diff --git a/bin/addons/base/base_update.xml b/bin/addons/base/base_update.xml
index 180bd134a6e..3b969817d47 100644
--- a/bin/addons/base/base_update.xml
+++ b/bin/addons/base/base_update.xml
@@ -230,16 +230,31 @@
                   <field colspan="4" nolabel="1" name="groups_id"/>
                 </group>
 
-                <xpath expr='//button[@name="action_skip"]'
-                       position='attributes'>
-                  <attribute name='string'>Done</attribute>
-                  <attribute name='icon'>gtk-go-forward</attribute>
-                </xpath>
                 <xpath expr='//button[@name="action_next"]'
                        position='attributes'>
+                  <attribute name="name">action_add</attribute>
                   <attribute name='string'>Add User</attribute>
                   <attribute name='icon'>gtk-add</attribute>
                 </xpath>
+
+                <xpath expr='//button[@name="action_skip"]'
+                       position='attributes'>
+                  <!-- if this one is performed first, it transforms
+                       the action_skip into action_next, and the
+                       transformation of action_next to action_add,
+                       since it uses first-match, transforms the same
+                       button. And we end up with [add] [next] instead
+                       of [next] [add]
+
+                       Would probably be simpler to just replace both
+                       by nothing and create a pair of brand new
+                       buttons... but we'd have to handle the groups
+                       around the buttons... oh well...
+                  -->
+                  <attribute name="name">action_next</attribute>
+                  <attribute name='string'>Done</attribute>
+                  <attribute name='icon'>gtk-go-forward</attribute>
+                </xpath>
               </data>
             </field>
         </record>
diff --git a/bin/addons/base/res/res_config.py b/bin/addons/base/res/res_config.py
index e3b3d2df167..85a363c58a2 100644
--- a/bin/addons/base/res/res_config.py
+++ b/bin/addons/base/res/res_config.py
@@ -60,11 +60,30 @@ class res_config_configurable(osv.osv_memory):
                                   'getting next %s' % todos)
         active_todos = todos.search(cr, uid, [('state','=','open'),
                                               ('active','=',True)],
-                                    limit=1, context=None)
+                                    limit=1)
         if active_todos:
             return todos.browse(cr, uid, active_todos[0], context=None)
         return None
 
+    def _set_previous_todo(self, cr, uid, state):
+        """ lookup the previous (which is still the next at this point)
+        ir.actions.todo, set it to whatever state was provided.
+
+        Raises
+        `LookupError`: if we couldn't find *any* previous todo
+        `ValueError`: if no state is provided
+        anything ir_actions_todo.write can throw
+        """
+        # this is ultra brittle, but apart from storing the todo id
+        # into the res.config view, I'm not sure how to do it
+        previous_todo = self._next_action(cr, uid)
+        if not previous_todo:
+            raise LookupError(_("Couldn't find previous ir.actions.todo"))
+        if not state:
+            raise ValueError(_("Can't set an ir.actions.todo's state to "
+                               "nothingness"))
+        previous_todo.write({'state':state})
+
     def _next(self, cr, uid):
         self.logger.notifyChannel('actions', netsvc.LOG_INFO,
                                   'getting next operation')
@@ -72,9 +91,6 @@ class res_config_configurable(osv.osv_memory):
         self.logger.notifyChannel('actions', netsvc.LOG_INFO,
                                   'next action is %s' % next)
         if next:
-            self.pool.get('ir.actions.todo').write(cr, uid, next.id, {
-                    'state':'done',
-                    }, context=None)
             action = next.action_id
             return {
                 'view_mode': action.view_mode,
@@ -93,21 +109,73 @@ class res_config_configurable(osv.osv_memory):
         # return the action associated with the menu
         return self.pool.get(current_user_menu.type)\
             .read(cr, uid, current_user_menu.id)
+
     def next(self, cr, uid, ids, context=None):
+        """ Returns the next action to execute execute (using the default
+        sort order)
+        """
         return self._next(cr, uid)
 
     def execute(self, cr, uid, ids, context=None):
+        """ Method called when the user clicks on the ``Next`` button.
+
+        Execute *must* be overloaded unless ``action_next`` is overloaded
+        (which is something you generally don't need to do).
+
+        If ``execute`` returns an action dictionary, that action is executed
+        rather than just going to the next configuration item.
+        """
         raise NotImplementedError(
             'Configuration items need to implement execute')
     def cancel(self, cr, uid, ids, context=None):
+        """ Method called when the user click on the ``Skip`` button.
+
+        ``cancel`` should be overloaded instead of ``action_skip``. As with
+        ``execute``, if it returns an action dictionary that action is
+        executed in stead of the default (going to the next configuration item)
+
+        The default implementation is a NOOP.
+        """
         pass
 
     def action_next(self, cr, uid, ids, context=None):
+        """ Action handler for the ``next`` event.
+
+        Sets the status of the todo the event was sent from to
+        ``done``, calls ``execute`` and -- unless ``execute`` returned
+        an action dictionary -- executes the action provided by calling
+        ``next``.
+        """
+        self._set_previous_todo(cr, uid, state='done')
         next = self.execute(cr, uid, ids, context=None)
         if next: return next
         return self.next(cr, uid, ids, context=context)
 
     def action_skip(self, cr, uid, ids, context=None):
+        """ Action handler for the ``skip`` event.
+
+        Sets the status of the todo the event was sent from to
+        ``skip``, calls ``cancel`` and -- unless ``cancel`` returned
+        an action dictionary -- executes the action provided by calling
+        ``next``.
+        """
+        self._set_previous_todo(cr, uid, state='skip')
+        next = self.cancel(cr, uid, ids, context=None)
+        if next: return next
+        return self.next(cr, uid, ids, context=context)
+
+    def action_cancel(self, cr, uid, ids, context=None):
+        """ Action handler for the ``cancel`` event. That event isn't
+        generated by the res.config.view.base inheritable view, the
+        inherited view has to overload one of the buttons (or add one
+        more).
+
+        Sets the status of the todo the event was sent from to
+        ``cancel``, calls ``cancel`` and -- unless ``cancel`` returned
+        an action dictionary -- executes the action provided by calling
+        ``next``.
+        """
+        self._set_previous_todo(cr, uid, state='cancel')
         next = self.cancel(cr, uid, ids, context=None)
         if next: return next
         return self.next(cr, uid, ids, context=context)
diff --git a/bin/addons/base/res/res_user.py b/bin/addons/base/res/res_user.py
index eff550deba0..43f91e69917 100644
--- a/bin/addons/base/res/res_user.py
+++ b/bin/addons/base/res/res_user.py
@@ -388,8 +388,11 @@ class config_users(osv.osv_memory):
                              body=self.get_welcome_mail_body(
                                  cr, uid, context=context) % user_data,
                              reply_to="no@reply.to")
-
     def execute(self, cr, uid, ids, context=None):
+        'Do nothing on execution, just launch the next action/todo'
+        pass
+    def action_add(self, cr, uid, ids, context=None):
+        'Create a user, and re-display the view'
         self.create_user(cr, uid, ids[0], context=context)
         return {
             'view_type': 'form',