diff --git a/client/coral-plugin-flags/FlagButton.js b/client/coral-plugin-flags/FlagButton.js
index 57b3d1946..3deeee1c9 100644
--- a/client/coral-plugin-flags/FlagButton.js
+++ b/client/coral-plugin-flags/FlagButton.js
@@ -11,8 +11,8 @@ class FlagButton extends Component {
   state = {
     showMenu: false,
     itemType: '',
-    detail: '',
-    description: '',
+    reason: '',
+    note: '',
     step: 0,
     posted: false
   }
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ class FlagButton extends Component {
 
   onPopupContinue = () => {
     const {postAction, addItem, updateItem, flag, id, author_id} = this.props;
-    const {itemType, field, detail, step, description, posted} = this.state;
+    const {itemType, field, reason, step, note, posted} = this.state;
 
     //Proceed to the next step or close the menu if we've reached the end
     if (step + 1 >= this.props.getPopupMenu.length) {
@@ -38,8 +38,8 @@ class FlagButton extends Component {
       this.setState({step: step + 1});
     }
 
-    // If itemType and detail are both set, post the action
-    if (itemType && detail && !posted) {
+    // If itemType and reason are both set, post the action
+    if (itemType && reason && !posted) {
       // Set the text from the "other" field if it exists.
       let item_id;
       switch(itemType) {
@@ -52,9 +52,11 @@ class FlagButton extends Component {
       }
       const action = {
         action_type: 'flag',
-        field,
-        detail,
-        description
+        metadata: {
+          field,
+          reason,
+          note
+        }
       };
       postAction(item_id, itemType, action)
         .then((action) => {
@@ -69,7 +71,7 @@ class FlagButton extends Component {
   onPopupOptionClick = (sets) => (e) => {
 
     // If the "other" option is clicked, show the other textbox
-    if(sets === 'detail' && e.target.value === 'other') {
+    if(sets === 'reason' && e.target.value === 'other') {
       this.setState({showOther: true});
     }
 
@@ -91,7 +93,7 @@ class FlagButton extends Component {
   }
 
   onOtherTextChange = (e) => {
-    this.setState({description: e.target.value});
+    this.setState({note: e.target.value});
   }
 
   handleClickOutside () {
@@ -140,16 +142,16 @@ class FlagButton extends Component {
                   )
                 }
                 {
-                  this.state.detail && <div>
-                  <label htmlFor={'description'} className={`${name}-popup-radio-label`}>
+                  this.state.reason && <div>
+                  <label htmlFor={'note'} className={`${name}-popup-radio-label`}>
                     {lang.t('flag-reason')}
                   </label><br/>
                 <textarea
                       className={`${name}-other-text`}
-                      id="description"
+                      id="note"
                       rows={4}
                       onChange={this.onOtherTextChange}
-                      value={this.state.description}/>
+                      value={this.state.note}/>
                   </div>
                 }
               </form>
diff --git a/models/action.js b/models/action.js
index ef3d0c525..79eabdd98 100644
--- a/models/action.js
+++ b/models/action.js
@@ -13,9 +13,7 @@ const ActionSchema = new Schema({
   item_type: String,
   item_id: String,
   user_id: String,
-  field: String, // Used when an action references a particular field of an object. (e.g. a flag on a username or bio)
-  detail: String, // Describes the reason for an action (e.g. 'Username is offensive')
-  description: String, // Describes the reason for the action in more detail (e.g. A description of why the comment is offensive.)
+  metadata: Object, //Holds arbitrary metadata about the action.
 }, {
   timestamps: {
     createdAt: 'created_at',
diff --git a/models/comment.js b/models/comment.js
index a855862d2..b2bd0367c 100644
--- a/models/comment.js
+++ b/models/comment.js
@@ -287,13 +287,12 @@ CommentSchema.statics.pushStatus = (id, status, assigned_by = null) => Comment.u
  * @param {String} action the new action to the comment
  * @return {Promise}
  */
-CommentSchema.statics.addAction = (item_id, user_id, action_type, field, detail) => Action.insertUserAction({
+CommentSchema.statics.addAction = (item_id, user_id, action_type, metadata) => Action.insertUserAction({
   item_id,
   item_type: 'comments',
   user_id,
   action_type,
-  field,
-  detail
+  metadata
 });
 
 /**
diff --git a/models/user.js b/models/user.js
index 287f57df2..d1be9e238 100644
--- a/models/user.js
+++ b/models/user.js
@@ -611,11 +611,10 @@ UserService.addBio = (id, bio) => (
  * @param {String} action the new action to the user
  * @return {Promise}
  */
-UserService.addAction = (item_id, user_id, action_type, field, detail) => Action.insertUserAction({
+UserService.addAction = (item_id, user_id, action_type, metadata) => Action.insertUserAction({
   item_id,
   item_type: 'users',
   user_id,
   action_type,
-  field,
-  detail
+  metadata
 });
diff --git a/routes/api/comments/index.js b/routes/api/comments/index.js
index 90b8b40f2..e8181e116 100644
--- a/routes/api/comments/index.js
+++ b/routes/api/comments/index.js
@@ -187,12 +187,11 @@ router.post('/:comment_id/actions', (req, res, next) => {
 
   const {
     action_type,
-    field,
-    detail
+    metadata
   } = req.body;
 
   Comment
-    .addAction(req.params.comment_id, req.user.id, action_type, field, detail)
+    .addAction(req.params.comment_id, req.user.id, action_type, metadata)
     .then((action) => {
       res.status(201).json(action);
     })
diff --git a/routes/api/users/index.js b/routes/api/users/index.js
index 5b0c48de8..3288a196f 100644
--- a/routes/api/users/index.js
+++ b/routes/api/users/index.js
@@ -161,12 +161,11 @@ router.put('/:user_id/bio', (req, res, next) => {
 router.post('/:user_id/actions',  authorization.needed(), (req, res, next) => {
   const {
     action_type,
-    field,
-    detail
+    metadata
   } = req.body;
 
   User
-    .addAction(req.params.user_id, req.user.id, action_type, field, detail)
+    .addAction(req.params.user_id, req.user.id, action_type, metadata)
     .then((action) => {
       res.status(201).json(action);
     })
diff --git a/tests/routes/api/comments/index.js b/tests/routes/api/comments/index.js
index 1d7ad5321..5e7045fb0 100644
--- a/tests/routes/api/comments/index.js
+++ b/tests/routes/api/comments/index.js
@@ -440,12 +440,13 @@ describe('/api/v1/comments/:comment_id/actions', () => {
       return chai.request(app)
         .post('/api/v1/comments/abc/actions')
         .set(passport.inject({id: '456', roles: ['admin']}))
-        .send({'action_type': 'flag', 'detail': 'Comment is too awesome.'})
+        .send({'action_type': 'flag', 'metadata': {'reason': 'Comment is too awesome.'}})
         .then((res) => {
           expect(res).to.have.status(201);
           expect(res).to.have.body;
           expect(res.body).to.have.property('action_type', 'flag');
-          expect(res.body).to.have.property('detail', 'Comment is too awesome.');
+          expect(res.body).to.have.property('metadata')
+            .and.to.deep.equal({'reason': 'Comment is too awesome.'});
           expect(res.body).to.have.property('item_id', 'abc');
         });
     });
diff --git a/tests/routes/api/user/index.js b/tests/routes/api/user/index.js
index 4c0c293d0..ad82b78bc 100644
--- a/tests/routes/api/user/index.js
+++ b/tests/routes/api/user/index.js
@@ -31,14 +31,16 @@ describe('/api/v1/users/:user_id/actions', () => {
       return chai.request(app)
         .post('/api/v1/users/abc/actions')
         .set(passport.inject({id: '456', roles: ['admin']}))
-        .send({'action_type': 'flag', 'detail': 'Bio is too awesome.'})
+        .send({'action_type': 'flag', 'metadata': {'reason': 'Bio is too awesome.'}})
         .then((res) => {
           expect(res).to.have.status(201);
           expect(res).to.have.body;
           expect(res.body).to.have.property('action_type', 'flag');
-          expect(res.body).to.have.property('detail', 'Bio is too awesome.');
+          expect(res.body).to.have.property('metadata')
+            .and.to.deep.equal({'reason': 'Bio is too awesome.'});
           expect(res.body).to.have.property('item_id', 'abc');
-        });
+        })
+        .catch(err => console.error(err.message));
     });
   });
 });