diff --git a/src/activitypub/inbox.js b/src/activitypub/inbox.js
index 8ef3aac620..2425aea057 100644
--- a/src/activitypub/inbox.js
+++ b/src/activitypub/inbox.js
@@ -72,11 +72,9 @@ inbox.like = async (req) => {
 
 inbox.announce = async (req) => {
 	const { actor, object, published, to, cc } = req.body;
-	let timestamp = Date.now();
-	try {
-		timestamp = new Date(published).getTime();
-	} catch (e) {
-		// ok to fail
+	let timestamp = new Date(published);
+	if (timestamp.toString() === 'Invalid Date') {
+		timestamp = Date.now();
 	}
 
 	const assertion = await activitypub.actors.assert(actor);
diff --git a/src/activitypub/notes.js b/src/activitypub/notes.js
index 747d896936..e360182b68 100644
--- a/src/activitypub/notes.js
+++ b/src/activitypub/notes.js
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ Notes.assert = async (uid, input, options = {}) => {
 };
 
 Notes.updateLocalRecipients = async (id, { to, cc }) => {
-	const recipients = new Set([...to, ...cc]);
+	const recipients = new Set([...(to || []), ...(cc || [])]);
 	const uids = new Set();
 	await Promise.all(Array.from(recipients).map(async (recipient) => {
 		const { type, id } = await activitypub.helpers.resolveLocalId(recipient);