diff --git a/cmd/actionExecute.go b/cmd/actionExecute.go
index 2ea29a2..3f56ca6 100644
--- a/cmd/actionExecute.go
+++ b/cmd/actionExecute.go
@@ -1,8 +1,12 @@
 package cmd
 
 import (
+	"encoding/json"
+	"fmt"
 	"log"
+	"time"
 
+	"github.com/Jaculabilis/intake/core"
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
 )
 
@@ -10,13 +14,83 @@ var actionExecuteCmd = &cobra.Command{
 	Use:     "execute",
 	Aliases: []string{"exec"},
 	Short:   "Run a source action for an item",
-	Long: `
-`,
+	Long: fmt.Sprintf(`Execute a source action for an item.
+
+The "fetch" action is special and does not execute for any specific item.
+Use "intake source fetch" to run the fetch action.
+
+In a dry run, the item will be printed in the chosen format and not updated.
+
+%s`, makeFormatHelpText()),
 	Run: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
-		log.Fatal("not implemented")
+		actionExecute()
 	},
 }
 
+var actionExecuteSource string
+var actionExecuteAction string
+var actionExecuteItem string
+var actionExecuteFormat string
+var actionExecuteDryRun bool
+
 func init() {
 	actionCmd.AddCommand(actionExecuteCmd)
+
+	actionExecuteCmd.PersistentFlags().StringVarP(&actionExecuteSource, "source", "s", "", "Source of the item")
+	actionExecuteCmd.MarkFlagRequired("source")
+
+	actionExecuteCmd.PersistentFlags().StringVarP(&actionExecuteItem, "item", "i", "", "Item to run action on")
+	actionExecuteCmd.MarkFlagRequired("item")
+
+	actionExecuteCmd.PersistentFlags().StringVarP(&actionExecuteAction, "action", "a", "", "Action to run")
+	actionExecuteCmd.MarkFlagRequired("action")
+
+	actionExecuteCmd.Flags().StringVarP(&actionExecuteFormat, "format", "f", "headlines", "Feed format for returned items.")
+	actionExecuteCmd.Flags().BoolVar(&actionExecuteDryRun, "dry-run", false, "Instead of updating the item, print it")
+}
+
+func actionExecute() {
+	formatter := formatAs(actionExecuteFormat)
+
+	if actionExecuteSource == "" {
+		log.Fatal("error: --source is empty")
+	}
+	if actionExecuteAction == "" {
+		log.Fatal("error: --action is empty")
+	}
+	if actionExecuteItem == "" {
+		log.Fatal("error: --item is empty")
+	}
+
+	db := openAndMigrateDb()
+
+	argv, err := core.GetArgvForAction(db, actionExecuteSource, actionExecuteAction)
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Fatalf("error: failed to get action: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	item, err := core.GetItem(db, actionExecuteSource, actionExecuteItem)
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Fatalf("error: failed to get item: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	itemJson, err := json.Marshal(item)
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Fatalf("error: failed to serialize item: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	newItem, err := core.Execute(actionExecuteSource, argv, nil, string(itemJson), time.Minute)
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Fatalf("error: failed to execute action: %v", err)
+	}
+	if len(newItem) != 1 {
+		log.Fatalf("error: expected action to produce exactly one item, got %d", len(newItem))
+	}
+
+	if actionExecuteDryRun {
+		fmt.Println(formatter(newItem[0]))
+		return
+	}
+
+	// TODO
 }
diff --git a/core/source.go b/core/source.go
index d29340b..f220220 100644
--- a/core/source.go
+++ b/core/source.go
@@ -135,6 +135,22 @@ func getItems(db *DB, query string, args ...any) ([]Item, error) {
 	return items, nil
 }
 
+func GetItem(db *DB, source string, id string) (Item, error) {
+	items, err := getItems(db, `
+		select source, id, created, active, title, author, body, link, time
+		from items
+		where source = ?
+		and id = ?
+	`, source, id)
+	if err != nil {
+		return Item{}, err
+	}
+	if len(items) == 0 {
+		return Item{}, fmt.Errorf("no item in %s with id %s", source, id)
+	}
+	return items[0], nil
+}
+
 func GetAllActiveItems(db *DB) ([]Item, error) {
 	return getItems(db, `
 		select