diff --git a/includes/server/activities/accept.php b/includes/server/activities/accept.php
index 2f2d6ec..ccd29b4 100644
--- a/includes/server/activities/accept.php
+++ b/includes/server/activities/accept.php
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ 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__ ) . '../../util.php';
 
 function handle_inbox( $actor_slug, $activity ) {
     if ( !array_key_exists( 'object', $activity ) ) {
@@ -14,14 +15,14 @@ function handle_inbox( $actor_slug, $activity ) {
             array( 'status' => 400 )
         );
     }
-    $object = $activity['object'];
+    $object = \util\dereference_object( $activity['object'] );
     if ( array_key_exists( 'type', $object ) ) {
         switch ( $object['type'] ) {
         case 'Follow':
             if ( !array_key_exists( 'object', $object ) ) {
                 break;
             }
-            $follow_object = $object['object'];
+            $follow_object = \util\dereference_object( $object['object'] );
             if ( !array_key_exists( 'id', $follow_object ) ) {
                 break;
             }
@@ -47,14 +48,14 @@ function handle_outbox( $actor_slug, $activity ) {
             array( 'status' => 400 )
         );
     }
-    $object = $activity['object'];
+    $object = \util\dereference_object( $activity['object'] );
     if ( array_key_exists( 'type', $object ) ) {
         switch ( $object['type'] ) {
         case 'Follow':
             if ( !array_key_exists( 'actor', $object ) ) {
                 break;
             }
-            $follower = $object['actor'];
+            $follower = \util\dereference_object( $object['actor'] );
             \followers\add_follower( $actor_slug, $follower );
             break;
         }
diff --git a/includes/server/activities/follow.php b/includes/server/activities/follow.php
index a84f9f3..0108353 100644
--- a/includes/server/activities/follow.php
+++ b/includes/server/activities/follow.php
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ 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__ ) . '../../util.php';
 
 function handle_outbox( $actor_slug, $activity ) {
     if ( !array_key_exists( 'object', $activity ) ) {
@@ -36,7 +37,7 @@ function handle_inbox( $actor_slug, $activity ) {
                 array( 'status' => 400 )
             );
         }
-        $follower = $activity['actor'];
+        $follower = \util\dereference_object( $activity['actor'] );
         \objects\upsert_object( $follower );
         $accept = make_accept( $actor_slug, $activity );
         if ( is_wp_error( $accept ) ) {
@@ -61,7 +62,7 @@ function actor_is_object( $actor_slug, $activity ) {
     if ( is_wp_error( $actor ) ) {
         return false;
     }
-    $object = $activity['object'];
+    $object = \util\dereference_object( $activity['object'] );
     if ( !array_key_exists( 'type', $object ) ) {
         return false;
     }
diff --git a/includes/server/deliver.php b/includes/server/deliver.php
index 3013bd9..d86e5eb 100644
--- a/includes/server/deliver.php
+++ b/includes/server/deliver.php
@@ -128,11 +128,12 @@ function post_activity_to_inboxes( $actor_id, $activity, $recipients ) {
             $server->dispatch( $request );
         } else {
             $args = array(
-                'body' => $activity,
+                'body' => wp_json_encode( $activity ),
                 'headers' => array(
                     'Content-Type' => 'application/ld+json',
                     'Signature' => get_signing_string( $inbox, $actor_id ),
-                )
+                ),
+                'data_format' => 'body',
             );
             wp_remote_post( $inbox, $args );
         }
diff --git a/includes/server/followers.php b/includes/server/followers.php
index c720b11..dd59f5a 100644
--- a/includes/server/followers.php
+++ b/includes/server/followers.php
@@ -28,13 +28,10 @@ function add_follower( $actor_slug, $follower ) {
         $row = \objects\upsert_object( $follower );
         $object_id = $row->id;
     }
-    $wpdb->insert(
-        $wpdb->prefix . 'pterotype_followers',
-        array(
-            'actor_id' => $actor_id,
-            'object_id' => $object_id,
-        )
-    );
+    return $wpdb->query( $wpdb->prepare(
+        "INSERT IGNORE INTO {$wpdb->prefix}pterotype_followers(actor_id, object_id)
+             VALUES(%d, %d)", $actor_id, $object_id
+    ) );
 }
 
 function remove_follower( $actor_slug, $follower ) {
@@ -85,14 +82,14 @@ function get_followers_collection( $actor_slug ) {
     $followers = $wpdb->get_results(
         $wpdb->prepare(
             "
-           SELECT object FROM {$wpdb->prefix}pterotype_followers
-           JOIN {$wpdb->prefix}pterotype_objects 
-               ON object_id = {$wpdb->prefix}pterotype_objects.id
-           WHERE actor_id = %d
-           ",
+            SELECT object FROM {$wpdb->prefix}pterotype_followers
+            JOIN {$wpdb->prefix}pterotype_objects 
+                ON object_id = {$wpdb->prefix}pterotype_objects.id
+            WHERE actor_id = %d
+            ",
             $actor_id
         ),
-        ARRAY_A
+        ARRAY_N
     );
     if ( !$followers ) {
         $followers = array();
diff --git a/includes/server/inbox.php b/includes/server/inbox.php
index 5769805..96c71e1 100644
--- a/includes/server/inbox.php
+++ b/includes/server/inbox.php
@@ -23,6 +23,8 @@ require_once plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . 'activities/undo.php';
 require_once plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . '../util.php';
 
 function handle_activity( $actor_slug, $activity ) {
+    // TODO how should I handle duplicate activities getting posted here and in the outbox?
+    // Is it okay to just drop them if I already have the activity id in the objects table?
     // TODO verify the authenticity of the activity
     $activity = \util\dereference_object( $activity );
     if ( !array_key_exists( 'type', $activity ) ) {
@@ -137,7 +139,7 @@ function persist_activity( $actor_slug, $activity ) {
     $actor_id = \actors\get_actor_id( $actor_slug );
     $seen_before = $wpdb->get_row( $wpdb->prepare(
         "SELECT * FROM {$wpdb->prefix}pterotype_inbox 
-            WHERE actor_id = %d AND activity_id = %d",
+            WHERE actor_id = %d AND object_id = %d",
         $actor_id,
         $activity_id
     ) );
@@ -148,7 +150,7 @@ function persist_activity( $actor_slug, $activity ) {
         $wpdb->prefix . 'pterotype_inbox',
         array(
             'actor_id' => $actor_id,
-            'activity_id' => $activity_id,
+            'object_id' => $activity_id,
         ),
         '%d'
     );
diff --git a/includes/server/outbox.php b/includes/server/outbox.php
index 049af94..9dce741 100644
--- a/includes/server/outbox.php
+++ b/includes/server/outbox.php
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ function handle_activity( $actor_slug, $activity ) {
         $activity = \activities\undo\handle_outbox( $actor_slug, $activity );
         break;
     case 'Accept':
-        $activity = \activities\accept\handle_inbox( $actor_slug, $activity );
+        $activity = \activities\accept\handle_outbox( $actor_slug, $activity );
         break;
     // For the other activities, just persist and deliver
     case 'Reject':
diff --git a/includes/util.php b/includes/util.php
index 557fdd0..3861007 100644
--- a/includes/util.php
+++ b/includes/util.php
@@ -36,7 +36,11 @@ function get_object_from_url_helper( $url, $depth ) {
     if ( is_local_url( $url ) ) {
         return retrieve_local_object( $url );
     }
-    $response = wp_remote_get( $url );
+    $response = wp_remote_get( $url, array(
+        'headers' => array(
+            'Accept' => 'application/ld+json',
+        ),
+    ) );
     if ( is_wp_error( $response ) ) {
         return $response;
     }