diff --git a/src/ant/ant/antPlugin.cc b/src/ant/ant/antPlugin.cc
index 67de17128..b81637bc9 100644
--- a/src/ant/ant/antPlugin.cc
+++ b/src/ant/ant/antPlugin.cc
@@ -203,9 +203,6 @@ PluginDeclaration::initialized (lay::Dispatcher *root)
 void 
 PluginDeclaration::uninitialize (lay::Dispatcher *)
 {
-  for (std::vector<lay::Action *>::iterator a = m_actions.begin (); a != m_actions.end (); ++a) {
-    delete *a;
-  }
   m_actions.clear ();
 }
 
@@ -226,9 +223,13 @@ PluginDeclaration::update_current_template ()
     }
     
     if (m_templates.size () > 1) {
-      int it = 0;
-      for (std::vector<Template>::const_iterator tt = m_templates.begin (); tt != m_templates.end () && it < int (m_actions.size ()); ++tt, ++it) {
-        m_actions[it]->set_checked (it == m_current_template);
+
+      tl::weak_collection<lay::ConfigureAction>::iterator it = m_actions.begin ();
+      int index = 0;
+      for (std::vector<Template>::const_iterator tt = m_templates.begin (); tt != m_templates.end () && it != m_actions.end (); ++tt, ++it, ++index) {
+        if (it.operator -> ()) {
+          it->set_checked (index == m_current_template);
+        }
       }
     }
 
@@ -263,19 +264,17 @@ PluginDeclaration::update_menu ()
     }
   }
     
-  for (std::vector<lay::Action *>::iterator a = m_actions.begin (); a != m_actions.end (); ++a) {
-    delete *a;
-  }
   m_actions.clear ();
 
   if (m_templates.size () > 1) {
     int it = 0;
     for (std::vector<Template>::const_iterator tt = m_templates.begin (); tt != m_templates.end (); ++tt, ++it) {
-      m_actions.push_back (mp->create_config_action (tt->title (), cfg_current_ruler_template, tl::to_string (it)));
-      m_actions.back ()->set_checkable (true);
-      m_actions.back ()->set_checked (it == m_current_template);
+      lay::ConfigureAction *action = mp->create_config_action (tt->title (), cfg_current_ruler_template, tl::to_string (it));
+      m_actions.push_back (action);
+      action->set_checkable (true);
+      action->set_checked (it == m_current_template);
       for (std::vector<std::string>::const_iterator t = tmpl_group.begin (); t != tmpl_group.end (); ++t) {
-        mp->menu ()->insert_item (*t + ".end", "ruler_template_" + tl::to_string (it), *m_actions.back ());
+        mp->menu ()->insert_item (*t + ".end", "ruler_template_" + tl::to_string (it), *action);
       }
     }
   }
diff --git a/src/ant/ant/antPlugin.h b/src/ant/ant/antPlugin.h
index 4201d9e82..84fad5a4d 100644
--- a/src/ant/ant/antPlugin.h
+++ b/src/ant/ant/antPlugin.h
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ private:
   
   std::vector<ant::Template> m_templates;
   int m_current_template;
-  std::vector<lay::Action *> m_actions;
+  tl::weak_collection<lay::ConfigureAction> m_actions;
   bool m_current_template_updated;
   bool m_templates_updated;
 };
diff --git a/src/laybasic/laybasic/layAbstractMenu.h b/src/laybasic/laybasic/layAbstractMenu.h
index 728e5f343..303589d96 100644
--- a/src/laybasic/laybasic/layAbstractMenu.h
+++ b/src/laybasic/laybasic/layAbstractMenu.h
@@ -140,7 +140,8 @@ private:
  *  point to. A triggered event will be forwarded from this QAction to all referencing Action objects.
  */
 class LAYBASIC_PUBLIC Action
-  : public QObject
+  : public QObject,
+    public tl::Object
 {
 Q_OBJECT
 
@@ -410,8 +411,7 @@ private:
  *  respective parameters passed to the constructor or set with the write accessors.
  */
 class LAYBASIC_PUBLIC ConfigureAction
-  : public Action,
-    public tl::Object
+  : public Action
 {
 public:
   enum type { setter_type = 0, boolean_type = 1, choice_type = 2 };
diff --git a/src/laybasic/laybasic/layDispatcher.cc b/src/laybasic/laybasic/layDispatcher.cc
index 3c74de4e1..b32fbf4ad 100644
--- a/src/laybasic/laybasic/layDispatcher.cc
+++ b/src/laybasic/laybasic/layDispatcher.cc
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ Dispatcher::~Dispatcher ()
   }
 }
 
-lay::Action *
+lay::ConfigureAction *
 Dispatcher::create_config_action (const std::string &title, const std::string &cname, const std::string &cvalue)
 {
   lay::ConfigureAction *ca = new lay::ConfigureAction (this, title, cname, cvalue);
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ Dispatcher::create_config_action (const std::string &title, const std::string &c
   return ca;
 }
 
-lay::Action *
+lay::ConfigureAction *
 Dispatcher::create_config_action (const std::string &cname, const std::string &cvalue)
 {
   lay::ConfigureAction *ca = new lay::ConfigureAction (this, std::string (), cname, cvalue);
diff --git a/src/laybasic/laybasic/layDispatcher.h b/src/laybasic/laybasic/layDispatcher.h
index 63c562f1a..53ad5ab0f 100644
--- a/src/laybasic/laybasic/layDispatcher.h
+++ b/src/laybasic/laybasic/layDispatcher.h
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ public:
    *
    *  The action will be owned by the abstract menu provider but can be deleted to remove it from there.
    */
-  lay::Action *create_config_action (const std::string &title, const std::string &cname, const std::string &cvalue);
+  lay::ConfigureAction *create_config_action (const std::string &title, const std::string &cname, const std::string &cvalue);
 
   /**
    *  @brief Creates a configuration action with the given parameter name and value
@@ -132,7 +132,7 @@ public:
    *  The action will be owned by the abstract menu provider but can be deleted to remove it from there.
    *  This version is provided for applications, where the title is set later.
    */
-  lay::Action *create_config_action (const std::string &cname, const std::string &cvalue);
+  lay::ConfigureAction *create_config_action (const std::string &cname, const std::string &cvalue);
 
   /**
    *  @brief Registers a configuration action with the given name
diff --git a/src/laybasic/laybasic/layPlugin.cc b/src/laybasic/laybasic/layPlugin.cc
index 16b923fb0..322827d8d 100644
--- a/src/laybasic/laybasic/layPlugin.cc
+++ b/src/laybasic/laybasic/layPlugin.cc
@@ -140,10 +140,8 @@ PluginDeclaration::mode_triggered ()
 void
 PluginDeclaration::clear_menu_items ()
 {
-  while (! m_menu_actions.empty ()) {
-    delete m_menu_actions.back ();
-    m_menu_actions.pop_back ();
-  }
+  m_menu_actions.clear ();
+  m_our_menu_actions.clear ();
 }
 
 void 
@@ -188,43 +186,40 @@ PluginDeclaration::init_menu (lay::Dispatcher *dispatcher)
 
   for (std::vector<lay::MenuEntry>::const_iterator m = menu_entries.begin (); m != menu_entries.end (); ++m) {
 
-    if (m->title.empty ()) {
+    if (m->separator) {
 
       menu.insert_separator (m->insert_pos, m->menu_name);
 
+    } else if (m->sub_menu) {
+
+      menu.insert_menu (m->insert_pos, m->menu_name, m->title);
+
     } else {
 
-      if (m->sub_menu) {
+      Action *action = 0;
 
-        menu.insert_menu (m->insert_pos, m->menu_name, m->title);
+      if (! m->cname.empty ()) {
+
+        action = dispatcher->create_config_action (m->title, m->cname, m->cvalue);
 
       } else {
 
-        Action *action = 0;
+        action = new Action (m->title);
+        action->qaction ()->setData (QVariant (tl::to_qstring (m->symbol)));
+        gtf::action_connect (action->qaction (), SIGNAL (triggered ()), this, SLOT (generic_menu ()));
+        m_our_menu_actions.push_back (action);
 
-        if (! m->cname.empty ()) {
+      }
 
-          action = dispatcher->create_config_action (m->title, m->cname, m->cvalue);
+      m_menu_actions.push_back (action);
+      menu.insert_item (m->insert_pos, m->menu_name, *action);
 
-        } else {
-
-          action = new Action (m->title);
-          action->qaction ()->setData (QVariant (tl::to_qstring (m->symbol)));
-          gtf::action_connect (action->qaction (), SIGNAL (triggered ()), this, SLOT (generic_menu ()));
-
-        }
-
-        m_menu_actions.push_back (action);
-        menu.insert_item (m->insert_pos, m->menu_name, *action);
-
-        if (! m->exclusive_group.empty ()) {
-          action->add_to_exclusive_group (&menu, m->exclusive_group);
-        }
-
-        if (m->checkable) {
-          action->set_checkable (true);
-        }
+      if (! m->exclusive_group.empty ()) {
+        action->add_to_exclusive_group (&menu, m->exclusive_group);
+      }
 
+      if (m->checkable) {
+        action->set_checkable (true);
       }
 
     }
@@ -282,8 +277,10 @@ PluginDeclaration::remove_menu_items ()
   lay::AbstractMenu *menu = lay::Dispatcher::instance ()->menu ();
   menu->delete_items (m_editable_mode_action);
   menu->delete_items (m_mouse_mode_action);
-  for (std::vector <lay::Action *>::const_iterator a = m_menu_actions.begin (); a != m_menu_actions.end (); ++a) {
-    menu->delete_items (**a);
+  for (tl::weak_collection <lay::Action>::iterator a = m_menu_actions.begin (); a != m_menu_actions.end (); ++a) {
+    if (a.operator-> ()) {
+      menu->delete_items (*a);
+    }
   }
 }
 
@@ -509,6 +506,7 @@ MenuEntry separator (const std::string &menu_name, const std::string &insert_pos
   MenuEntry e;
   e.menu_name = menu_name;
   e.insert_pos = insert_pos;
+  e.separator = true;
   return e;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/laybasic/laybasic/layPlugin.h b/src/laybasic/laybasic/layPlugin.h
index 277777be4..adde8bea2 100644
--- a/src/laybasic/laybasic/layPlugin.h
+++ b/src/laybasic/laybasic/layPlugin.h
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ public:
  */
 struct LAYBASIC_PUBLIC MenuEntry
 {
-  MenuEntry () : sub_menu (false), checkable (false) { }
+  MenuEntry () : sub_menu (false), checkable (false), separator (false) { }
 
   std::string menu_name;
   std::string symbol;
@@ -113,6 +113,7 @@ struct LAYBASIC_PUBLIC MenuEntry
   std::string exclusive_group;
   bool sub_menu;
   bool checkable;
+  bool separator;
 };
 
 /**
@@ -464,7 +465,8 @@ private slots:
 
 private:
   int m_id;
-  std::vector <lay::Action *> m_menu_actions;
+  tl::weak_collection <lay::Action> m_menu_actions;
+  tl::shared_collection <lay::Action> m_our_menu_actions;
   lay::Action m_editable_mode_action;
   lay::Action m_mouse_mode_action;
   bool m_editable_enabled;