diff --git a/intake/app.py b/intake/app.py
index 2542bd1..ed000e1 100644
--- a/intake/app.py
+++ b/intake/app.py
@@ -422,6 +422,34 @@ def wsgi():
 #
 
 
+def to_api_model(item: Item) -> dict:
+    """
+    Convert an item to a JSON representation for the frontend.
+    """
+    result = {
+        "source": item.source.source_name,
+        "id": item["id"],
+        "created": item["created"],
+        "active": item["active"],
+    }
+    for unchanged_field in (
+        "title",
+        "author",
+        "body",
+        "link",
+        "time",
+        "tags",
+        "tts",
+        "ttl",
+        "ttd",
+    ):
+        if val := item.get(unchanged_field):
+            result[unchanged_field] = val
+    if actions := item.get("action"):
+        result["actions"] = list(actions.keys())
+    return result
+
+
 @app.get("/api/v1/items")
 # @auth_check
 def items():
@@ -449,9 +477,9 @@ def items():
         response = jsonify({"error": "One of channel and source may be specified"})
         response.status_code = 400
         return response
-    
+
     source_names = []
-    
+
     # If the channel was specified, load the channel defs to get the sources
     if filter_channel:
         channels_config_path = data_path / "channels.json"
@@ -485,7 +513,7 @@ def items():
             for item in source.get_all_items()
             if not item.is_hidden or show_hidden
         ],
-        key=item_sort_key
+        key=item_sort_key,
     )
 
     # Apply paging filters
@@ -496,7 +524,7 @@ def items():
     # Return the result set
     response_params = {
         "count": len(paged_items),
-        "items": list(map(lambda item: item.as_json(), paged_items)),
+        "items": list(map(to_api_model, paged_items)),
     }
     if page > 0:
         response_params["prev"] = page - 1
diff --git a/intake/crontab.py b/intake/crontab.py
index 934a5c0..f48bc37 100644
--- a/intake/crontab.py
+++ b/intake/crontab.py
@@ -53,7 +53,6 @@ def update_crontab_entries(data_path: Path):
     section_found = False
     in_section = False
     for i in range(len(crontab_lines)):
-
         if not section_found and crontab_lines[i] == INTAKE_CRON_BEGIN:
             section_found = True
             in_section = True
diff --git a/intake/source.py b/intake/source.py
index 50b83af..e544919 100755
--- a/intake/source.py
+++ b/intake/source.py
@@ -109,9 +109,6 @@ class Item:
     def serialize(self, indent=True):
         return json.dumps(self._item, indent=2 if indent else None)
 
-    def as_json(self):
-        return {"source": self.source.source_name, **self._item}
-
     def update_from(self, updated: "Item") -> None:
         for field in (
             "title",