diff --git a/gtk/gtkapplicationprivate.h b/gtk/gtkapplicationprivate.h
index 4ff3b2b27e..b2b9b9c77b 100644
--- a/gtk/gtkapplicationprivate.h
+++ b/gtk/gtkapplicationprivate.h
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ G_GNUC_INTERNAL
 void                    gtk_application_window_unpublish                (GtkApplicationWindow *window);
 
 G_GNUC_INTERNAL
-GSimpleActionObserver * gtk_application_window_get_observer             (GtkApplicationWindow *window,
+GSimpleActionObserver * gtk_application_window_create_observer          (GtkApplicationWindow *window,
                                                                          const gchar          *action_name,
                                                                          GVariant             *target);
 
diff --git a/gtk/gtkapplicationwindow.c b/gtk/gtkapplicationwindow.c
index cb073f35e6..d8538c3e8d 100644
--- a/gtk/gtkapplicationwindow.c
+++ b/gtk/gtkapplicationwindow.c
@@ -984,9 +984,9 @@ gtk_application_window_set_show_menubar (GtkApplicationWindow *window,
 }
 
 GSimpleActionObserver *
-gtk_application_window_get_observer (GtkApplicationWindow *window,
-                                     const gchar          *action_name,
-                                     GVariant             *target)
+gtk_application_window_create_observer (GtkApplicationWindow *window,
+                                        const gchar          *action_name,
+                                        GVariant             *target)
 {
   g_return_val_if_fail (GTK_IS_APPLICATION_WINDOW (window), NULL);
 
diff --git a/gtk/gtkbutton.c b/gtk/gtkbutton.c
index f6474f353b..cc159c45a6 100644
--- a/gtk/gtkbutton.c
+++ b/gtk/gtkbutton.c
@@ -709,9 +709,9 @@ gtk_button_update_action_observer (GtkButton *button)
     {
       GSimpleActionObserver *observer;
 
-      observer = gtk_application_window_get_observer (GTK_APPLICATION_WINDOW (window),
-                                                      button->priv->action_name,
-                                                      button->priv->action_target);
+      observer = gtk_application_window_create_observer (GTK_APPLICATION_WINDOW (window),
+                                                         button->priv->action_name,
+                                                         button->priv->action_target);
 
       _gtk_button_set_depressed (button, g_simple_action_observer_get_active (observer));
 
diff --git a/gtk/gtkswitch.c b/gtk/gtkswitch.c
index e67fce66ca..57d81e0495 100644
--- a/gtk/gtkswitch.c
+++ b/gtk/gtkswitch.c
@@ -713,12 +713,11 @@ gtk_switch_update_action_observer (GtkSwitch *sw)
     {
       GSimpleActionObserver *observer;
 
-      observer = gtk_application_window_get_observer (GTK_APPLICATION_WINDOW (window),
-                                                      sw->priv->action_name,
-                                                      sw->priv->action_target);
+      observer = gtk_application_window_create_observer (GTK_APPLICATION_WINDOW (window),
+                                                         sw->priv->action_name,
+                                                         sw->priv->action_target);
 
-      if (g_object_class_find_property (G_OBJECT_GET_CLASS (sw), "active"))
-        g_object_bind_property (observer, "active", sw, "active", G_BINDING_SYNC_CREATE);
+      g_object_bind_property (observer, "active", sw, "active", G_BINDING_SYNC_CREATE);
       g_object_bind_property (observer, "enabled", sw, "sensitive", G_BINDING_SYNC_CREATE);
 
       sw->priv->action_observer = observer;
@@ -733,15 +732,12 @@ gtk_switch_set_action_name (GtkActionable *actionable,
 
   g_return_if_fail (GTK_IS_SWITCH (sw));
 
-  if (g_strcmp0 (action_name, sw->priv->action_name) != 0)
-    {
-      g_free (sw->priv->action_name);
-      sw->priv->action_name = g_strdup (action_name);
+  g_free (sw->priv->action_name);
+  sw->priv->action_name = g_strdup (action_name);
 
-      gtk_switch_update_action_observer (sw);
+  gtk_switch_update_action_observer (sw);
 
-      g_object_notify (G_OBJECT (sw), "action-name");
-    }
+  g_object_notify (G_OBJECT (sw), "action-name");
 }
 
 static void