diff --git a/java/maven/apichanges.xml b/java/maven/apichanges.xml
index 3b2f5a33aaf1..8854fb3799e7 100644
--- a/java/maven/apichanges.xml
+++ b/java/maven/apichanges.xml
@@ -83,6 +83,21 @@ is the proper place.
     <!-- ACTUAL CHANGES BEGIN HERE: -->
 
     <changes>
+        <change id="runutils-createconfig-action">
+            <api name="general"/>
+            <summary></summary>
+            <version major="2" minor="157"/>
+            <date day="23" month="1" year="2023"/>
+            <author login="sdedic"/>
+            <compatibility addition="yes" semantic="compatible"/>
+            <description>
+                Added a <a href="@TOP@/org/netbeans/modules/maven/api/execute/RunUtils.html#createRunConfig-java.lang.String-org.netbeans.api.project.Project-org.netbeans.spi.project.ProjectConfiguration-org.openide.util.Lookup-">
+                RunUtils.createRunConfig()</a> variant that allows to create a <a href="@TOP@/org/netbeans/modules/maven/api/execute/RunConfig.html">RunConfig</a> for a project-defined action. 
+                Clients can use this function to use all user customizations that may have been configured for the project action before executing it using 
+                <a href="@TOP@/org/netbeans/modules/maven/api/execute/RunUtils.html#run-org.netbeans.modules.maven.api.execute.RunConfig-">RunUtils.run</a>.
+            </description>
+            <class package="org.netbeans.modules.maven.api.execute" name="RunUtils"/>
+        </change>
         <change id="lifecycle-white-list">
             <api name="general"/>
             <summary>LifecycleParticipants can be ignored</summary>
diff --git a/java/maven/nbproject/project.properties b/java/maven/nbproject/project.properties
index eaeea266d4d7..40de3798717b 100644
--- a/java/maven/nbproject/project.properties
+++ b/java/maven/nbproject/project.properties
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ javadoc.apichanges=${basedir}/apichanges.xml
 javadoc.arch=${basedir}/arch.xml
 javahelp.hs=maven.hs
 extra.module.files=maven-nblib/
-spec.version.base: 2.156
+spec.version.base=2.157.0
 
 # The CPExtender test fails in library processing (not randomly) since NetBeans 8.2; disabling.
 test.excludes=**/CPExtenderTest.class
diff --git a/java/maven/src/org/netbeans/modules/maven/api/execute/RunUtils.java b/java/maven/src/org/netbeans/modules/maven/api/execute/RunUtils.java
index a007d79b57da..a8d81316bfcb 100644
--- a/java/maven/src/org/netbeans/modules/maven/api/execute/RunUtils.java
+++ b/java/maven/src/org/netbeans/modules/maven/api/execute/RunUtils.java
@@ -28,11 +28,15 @@
 import org.netbeans.api.annotations.common.CheckForNull;
 import org.netbeans.api.java.source.BuildArtifactMapper;
 import org.netbeans.api.project.Project;
+import org.netbeans.modules.maven.NbMavenProjectImpl;
 import org.netbeans.modules.maven.api.Constants;
+import org.netbeans.modules.maven.execute.ActionToGoalUtils;
 import org.netbeans.modules.maven.execute.BeanRunConfig;
 import org.netbeans.modules.maven.execute.MavenCommandLineExecutor;
 import org.netbeans.spi.project.AuxiliaryProperties;
+import org.netbeans.spi.project.ProjectConfiguration;
 import org.openide.execution.ExecutorTask;
+import org.openide.util.Lookup;
 import org.openide.util.NbBundle;
 import org.openide.windows.WindowManager;
 
@@ -98,6 +102,27 @@ public void run() {
     public static ExecutorTask executeMaven(final RunConfig config) {
         return MavenCommandLineExecutor.executeMaven(config, null, null);
     }
+    
+    /**
+     * Creates a {@link RunConfig} for the specified project action. Project configuration to be used can be also specified, which 
+     * affects potentially the action's mapping and/or properties. If {@code null} is passed, the current/active configuration is used.
+     * If applied on non-Maven project, the method returns {@code null}, as well as if the requested action does not exist in the project
+     * or its requested (or active) configuration.
+     * 
+     * @param action project action name
+     * @param prj the project
+     * @param c the configuration to use, use {@code null} for the active one.
+     * @param lookup lookup that becomes available to the action provider for possible further data / options
+     * @return configured {@link RunConfig} suitable for execution or {@code null} if the project is not maven, or action is unavailable.
+     * @since 2.157
+     */
+    public static RunConfig createRunConfig(String action, Project prj, ProjectConfiguration c, Lookup lookup) {
+        NbMavenProjectImpl impl = prj.getLookup().lookup(NbMavenProjectImpl.class);
+        if (impl == null) {
+            return null;
+        }
+        return ActionToGoalUtils.createRunConfig(action, impl, c, lookup);
+    }
 
     public static RunConfig createRunConfig(File execDir, Project prj, String displayName, List<String> goals)
     {