diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/actions/__init__.py b/src/calibre/gui2/actions/__init__.py
index 37221ada3f..531de654cc 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/actions/__init__.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/actions/__init__.py
@@ -67,7 +67,10 @@ class InterfaceAction(QObject):
 
     #: Of the form: (text, icon_path, tooltip, keyboard shortcut)
     #: icon, tooltip and keyboard shortcut can be None
-    #: shortcut must be a translated string if not None
+    #: shortcut must be a string, None or tuple of shortcuts.
+    #: If None, a keyboard shortcut corresponding to the action is not
+    #: registered. If you pass an empty tuple, then the shortcut is registered
+    #: with no default key binding.
     action_spec = ('text', 'icon', None, None)
 
     #: If True, a menu is automatically created and added to self.qaction
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/actions/add_to_library.py b/src/calibre/gui2/actions/add_to_library.py
index 2665ffe0a4..9f517402bd 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/actions/add_to_library.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/actions/add_to_library.py
@@ -11,7 +11,8 @@ class AddToLibraryAction(InterfaceAction):
 
     name = 'Add To Library'
     action_spec = (_('Add books to library'), 'add_book.png',
-            _('Add books to your calibre library from the connected device'), None)
+            _('Add books to your calibre library from the connected device'),
+            ())
     dont_add_to = frozenset(['menubar', 'toolbar', 'context-menu', 'toolbar-child'])
     action_type = 'current'
 
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/actions/annotate.py b/src/calibre/gui2/actions/annotate.py
index 044ee88d6e..1db532bfc4 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/actions/annotate.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/actions/annotate.py
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ from calibre.gui2.actions import InterfaceAction
 class FetchAnnotationsAction(InterfaceAction):
 
     name = 'Fetch Annotations'
-    action_spec = (_('Fetch annotations (experimental)'), None, None, None)
+    action_spec = (_('Fetch annotations (experimental)'), None, None, ())
     dont_add_to = frozenset(['menubar', 'toolbar', 'context-menu', 'toolbar-child'])
     action_type = 'current'
 
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/actions/catalog.py b/src/calibre/gui2/actions/catalog.py
index d18eb990b3..9b95f5e8d0 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/actions/catalog.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/actions/catalog.py
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ from calibre.gui2.actions import InterfaceAction
 class GenerateCatalogAction(InterfaceAction):
 
     name = 'Generate Catalog'
-    action_spec = (_('Create catalog'), 'catalog.png', 'Catalog builder', None)
+    action_spec = (_('Create catalog'), 'catalog.png', 'Catalog builder', ())
     dont_add_to = frozenset(['menubar-device', 'toolbar-device', 'context-menu-device'])
 
     def genesis(self):
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/actions/edit_collections.py b/src/calibre/gui2/actions/edit_collections.py
index 1a0b1038ce..5d0fbbcf12 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/actions/edit_collections.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/actions/edit_collections.py
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ class EditCollectionsAction(InterfaceAction):
 
     name = 'Edit Collections'
     action_spec = (_('Manage collections'), None,
-            _('Manage the collections on this device'), None)
+            _('Manage the collections on this device'), ())
     dont_add_to = frozenset(['menubar', 'toolbar', 'context-menu', 'toolbar-child'])
     action_type = 'current'
 
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/actions/plugin_updates.py b/src/calibre/gui2/actions/plugin_updates.py
index f8adbbe98f..d5da12df71 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/actions/plugin_updates.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/actions/plugin_updates.py
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ from calibre.gui2.dialogs.plugin_updater import (PluginUpdaterDialog,
 class PluginUpdaterAction(InterfaceAction):
 
     name = 'Plugin Updater'
-    action_spec = (_('Plugin Updater'), None, None, None)
+    action_spec = (_('Plugin Updater'), None, None, ())
     action_type = 'current'
 
     def genesis(self):
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/actions/random.py b/src/calibre/gui2/actions/random.py
index 6c722d16ae..f30b1e0464 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/actions/random.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/actions/random.py
@@ -14,7 +14,8 @@ from calibre.gui2.actions import InterfaceAction
 class PickRandomAction(InterfaceAction):
 
     name = 'Pick Random Book'
-    action_spec = (_('Pick a random book'), 'random.png', 'Catalog builder', None)
+    action_spec = (_('Pick a random book'), 'random.png',
+            'Select a random book from your calibre library', ())
     dont_add_to = frozenset(['menubar-device', 'toolbar-device', 'context-menu-device'])
 
     def genesis(self):