diff --git a/docs/labwc-actions.5.scd b/docs/labwc-actions.5.scd
index 4a76a374..96e44cb6 100644
--- a/docs/labwc-actions.5.scd
+++ b/docs/labwc-actions.5.scd
@@ -51,9 +51,13 @@ Actions are used in menus and keyboard/mouse bindings.
 	another window or screen edge. If set to "no", only move to
 	the next screen edge. Default is yes.
 
-*<action name="Resize" />*
+*<action name="Resize" direction="value" />*
 	Begin interactive resize of window under cursor.
 
+	*direction* [up|down|left|right|up-left|up-right|down-left|down-right]
+	Edge or corner from which to start resizing. If this is not provided,
+	the direction is inferred from the cursor position.
+
 *<action name="ResizeRelative" left="" right="" top="" bottom="" />*
 	Resize window relative to its current size. Values of left, right,
 	top or bottom tell how much to resize on that edge of window,
diff --git a/src/action.c b/src/action.c
index ceeffd67..7ddba0be 100644
--- a/src/action.c
+++ b/src/action.c
@@ -414,6 +414,20 @@ action_arg_from_xml_node(struct action *action, const char *nodename, const char
 			goto cleanup;
 		}
 		break;
+	case ACTION_TYPE_RESIZE:
+		if (!strcmp(argument, "direction")) {
+			enum lab_edge edge = lab_edge_parse(content,
+				/*tiled*/ true, /*any*/ false);
+			if (edge == LAB_EDGE_NONE || edge == LAB_EDGE_CENTER) {
+				wlr_log(WLR_ERROR,
+					"Invalid argument for action %s: '%s' (%s)",
+					action_names[action->type], argument, content);
+			} else {
+				action_arg_add_int(action, argument, edge);
+			}
+			goto cleanup;
+		}
+		break;
 	case ACTION_TYPE_RESIZE_RELATIVE:
 		if (!strcmp(argument, "left") || !strcmp(argument, "right") ||
 				!strcmp(argument, "top") || !strcmp(argument, "bottom")) {
@@ -1223,8 +1237,17 @@ run_action(struct view *view, struct server *server, struct action *action,
 		break;
 	case ACTION_TYPE_RESIZE:
 		if (view) {
-			enum lab_edge resize_edges = cursor_get_resize_edges(
-				server->seat.cursor, ctx);
+			/*
+			 * If a direction was specified in the config, honour it.
+			 * Otherwise, fall back to determining the resize edges from
+			 * the current cursor position (existing behaviour).
+			 */
+			enum lab_edge resize_edges =
+				action_get_int(action, "direction", LAB_EDGE_NONE);
+			if (resize_edges == LAB_EDGE_NONE) {
+				resize_edges = cursor_get_resize_edges(
+					server->seat.cursor, ctx);
+			}
 			interactive_begin(view, LAB_INPUT_STATE_RESIZE,
 				resize_edges);
 		}