diff --git a/spacy/syntax/arc_eager.pyx b/spacy/syntax/arc_eager.pyx
index 845e7cb17..2bd4da6cc 100644
--- a/spacy/syntax/arc_eager.pyx
+++ b/spacy/syntax/arc_eager.pyx
@@ -287,10 +287,6 @@ cdef class ArcEager(TransitionSystem):
                         RIGHT: {},
                         LEFT: {},
                         BREAK: {'ROOT': True}})
-        for label in kwargs.get('labels', []):
-            if label.upper() != 'ROOT':
-                actions[LEFT][label] = True
-                actions[RIGHT][label] = True
         for label in kwargs.get('left_labels', []):
             if label.upper() != 'ROOT':
                 actions[LEFT][label] = True
diff --git a/spacy/syntax/parser.pyx b/spacy/syntax/parser.pyx
index 4cfa66214..85407b942 100644
--- a/spacy/syntax/parser.pyx
+++ b/spacy/syntax/parser.pyx
@@ -78,6 +78,9 @@ cdef class Parser:
     def load(cls, path, Vocab vocab, TransitionSystem=None, require=False):
         with (path / 'config.json').open() as file_:
             cfg = json.load(file_)
+        # TODO: remove this shim when we don't have to support older data
+        if 'labels' in cfg:
+            cfg['actions'] = cfg.pop('labels')
         self = cls(vocab, TransitionSystem=TransitionSystem, model=None, **cfg)
         if (path / 'model').exists():
             self.model.load(str(path / 'model'))
@@ -188,8 +191,8 @@ cdef class Parser:
         free(eg.is_valid)
         return 0
   
-    def update(self, Doc tokens, raw_gold):
-        cdef GoldParse gold = self.preprocess_gold(raw_gold)
+    def update(self, Doc tokens, GoldParse gold):
+        self.moves.preprocess_gold(gold)
         cdef StateClass stcls = StateClass.init(tokens.c, tokens.length)
         self.moves.initialize_state(stcls.c)
         cdef Pool mem = Pool()
@@ -226,15 +229,6 @@ cdef class Parser:
         for action in self.moves.action_types:
             self.moves.add_action(action, label)
 
-    def preprocess_gold(self, raw_gold):
-        cdef GoldParse gold
-        if isinstance(raw_gold, GoldParse):
-            gold = raw_gold
-            self.moves.preprocess_gold(raw_gold)
-            return gold
-        else:
-            raise ValueError("Parser.preprocess_gold requires GoldParse-type input.")
-
 
 cdef class StepwiseState:
     cdef readonly StateClass stcls