diff --git a/src/activitypub/helpers.js b/src/activitypub/helpers.js
index 49f42dba31..04118b8f63 100644
--- a/src/activitypub/helpers.js
+++ b/src/activitypub/helpers.js
@@ -107,15 +107,15 @@ Helpers.resolveLocalId = async (input) => {
 				}
 			}
 
-			throw new Error('[[error:activitypub.invalid-id]]');
-		} else {
-			throw new Error('[[error:activitypub.invalid-id]]');
+			return { type: null, id: null };
 		}
+
+		return { type: null, id: null };
 	} else if (input.indexOf('@') !== -1) { // Webfinger
 		const [slug] = input.replace(/^acct:/, '').split('@');
 		const uid = await user.getUidByUserslug(slug);
 		return { type: 'user', id: uid };
 	}
 
-	throw new Error('[[error:activitypub.invalid-id]]');
+	return { type: null, id: null };
 };
diff --git a/src/activitypub/notes.js b/src/activitypub/notes.js
index 4d48fcdd95..28ee228520 100644
--- a/src/activitypub/notes.js
+++ b/src/activitypub/notes.js
@@ -53,6 +53,12 @@ Notes.getParentChain = async (uid, input) => {
 
 	const chain = new Set();
 	const traverse = async (uid, id) => {
+		// Handle remote reference to local post
+		const { type, id: localId } = await activitypub.helpers.resolveLocalId(id);
+		if (type === 'post' && localId) {
+			return traverse(uid, localId);
+		}
+
 		const exists = await db.exists(`post:${id}`);
 		if (exists) {
 			const postData = await posts.getPostData(id);