diff --git a/src/activity_actor.cpp b/src/activity_actor.cpp
index 309accf37b170..d5f18c88ab69b 100644
--- a/src/activity_actor.cpp
+++ b/src/activity_actor.cpp
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
 #include "debug.h"
 #include "enums.h"
 #include "game.h"
+#include "gates.h"
 #include "iexamine.h"
 #include "item.h"
 #include "item_location.h"
@@ -374,6 +375,40 @@ std::unique_ptr<activity_actor> migration_cancel_activity_actor::deserialize( Js
     return migration_cancel_activity_actor().clone();
 }
 
+void open_gate_activity_actor::start( player_activity &act, Character & )
+{
+    act.moves_total = moves;
+    act.moves_left = moves;
+}
+
+void open_gate_activity_actor::finish( player_activity &act, Character & )
+{
+    gates::open_gate( placement );
+    act.set_to_null();
+}
+
+void open_gate_activity_actor::serialize( JsonOut &jsout ) const
+{
+    jsout.start_object();
+
+    jsout.member( "moves", moves );
+    jsout.member( "placement", placement );
+
+    jsout.end_object();
+}
+
+std::unique_ptr<activity_actor> open_gate_activity_actor::deserialize( JsonIn &jsin )
+{
+    open_gate_activity_actor actor( 0, tripoint_zero );
+
+    JsonObject data = jsin.get_object();
+
+    data.read( "moves", actor.moves );
+    data.read( "placement", actor.placement );
+
+    return actor.clone();
+}
+
 namespace activity_actors
 {
 
@@ -383,6 +418,7 @@ deserialize_functions = {
     { activity_id( "ACT_HACKING" ), &hacking_activity_actor::deserialize },
     { activity_id( "ACT_MIGRATION_CANCEL" ), &migration_cancel_activity_actor::deserialize },
     { activity_id( "ACT_MOVE_ITEMS" ), &move_items_activity_actor::deserialize },
+    { activity_id( "ACT_OPEN_GATE" ), &open_gate_activity_actor::deserialize },
     { activity_id( "ACT_PICKUP" ), &pickup_activity_actor::deserialize },
 };
 } // namespace activity_actors
diff --git a/src/activity_actor.h b/src/activity_actor.h
index 03fcc266db84c..d593551cc9f6c 100644
--- a/src/activity_actor.h
+++ b/src/activity_actor.h
@@ -176,6 +176,32 @@ class migration_cancel_activity_actor : public activity_actor
         static std::unique_ptr<activity_actor> deserialize( JsonIn &jsin );
 };
 
+class open_gate_activity_actor : public activity_actor
+{
+    private:
+        int moves;
+        tripoint placement;
+
+    public:
+        open_gate_activity_actor( int gate_moves, const tripoint &gate_placement ) :
+            moves( gate_moves ), placement( gate_placement ) {}
+
+        activity_id get_type() const override {
+            return activity_id( "ACT_OPEN_GATE" );
+        }
+
+        void start( player_activity &act, Character & ) override;
+        void do_turn( player_activity &, Character & ) override {};
+        void finish( player_activity &act, Character & ) override;
+
+        std::unique_ptr<activity_actor> clone() const override {
+            return std::make_unique<open_gate_activity_actor>( *this );
+        }
+
+        void serialize( JsonOut &jsout ) const override;
+        static std::unique_ptr<activity_actor> deserialize( JsonIn &jsin );
+};
+
 namespace activity_actors
 {
 
diff --git a/src/activity_handlers.cpp b/src/activity_handlers.cpp
index b87717d030d8a..6f92a905ef715 100644
--- a/src/activity_handlers.cpp
+++ b/src/activity_handlers.cpp
@@ -43,7 +43,6 @@
 #include "game.h"
 #include "game_constants.h"
 #include "game_inventory.h"
-#include "gates.h"
 #include "handle_liquid.h"
 #include "harvest.h"
 #include "iexamine.h"
@@ -166,7 +165,6 @@ static const activity_id ACT_MULTIPLE_CONSTRUCTION( "ACT_MULTIPLE_CONSTRUCTION"
 static const activity_id ACT_MULTIPLE_MINE( "ACT_MULTIPLE_MINE" );
 static const activity_id ACT_MULTIPLE_FARM( "ACT_MULTIPLE_FARM" );
 static const activity_id ACT_MULTIPLE_FISH( "ACT_MULTIPLE_FISH" );
-static const activity_id ACT_OPEN_GATE( "ACT_OPEN_GATE" );
 static const activity_id ACT_OPERATION( "ACT_OPERATION" );
 static const activity_id ACT_OXYTORCH( "ACT_OXYTORCH" );
 static const activity_id ACT_PICKAXE( "ACT_PICKAXE" );
@@ -380,7 +378,6 @@ activity_handlers::finish_functions = {
     { ACT_PULP, pulp_finish },
     { ACT_CRACKING, cracking_finish },
     { ACT_LOCKPICK, lockpicking_finish },
-    { ACT_OPEN_GATE, open_gate_finish },
     { ACT_REPAIR_ITEM, repair_item_finish },
     { ACT_HEATING, heat_item_finish },
     { ACT_MEND_ITEM, mend_item_finish },
@@ -2621,14 +2618,6 @@ void activity_handlers::lockpicking_finish( player_activity *act, player *p )
     act->set_to_null();
 }
 
-void activity_handlers::open_gate_finish( player_activity *act, player * )
-{
-    // Don't use reference and don't inline, because act can change
-    const tripoint pos = act->placement;
-    gates::open_gate( pos );
-    act->set_to_null();
-}
-
 enum repeat_type : int {
     // REPEAT_INIT should be zero. In some scenarios (veh welder), activity value default to zero.
     REPEAT_INIT = 0,    // Haven't found repeat value yet.
diff --git a/src/activity_handlers.h b/src/activity_handlers.h
index 3643965983960..df6cc2eb19990 100644
--- a/src/activity_handlers.h
+++ b/src/activity_handlers.h
@@ -211,7 +211,6 @@ void plant_seed_finish( player_activity *act, player *p );
 void oxytorch_finish( player_activity *act, player *p );
 void cracking_finish( player_activity *act, player *p );
 void lockpicking_finish( player_activity *act, player *p );
-void open_gate_finish( player_activity *act, player * );
 void repair_item_finish( player_activity *act, player *p );
 void mend_item_finish( player_activity *act, player *p );
 void gunmod_add_finish( player_activity *act, player *p );
diff --git a/src/gates.cpp b/src/gates.cpp
index 41ee9aefac866..2c5f1fea2d708 100644
--- a/src/gates.cpp
+++ b/src/gates.cpp
@@ -244,8 +244,10 @@ void gates::open_gate( const tripoint &pos, player &p )
     const gate_data &gate = gates_data.obj( gid );
 
     p.add_msg_if_player( gate.pull_message );
-    p.assign_activity( ACT_OPEN_GATE, gate.moves );
-    p.activity.placement = pos;
+    p.assign_activity( player_activity( open_gate_activity_actor(
+                                            gate.moves,
+                                            pos
+                                        ) ) );
 }
 
 // Doors namespace