diff --git a/src/data/script.ts b/src/data/script.ts
index 6b83157bde..81a90d0ed2 100644
--- a/src/data/script.ts
+++ b/src/data/script.ts
@@ -70,10 +70,15 @@ export interface DelayAction {
   delay: number | Partial<DelayActionParts> | string;
 }
 
-export interface SceneAction {
+export interface ServiceSceneAction extends ServiceAction {
+  service: "scene.turn_on";
+  metadata: Record<string, any>;
+}
+export interface LegacySceneAction {
   alias?: string;
   scene: string;
 }
+export type SceneAction = ServiceSceneAction | LegacySceneAction;
 
 export interface WaitAction {
   alias?: string;
@@ -153,7 +158,8 @@ export interface ActionTypes {
   check_condition: Condition;
   fire_event: EventAction;
   device_action: DeviceAction;
-  activate_scene: SceneAction;
+  legacy_activate_scene: LegacySceneAction;
+  activate_scene: ServiceSceneAction;
   repeat: RepeatAction;
   choose: ChooseAction;
   wait_for_trigger: WaitForTriggerAction;
@@ -218,7 +224,7 @@ export const getActionType = (action: Action): ActionType => {
     return "device_action";
   }
   if ("scene" in action) {
-    return "activate_scene";
+    return "legacy_activate_scene";
   }
   if ("repeat" in action) {
     return "repeat";
@@ -233,6 +239,14 @@ export const getActionType = (action: Action): ActionType => {
     return "variables";
   }
   if ("service" in action) {
+    if ("metadata" in action) {
+      if (
+        (action as ServiceAction).service === "scene.turn_on" &&
+        !Array.isArray((action as ServiceAction)?.target?.entity_id)
+      ) {
+        return "activate_scene";
+      }
+    }
     return "service";
   }
   return "unknown";
diff --git a/src/data/script_i18n.ts b/src/data/script_i18n.ts
index 338cb7c234..a8f2b76356 100644
--- a/src/data/script_i18n.ts
+++ b/src/data/script_i18n.ts
@@ -11,7 +11,8 @@ import {
   DelayAction,
   EventAction,
   getActionType,
-  SceneAction,
+  LegacySceneAction,
+  ServiceSceneAction,
   VariablesAction,
   WaitForTriggerAction,
 } from "./script";
@@ -102,14 +103,22 @@ export const describeAction = <T extends ActionType>(
     return `Delay ${duration}`;
   }
 
-  if (actionType === "activate_scene") {
-    const config = action as SceneAction;
+  if (actionType === "legacy_activate_scene") {
+    const config = action as LegacySceneAction;
     const sceneStateObj = hass.states[config.scene];
     return `Activate scene ${
       sceneStateObj ? computeStateName(sceneStateObj) : config.scene
     }`;
   }
 
+  if (actionType === "activate_scene") {
+    const config = action as ServiceSceneAction;
+    const sceneStateObj = hass.states[config.target!.entity_id as string];
+    return `Activate scene ${
+      sceneStateObj ? computeStateName(sceneStateObj) : config.target!.entity_id
+    }`;
+  }
+
   if (actionType === "wait_for_trigger") {
     const config = action as WaitForTriggerAction;
     return `Wait for ${ensureArray(config.wait_for_trigger)
diff --git a/src/panels/config/automation/action/ha-automation-action-row.ts b/src/panels/config/automation/action/ha-automation-action-row.ts
index c4e90994bf..5c103e9e67 100644
--- a/src/panels/config/automation/action/ha-automation-action-row.ts
+++ b/src/panels/config/automation/action/ha-automation-action-row.ts
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ import "../../../../components/ha-card";
 import "../../../../components/ha-alert";
 import "../../../../components/ha-icon-button";
 import type { HaYamlEditor } from "../../../../components/ha-yaml-editor";
-import type { Action } from "../../../../data/script";
+import type { Action, ServiceSceneAction } from "../../../../data/script";
 import { showConfirmationDialog } from "../../../../dialogs/generic/show-dialog-box";
 import { haStyle } from "../../../../resources/styles";
 import type { HomeAssistant } from "../../../../types";
@@ -44,8 +44,28 @@ const OPTIONS = [
   "device_id",
 ];
 
-const getType = (action: Action | undefined) =>
-  action ? OPTIONS.find((option) => option in action) : undefined;
+const getType = (action: Action | undefined) => {
+  if (!action) {
+    return undefined;
+  }
+  if ("metadata" in action && action.service) {
+    switch (action.service) {
+      case "scene.turn_on":
+        // we dont support arrays of entities
+        if (
+          !Array.isArray(
+            (action as unknown as ServiceSceneAction).target?.entity_id
+          )
+        ) {
+          return "scene";
+        }
+        break;
+      default:
+        break;
+    }
+  }
+  return OPTIONS.find((option) => option in action);
+};
 
 declare global {
   // for fire event
diff --git a/src/panels/config/automation/action/types/ha-automation-action-scene.ts b/src/panels/config/automation/action/types/ha-automation-action-scene.ts
index 6af3f06c40..a9d02b83ba 100644
--- a/src/panels/config/automation/action/types/ha-automation-action-scene.ts
+++ b/src/panels/config/automation/action/types/ha-automation-action-scene.ts
@@ -16,11 +16,23 @@ export class HaSceneAction extends LitElement implements ActionElement {
   @property() public action!: SceneAction;
 
   public static get defaultConfig(): SceneAction {
-    return { scene: "" };
+    return {
+      service: "scene.turn_on",
+      target: {
+        entity_id: "",
+      },
+      metadata: {},
+    };
   }
 
   protected render() {
-    const { scene } = this.action;
+    let scene;
+
+    if ("scene" in this.action) {
+      scene = this.action.scene;
+    } else {
+      scene = this.action.target?.entity_id;
+    }
 
     return html`
       <ha-entity-picker
@@ -36,7 +48,13 @@ export class HaSceneAction extends LitElement implements ActionElement {
   private _entityPicked(ev: PolymerChangedEvent<string>) {
     ev.stopPropagation();
     fireEvent(this, "value-changed", {
-      value: { ...this.action, scene: ev.detail.value },
+      value: {
+        service: "scene.turn_on",
+        target: {
+          entity_id: ev.detail.value,
+        },
+        metadata: {},
+      },
     });
   }
 }