diff --git a/activitypub.c b/activitypub.c
index 9fe293c..e871c8d 100644
--- a/activitypub.c
+++ b/activitypub.c
@@ -296,7 +296,7 @@ int send_to_inbox(snac *snac, const xs_str *inbox, const xs_dict *msg,
 }
 
 
-d_char *get_actor_inbox(snac *snac, const char *actor)
+xs_str *get_actor_inbox(snac *snac, const char *actor)
 /* gets an actor's inbox */
 {
     xs *data = NULL;
@@ -316,7 +316,8 @@ d_char *get_actor_inbox(snac *snac, const char *actor)
 }
 
 
-int send_to_actor(snac *snac, char *actor, char *msg, d_char **payload, int *p_size, int timeout)
+int send_to_actor(snac *snac, const char *actor, const char *msg,
+                  xs_val **payload, int *p_size, int timeout)
 /* sends a message to an actor */
 {
     int status = 400;
diff --git a/snac.h b/snac.h
index 9212859..cee6470 100644
--- a/snac.h
+++ b/snac.h
@@ -234,8 +234,9 @@ int send_to_inbox_raw(const char *keyid, const char *seckey,
                   xs_val **payload, int *p_size, int timeout);
 int send_to_inbox(snac *snac, const xs_str *inbox, const xs_dict *msg,
                   xs_val **payload, int *p_size, int timeout);
-d_char *get_actor_inbox(snac *snac, const char *actor);
-int send_to_actor(snac *snac, char *actor, char *msg, d_char **payload, int *p_size, int timeout);
+xs_str *get_actor_inbox(snac *snac, const char *actor);
+int send_to_actor(snac *snac, const char *actor, const char *msg,
+                  xs_val **payload, int *p_size, int timeout);
 int is_msg_public(snac *snac, const xs_dict *msg);
 int is_msg_for_me(snac *snac, const xs_dict *msg);