diff --git a/src/activitypub/mocks.js b/src/activitypub/mocks.js
index 2bf3b5b1bd..e5a0ffbe6d 100644
--- a/src/activitypub/mocks.js
+++ b/src/activitypub/mocks.js
@@ -205,7 +205,6 @@ Mocks.note = async (post) => {
 	const id = `${nconf.get('url')}/post/${post.pid}`;
 	const published = new Date(parseInt(post.timestamp, 10)).toISOString();
 
-	const raw = await posts.getPostField(post.pid, 'content');
 
 	// todo: post visibility
 	const to = new Set([activitypub._constants.publicAddress]);
@@ -230,7 +229,18 @@ Mocks.note = async (post) => {
 		}));
 	}
 
-	const mentionsEnabled = await plugins.isActive('nodebb-plugin-mentions');
+	let source = null;
+	const [markdownEnabled, mentionsEnabled] = await Promise.all([
+		plugins.isActive('nodebb-plugin-markdown'),
+		plugins.isActive('nodebb-plugin-mentions'),
+	]);
+	if (markdownEnabled) {
+		const raw = await posts.getPostField(post.pid, 'content');
+		source = {
+			content: raw,
+			mediaType: 'text/markdown',
+		};
+	}
 	if (mentionsEnabled) {
 		const mentions = require.main.require('nodebb-plugin-mentions');
 		const matches = await mentions.getMatches(post.content);
@@ -278,10 +288,7 @@ Mocks.note = async (post) => {
 		summary: null,
 		name,
 		content: post.content,
-		source: {
-			content: raw,
-			mediaType: 'text/markdown',
-		},
+		source,
 		tag,
 		attachment: [], // todo... requires refactoring of link preview plugin
 		// replies: {}  todo...
diff --git a/src/activitypub/notes.js b/src/activitypub/notes.js
index 32325e71fb..83c26b8cb7 100644
--- a/src/activitypub/notes.js
+++ b/src/activitypub/notes.js
@@ -230,13 +230,13 @@ Notes.assertTopic = async (uid, id) => {
 	let cid;
 	let title;
 	if (hasTid) {
-		({ cid, title, mainPid } = await topics.getTopicFields(tid, ['tid', 'cid', 'title', 'mainPid']));
+		({ cid, mainPid } = await topics.getTopicFields(tid, ['tid', 'cid', 'mainPid']));
 	} else {
 		// mainPid ok to leave as-is
 		cid = -1;
 		title = name || utils.decodeHTMLEntities(utils.stripHTMLTags(content));
 		if (title.length > meta.config.maximumTitleLength) {
-			title = `${title.slice(0, meta.config.maximumTitleLength)}...`;
+			title = `${title.slice(0, meta.config.maximumTitleLength - 3)}...`;
 		}
 	}
 	mainPid = utils.isNumber(mainPid) ? parseInt(mainPid, 10) : mainPid;
@@ -274,31 +274,43 @@ Notes.assertTopic = async (uid, id) => {
 		tags = (mainPost._activitypub.tag || [])
 			.filter(o => o.type === 'Hashtag')
 			.map(o => o.name.slice(1));
-		tags = await topics.filterTags(tags, cid);
 
-		await topics.create({
-			tid,
-			uid: authorId,
-			cid,
-			mainPid,
-			title,
-			timestamp,
-			tags,
-		});
-		topics.onNewPostMade(mainPost);
+		try {
+			await topics.post({
+				tid,
+				uid: authorId,
+				cid,
+				pid: mainPid,
+				title,
+				timestamp,
+				tags,
+				content: mainPost.content,
+				_activitypub: mainPost._activitypub,
+			});
+		} catch (e) {
+			console.log(e);
+		}
+		unprocessed.pop();
 	}
 
-	await Promise.all([
-		db.sortedSetAdd(`tid:${tid}:posts`, timestamps, ids),
-		Notes.assert(uid, unprocessed),
-	]);
-	await Promise.all([ // must be done after .assert()
-		Notes.assertParentChain(chain),
-		Notes.updateTopicCounts(tid),
-		Notes.syncUserInboxes(tid),
-		topics.updateLastPostTimeFromLastPid(tid),
-		topics.updateTeaser(tid),
-	]);
+	unprocessed.reverse();
+	for (const post of unprocessed) {
+		// eslint-disable-next-line no-await-in-loop
+		await topics.reply(post);
+	}
+
+	await Notes.syncUserInboxes(tid);
+	// await Promise.all([
+	// 	db.sortedSetAdd(`tid:${tid}:posts`, timestamps, ids),
+	// 	Notes.assert(uid, unprocessed),
+	// ]);
+	// await Promise.all([ // must be done after .assert()
+	// 	Notes.assertParentChain(chain),
+	// 	Notes.updateTopicCounts(tid),
+	// 	Notes.syncUserInboxes(tid),
+	// 	topics.updateLastPostTimeFromLastPid(tid),
+	// 	topics.updateTeaser(tid),
+	// ]);
 
 	return tid;
 };
diff --git a/src/posts/create.js b/src/posts/create.js
index d541564c2e..c876c53660 100644
--- a/src/posts/create.js
+++ b/src/posts/create.js
@@ -10,12 +10,12 @@ const topics = require('../topics');
 const categories = require('../categories');
 const groups = require('../groups');
 const privileges = require('../privileges');
+const utils = require('../utils');
 
 module.exports = function (Posts) {
 	Posts.create = async function (data) {
 		// This is an internal method, consider using Topics.reply instead
-		const { uid } = data;
-		const { tid } = data;
+		const { uid, tid, _activitypub } = data;
 		const content = data.content.toString();
 		const timestamp = data.timestamp || Date.now();
 		const isMain = data.isMain || false;
@@ -28,13 +28,14 @@ module.exports = function (Posts) {
 			await checkToPid(data.toPid, uid);
 		}
 
-		const pid = await db.incrObjectField('global', 'nextPid');
+		const pid = data.pid || await db.incrObjectField('global', 'nextPid');
 		let postData = {
 			pid: pid,
 			uid: uid,
 			tid: tid,
 			content: content,
 			timestamp: timestamp,
+			_activitypub,
 		};
 
 		if (data.toPid) {
@@ -56,7 +57,7 @@ module.exports = function (Posts) {
 
 		await Promise.all([
 			db.sortedSetAdd('posts:pid', timestamp, postData.pid),
-			db.incrObjectField('global', 'postCount'),
+			utils.isNumber(pid) ? db.incrObjectField('global', 'postCount') : null,
 			user.onNewPostMade(postData),
 			topics.onNewPostMade(postData),
 			categories.onNewPostMade(topicData.cid, topicData.pinned, postData),
diff --git a/src/topics/create.js b/src/topics/create.js
index 6f10c950c2..9b5a3ac87b 100644
--- a/src/topics/create.js
+++ b/src/topics/create.js
@@ -135,7 +135,7 @@ module.exports = function (Topics) {
 			throw new Error('[[error:no-topic]]');
 		}
 
-		if (uid > 0 && settings.followTopicsOnCreate) {
+		if (utils.isNumber(uid) && uid > 0 && settings.followTopicsOnCreate) {
 			await Topics.follow(postData.tid, uid);
 		}
 		const topicData = topics[0];
diff --git a/test/template-helpers.js b/test/template-helpers.js
index 00ae777f82..f01bdd642c 100644
--- a/test/template-helpers.js
+++ b/test/template-helpers.js
@@ -151,7 +151,7 @@ describe('helpers', () => {
 			find: 'viewing',
 			read: 'viewing',
 		};
-		const html = helpers.spawnPrivilegeStates('guests', privs, types);
+		const html = helpers.spawnPrivilegeStates(1, 'guests', privs, types);
 		assert.equal(html, `
 				<td data-privilege="find" data-value="true" data-type="viewing">
 					<div class="form-check text-center">