diff --git a/includes/init.php b/includes/init.php
index 0b0c18f..1bde597 100644
--- a/includes/init.php
+++ b/includes/init.php
@@ -1,9 +1,9 @@
 <?php
 namespace init;
 
-require_once plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . '/server/api.php';
-require_once plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . '/server/actors.php';
-require_once plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . '/migrations.php';
+require_once plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . 'server/api.php';
+require_once plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . 'server/actors.php';
+require_once plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . 'migrations.php';
 
 add_action( 'rest_api_init', function() {
     \api\register_routes();
diff --git a/includes/server/activities.php b/includes/server/activities.php
index f43f6ad..82ce6de 100644
--- a/includes/server/activities.php
+++ b/includes/server/activities.php
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 <?php
 namespace activities;
 
+require_once plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . '../util.php';
+
 function get_activity( $id ) {
     global $wpdb;
     $activity_json = $wpdb->get_var( $wpdb->prepare(
@@ -48,6 +50,7 @@ function strip_private_fields( $activity ) {
 
 function persist_activity( $activity ) {
     global $wpdb;
+    $activity = \util\dereference_object( $activity );
     if ( !array_key_exists( 'id', $activity ) ) {
         return new \WP_Error(
             'invalid_activity',
@@ -74,6 +77,7 @@ function persist_activity( $activity ) {
 
 function create_local_activity( $activity ) {
     global $wpdb;
+    $activity = \util\dereference_object( $activity );
     if ( !array_key_exists( 'type', $activity ) ) {
         return new \WP_Error(
             'invalid_activity',
diff --git a/includes/server/activities/accept.php b/includes/server/activities/accept.php
index 4cf425e..2f2d6ec 100644
--- a/includes/server/activities/accept.php
+++ b/includes/server/activities/accept.php
@@ -1,10 +1,10 @@
 <?php
 namespace activities\accept;
 
-require_once plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . '/../following.php';
-require_once plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . '/../followers.php';
-require_once plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . '/../objects.php';
-require_once plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . '/../actors.php';
+require_once plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . '../following.php';
+require_once plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . '../followers.php';
+require_once plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . '../objects.php';
+require_once plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . '../actors.php';
 
 function handle_inbox( $actor_slug, $activity ) {
     if ( !array_key_exists( 'object', $activity ) ) {
diff --git a/includes/server/activities/announce.php b/includes/server/activities/announce.php
index 07d59b2..3dc5aad 100644
--- a/includes/server/activities/announce.php
+++ b/includes/server/activities/announce.php
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 <?php
 namespace activities\announce;
 
-require_once plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . '/../objects.php';
-require_once plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . '/../shares.php';
+require_once plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . '../objects.php';
+require_once plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . '../shares.php';
 
 function handle_inbox( $actor_slug, $activity ) {
     if ( !array_key_exists( 'object', $activity ) ) {
diff --git a/includes/server/activities/block.php b/includes/server/activities/block.php
index 12d23e7..44a3a82 100644
--- a/includes/server/activities/block.php
+++ b/includes/server/activities/block.php
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 <?php
 namespace activities\block;
 
-require_once plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . '/../blocks.php';
-require_once plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . '/../actors.php';
+require_once plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . '../blocks.php';
+require_once plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . '../actors.php';
 
 function handle_outbox( $actor, $activity ) {
     if ( !array_key_exists( 'object', $activity ) ) {
diff --git a/includes/server/activities/create.php b/includes/server/activities/create.php
index d703f61..e280d2e 100644
--- a/includes/server/activities/create.php
+++ b/includes/server/activities/create.php
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 <?php
 namespace activities\create;
 
-require_once plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . '/../objects.php';
+require_once plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . '../objects.php';
 
 /*
 Create a new post or comment (depending on $activity["object"]["type"]),
diff --git a/includes/server/activities/delete.php b/includes/server/activities/delete.php
index cf4fa69..56ac0cd 100644
--- a/includes/server/activities/delete.php
+++ b/includes/server/activities/delete.php
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 <?php
 namespace activities\delete;
 
-require_once plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . '/../objects.php';
+require_once plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . '../objects.php';
 
 function handle_outbox( $actor, $activity ) {
     if ( !array_key_exists( 'object', $activity ) ) {
diff --git a/includes/server/activities/follow.php b/includes/server/activities/follow.php
index 2ab9495..0acc6ae 100644
--- a/includes/server/activities/follow.php
+++ b/includes/server/activities/follow.php
@@ -1,10 +1,10 @@
 <?php
 namespace activities\follow;
 
-require_once plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . '/../following.php';
-require_once plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . '/../actors.php';
-require_once plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . '/../objects.php';
-require_once plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . '/../outbox.php';
+require_once plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . '../following.php';
+require_once plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . '../actors.php';
+require_once plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . '../objects.php';
+require_once plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . '../outbox.php';
 
 function handle_outbox( $actor_slug, $activity ) {
     if ( !array_key_exists( 'object', $activity ) ) {
diff --git a/includes/server/activities/like.php b/includes/server/activities/like.php
index 21fa2ba..8d0cf47 100644
--- a/includes/server/activities/like.php
+++ b/includes/server/activities/like.php
@@ -1,9 +1,9 @@
 <?php
 namespace activities\like;
 
-require_once plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . '/../likes.php';
-require_once plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . '/../actors.php';
-require_once plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . '/../objects.php';
+require_once plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . '../likes.php';
+require_once plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . '../actors.php';
+require_once plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . '../objects.php';
 
 function handle_outbox( $actor, $activity ) {
     if ( !array_key_exists( 'object', $activity ) ) {
diff --git a/includes/server/activities/reject.php b/includes/server/activities/reject.php
index fecb0c6..883a0b6 100644
--- a/includes/server/activities/reject.php
+++ b/includes/server/activities/reject.php
@@ -1,9 +1,9 @@
 <?php
 namespace activities\reject;
 
-require_once plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . '/../following.php';
-require_once plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . '/../objects.php';
-require_once plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . '/../actors.php';
+require_once plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . '../following.php';
+require_once plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . '../objects.php';
+require_once plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . '../actors.php';
 
 function handle_inbox( $actor_slug, $activity ) {
     if ( !array_key_exists( 'object', $activity ) ) {
diff --git a/includes/server/activities/undo.php b/includes/server/activities/undo.php
index b9b9a71..4c21ba2 100644
--- a/includes/server/activities/undo.php
+++ b/includes/server/activities/undo.php
@@ -1,13 +1,13 @@
 <?php
 namespace activities\undo;
 
-require_once plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . '/../../util.php';
-require_once plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . '/../activities.php';
-require_once plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . '/../actors.php';
-require_once plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . '/../objects.php';
-require_once plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . '/../likes.php';
-require_once plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . '/../following.php';
-require_once plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . '/../followers.php';
+require_once plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . '../../util.php';
+require_once plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . '../activities.php';
+require_once plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . '../actors.php';
+require_once plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . '../objects.php';
+require_once plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . '../likes.php';
+require_once plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . '../following.php';
+require_once plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . '../followers.php';
 
 function handle_outbox( $actor_slug, $activity ) {
     $object = validate_undo( $activity );
diff --git a/includes/server/activities/update.php b/includes/server/activities/update.php
index b250e08..256e156 100644
--- a/includes/server/activities/update.php
+++ b/includes/server/activities/update.php
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 <?php
 namespace activities\update;
 
-require_once plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . '/../objects.php';
+require_once plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . '../objects.php';
 
 function handle_outbox( $actor_slug, $activity ) {
     if ( !(array_key_exists( 'type', $activity ) && $activity['type'] === 'Update') ) {
diff --git a/includes/server/api.php b/includes/server/api.php
index 0555f82..1056dcf 100644
--- a/includes/server/api.php
+++ b/includes/server/api.php
@@ -1,13 +1,13 @@
 <?php
 namespace api;
 
-require_once plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . '/actors.php';
-require_once plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . '/outbox.php';
-require_once plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . '/objects.php';
-require_once plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . '/activities.php';
-require_once plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . '/following.php';
-require_once plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . '/likes.php';
-require_once plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . '/shares.php';
+require_once plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . 'actors.php';
+require_once plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . 'outbox.php';
+require_once plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . 'objects.php';
+require_once plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . 'activities.php';
+require_once plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . 'following.php';
+require_once plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . 'likes.php';
+require_once plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . 'shares.php';
 
 function get_actor( $request ) {
     $actor = $request['actor'];
diff --git a/includes/server/deliver.php b/includes/server/deliver.php
index 48e598b..36f200b 100644
--- a/includes/server/deliver.php
+++ b/includes/server/deliver.php
@@ -2,12 +2,14 @@
 namespace deliver;
 
 require_once plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . 'activities.php';
+require_once plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . '../util.php';
 
 // TODO look at inReplyTo, object, target, and tag objects
 // and deliver to their audience as well. Recurse through these
 // objects up to some limit
 
 function deliver_activity( $activity ) {
+    $activity = \util\dereference_object( $activity );
     $recipients = array();
     foreach ( array( 'to', 'bto', 'cc', 'bcc', 'audience' ) as $field ) {
         $recipients = array_merge(
diff --git a/includes/server/followers.php b/includes/server/followers.php
index 9456433..958a444 100644
--- a/includes/server/followers.php
+++ b/includes/server/followers.php
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 <?php
 namespace followers;
 
-require_once plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . '/actors.php';
-require_once plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . '/objects.php';
+require_once plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . 'actors.php';
+require_once plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . 'objects.php';
 
 function add_follower( $actor_slug, $follower ) {
     global $wpdb;
diff --git a/includes/server/following.php b/includes/server/following.php
index 8f6c835..4f18220 100644
--- a/includes/server/following.php
+++ b/includes/server/following.php
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 <?php
 namespace following;
 
-require_once plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . '/collections.php';
+require_once plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . 'collections.php';
 
 define( 'PTEROTYPE_FOLLOW_PENDING', 'PENDING' );
 define( 'PTEROTYPE_FOLLOW_FOLLOWING', 'FOLLOWING' );
diff --git a/includes/server/inbox.php b/includes/server/inbox.php
index adb16f3..04e838d 100644
--- a/includes/server/inbox.php
+++ b/includes/server/inbox.php
@@ -9,17 +9,17 @@ When an Activity is received (i.e. POSTed) to an Actor's inbox, the server must:
 */
 namespace inbox;
 
-require_once plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . '/activities.php';
-require_once plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . '/objects.php';
-require_once plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . '/deliver.php';
-require_once plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . '/activities/create.php';
-require_once plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . '/activities/update.php';
-require_once plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . '/activities/delete.php';
-require_once plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . '/activities/follow.php';
-require_once plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . '/activities/accept.php';
-require_once plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . '/activities/reject.php';
-require_once plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . '/activities/announce.php';
-require_once plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . '/activities/undo.php';
+require_once plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . 'activities.php';
+require_once plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . 'objects.php';
+require_once plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . 'deliver.php';
+require_once plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . 'activities/create.php';
+require_once plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . 'activities/update.php';
+require_once plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . 'activities/delete.php';
+require_once plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . 'activities/follow.php';
+require_once plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . 'activities/accept.php';
+require_once plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . 'activities/reject.php';
+require_once plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . 'activities/announce.php';
+require_once plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . 'activities/undo.php';
 
 function handle_activity( $actor_slug, $activity ) {
     if ( !array_key_exists( 'type', $activity ) ) {
diff --git a/includes/server/likes.php b/includes/server/likes.php
index 3b487a9..03ff60c 100644
--- a/includes/server/likes.php
+++ b/includes/server/likes.php
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 <?php
 namespace likes;
 
-require_once plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . '/collections.php';
+require_once plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . 'collections.php';
 
 function create_local_actor_like( $actor_id, $object_id ) {
     global $wpdb;
diff --git a/includes/server/outbox.php b/includes/server/outbox.php
index be8e39c..4a069d8 100644
--- a/includes/server/outbox.php
+++ b/includes/server/outbox.php
@@ -12,16 +12,16 @@ When an Activity is received (i.e. POSTed) to an Actor's outbox, the server must
 */
 namespace outbox;
 
-require_once plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . '/activities.php';
-require_once plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . '/actors.php';
-require_once plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . '/deliver.php';
-require_once plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . '/activities/create.php';
-require_once plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . '/activities/update.php';
-require_once plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . '/activities/delete.php';
-require_once plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . '/activities/like.php';
-require_once plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . '/activities/follow.php';
-require_once plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . '/activities/block.php';
-require_once plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . '/activities/undo.php';
+require_once plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . 'activities.php';
+require_once plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . 'actors.php';
+require_once plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . 'deliver.php';
+require_once plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . 'activities/create.php';
+require_once plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . 'activities/update.php';
+require_once plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . 'activities/delete.php';
+require_once plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . 'activities/like.php';
+require_once plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . 'activities/follow.php';
+require_once plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . 'activities/block.php';
+require_once plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . 'activities/undo.php';
 
 function handle_activity( $actor_slug, $activity ) {
     // TODO handle authentication/authorization
diff --git a/includes/server/shares.php b/includes/server/shares.php
index 0f160fb..d03179f 100644
--- a/includes/server/shares.php
+++ b/includes/server/shares.php
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 <?php
 namespace shares;
 
-require_once plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . '/collections.php';
+require_once plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . 'collections.php';
 
 function add_share( $object_id, $activity_id ) {
     global $wpdb;