diff --git a/include/action.h b/include/action.h
index 7130d701..b8a271e9 100644
--- a/include/action.h
+++ b/include/action.h
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ struct action {
 struct action *action_create(const char *action_name);
 
 bool action_is_valid(struct action *action);
+bool action_is_show_menu(struct action *action);
 
 void action_arg_add_str(struct action *action, const char *key, const char *value);
 void action_arg_add_actionlist(struct action *action, const char *key);
diff --git a/src/action.c b/src/action.c
index 21ce7bfe..3b03558c 100644
--- a/src/action.c
+++ b/src/action.c
@@ -606,6 +606,12 @@ action_is_valid(struct action *action)
 	return false;
 }
 
+bool
+action_is_show_menu(struct action *action)
+{
+	return action->type == ACTION_TYPE_SHOW_MENU;
+}
+
 void
 action_free(struct action *action)
 {
diff --git a/src/menu/menu.c b/src/menu/menu.c
index ee1c66ef..54df18e2 100644
--- a/src/menu/menu.c
+++ b/src/menu/menu.c
@@ -115,7 +115,12 @@ validate_menu(struct menu *menu)
 	struct action *action, *action_tmp;
 	wl_list_for_each(item, &menu->menuitems, link) {
 		wl_list_for_each_safe(action, action_tmp, &item->actions, link) {
-			if (!action_is_valid(action)) {
+			bool is_show_menu = action_is_show_menu(action);
+			if (!action_is_valid(action) || is_show_menu) {
+				if (is_show_menu) {
+					wlr_log(WLR_ERROR, "'ShowMenu' action is"
+						" not allowed in menu items");
+				}
 				wl_list_remove(&action->link);
 				action_free(action);
 				wlr_log(WLR_ERROR, "Removed invalid menu action");