diff --git a/core/include/detray/propagator/actor_chain.hpp b/core/include/detray/propagator/actor_chain.hpp
index 810d0e59a..b80ce5a4d 100644
--- a/core/include/detray/propagator/actor_chain.hpp
+++ b/core/include/detray/propagator/actor_chain.hpp
@@ -1,19 +1,24 @@
 /** Detray library, part of the ACTS project (R&D line)
  *
- * (c) 2022 CERN for the benefit of the ACTS project
+ * (c) 2022-2024 CERN for the benefit of the ACTS project
  *
  * Mozilla Public License Version 2.0
  */
 
 #pragma once
 
-#include <type_traits>
-#include <utility>
-
+// Project include(s)
 #include "detray/definitions/detail/containers.hpp"
 #include "detray/definitions/detail/qualifiers.hpp"
+#include "detray/propagator/base_actor.hpp"
 #include "detray/utils/tuple_helpers.hpp"
 
+// System include(s)
+#include <concepts>
+#include <optional>
+#include <type_traits>
+#include <utility>
+
 namespace detray {
 
 /// The interface to the actors and aborters in the propagation.
@@ -44,7 +49,27 @@ class actor_chain {
     }
 
     /// @returns the actor list
-    DETRAY_HOST_DEVICE const actor_list_type &actors() const { return _actors; }
+    DETRAY_HOST_DEVICE const actor_list_type &actors() const {
+        return m_actors;
+    }
+
+    /// @returns a tuple of default constructible actor states and a
+    /// corresponding tuple of references
+    DETRAY_HOST_DEVICE
+    static constexpr auto make_actor_states() {
+        // Only possible if each state is default initializable
+        if constexpr ((std::default_initializable<typename actors_t::state> &&
+                       ...)) {
+            tuple_t<typename actors_t::state...> states{};
+
+            return std::make_tuple(
+                states,
+                make_ref_tuple(
+                    states, std::make_index_sequence<sizeof...(actors_t)>{}));
+        } else {
+            return std::nullopt;
+        }
+    }
 
     private:
     /// Call the actors. Either single actor or composition.
@@ -58,7 +83,13 @@ class actor_chain {
                                        actor_states_t &states,
                                        propagator_state_t &p_state) const {
         if constexpr (!typename actor_t::is_comp_actor()) {
-            actr(detail::get<typename actor_t::state &>(states), p_state);
+            // No actor state defined (empty)
+            if constexpr (std::same_as<typename actor_t::state,
+                                       detray::actor::state>) {
+                actr(p_state);
+            } else {
+                actr(detail::get<typename actor_t::state &>(states), p_state);
+            }
         } else {
             actr(states, p_state);
         }
@@ -73,11 +104,19 @@ class actor_chain {
     DETRAY_HOST_DEVICE inline void run(
         actor_states_t &states, propagator_state_t &p_state,
         std::index_sequence<indices...> /*ids*/) const {
-        (run(detail::get<indices>(_actors), states, p_state), ...);
+        (run(detail::get<indices>(m_actors), states, p_state), ...);
+    }
+
+    /// @returns a tuple of reference for every state in the tuple @param t
+    template <std::size_t... indices>
+    DETRAY_HOST_DEVICE static constexpr state make_ref_tuple(
+        tuple_t<typename actors_t::state...> &t,
+        std::index_sequence<indices...> /*ids*/) {
+        return detray::tie(detail::get<indices>(t)...);
     }
 
     /// Tuple of actors
-    actor_list_type _actors = {};
+    actor_list_type m_actors = {};
 };
 
 /// Empty actor chain (placeholder)
diff --git a/core/include/detray/propagator/actors/parameter_resetter.hpp b/core/include/detray/propagator/actors/parameter_resetter.hpp
index 7ab323941..193071344 100644
--- a/core/include/detray/propagator/actors/parameter_resetter.hpp
+++ b/core/include/detray/propagator/actors/parameter_resetter.hpp
@@ -21,8 +21,6 @@ struct parameter_resetter : actor {
 
     using scalar_type = dscalar<algebra_t>;
 
-    struct state {};
-
     /// Mask store visitor
     struct kernel {
 
@@ -56,8 +54,7 @@ struct parameter_resetter : actor {
     };
 
     template <typename propagator_state_t>
-    DETRAY_HOST_DEVICE void operator()(state& /*resetter_state*/,
-                                       propagator_state_t& propagation) const {
+    DETRAY_HOST_DEVICE void operator()(propagator_state_t& propagation) const {
 
         const auto& navigation = propagation._navigation;
         auto& stepping = propagation._stepping;
diff --git a/core/include/detray/propagator/actors/parameter_transporter.hpp b/core/include/detray/propagator/actors/parameter_transporter.hpp
index e9973c463..d9ae6175e 100644
--- a/core/include/detray/propagator/actors/parameter_transporter.hpp
+++ b/core/include/detray/propagator/actors/parameter_transporter.hpp
@@ -35,8 +35,6 @@ struct parameter_transporter : actor {
     using bound_matrix_t = bound_matrix<algebra_t>;
     /// @}
 
-    struct state {};
-
     struct get_full_jacobian_kernel {
 
         template <typename mask_group_t, typename index_t,
@@ -86,8 +84,7 @@ struct parameter_transporter : actor {
     };
 
     template <typename propagator_state_t>
-    DETRAY_HOST_DEVICE void operator()(state& /*actor_state*/,
-                                       propagator_state_t& propagation) const {
+    DETRAY_HOST_DEVICE void operator()(propagator_state_t& propagation) const {
         auto& stepping = propagation._stepping;
         const auto& navigation = propagation._navigation;
 
diff --git a/core/include/detray/propagator/base_actor.hpp b/core/include/detray/propagator/base_actor.hpp
index d9646624f..ccdf029b5 100644
--- a/core/include/detray/propagator/base_actor.hpp
+++ b/core/include/detray/propagator/base_actor.hpp
@@ -1,19 +1,22 @@
 /** Detray library, part of the ACTS project (R&D line)
  *
- * (c) 2022 CERN for the benefit of the ACTS project
+ * (c) 2022-2024 CERN for the benefit of the ACTS project
  *
  * Mozilla Public License Version 2.0
  */
 
 #pragma once
 
-#include <type_traits>
-#include <utility>
-
+// Propagate include(s)
 #include "detray/definitions/detail/containers.hpp"
 #include "detray/definitions/detail/qualifiers.hpp"
 #include "detray/utils/tuple_helpers.hpp"
 
+// System include(s)
+#include <concepts>
+#include <type_traits>
+#include <utility>
+
 namespace detray {
 
 /// Base class actor implementation
@@ -77,7 +80,7 @@ class composite_actor final : public actor_impl_t {
         }
 
         // ... then run the observers on the updated state
-        notify(_observers, states, actor_state, p_state,
+        notify(m_observers, states, actor_state, p_state,
                std::make_index_sequence<sizeof...(observers)>{});
     }
 
@@ -97,8 +100,14 @@ class composite_actor final : public actor_impl_t {
                                           propagator_state_t &p_state) const {
         // Two cases: observer is a simple actor or a composite actor
         if constexpr (!typename observer_t::is_comp_actor()) {
-            observer(detail::get<typename observer_t::state &>(states),
-                     actor_state, p_state);
+            // No actor state defined (empty)
+            if constexpr (std::same_as<typename observer_t::state,
+                                       detray::actor::state>) {
+                observer(actor_state, p_state);
+            } else {
+                observer(detail::get<typename observer_t::state &>(states),
+                         actor_state, p_state);
+            }
         } else {
             observer(states, actor_state, p_state);
         }
@@ -126,7 +135,7 @@ class composite_actor final : public actor_impl_t {
     }
 
     /// Keep the observers (might be composites again)
-    tuple_t<observers...> _observers = {};
+    tuple_t<observers...> m_observers = {};
 };
 
 }  // namespace detray