diff --git a/activitypub.c b/activitypub.c
index b654beb..d470e10 100644
--- a/activitypub.c
+++ b/activitypub.c
@@ -154,3 +154,38 @@ void process_queue(snac *snac)
         }
     }
 }
+
+
+int activitypub_post_handler(d_char *req, char *q_path,
+                             d_char *payload, int p_size,
+                             char **body, int *b_size, char **ctype)
+/* processes an input message */
+{
+    int status = 200;
+    char *i_ctype = xs_dict_get(req, "content-type");
+    snac snac;
+
+    if (xs_str_in(i_ctype, "application/activity+json") == -1 &&
+        xs_str_in(i_ctype, "application/ld+json") == -1)
+        return 0;
+
+    xs *l = xs_split_n(q_path, "/", 2);
+    char *uid;
+
+    if (xs_list_len(l) != 3 || strcmp(xs_list_get(l, 2), "inbox") != 0) {
+        /* strange q_path */
+        srv_log(xs_fmt("activitypub_post_handler unsupported path %s", q_path));
+        return 404;
+    }
+
+    uid = xs_list_get(l, 1);
+    if (!user_open(&snac, uid)) {
+        /* invalid user */
+        srv_log(xs_fmt("activitypub_post_handler bad user %s", uid));
+        return 404;
+    }
+
+    user_free(&snac);
+
+    return status;
+}
diff --git a/httpd.c b/httpd.c
index 1ef766c..037f690 100644
--- a/httpd.c
+++ b/httpd.c
@@ -98,11 +98,13 @@ void httpd_connection(int rs)
     char *ctype = NULL;
     xs *headers = NULL;
     xs *q_path  = NULL;
+    xs *payload = NULL;
+    int p_size;
     char *p;
 
     f = xs_socket_accept(rs);
 
-    req = xs_httpd_request(f);
+    req = xs_httpd_request(f, &payload, &p_size);
 
     {
         xs *j = xs_json_dumps_pp(req, 4);
@@ -132,6 +134,9 @@ void httpd_connection(int rs)
     }
     else
     if (strcmp(method, "POST") == 0) {
+        if (status == 0)
+            status = activitypub_post_handler(req, q_path,
+                        payload, p_size, &body, &b_size, &ctype);
     }
 
     /* let's go */
diff --git a/snac.h b/snac.h
index 166806b..f876363 100644
--- a/snac.h
+++ b/snac.h
@@ -85,3 +85,6 @@ int actor_request(snac *snac, char *actor, d_char **data);
 int send_to_inbox(snac *snac, char *inbox, char *msg, d_char **payload, int *p_size);
 int send_to_actor(snac *snac, char *actor, char *msg, d_char **payload, int *p_size);
 void process_queue(snac *snac);
+int activitypub_post_handler(d_char *req, char *q_path,
+                             char *payload, int p_size,
+                             char **body, int *b_size, char **ctype);
diff --git a/xs_httpd.h b/xs_httpd.h
index d15a473..d56226f 100644
--- a/xs_httpd.h
+++ b/xs_httpd.h
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 
 d_char *xs_url_dec(char *str);
 d_char *xs_url_vars(char *str);
-d_char *xs_httpd_request(FILE *f);
+d_char *xs_httpd_request(FILE *f, d_char **payload, int *p_size);
 void xs_httpd_response(FILE *f, int status, d_char *headers, char *body, int b_size);
 
 
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ d_char *xs_url_vars(char *str)
 }
 
 
-d_char *xs_httpd_request(FILE *f)
+d_char *xs_httpd_request(FILE *f, d_char **payload, int *p_size)
 /* processes an httpd connection */
 {
     xs *headers = NULL;
@@ -127,19 +127,18 @@ d_char *xs_httpd_request(FILE *f)
 
     xs_socket_timeout(fileno(f), 5.0, 0.0);
 
+    if ((v = xs_dict_get(headers, "content-length")) != NULL) {
+        /* if it has a payload, load it */
+        *p_size  = atoi(v);
+        *payload = xs_read(f, *p_size);
+    }
+
     /* does it have a payload with form urlencoded variables? */
     v = xs_dict_get(headers, "content-type");
 
     if (v && strcmp(v, "application/x-www-form-urlencoded") == 0) {
-        if ((v = xs_dict_get(headers, "content-length")) != NULL) {
-            int cl = atoi(v);
-            xs *payload;
-
-            if ((payload = xs_read(f, cl)) != NULL) {
-                xs *upl = xs_url_dec(payload);
-                p_vars = xs_url_vars(upl);
-            }
-        }
+        xs *upl = xs_url_dec(*payload);
+        p_vars  = xs_url_vars(upl);
     }
     else
         p_vars = xs_dict_new();