diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-cloudformation/lib/pipeline-actions.ts b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-cloudformation/lib/pipeline-actions.ts
index 2ed7ccbd5d13a..fd0e445debf37 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-cloudformation/lib/pipeline-actions.ts
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-cloudformation/lib/pipeline-actions.ts
@@ -5,7 +5,8 @@ import cdk = require('@aws-cdk/cdk');
 /**
  * Properties common to all CloudFormation actions
  */
-export interface PipelineCloudFormationActionProps extends codepipeline.CommonActionProps {
+export interface PipelineCloudFormationActionProps extends codepipeline.CommonActionProps,
+    codepipeline.CommonActionConstructProps {
   /**
    * The name of the stack to apply this action to
    */
@@ -48,6 +49,7 @@ export abstract class PipelineCloudFormationAction extends codepipeline.DeployAc
   constructor(parent: cdk.Construct, id: string, props: PipelineCloudFormationActionProps, configuration?: any) {
     super(parent, id, {
       stage: props.stage,
+      runOrder: props.runOrder,
       artifactBounds: {
         minInputs: 0,
         maxInputs: 10,
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codebuild/lib/pipeline-actions.ts b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codebuild/lib/pipeline-actions.ts
index 083132babbcf2..8cbe6e463a661 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codebuild/lib/pipeline-actions.ts
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codebuild/lib/pipeline-actions.ts
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ import { ProjectRef } from './project';
  * either directly, through its constructor,
  * or through {@link ProjectRef#addBuildToPipeline}.
  */
-export interface CommonPipelineBuildActionProps {
+export interface CommonPipelineBuildActionProps extends codepipeline.CommonActionProps {
   /**
    * The source to use as input for this build
    */
@@ -23,7 +23,8 @@ export interface CommonPipelineBuildActionProps {
 /**
  * Construction properties of the {@link PipelineBuildAction CodeBuild build CodePipeline Action}.
  */
-export interface PipelineBuildActionProps extends CommonPipelineBuildActionProps, codepipeline.CommonActionProps {
+export interface PipelineBuildActionProps extends CommonPipelineBuildActionProps,
+    codepipeline.CommonActionConstructProps {
   /**
    * The build project
    */
@@ -40,6 +41,7 @@ export class PipelineBuildAction extends codepipeline.BuildAction {
 
     super(parent, name, {
       stage: props.stage,
+      runOrder: props.runOrder,
       provider: 'CodeBuild',
       inputArtifact: props.inputArtifact,
       artifactName: props.artifactName,
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codecommit/lib/pipeline-action.ts b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codecommit/lib/pipeline-action.ts
index e41dbdd6d51bc..017c649bbab87 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codecommit/lib/pipeline-action.ts
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codecommit/lib/pipeline-action.ts
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ import { RepositoryRef } from './repository';
  * either directly, through its constructor,
  * or through {@link RepositoryRef#addToPipeline}.
  */
-export interface CommonPipelineSourceActionProps {
+export interface CommonPipelineSourceActionProps extends codepipeline.CommonActionProps {
   /**
    * The name of the source's output artifact.
    * Output artifacts are used by CodePipeline as inputs into other actions.
@@ -32,7 +32,8 @@ export interface CommonPipelineSourceActionProps {
 /**
  * Construction properties of the {@link PipelineSourceAction CodeCommit source CodePipeline Action}.
  */
-export interface PipelineSourceActionProps extends CommonPipelineSourceActionProps, codepipeline.CommonActionProps {
+export interface PipelineSourceActionProps extends CommonPipelineSourceActionProps,
+    codepipeline.CommonActionConstructProps {
   /**
    * The CodeCommit repository.
    */
@@ -46,6 +47,7 @@ export class PipelineSourceAction extends codepipeline.SourceAction {
   constructor(parent: cdk.Construct, name: string, props: PipelineSourceActionProps) {
     super(parent, name, {
       stage: props.stage,
+      runOrder: props.runOrder,
       provider: 'CodeCommit',
       configuration: {
         RepositoryName: props.repository.repositoryName,
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codedeploy/lib/pipeline-action.ts b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codedeploy/lib/pipeline-action.ts
index 0f79eedc7cbf6..3bf08af45f42c 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codedeploy/lib/pipeline-action.ts
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codedeploy/lib/pipeline-action.ts
@@ -1,11 +1,12 @@
-import actions = require('@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline-api');
+import codepipeline = require('@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline-api');
 import iam = require('@aws-cdk/aws-iam');
 import cdk = require('@aws-cdk/cdk');
 
 /**
  * Construction properties of the {@link PipelineDeployAction CodeDeploy deploy CodePipeline Action}.
  */
-export interface PipelineDeployActionProps extends actions.CommonActionProps {
+export interface PipelineDeployActionProps extends codepipeline.CommonActionProps,
+    codepipeline.CommonActionConstructProps {
   /**
    * The name of the CodeDeploy application to deploy to.
    *
@@ -25,13 +26,14 @@ export interface PipelineDeployActionProps extends actions.CommonActionProps {
   /**
    * The source to use as input for deployment.
    */
-  inputArtifact: actions.Artifact;
+  inputArtifact: codepipeline.Artifact;
 }
 
-export class PipelineDeployAction extends actions.DeployAction {
+export class PipelineDeployAction extends codepipeline.DeployAction {
   constructor(parent: cdk.Construct, id: string, props: PipelineDeployActionProps) {
     super(parent, id, {
       stage: props.stage,
+      runOrder: props.runOrder,
       artifactBounds: { minInputs: 1, maxInputs: 1, minOutputs: 0, maxOutputs: 0 },
       provider: 'CodeDeploy',
       inputArtifact: props.inputArtifact,
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline-api/lib/action.ts b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline-api/lib/action.ts
index 6430ad95c6ba4..85bd766a6d9a0 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline-api/lib/action.ts
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline-api/lib/action.ts
@@ -77,6 +77,20 @@ export interface IStage {
  * Common properties shared by all Actions.
  */
 export interface CommonActionProps {
+  /**
+   * The runOrder property for this Action.
+   * RunOrder determines the relative order in which multiple Actions in the same Stage execute.
+   *
+   * @default 1
+   * @see https://docs.aws.amazon.com/codepipeline/latest/userguide/reference-pipeline-structure.html
+   */
+  runOrder?: number;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Common properties shared by all Action Constructs.
+ */
+export interface CommonActionConstructProps {
   /**
    * The Pipeline Stage to add this Action to.
    */
@@ -86,7 +100,7 @@ export interface CommonActionProps {
 /**
  * Construction properties of the low-level {@link Action Action class}.
  */
-export interface ActionProps extends CommonActionProps {
+export interface ActionProps extends CommonActionProps, CommonActionConstructProps {
   category: ActionCategory;
   provider: string;
   artifactBounds: ActionArtifactBounds;
@@ -127,7 +141,7 @@ export abstract class Action extends cdk.Construct {
    *
    * https://docs.aws.amazon.com/codepipeline/latest/userguide/reference-pipeline-structure.html#action-requirements
    */
-  public runOrder: number;
+  public readonly runOrder: number;
 
   public readonly owner: string;
   public readonly version: string;
@@ -148,7 +162,7 @@ export abstract class Action extends cdk.Construct {
     this.provider = props.provider;
     this.configuration = props.configuration;
     this.artifactBounds = props.artifactBounds;
-    this.runOrder = 1;
+    this.runOrder = props.runOrder === undefined ? 1 : props.runOrder;
     this.stage = props.stage;
 
     this.stage._attachAction(this);
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 c124234ae38ce..8184ffa39f646 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline-api/lib/build-action.ts
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline-api/lib/build-action.ts
@@ -1,11 +1,11 @@
 import cdk = require("@aws-cdk/cdk");
-import { Action, ActionCategory, CommonActionProps } from "./action";
+import { Action, ActionCategory, CommonActionConstructProps, CommonActionProps } from "./action";
 import { Artifact } from "./artifact";
 
 /**
  * Construction properties of the low level {@link BuildAction build action}.
  */
-export interface BuildActionProps extends CommonActionProps {
+export interface BuildActionProps extends CommonActionProps, CommonActionConstructProps {
   /**
    * The source to use as input for this build.
    */
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ export abstract class BuildAction extends Action {
   constructor(parent: cdk.Construct, name: string, props: BuildActionProps) {
     super(parent, name, {
       stage: props.stage,
+      runOrder: props.runOrder,
       artifactBounds: { minInputs: 1, maxInputs: 1, minOutputs: 0, maxOutputs: 1 },
       category: ActionCategory.Build,
       provider: props.provider,
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 65d995018b1c7..81a352157e031 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline-api/lib/deploy-action.ts
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline-api/lib/deploy-action.ts
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 import cdk = require('@aws-cdk/cdk');
-import { Action, ActionArtifactBounds, ActionCategory, CommonActionProps } from "./action";
+import { Action, ActionArtifactBounds, ActionCategory, CommonActionConstructProps, CommonActionProps } from "./action";
 import { Artifact } from './artifact';
 
-export interface DeployActionProps extends CommonActionProps {
+export interface DeployActionProps extends CommonActionProps, CommonActionConstructProps {
   provider: string;
 
   artifactBounds: ActionArtifactBounds;
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ export abstract class DeployAction extends Action {
   constructor(parent: cdk.Construct, name: string, props: DeployActionProps) {
     super(parent, name, {
       stage: props.stage,
+      runOrder: props.runOrder,
       category: ActionCategory.Deploy,
       provider: props.provider,
       artifactBounds: props.artifactBounds,
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 a3f81d1f68519..188df78d37ec7 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 +1,11 @@
 import cdk = require("@aws-cdk/cdk");
-import { Action, ActionCategory, CommonActionProps } from "./action";
+import { Action, ActionCategory, CommonActionConstructProps, CommonActionProps } from "./action";
 import { Artifact } from "./artifact";
 
 /**
  * Construction properties of the low-level {@link SourceAction source Action}.
  */
-export interface SourceActionProps extends CommonActionProps {
+export interface SourceActionProps extends CommonActionProps, CommonActionConstructProps {
   /**
    * The source action owner (could be "AWS", "ThirdParty" or "Custom").
    *
@@ -53,6 +53,7 @@ export abstract class SourceAction extends Action {
   constructor(parent: cdk.Construct, name: string, props: SourceActionProps) {
     super(parent, name, {
       stage: props.stage,
+      runOrder: props.runOrder,
       category: ActionCategory.Source,
       owner: props.owner,
       provider: props.provider,
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 c94a8992889b4..d73b7168f9bea 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/lib/github-source-action.ts
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/lib/github-source-action.ts
@@ -4,7 +4,8 @@ import cdk = require('@aws-cdk/cdk');
 /**
  * Construction properties of the {@link GitHubSourceAction GitHub source action}.
  */
-export interface GitHubSourceActionProps extends actions.CommonActionProps {
+export interface GitHubSourceActionProps extends actions.CommonActionProps,
+    actions.CommonActionConstructProps {
   /**
    * The name of the source's output artifact. Output artifacts are used by CodePipeline as
    * inputs into other actions.
@@ -55,6 +56,7 @@ export class GitHubSourceAction extends actions.SourceAction {
   constructor(parent: cdk.Construct, name: string, props: GitHubSourceActionProps) {
     super(parent, name, {
       stage: props.stage,
+      runOrder: props.runOrder,
       owner: 'ThirdParty',
       provider: 'GitHub',
       configuration: {
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 df4d0d7318c9b..60031f1de5c59 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/lib/manual-approval-action.ts
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/lib/manual-approval-action.ts
@@ -2,7 +2,8 @@ import actions = require('@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline-api');
 import cdk = require('@aws-cdk/cdk');
 
 // tslint:disable-next-line:no-empty-interface
-export interface ManualApprovalActionProps extends actions.CommonActionProps {
+export interface ManualApprovalActionProps extends actions.CommonActionProps,
+    actions.CommonActionConstructProps {
 }
 
 /**
@@ -11,10 +12,10 @@ export interface ManualApprovalActionProps extends actions.CommonActionProps {
 export class ManualApprovalAction extends actions.Action {
   constructor(parent: cdk.Construct, name: string, props: ManualApprovalActionProps) {
     super(parent, name, {
-      stage: props.stage,
       category: actions.ActionCategory.Approval,
       provider: 'Manual',
-      artifactBounds: { minInputs: 0, maxInputs: 0, minOutputs: 0, maxOutputs: 0 }
+      artifactBounds: { minInputs: 0, maxInputs: 0, minOutputs: 0, maxOutputs: 0 },
+      ...props,
     });
   }
 }
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 ca513ebdcec49..f8f4f5dba7814 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/test/integ.lambda-pipeline.ts
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/test/integ.lambda-pipeline.ts
@@ -30,9 +30,6 @@ const lambdaFun = new lambda.Function(stack, 'LambdaFun', {
   runtime: lambda.Runtime.NodeJS610,
 });
 const lambdaStage = new codepipeline.Stage(pipeline, 'Lambda', { pipeline });
-new lambda.PipelineInvokeAction(stack, 'Lambda', {
-  stage: lambdaStage,
-  lambda: lambdaFun,
-});
+lambdaFun.addToPipeline(lambdaStage, 'Lambda');
 
 app.run();
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/test/test.pipeline.ts b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/test/test.pipeline.ts
index ccbe45851fd78..81c890292bad9 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/test/test.pipeline.ts
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline/test/test.pipeline.ts
@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@ export = {
     const s1 = new codepipeline.Stage(stack, 'Source', { pipeline: p });
     new codepipeline.GitHubSourceAction(stack, 'GH', {
       stage: s1,
+      runOrder: 8,
       artifactName: 'A',
       branch: 'branch',
       oauthToken: secret.value,
@@ -100,7 +101,7 @@ export = {
             "Name": "A"
           }
           ],
-          "RunOrder": 1
+          "RunOrder": 8
         }
         ],
         "Name": "Source"
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-lambda/README.md b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-lambda/README.md
index 4394d08f5a9db..e122151c3a28c 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-lambda/README.md
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-lambda/README.md
@@ -42,22 +42,22 @@ This module also contains an Action that allows you to invoke a Lambda function
 
 ```ts
 import codepipeline = require('@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline');
-import lambda = require('@aws-cdk/aws-lambda');
-
-const lambdaFun = new lambda.Function(this, 'MyLambda', {
-    // some lambda parameters here...
-});
 
 const pipeline = new codepipeline.Pipeline(this, 'MyPipeline');
-const lambdaStage = new codepipeline.Stage(this, 'Lambda', {
-    pipeline,
-});
+const lambdaStage = pipeline.addStage('Lambda');
 new lambda.PipelineInvokeAction(this, 'Lambda', {
     stage: lambdaStage,
-    lambda: lambdaFun,
+    lambda: fn,
 });
 ```
 
+You can also add the Lambda to the Pipeline directly:
+
+```ts
+// equivalent to the code above:
+fn.addToPipeline(lambdaStage, 'Lambda');
+```
+
 See [the AWS documentation](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/codepipeline/latest/userguide/actions-invoke-lambda-function.html)
 on how to write a Lambda function invoked from CodePipeline.
 
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-lambda/lib/lambda-ref.ts b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-lambda/lib/lambda-ref.ts
index d3047a27d6212..4fcdda6e09d2e 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-lambda/lib/lambda-ref.ts
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-lambda/lib/lambda-ref.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 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');
@@ -7,6 +8,7 @@ import s3n = require('@aws-cdk/aws-s3-notifications');
 import cdk = require('@aws-cdk/cdk');
 import { cloudformation } from './lambda.generated';
 import { Permission } from './permission';
+import { CommonPipelineInvokeActionProps, PipelineInvokeAction } from './pipeline-action';
 
 /**
  * Represents a Lambda function defined outside of this stack.
@@ -181,6 +183,23 @@ export abstract class FunctionRef extends cdk.Construct
     });
   }
 
+  /**
+   * 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,
+      lambda: this,
+      ...props,
+    });
+  }
+
   public addToRolePolicy(statement: iam.PolicyStatement) {
     if (!this.role) {
       return;
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-lambda/lib/pipeline-action.ts b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-lambda/lib/pipeline-action.ts
index 96a666ac175bd..4e37842794d85 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-lambda/lib/pipeline-action.ts
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-lambda/lib/pipeline-action.ts
@@ -4,14 +4,11 @@ import cdk = require('@aws-cdk/cdk');
 import { FunctionRef } from './lambda-ref';
 
 /**
- * Construction properties of the {@link PipelineInvokeAction Lambda invoke CodePipeline Action}.
+ * Common properties for creating a {@link PipelineInvokeAction} -
+ * either directly, through its constructor,
+ * or through {@link FunctionRef#addToPipeline}.
  */
-export interface PipelineInvokeActionProps extends codepipeline.CommonActionProps {
-  /**
-   * The lambda function to invoke.
-   */
-  lambda: FunctionRef;
-
+export interface CommonPipelineInvokeActionProps extends codepipeline.CommonActionProps {
   /**
    * String to be used in the event data parameter passed to the Lambda
    * function
@@ -40,6 +37,17 @@ export interface PipelineInvokeActionProps extends codepipeline.CommonActionProp
   addPutJobResultPolicy?: boolean;
 }
 
+/**
+ * Construction properties of the {@link PipelineInvokeAction Lambda invoke CodePipeline Action}.
+ */
+export interface PipelineInvokeActionProps extends CommonPipelineInvokeActionProps,
+    codepipeline.CommonActionConstructProps {
+  /**
+   * The lambda function to invoke.
+   */
+  lambda: FunctionRef;
+}
+
 /**
  * CodePipeline invoke Action that is provided by an AWS Lambda function.
  *
@@ -49,6 +57,7 @@ export class PipelineInvokeAction extends codepipeline.Action {
   constructor(parent: cdk.Construct, name: string, props: PipelineInvokeActionProps) {
     super(parent, name, {
       stage: props.stage,
+      runOrder: props.runOrder,
       category: codepipeline.ActionCategory.Invoke,
       provider: 'Lambda',
       artifactBounds: codepipeline.defaultBounds(),
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-s3/lib/pipeline-action.ts b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-s3/lib/pipeline-action.ts
index 026beec985ee9..7f8d8285a61ff 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-s3/lib/pipeline-action.ts
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-s3/lib/pipeline-action.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import actions = require('@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline-api');
+import codepipeline = require('@aws-cdk/aws-codepipeline-api');
 import cdk = require('@aws-cdk/cdk');
 import { BucketRef } from './bucket';
 
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ import { BucketRef } from './bucket';
  * either directly, through its constructor,
  * or through {@link BucketRef#addToPipeline}.
  */
-export interface CommonPipelineSourceActionProps {
+export interface CommonPipelineSourceActionProps extends codepipeline.CommonActionProps {
   /**
    * The name of the source's output artifact. Output artifacts are used by CodePipeline as
    * inputs into other actions.
@@ -33,7 +33,8 @@ export interface CommonPipelineSourceActionProps {
 /**
  * Construction properties of the {@link PipelineSourceAction S3 source Action}.
  */
-export interface PipelineSourceActionProps extends CommonPipelineSourceActionProps, actions.CommonActionProps {
+export interface PipelineSourceActionProps extends CommonPipelineSourceActionProps,
+    codepipeline.CommonActionConstructProps {
   /**
    * The Amazon S3 bucket that stores the source code
    */
@@ -43,10 +44,11 @@ export interface PipelineSourceActionProps extends CommonPipelineSourceActionPro
 /**
  * Source that is provided by a specific Amazon S3 object.
  */
-export class PipelineSourceAction extends actions.SourceAction {
+export class PipelineSourceAction extends codepipeline.SourceAction {
   constructor(parent: cdk.Construct, name: string, props: PipelineSourceActionProps) {
     super(parent, name, {
       stage: props.stage,
+      runOrder: props.runOrder,
       provider: 'S3',
       configuration: {
         S3Bucket: props.bucket.bucketName,