manualApprovalAction = new codepipeline.ManualApprovalAction('Approve', {
         notificationTopic: topic,
       });
+      stageForTesting(stack).addAction(manualApprovalAction);
 
       test.equal(manualApprovalAction.notificationTopic, topic);
 
@@ -278,19 +269,19 @@ export = {
     const pipeline = new codepipeline.Pipeline(stack, 'Pipeline');
 
     const bucket = new s3.Bucket(stack, 'Bucket');
-    const sourceStage = pipeline.addStage('Source');
-    const source1 = bucket.addToPipeline(sourceStage, 'SourceAction1', {
+    const source1 = bucket.asCodePipelineAction('SourceAction1', {
       bucketKey: 'some/key',
       outputArtifactName: 'sourceArtifact1',
     });
-    const source2 = bucket.addToPipeline(sourceStage, 'SourceAction2', {
+    const source2 = bucket.asCodePipelineAction('SourceAction2', {
       bucketKey: 'another/key',
       outputArtifactName: 'sourceArtifact2',
     });
+    pipeline.addStage(new codepipeline.Stage('Source')
+      .addAction(source1)
+      .addAction(source2));
 
-    const stage = new codepipeline.Stage(stack, 'Stage', { pipeline });
-    const lambdaAction = new lambda.PipelineInvokeAction(stack, 'InvokeAction', {
-      stage,
+    const lambdaAction = new lambda.PipelineInvokeAction('InvokeAction', {
       lambda: lambdaFun,
       userParameters: 'foo-bar/42',
       inputArtifacts: [
@@ -303,6 +294,7 @@ export = {
           'lambdaOutput3',
       ],
     });
+    pipeline.addStage(new codepipeline.Stage('Stage').addAction(lambdaAction));
 
     expect(stack).to(haveResourceLike('AWS::CodePipeline::Pipeline', {
       "ArtifactStore": {
@@ -385,8 +377,7 @@ export = {
   'CodeCommit Action': {
     'does not poll for changes by default'(test: Test) {
       const stack = new cdk.Stack();
-      const sourceAction = new codecommit.PipelineSourceAction(stack, 'stage', {
-        stage: stageForTesting(stack),
+      const sourceAction = new codecommit.PipelineSourceAction('stage', {
         outputArtifactName: 'SomeArtifact',
         repository: repositoryForTesting(stack),
       });
@@ -398,8 +389,7 @@ export = {
 
     'does not poll for source changes when explicitly set to false'(test: Test) {
       const stack = new cdk.Stack();
-      const sourceAction = new codecommit.PipelineSourceAction(stack, 'stage', {
-        stage: stageForTesting(stack),
+      const sourceAction = new codecommit.PipelineSourceAction('stage', {
         outputArtifactName: 'SomeArtifact',
         repository: repositoryForTesting(stack),
         pollForSourceChanges: false,
@@ -431,33 +421,33 @@ export = {
         },
       });
 
-      const stage1 = pipeline.addStage('Stage1');
-      const sourceAction = bucket.addToPipeline(stage1, 'BucketSource', {
+      const sourceAction = bucket.asCodePipelineAction('BucketSource', {
         bucketKey: '/some/key',
       });
-
-      const stage2 = pipeline.addStage('Stage2');
-      new cloudformation.PipelineCreateReplaceChangeSetAction(stack, 'Action1', {
-        stage: stage2,
-        changeSetName: 'ChangeSet',
-        templatePath: sourceAction.outputArtifact.atPath('template.yaml'),
-        stackName: 'SomeStack',
-        region: pipelineRegion,
-        adminPermissions: false,
-      });
-      new cloudformation.PipelineCreateUpdateStackAction(stack, 'Action2', {
-        stage: stage2,
-        templatePath: sourceAction.outputArtifact.atPath('template.yaml'),
-        stackName: 'OtherStack',
-        region: 'us-east-1',
-        adminPermissions: false,
-      });
-      new cloudformation.PipelineExecuteChangeSetAction(stack, 'Action3', {
-        stage: stage2,
-        changeSetName: 'ChangeSet',
-        stackName: 'SomeStack',
-        region: 'us-west-1',
-      });
+      pipeline.addStage(new codepipeline.Stage('Stage1').addAction(sourceAction));
+
+      pipeline.addStage(new codepipeline.Stage('Stage2', {
+        actions: [
+          new cloudformation.PipelineCreateReplaceChangeSetAction('Action1', {
+            changeSetName: 'ChangeSet',
+            templatePath: sourceAction.outputArtifact.atPath('template.yaml'),
+            stackName: 'SomeStack',
+            region: pipelineRegion,
+            adminPermissions: false,
+          }),
+          new cloudformation.PipelineCreateUpdateStackAction('Action2', {
+            templatePath: sourceAction.outputArtifact.atPath('template.yaml'),
+            stackName: 'OtherStack',
+            region: 'us-east-1',
+            adminPermissions: false,
+          }),
+          new cloudformation.PipelineExecuteChangeSetAction('Action3', {
+            changeSetName: 'ChangeSet',
+            stackName: 'SomeStack',
+            region: 'us-west-1',
+          }),
+        ],
+      }));
 
       expect(stack).to(haveResourceLike('AWS::CodePipeline::Pipeline', {
         "ArtifactStores": [
@@ -522,7 +512,9 @@ export = {
 
 function stageForTesting(stack: cdk.Stack): codepipeline.Stage {
   const pipeline = new codepipeline.Pipeline(stack, 'pipeline');
-  return new codepipeline.Stage(pipeline, 'stage', { pipeline });
+  const stage = new codepipeline.Stage('stage');
+  pipeline.addStage(stage);
+  return stage;
 }
 
 function repositoryForTesting(stack: cdk.Stack): codecommit.Repository {
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/test/test.stages.ts b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/test/test.stages.ts
index 26edc5a07a3f6..1b74e253e9ad7 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/test/test.stages.ts
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/test/test.stages.ts
@@ -11,13 +11,13 @@ export = {
       const stack = new cdk.Stack();
       const pipeline = new codepipeline.Pipeline(stack, 'Pipeline');
 
-      new codepipeline.Stage(stack, 'SecondStage', { pipeline });
-      new codepipeline.Stage(stack, 'FirstStage', {
-        pipeline,
-        placement: {
-          atIndex: 0,
-        },
-      });
+      pipeline
+        .addStage(new codepipeline.Stage('SecondStage'))
+        .addStage(new codepipeline.Stage('FirstStage'), {
+          placement: {
+            atIndex: 0,
+          },
+        });
 
       expect(stack, true).to(haveResourceLike('AWS::CodePipeline::Pipeline', {
         "Stages": [
@@ -33,12 +33,14 @@ export = {
       const stack = new cdk.Stack();
       const pipeline = new codepipeline.Pipeline(stack, 'Pipeline');
 
-      const secondStage = pipeline.addStage('SecondStage');
-      pipeline.addStage('FirstStage', {
-        placement: {
-          rightBefore: secondStage,
-        },
-      });
+      const secondStage = new codepipeline.Stage('SecondStage');
+      pipeline
+        .addStage(secondStage)
+        .addStage(new codepipeline.Stage('FirstStage'), {
+          placement: {
+            rightBefore: secondStage,
+          },
+        });
 
       expect(stack, true).to(haveResourceLike('AWS::CodePipeline::Pipeline', {
         "Stages": [
@@ -54,13 +56,15 @@ export = {
       const stack = new cdk.Stack();
       const pipeline = new codepipeline.Pipeline(stack, 'Pipeline');
 
-      const firstStage = pipeline.addStage('FirstStage');
-      pipeline.addStage('ThirdStage');
-      pipeline.addStage('SecondStage', {
-        placement: {
-          justAfter: firstStage,
-        },
-      });
+      const firstStage = new codepipeline.Stage('FirstStage');
+      pipeline
+        .addStage(firstStage)
+        .addStage(new codepipeline.Stage('ThirdStage'))
+        .addStage(new codepipeline.Stage('SecondStage'), {
+          placement: {
+            justAfter: firstStage,
+          },
+        });
 
       expect(stack, true).to(haveResourceLike('AWS::CodePipeline::Pipeline', {
         "Stages": [
@@ -78,8 +82,7 @@ export = {
       const pipeline = new codepipeline.Pipeline(stack, 'Pipeline');
 
       test.throws(() => {
-        new codepipeline.Stage(stack, 'Stage', {
-          pipeline,
+        pipeline.addStage(new codepipeline.Stage('Stage'), {
           placement: {
             atIndex: -1,
           },
@@ -94,7 +97,7 @@ export = {
       const pipeline = new codepipeline.Pipeline(stack, 'Pipeline');
 
       test.throws(() => {
-        pipeline.addStage('Stage', {
+        pipeline.addStage(new codepipeline.Stage('Stage'), {
           placement: {
             atIndex: 1,
           },
@@ -106,12 +109,11 @@ export = {
 
     "attempting to insert a Stage before a Stage that doesn't exist results in an error"(test: Test) {
       const stack = new cdk.Stack();
-      const pipeline = new codepipeline.Pipeline(stack, 'Pipeline');
-      const stage = pipeline.addStage('Stage');
+      const stage = new codepipeline.Stage('Stage');
 
       const anotherPipeline = new codepipeline.Pipeline(stack, 'AnotherPipeline');
       test.throws(() => {
-        anotherPipeline.addStage('AnotherStage', {
+        anotherPipeline.addStage(new codepipeline.Stage('AnotherStage'), {
           placement: {
             rightBefore: stage,
           },
@@ -123,12 +125,11 @@ export = {
 
     "attempting to insert a Stage after a Stage that doesn't exist results in an error"(test: Test) {
       const stack = new cdk.Stack();
-      const pipeline = new codepipeline.Pipeline(stack, 'Pipeline');
-      const stage = pipeline.addStage('Stage');
+      const stage = new codepipeline.Stage('Stage');
 
       const anotherPipeline = new codepipeline.Pipeline(stack, 'AnotherPipeline');
       test.throws(() => {
-        anotherPipeline.addStage('AnotherStage', {
+        anotherPipeline.addStage(new codepipeline.Stage('AnotherStage'), {
           placement: {
             justAfter: stage,
           },
@@ -141,10 +142,11 @@ export = {
     "providing more than one placement value results in an error"(test: Test) {
       const stack = new cdk.Stack();
       const pipeline = new codepipeline.Pipeline(stack, 'Pipeline');
-      const stage = pipeline.addStage('FirstStage');
+      const stage = new codepipeline.Stage('FirstStage');
+      pipeline.addStage(stage);
 
       test.throws(() => {
-        pipeline.addStage('SecondStage', {
+        pipeline.addStage(new codepipeline.Stage('SecondStage'), {
           placement: {
             rightBefore: stage,
             justAfter: stage,
@@ -159,5 +161,19 @@ export = {
 
       test.done();
     },
+
+    'adding the same Stage to 2 different Pipelines results in an error'(test: Test) {
+      const stack = new cdk.Stack();
+      const pipeline1 = new codepipeline.Pipeline(stack, 'Pipeline1');
+      const pipeline2 = new codepipeline.Pipeline(stack, 'Pipeline2');
+      const stage = new codepipeline.Stage('MyStage');
+
+      pipeline1.addStage(stage); // fine
+      test.throws(() => {
+        pipeline2.addStage(stage);
+      }, /MyStage/);
+
+      test.done();
+    }
   },
 };
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-ecr/README.md b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-ecr/README.md
index cefec43725fbb..9fdf9b0ee32b3 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-ecr/README.md
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-ecr/README.md
@@ -33,18 +33,19 @@ Example:
 import codepipeline = require('@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline');
 
 const pipeline = new codepipeline.Pipeline(this, 'MyPipeline');
-const sourceStage = pipeline.addStage('Source');
-const sourceAction = new ecr.PipelineSourceAction(this, 'ECR', {
-  stage: sourceStage,
+const sourceAction = new ecr.PipelineSourceAction('ECR', {
   repository: ecrRepository,
   imageTag: 'some-tag', // optional, default: 'latest'
   outputArtifactName: 'SomeName', // optional
 });
+pipeline.addStage(new codepipeline.Stage('Source', {
+  actions: [sourceAction],
+}));
 ```
 
 You can also add the Repository to the Pipeline directly:
 
 ```ts
 // equivalent to the code above:
-const sourceAction = ecrRepository.addToPipeline(sourceStage, 'ECR');
+const sourceAction = ecrRepository.asCodePipelineAction('ECR');
 ```
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-ecr/lib/pipeline-action.ts b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-ecr/lib/pipeline-action.ts
index 4ccb694afc95a..86773ce61f2f4 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-ecr/lib/pipeline-action.ts
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-ecr/lib/pipeline-action.ts
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ import { IRepository } from './repository-ref';
 /**
  * Common properties for the {@link PipelineSourceAction CodePipeline source Action},
  * whether creating it directly,
- * or through the {@link IRepository#addToPipeline} method.
+ * or through the {@link IRepository#asCodePipelineAction} method.
  */
 export interface CommonPipelineSourceActionProps extends codepipeline.CommonActionProps {
   /**
@@ -28,8 +28,7 @@ export interface CommonPipelineSourceActionProps extends codepipeline.CommonActi
 /**
  * Construction properties of {@link PipelineSourceAction}.
  */
-export interface PipelineSourceActionProps extends CommonPipelineSourceActionProps,
-    codepipeline.CommonActionConstructProps {
+export interface PipelineSourceActionProps extends CommonPipelineSourceActionProps {
   /**
    * The repository that will be watched for changes.
    */
@@ -40,23 +39,30 @@ export interface PipelineSourceActionProps extends CommonPipelineSourceActionPro
  * The ECR Repository source CodePipeline Action.
  */
 export class PipelineSourceAction extends codepipeline.SourceAction {
-  constructor(scope: cdk.Construct, id: string, props: PipelineSourceActionProps) {
-    super(scope, id, {
+  private readonly props: PipelineSourceActionProps;
+
+  constructor(actionName: string, props: PipelineSourceActionProps) {
+    super(actionName, {
       provider: 'ECR',
       configuration: {
         RepositoryName: props.repository.repositoryName,
         ImageTag: props.imageTag,
       },
+      outputArtifactName: props.outputArtifactName || `Artifact_${actionName}_${props.repository.node.uniqueId}`,
       ...props,
     });
 
-    props.stage.pipeline.role.addToPolicy(new iam.PolicyStatement()
+    this.props = props;
+  }
+
+  protected bind(pipeline: codepipeline.IPipeline, _parent: cdk.Construct): void {
+    pipeline.role.addToPolicy(new iam.PolicyStatement()
       .addActions(
         'ecr:DescribeImages',
       )
-      .addResource(props.repository.repositoryArn));
+      .addResource(this.props.repository.repositoryArn));
 
-    props.repository.onImagePushed(props.stage.pipeline.node.uniqueId + 'SourceEventRule',
-        props.stage.pipeline, props.imageTag);
+    this.props.repository.onImagePushed(pipeline.node.uniqueId + 'SourceEventRule',
+        pipeline, this.props.imageTag);
   }
 }
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-ecr/lib/repository-ref.ts b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-ecr/lib/repository-ref.ts
index ad7e8870f7ac1..98e893e212c5c 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-ecr/lib/repository-ref.ts
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-ecr/lib/repository-ref.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-import codepipeline = require('@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline-api');
 import events = require('@aws-cdk/aws-events');
 import iam = require('@aws-cdk/aws-iam');
 import cdk = require('@aws-cdk/cdk');
@@ -41,15 +40,13 @@ export interface IRepository extends cdk.IConstruct {
   addToResourcePolicy(statement: iam.PolicyStatement): void;
 
   /**
-   * Convenience method for creating a new {@link PipelineSourceAction},
-   * and adding it to the given Stage.
+   * Convenience method for creating a new {@link PipelineSourceAction}.
    *
-   * @param stage the Pipeline Stage to add the new Action to
-   * @param name the name of the newly created Action
+   * @param actionName the name of the newly created Action
    * @param props the optional construction properties of the new Action
    * @returns the newly created {@link PipelineSourceAction}
    */
-  addToPipeline(stage: codepipeline.IStage, name: string, props?: CommonPipelineSourceActionProps):
+  asCodePipelineAction(actionName: string, props?: CommonPipelineSourceActionProps):
       PipelineSourceAction;
 
   /**
@@ -173,10 +170,8 @@ export abstract class RepositoryBase extends cdk.Construct implements IRepositor
    */
   public abstract export(): RepositoryImportProps;
 
-  public addToPipeline(stage: codepipeline.IStage, name: string, props: CommonPipelineSourceActionProps = {}):
-      PipelineSourceAction {
-    return new PipelineSourceAction(this, name, {
-      stage,
+  public asCodePipelineAction(actionName: string, props: CommonPipelineSourceActionProps = {}): PipelineSourceAction {
+    return new PipelineSourceAction(actionName, {
       repository: this,
       ...props,
     });
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-ecr/package.json b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-ecr/package.json
index 3293a5b602b2e..2abc318139a71 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-ecr/package.json
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-ecr/package.json
@@ -41,6 +41,9 @@
   "cdk-build": {
     "cloudformation": "AWS::ECR"
   },
+  "nyc": {
+    "lines": 79
+  },
   "keywords": [
     "aws",
     "cdk",
@@ -81,4 +84,4 @@
       "import:@aws-cdk/aws-ecr.Repository"
     ]
   }
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-lambda/README.md b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-lambda/README.md
index 7e7c7ad76ad66..be558cad7cf90 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-lambda/README.md
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-lambda/README.md
@@ -73,25 +73,26 @@ This module also contains an Action that allows you to invoke a Lambda function
 import codepipeline = require('@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline');
 
 const pipeline = new codepipeline.Pipeline(this, 'MyPipeline');
-const lambdaStage = pipeline.addStage('Lambda');
-new lambda.PipelineInvokeAction(this, 'Lambda', {
-    stage: lambdaStage,
-    lambda: fn,
+const lambdaAction = new lambda.PipelineInvokeAction('Lambda', {
+  lambda: fn,
 });
+pipeline.addStage(new codepipeline.Stage('Lambda', {
+  actions: [lambdaAction],
+}));
 ```
 
 You can also add the Lambda to the Pipeline directly:
 
 ```ts
 // equivalent to the code above:
-fn.addToPipeline(lambdaStage, 'Lambda');
+const lambdaAction = fn.asCodePipelineAction('Lambda');
 ```
 
 The Lambda Action can have up to 5 inputs,
 and up to 5 outputs:
 
 ```typescript
-const lambdaAction = fn.addToPipeline(lambdaStage, 'Lambda', {
+const lambdaAction = fn.asCodePipelineAction('Lambda', {
   inputArtifacts: [
     sourceAction.outputArtifact,
     buildAction.outputArtifact,
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-lambda/lib/lambda-ref.ts b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-lambda/lib/lambda-ref.ts
index 8c241d5428af6..02e3ad2435cde 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-lambda/lib/lambda-ref.ts
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-lambda/lib/lambda-ref.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 import cloudwatch = require('@aws-cdk/aws-cloudwatch');
-import codepipeline = require('@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline-api');
 import ec2 = require('@aws-cdk/aws-ec2');
 import events = require('@aws-cdk/aws-events');
 import iam = require('@aws-cdk/aws-iam');
@@ -49,15 +48,13 @@ export interface IFunction extends cdk.IConstruct, events.IEventRuleTarget, logs
   addPermission(id: string, permission: Permission): void;
 
   /**
-   * Convenience method for creating a new {@link PipelineInvokeAction},
-   * and adding it to the given Stage.
+   * Convenience method for creating a new {@link PipelineInvokeAction}.
    *
-   * @param stage the Pipeline Stage to add the new Action to
-   * @param name the name of the newly created Action
+   * @param actionName the name of the newly created Action
    * @param props the properties of the new Action
    * @returns the newly created {@link PipelineInvokeAction}
    */
-  addToPipeline(stage: codepipeline.IStage, name: string, props?: CommonPipelineInvokeActionProps): PipelineInvokeAction;
+  asCodePipelineAction(actionName: string, props?: CommonPipelineInvokeActionProps): PipelineInvokeAction;
 
   addToRolePolicy(statement: iam.PolicyStatement): void;
 
@@ -197,18 +194,8 @@ export abstract class FunctionBase extends cdk.Construct implements IFunction  {
     return this.node.id;
   }
 
-  /**
-   * Convenience method for creating a new {@link PipelineInvokeAction},
-   * and adding it to the given Stage.
-   *
-   * @param stage the Pipeline Stage to add the new Action to
-   * @param name the name of the newly created Action
-   * @param props the properties of the new Action
-   * @returns the newly created {@link PipelineInvokeAction}
-   */
-  public addToPipeline(stage: codepipeline.IStage, name: string, props: CommonPipelineInvokeActionProps = {}): PipelineInvokeAction {
-    return new PipelineInvokeAction(this, name, {
-      stage,
+  public asCodePipelineAction(actionName: string, props: CommonPipelineInvokeActionProps = {}): PipelineInvokeAction {
+    return new PipelineInvokeAction(actionName, {
       lambda: this,
       ...props,
     });
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-lambda/lib/pipeline-action.ts b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-lambda/lib/pipeline-action.ts
index ac14ea505feb0..094ca4ac6087a 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-lambda/lib/pipeline-action.ts
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-lambda/lib/pipeline-action.ts
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ import { IFunction } from './lambda-ref';
 /**
  * Common properties for creating a {@link PipelineInvokeAction} -
  * either directly, through its constructor,
- * or through {@link IFunction#addToPipeline}.
+ * or through {@link IFunction#asCodePipelineAction}.
  */
 export interface CommonPipelineInvokeActionProps extends codepipeline.CommonActionProps {
   // because of @see links
@@ -67,8 +67,7 @@ export interface CommonPipelineInvokeActionProps extends codepipeline.CommonActi
 /**
  * Construction properties of the {@link PipelineInvokeAction Lambda invoke CodePipeline Action}.
  */
-export interface PipelineInvokeActionProps extends CommonPipelineInvokeActionProps,
-    codepipeline.CommonActionConstructProps {
+export interface PipelineInvokeActionProps extends CommonPipelineInvokeActionProps {
   /**
    * The lambda function to invoke.
    */
@@ -81,17 +80,18 @@ export interface PipelineInvokeActionProps extends CommonPipelineInvokeActionPro
  * @see https://docs.aws.amazon.com/codepipeline/latest/userguide/actions-invoke-lambda-function.html
  */
 export class PipelineInvokeAction extends codepipeline.Action {
-  constructor(scope: cdk.Construct, id: string, props: PipelineInvokeActionProps) {
-    super(scope, id, {
-      stage: props.stage,
-      runOrder: props.runOrder,
+  private readonly props: PipelineInvokeActionProps;
+
+  constructor(actionName: string, props: PipelineInvokeActionProps) {
+    super(actionName, {
       category: codepipeline.ActionCategory.Invoke,
       provider: 'Lambda',
       artifactBounds: codepipeline.defaultBounds(),
       configuration: {
         FunctionName: props.lambda.functionName,
         UserParameters: props.userParameters
-      }
+      },
+      ...props,
     });
 
     // handle input artifacts
@@ -104,36 +104,40 @@ export class PipelineInvokeAction extends codepipeline.Action {
       this.addOutputArtifact(outputArtifactName);
     }
 
+    this.props = props;
+  }
+
+  public outputArtifacts(): codepipeline.Artifact[] {
+    return this._outputArtifacts;
+  }
+
+  public outputArtifact(artifactName: string): codepipeline.Artifact {
+    const result = this._outputArtifacts.find(a => (a.artifactName === artifactName));
+    if (result === undefined) {
+      throw new Error(`Could not find the output Artifact with name '${artifactName}'`);
+    } else {
+      return result;
+    }
+  }
+
+  protected bind(pipeline: codepipeline.IPipeline, _parent: cdk.Construct): void {
     // allow pipeline to list functions
-    props.stage.pipeline.role.addToPolicy(new iam.PolicyStatement()
+    pipeline.role.addToPolicy(new iam.PolicyStatement()
       .addAction('lambda:ListFunctions')
       .addAllResources());
 
     // allow pipeline to invoke this lambda functionn
-    props.stage.pipeline.role.addToPolicy(new iam.PolicyStatement()
+    pipeline.role.addToPolicy(new iam.PolicyStatement()
       .addAction('lambda:InvokeFunction')
-      .addResource(props.lambda.functionArn));
+      .addResource(this.props.lambda.functionArn));
 
     // allow lambda to put job results for this pipeline.
-    const addToPolicy = props.addPutJobResultPolicy !== undefined ? props.addPutJobResultPolicy : true;
+    const addToPolicy = this.props.addPutJobResultPolicy !== undefined ? this.props.addPutJobResultPolicy : true;
     if (addToPolicy) {
-      props.lambda.addToRolePolicy(new iam.PolicyStatement()
+      this.props.lambda.addToRolePolicy(new iam.PolicyStatement()
         .addAllResources() // to avoid cycles (see docs)
         .addAction('codepipeline:PutJobSuccessResult')
         .addAction('codepipeline:PutJobFailureResult'));
     }
   }
-
-  public outputArtifacts(): codepipeline.Artifact[] {
-    return this._outputArtifacts;
-  }
-
-  public outputArtifact(artifactName: string): codepipeline.Artifact {
-    const result = this._outputArtifacts.find(a => (a.name === artifactName));
-    if (result === undefined) {
-      throw new Error(`Could not find the output Artifact with name '${artifactName}'`);
-    } else {
-      return result;
-    }
-  }
 }
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-s3/README.md b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-s3/README.md
index c70f58d600df9..61b0942549e49 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-s3/README.md
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-s3/README.md
@@ -95,19 +95,20 @@ const sourceBucket = new s3.Bucket(this, 'MyBucket', {
 });
 
 const pipeline = new codepipeline.Pipeline(this, 'MyPipeline');
-const sourceStage = pipeline.addStage('Source');
-const sourceAction = new s3.PipelineSourceAction(this, 'S3Source', {
-    stage: sourceStage,
+const sourceAction = new s3.PipelineSourceAction('S3Source', {
     bucket: sourceBucket,
     bucketKey: 'path/to/file.zip',
 });
+pipeline.addStage(new codepipeline.Stage('Source', {
+  actions: [sourceAction],
+}));
 ```
 
 You can also add the Bucket to the Pipeline directly:
 
 ```ts
 // equivalent to the code above:
-const sourceAction = sourceBucket.addToPipeline(sourceStage, 'S3Source', {
+const sourceAction = sourceBucket.asCodePipelineAction('S3Source', {
     bucketKey: 'path/to/file.zip',
 });
 ```
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-s3/lib/bucket.ts b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-s3/lib/bucket.ts
index 1154ba5139a32..239150f62d74c 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-s3/lib/bucket.ts
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-s3/lib/bucket.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-import actions = require('@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline-api');
 import iam = require('@aws-cdk/aws-iam');
 import kms = require('@aws-cdk/aws-kms');
 import { IBucketNotificationDestination } from '@aws-cdk/aws-s3-notifications';
@@ -53,15 +52,13 @@ export interface IBucket extends cdk.IConstruct {
   export(): BucketImportProps;
 
   /**
-   * Convenience method for creating a new {@link PipelineSourceAction},
-   * and adding it to the given Stage.
+   * Convenience method for creating a new {@link PipelineSourceAction}.
    *
-   * @param stage the Pipeline Stage to add the new Action to
-   * @param name the name of the newly created Action
+   * @param actionName the name of the newly created Action
    * @param props the properties of the new Action
    * @returns the newly created {@link PipelineSourceAction}
    */
-  addToPipeline(stage: actions.IStage, name: string, props: CommonPipelineSourceActionProps): PipelineSourceAction;
+  asCodePipelineAction(actionName: string, props: CommonPipelineSourceActionProps): PipelineSourceAction;
 
   /**
    * Adds a statement to the resource policy for a principal (i.e.
@@ -273,18 +270,8 @@ export abstract class BucketBase extends cdk.Construct implements IBucket {
    */
   public abstract export(): BucketImportProps;
 
-  /**
-   * Convenience method for creating a new {@link PipelineSourceAction},
-   * and adding it to the given Stage.
-   *
-   * @param stage the Pipeline Stage to add the new Action to
-   * @param name the name of the newly created Action
-   * @param props the properties of the new Action
-   * @returns the newly created {@link PipelineSourceAction}
-   */
-  public addToPipeline(stage: actions.IStage, name: string, props: CommonPipelineSourceActionProps): PipelineSourceAction {
-    return new PipelineSourceAction(this, name, {
-      stage,
+  public asCodePipelineAction(actionName: string, props: CommonPipelineSourceActionProps): PipelineSourceAction {
+    return new PipelineSourceAction(actionName, {
       bucket: this,
       ...props,
     });
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-s3/lib/pipeline-action.ts b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-s3/lib/pipeline-action.ts
index 5fb5ca522547c..801798872de26 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-s3/lib/pipeline-action.ts
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-s3/lib/pipeline-action.ts
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ import { IBucket } from './bucket';
 /**
  * Common properties for creating {@link PipelineSourceAction} -
  * either directly, through its constructor,
- * or through {@link IBucket#addToPipeline}.
+ * or through {@link IBucket#asCodePipelineAction}.
  */
 export interface CommonPipelineSourceActionProps extends codepipeline.CommonActionProps {
   /**
@@ -35,8 +35,7 @@ export interface CommonPipelineSourceActionProps extends codepipeline.CommonActi
 /**
  * Construction properties of the {@link PipelineSourceAction S3 source Action}.
  */
-export interface PipelineSourceActionProps extends CommonPipelineSourceActionProps,
-    codepipeline.CommonActionConstructProps {
+export interface PipelineSourceActionProps extends CommonPipelineSourceActionProps {
   /**
    * The Amazon S3 bucket that stores the source code
    */
@@ -47,9 +46,12 @@ export interface PipelineSourceActionProps extends CommonPipelineSourceActionPro
  * Source that is provided by a specific Amazon S3 object.
  */
 export class PipelineSourceAction extends codepipeline.SourceAction {
-  constructor(scope: cdk.Construct, id: string, props: PipelineSourceActionProps) {
-    super(scope, id, {
+  private readonly bucket: IBucket;
+
+  constructor(actionName: string, props: PipelineSourceActionProps) {
+    super(actionName, {
       provider: 'S3',
+      outputArtifactName: props.outputArtifactName || `Artifact_${actionName}_${props.bucket.node.uniqueId}`,
       configuration: {
         S3Bucket: props.bucket.bucketName,
         S3ObjectKey: props.bucketKey,
@@ -58,7 +60,11 @@ export class PipelineSourceAction extends codepipeline.SourceAction {
       ...props,
     });
 
+    this.bucket = props.bucket;
+  }
+
+  protected bind(pipeline: codepipeline.IPipeline, _parent: cdk.Construct): void {
     // pipeline needs permissions to read from the S3 bucket
-    props.bucket.grantRead(props.stage.pipeline.role);
+    this.bucket.grantRead(pipeline.role);
   }
 }