diff --git a/smdebug/rules/action/action.py b/smdebug/rules/action/action.py
index d7a4cd52a..989883c2d 100644
--- a/smdebug/rules/action/action.py
+++ b/smdebug/rules/action/action.py
@@ -12,12 +12,12 @@
 
 
 class Actions:
-    def __init__(self, actions_str="", rule_name=""):
+    def __init__(self, actions_str, rule_name):
         self._actions = []
         self._logger = get_logger()
         actions_str = actions_str.strip() if actions_str is not None else ""
         if actions_str == "":
-            self._logger.info(f"No action specified. Action str is {actions_str}")
+            self._logger.info(f"No action specified for rule {rule_name}.")
             return
         self._register_actions(actions_str, rule_name)
 
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ def _register_actions(self, actions_str="", rule_name=""):
                         f"Action :{action_dict['name']} not supported. Allowed action names are: {ALLOWED_ACTIONS}"
                     )
 
-    def invoke(self):
+    def invoke(self, message=""):
         self._logger.info("Invoking actions")
         for action in self._actions:
-            action.invoke()
+            action.invoke(message)
diff --git a/smdebug/rules/action/message_action.py b/smdebug/rules/action/message_action.py
index cdf9c39e2..36d1005b0 100644
--- a/smdebug/rules/action/message_action.py
+++ b/smdebug/rules/action/message_action.py
@@ -141,5 +141,5 @@ def _send_message(self, message):
         self._last_send_mesg_response = response
         return response
 
-    def invoke(self, message=None):
+    def invoke(self, message):
         self._send_message(message)
diff --git a/smdebug/rules/action/stop_training_action.py b/smdebug/rules/action/stop_training_action.py
index c60ac60fb..2b22c3f47 100644
--- a/smdebug/rules/action/stop_training_action.py
+++ b/smdebug/rules/action/stop_training_action.py
@@ -81,15 +81,19 @@ def _get_sm_tj_jobs_with_prefix(self):
 
         return list(found_job_dict.keys())
 
-    def _stop_training_job(self):
+    def _stop_training_job(self, message):
         if len(self._found_jobs) != 1:
             return
-        self._logger.info(f"Invoking StopTrainingJob action on SM jobname:{self._found_jobs}")
+        if message != "":
+            message = f"with message {message}"
+        self._logger.info(
+            f"Invoking StopTrainingJob action on SM jobname {self._found_jobs} {message}"
+        )
         try:
             res = self._sm_client.stop_training_job(TrainingJobName=self._found_jobs[0])
             self._logger.info(f"Stop Training job response:{res}")
         except Exception as e:
             self._logger.info(f"Got exception while stopping training job{self._found_jobs[0]}:{e}")
 
-    def invoke(self, message=None):
-        self._stop_training_job()
+    def invoke(self, message):
+        self._stop_training_job(message)
diff --git a/smdebug/rules/rule.py b/smdebug/rules/rule.py
index 5e20272fd..6cbf27d9a 100644
--- a/smdebug/rules/rule.py
+++ b/smdebug/rules/rule.py
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
 
 # This is Rule interface
 class Rule(ABC):
-    def __init__(self, base_trial, other_trials=None, action_str=""):
+    def __init__(self, base_trial, action_str, other_trials=None):
         self.base_trial = base_trial
         self.other_trials = other_trials
 
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ def __init__(self, base_trial, other_trials=None, action_str=""):
 
         self.logger = get_logger()
         self.rule_name = self.__class__.__name__
-        self._actions = Actions(actions_str=action_str, rule_name=self.rule_name)
+        self._actions = Actions(action_str, rule_name=self.rule_name)
         self.report = {
             "RuleTriggered": 0,
             "Violations": 0,
diff --git a/tests/analysis/rules/test_rule_no_refresh.py b/tests/analysis/rules/test_rule_no_refresh.py
index 61a16d8b5..1a5924c20 100644
--- a/tests/analysis/rules/test_rule_no_refresh.py
+++ b/tests/analysis/rules/test_rule_no_refresh.py
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
 def test_no_refresh_invocation():
     class TestRule(Rule):
         def __init__(self, base_trial):
-            super().__init__(base_trial=base_trial)
+            super().__init__(base_trial=base_trial, action_str="")
 
         def set_required_tensors(self, step):
             for t in self.base_trial.tensor_names():
diff --git a/tests/rules/action/test_message_action.py b/tests/rules/action/test_message_action.py
index b1b0d44a1..f5c72eda4 100644
--- a/tests/rules/action/test_message_action.py
+++ b/tests/rules/action/test_message_action.py
@@ -6,13 +6,13 @@
 
 def test_action_stop_training_job():
     action_str = '{"name": "stoptraining" , "training_job_prefix":"training_prefix"}'
-    action = Actions(actions_str=action_str)
+    action = Actions(actions_str=action_str, rule_name="test_rule")
     action.invoke()
 
 
 def test_action_stop_training_job_invalid_params():
     action_str = '{"name": "stoptraining" , "invalid_job_prefix":"training_prefix"}'
-    action = Actions(actions_str=action_str)
+    action = Actions(actions_str=action_str, rule_name="test_rule")
     action.invoke()