diff --git a/src/activitypub/mocks.js b/src/activitypub/mocks.js
index f113548af7..5d827d35a4 100644
--- a/src/activitypub/mocks.js
+++ b/src/activitypub/mocks.js
@@ -458,7 +458,6 @@ Mocks.notes.private = async ({ messageObj }) => {
 	const to = new Set(uids);
 	const published = messageObj.timestampISO;
 	const updated = messageObj.edited ? messageObj.editedISO : undefined;
-	const content = await messaging.parse(messageObj.content, messageObj.fromuid, 0, messageObj.roomId, false);
 
 	let source;
 	const markdownEnabled = await plugins.isActive('nodebb-plugin-markdown');
@@ -499,7 +498,7 @@ Mocks.notes.private = async ({ messageObj }) => {
 		// audience: `${nconf.get('url')}/category/${post.category.cid}`,
 		summary: null,
 		// name,
-		content: content,
+		content: messageObj.content,
 		source,
 		tag,
 		// attachment: [], // todo
diff --git a/src/api/activitypub.js b/src/api/activitypub.js
index 0bcdb5b4ef..21b330416d 100644
--- a/src/api/activitypub.js
+++ b/src/api/activitypub.js
@@ -212,13 +212,7 @@ activitypubApi.create.note = enabledCheck(async (caller, { pid, post }) => {
 	}
 });
 
-activitypubApi.create.privateNote = enabledCheck(async (caller, { mid, messageObj }) => {
-	if (!messageObj) {
-		messageObj = await messaging.getMessageFields(mid, []);
-		if (!messageObj) {
-			throw new Error('[[error:invalid-data]]');
-		}
-	}
+activitypubApi.create.privateNote = enabledCheck(async (caller, { messageObj }) => {
 	const { roomId } = messageObj;
 	let targets = await messaging.getUidsInRoom(roomId, 0, -1);
 	targets = targets.filter(uid => !utils.isNumber(uid)); // remote uids only
diff --git a/src/controllers/activitypub/actors.js b/src/controllers/activitypub/actors.js
index 2ffd0f5655..4cde9b333c 100644
--- a/src/controllers/activitypub/actors.js
+++ b/src/controllers/activitypub/actors.js
@@ -193,6 +193,7 @@ Actors.message = async function (req, res, next) {
 	}
 
 	const messageObj = await messaging.getMessageFields(req.params.mid, []);
+	messageObj.content = await messaging.parse(messageObj.content, messageObj.fromuid, 0, messageObj.roomId, false);
 	const payload = await activitypub.mocks.notes.private({ messageObj });
 	res.status(200).json(payload);
 };