diff --git a/addons/web/static/src/js/chrome/view_manager.js b/addons/web/static/src/js/chrome/view_manager.js
index aa0b383fd92..bc441f7accf 100644
--- a/addons/web/static/src/js/chrome/view_manager.js
+++ b/addons/web/static/src/js/chrome/view_manager.js
@@ -547,7 +547,7 @@ var ViewManager = Widget.extend(ControlPanelMixin, {
      *
      * @param {Object} action_data the action descriptor data
      * @param {String} action_data.name the action name, used to uniquely identify the action to find and execute it
-     * @param {String} [action_data.special=null] special action handlers (currently: only ``'cancel'``)
+     * @param {String} [action_data.special=null] special action handlers, closes the dialog if set
      * @param {String} [action_data.type='workflow'] the action type, if present, one of ``'object'``, ``'action'`` or ``'workflow'``
      * @param {Object} [action_data.context=null] additional action context, to add to the current context
      * @param {DataSet} dataset a dataset object used to communicate with the server
@@ -589,7 +589,7 @@ var ViewManager = Widget.extend(ControlPanelMixin, {
             }
         };
 
-        if (action_data.special === 'cancel') {
+        if (action_data.special) {
             return handler({"type":"ir.actions.act_window_close"});
         } else if (action_data.type === "object") {
             var args = record_id ? [[record_id]] : [this.env.ids];
diff --git a/addons/web/static/src/js/views/form/form_controller.js b/addons/web/static/src/js/views/form/form_controller.js
index 99d21552be6..4239edbb199 100644
--- a/addons/web/static/src/js/views/form/form_controller.js
+++ b/addons/web/static/src/js/views/form/form_controller.js
@@ -334,9 +334,9 @@ var FormController = BasicController.extend({
                 d.resolve();
             });
             def = d.promise();
-        } else if (attrs.special) {
+        } else if (attrs.special === 'cancel') {
             def = this._callButtonAction(attrs, event.data.record);
-        } else {
+        } else if (!attrs.special || attrs.special === 'save') {
             // save the record but don't switch to readonly mode
             def = this.saveRecord(this.handle, {
                 stayInEdit: true,
diff --git a/addons/web/static/tests/views/form_tests.js b/addons/web/static/tests/views/form_tests.js
index 7afb8545934..ec41f21bfc1 100644
--- a/addons/web/static/tests/views/form_tests.js
+++ b/addons/web/static/tests/views/form_tests.js
@@ -1453,6 +1453,40 @@ QUnit.module('Views', {
         form.$('button').eq(1).click();
         assert.strictEqual(writeCount, 1, "should not have triggered a write");
         assert.strictEqual(executeActionCount, 2, "should have triggered a execute action");
+
+        form.destroy();
+    });
+
+    QUnit.test('buttons with attr "special=save" save', function (assert) {
+        assert.expect(4);
+
+        var form = createView({
+            View: FormView,
+            model: 'partner',
+            data: this.data,
+            arch: '<form string="Partners">' +
+                        '<field name="foo"/>' +
+                        '<button string="Save" class="btn-primary" special="save"/>' +
+                '</form>',
+            res_id: 1,
+            intercepts: {
+                execute_action: function () {
+                    assert.step('execute_action');
+                },
+            },
+            mockRPC: function (route, args) {
+                assert.step(args.method);
+                return this._super(route, args);
+            },
+            viewOptions: {
+                mode: 'edit',
+            },
+        });
+
+        form.$('input').val("tralala").trigger('input'); // make the record dirty
+        form.$('button').click(); // click on Save
+        assert.verifySteps(['read', 'write', 'execute_action']);
+
         form.destroy();
     });
 
diff --git a/doc/reference/views.rst b/doc/reference/views.rst
index 4dedb51b95c..ce931aad417 100644
--- a/doc/reference/views.rst
+++ b/doc/reference/views.rst
@@ -350,7 +350,13 @@ system. Available semantic components are:
 
 ``button``
   call into the Odoo system, similar to :ref:`list view buttons
-  <reference/views/list/button>`
+  <reference/views/list/button>`. In addition, the following attribute can be
+  specified:
+
+  ``special``
+    for form views opened in dialogs: ``save`` to save the record and close the
+    dialog, ``cancel`` to close the dialog without saving.
+
 ``field``
   renders (and allow edition of, possibly) a single field of the current
   record. Possible attributes are: