diff --git a/widgets/buttonoverlay.cpp b/widgets/buttonoverlay.cpp
index fecd571..ce2217d 100644
--- a/widgets/buttonoverlay.cpp
+++ b/widgets/buttonoverlay.cpp
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 #include <QComboBox>
 #include <QCursor>
 #include <QHBoxLayout>
+#include <QIcon>
 #include <QLineEdit>
 #include <QStyle>
 #include <QStyleOption>
@@ -227,17 +228,52 @@ void ButtonOverlay::insertCustomButton(int index, QWidget *button)
 }
 
 /*!
- * \brief Removes the specified custom \a button.
+ * \brief Removes the specified custom \a button; does nothing if \a button has not been added.
  *
  * The ownership of widget remains the same as when it was added.
- *
- * \remarks This function enforces the "custom approach" mentioned in the class documentation
- *          and should therefore be avoided.
  */
 void ButtonOverlay::removeCustomButton(QWidget *button)
 {
-    fallbackToUsingCustomLayout();
-    m_buttonLayout->removeWidget(button);
+    if (isUsingCustomLayout()) {
+        m_buttonLayout->removeWidget(button);
+    }
+}
+
+/*!
+ * \brief Adds a custom \a action.
+ */
+void ButtonOverlay::addCustomAction(QAction *action)
+{
+    if (auto *const le = lineEditForWidget()) {
+        le->addAction(action, QLineEdit::TrailingPosition);
+    } else {
+        addCustomButton(IconButton::fromAction(action, reinterpret_cast<std::uintptr_t>(this)));
+    }
+}
+
+/*!
+ * \brief Inserts a custom \a action at the specified \a index.
+ */
+void ButtonOverlay::insertCustomAction(int index, QAction *action)
+{
+    if (auto *const le = lineEditForWidget()) {
+        const auto actions = le->actions();
+        le->insertAction(index < actions.size() ? actions[index] : nullptr, action);
+    } else {
+        insertCustomButton(index, IconButton::fromAction(action, reinterpret_cast<std::uintptr_t>(this)));
+    }
+}
+
+/*!
+ * \brief Removes the specified custom \a action; does nothing if \a action has not been added.
+ */
+void ButtonOverlay::removeCustomAction(QAction *action)
+{
+    if (auto *const le = lineEditForWidget()) {
+        le->removeAction(action);
+    } else {
+        removeCustomButton(IconButton::fromAction(action, reinterpret_cast<std::uintptr_t>(this)));
+    }
 }
 
 /*!
@@ -284,19 +320,23 @@ void ButtonOverlay::fallbackToUsingCustomLayout()
     }
 
     // disable QLineEdit's clear button and actions; save configuration
-    const auto clearButtonEnabled = isClearButtonEnabled();
-    if (clearButtonEnabled) {
-        setClearButtonEnabled(false);
-    }
-    auto *const iconAction = static_cast<QAction *>(m_infoButtonOrAction);
+    auto clearButtonEnabled = false;
+    auto *iconAction = static_cast<QAction *>(m_infoButtonOrAction);
     QPixmap infoPixmap;
     QString infoText;
-    if (iconAction) {
-        const auto icon = iconAction->icon();
-        const auto sizes = icon.availableSizes();
-        infoPixmap = icon.pixmap(sizes.empty() ? QSize(16, 16) : sizes.front());
-        infoText = iconAction->toolTip();
-        disableInfoButton();
+    QList<QAction *> actions;
+    if (auto const *le = lineEditForWidget()) {
+        if ((clearButtonEnabled = le->isClearButtonEnabled())) {
+            setClearButtonEnabled(false);
+        }
+        if ((iconAction = static_cast<QAction *>(m_infoButtonOrAction))) {
+            const auto icon = iconAction->icon();
+            const auto sizes = icon.availableSizes();
+            infoPixmap = icon.pixmap(sizes.empty() ? QSize(16, 16) : sizes.front());
+            infoText = iconAction->toolTip();
+            disableInfoButton();
+        }
+        actions = le->actions();
     }
 
     // initialize custom layout
@@ -313,6 +353,9 @@ void ButtonOverlay::fallbackToUsingCustomLayout()
     if (iconAction) {
         enableInfoButton(infoPixmap, infoText);
     }
+    for (auto *const action : actions) {
+        addCustomAction(action);
+    }
 }
 
 /*!
diff --git a/widgets/buttonoverlay.h b/widgets/buttonoverlay.h
index 08cb54c..49f7aa6 100644
--- a/widgets/buttonoverlay.h
+++ b/widgets/buttonoverlay.h
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 
 #include <QtGlobal>
 
+QT_FORWARD_DECLARE_CLASS(QAction)
 QT_FORWARD_DECLARE_CLASS(QWidget)
 QT_FORWARD_DECLARE_CLASS(QHBoxLayout)
 QT_FORWARD_DECLARE_CLASS(QString)
@@ -43,6 +44,9 @@ public:
     void addCustomButton(QWidget *button);
     void insertCustomButton(int index, QWidget *button);
     void removeCustomButton(QWidget *button);
+    void addCustomAction(QAction *action);
+    void insertCustomAction(int index, QAction *action);
+    void removeCustomAction(QAction *action);
     virtual bool isCleared() const;
 
 protected:
diff --git a/widgets/iconbutton.cpp b/widgets/iconbutton.cpp
index 3a983dc..54cd043 100644
--- a/widgets/iconbutton.cpp
+++ b/widgets/iconbutton.cpp
@@ -1,10 +1,14 @@
 #include "./iconbutton.h"
 
+#include <c++utilities/conversion/stringbuilder.h>
+
 #include <QKeyEvent>
 #include <QStyle>
 #include <QStyleOptionFocusRect>
 #include <QStylePainter>
 
+using namespace CppUtilities;
+
 namespace QtUtilities {
 
 /*!
@@ -29,6 +33,46 @@ IconButton::~IconButton()
 {
 }
 
+/*!
+ * \brief Creates an IconButton for the specified \a action.
+ * \remarks Calling this function on the same action twice with the same \a id yields the
+ *          same instance.
+ */
+IconButton *IconButton::fromAction(QAction *action, std::uintptr_t id)
+{
+    const auto propertyName = argsToString("iconButton-", id);
+    const auto existingIconButton = action->property(propertyName.data());
+    if (!existingIconButton.isNull()) {
+        return existingIconButton.value<IconButton *>();
+    }
+    auto *const iconButton = new IconButton;
+    iconButton->assignDataFromAction(action);
+    action->setProperty(propertyName.data(), QVariant::fromValue(iconButton));
+    connect(action, &QAction::changed, iconButton, &IconButton::assignDataFromActionChangedSignal);
+    connect(iconButton, &IconButton::clicked, action, &QAction::trigger);
+    return iconButton;
+}
+
+/*!
+ * \brief Internally called to assign data from a QAction to the icon button.
+ */
+void IconButton::assignDataFromActionChangedSignal()
+{
+    assignDataFromAction(qobject_cast<const QAction *>(QObject::sender()));
+}
+
+/*!
+ * \brief Internally called to assign data from a QAction to the icon button.
+ */
+void IconButton::assignDataFromAction(const QAction *action)
+{
+    auto const icon = action->icon();
+    const auto sizes = icon.availableSizes();
+    const auto text = action->text();
+    setPixmap(icon.pixmap(sizes.empty() ? QSize(16, 16) : sizes.front()));
+    setToolTip(text.isEmpty() ? action->toolTip() : text);
+}
+
 QSize IconButton::sizeHint() const
 {
 #if QT_VERSION >= 0x050100
@@ -77,4 +121,5 @@ void IconButton::keyReleaseEvent(QKeyEvent *event)
     QAbstractButton::keyReleaseEvent(event);
     event->accept();
 }
+
 } // namespace QtUtilities
diff --git a/widgets/iconbutton.h b/widgets/iconbutton.h
index fbb04c9..68ceb5a 100644
--- a/widgets/iconbutton.h
+++ b/widgets/iconbutton.h
@@ -4,8 +4,11 @@
 #include "../global.h"
 
 #include <QAbstractButton>
+#include <QAction>
 #include <QPixmap>
 
+#include <cstdint>
+
 namespace QtUtilities {
 
 class QT_UTILITIES_EXPORT IconButton : public QAbstractButton {
@@ -16,6 +19,7 @@ public:
     explicit IconButton(QWidget *parent = nullptr);
     ~IconButton() override;
 
+    static IconButton *fromAction(QAction *action, std::uintptr_t id = 0);
     const QPixmap &pixmap() const;
     void setPixmap(const QPixmap &pixmap);
     QSize sizeHint() const override;
@@ -25,6 +29,10 @@ protected:
     void keyPressEvent(QKeyEvent *event) override;
     void keyReleaseEvent(QKeyEvent *event) override;
 
+private Q_SLOTS:
+    void assignDataFromActionChangedSignal();
+    void assignDataFromAction(const QAction *action);
+
 private:
     QPixmap m_pixmap;
 };