diff --git a/activitypub.c b/activitypub.c
index 7a08ceb..2c20e63 100644
--- a/activitypub.c
+++ b/activitypub.c
@@ -408,12 +408,29 @@ xs_list *recipient_list(snac *snac, const xs_dict *msg, int expand_public)
 }
 
 
-int is_msg_public(snac *snac, const xs_dict *msg)
+int is_msg_public(const xs_dict *msg)
 /* checks if a message is public */
 {
-    xs *rcpts = recipient_list(snac, msg, 0);
+    const char *to = xs_dict_get(msg, "to");
+    const char *cc = xs_dict_get(msg, "cc");
+    int n;
 
-    return xs_list_in(rcpts, public_address) != -1;
+    const char *lists[] = { to, cc, NULL };
+    for (n = 0; lists[n]; n++) {
+        const xs_val *l = lists[n];
+
+        if (xs_type(l) == XSTYPE_STRING) {
+            if (strcmp(l, public_address) == 0)
+                return 1;
+        }
+        else
+        if (xs_type(l) == XSTYPE_LIST) {
+            if (xs_list_in(l, public_address) != -1)
+                return 1;
+        }
+    }
+
+    return 0;
 }
 
 
@@ -867,7 +884,7 @@ xs_dict *msg_admiration(snac *snac, char *object, char *type)
 
         msg = msg_base(snac, type, "@dummy", snac->actor, "@now", object);
 
-        if (is_msg_public(snac, a_msg))
+        if (is_msg_public(a_msg))
             rcpts = xs_list_append(rcpts, public_address);
 
         rcpts = xs_list_append(rcpts, xs_dict_get(a_msg, "attributedTo"));
@@ -1097,7 +1114,7 @@ xs_dict *msg_note(snac *snac, const xs_str *content, const xs_val *rcpts,
                 ctxt = xs_dup(v);
 
             /* if this message is public, ours will also be */
-            if (!priv && is_msg_public(snac, p_msg) && xs_list_in(to, public_address) == -1)
+            if (!priv && is_msg_public(p_msg) && xs_list_in(to, public_address) == -1)
                 to = xs_list_append(to, public_address);
         }
 
@@ -1419,7 +1436,7 @@ int process_input_message(snac *snac, xs_dict *msg, xs_dict *req)
 
     /* if it's a DM from someone we don't follow, reject the message */
     if (xs_type(xs_dict_get(snac->config, "drop_dm_from_unknown")) == XSTYPE_TRUE) {
-        if (strcmp(utype, "Note") == 0 && !is_msg_public(snac, msg) &&
+        if (strcmp(utype, "Note") == 0 && !is_msg_public(msg) &&
             !following_check(snac, actor)) {
             snac_log(snac, xs_fmt("DM rejected from unknown actor %s", actor));
 
@@ -1726,7 +1743,7 @@ void process_user_queue_item(snac *snac, xs_dict *q_item)
         }
 
         /* if it's public, send to the collected inboxes */
-        if (is_msg_public(snac, msg)) {
+        if (is_msg_public(msg)) {
             xs *shibx = inbox_list();
             xs_str *inbox;
 
diff --git a/data.c b/data.c
index 07ea27a..d7643e2 100644
--- a/data.c
+++ b/data.c
@@ -1041,7 +1041,7 @@ void timeline_update_indexes(snac *snac, const char *id)
 
         if (valid_status(object_get(id, &msg))) {
             /* if its ours and is public, also store in public */
-            if (is_msg_public(snac, msg)) {
+            if (is_msg_public(msg)) {
                 object_user_cache_add(snac, id, "public");
 
                 /* also add it to the instance public timeline */
diff --git a/html.c b/html.c
index ce0df97..58501f2 100644
--- a/html.c
+++ b/html.c
@@ -206,7 +206,7 @@ xs_str *html_msg_icon(snac *snac, xs_str *os, const xs_dict *msg)
         if (strcmp(type, "Note") == 0 || strcmp(type, "Question") == 0 || strcmp(type, "Page") == 0)
             url = xs_dict_get(msg, "id");
 
-        priv = !is_msg_public(snac, msg);
+        priv = !is_msg_public(msg);
 
         date  = xs_dict_get(msg, "published");
         udate = xs_dict_get(msg, "updated");
@@ -700,7 +700,7 @@ xs_str *html_entry_controls(snac *snac, xs_str *os, const xs_dict *msg, const ch
             s = html_button(s, "pin", L("Pin"), L("Pin this post to the top of your timeline"));
     }
 
-    if (is_msg_public(snac, msg)) {
+    if (is_msg_public(msg)) {
         if (strcmp(actor, snac->actor) == 0 || xs_list_in(boosts, snac->md5) == -1) {
             /* not already boosted or us; add button */
             s = html_button(s, "boost", L("Boost"), L("Announce this post to your followers"));
@@ -845,7 +845,7 @@ xs_str *html_entry(snac *snac, xs_str *os, const xs_dict *msg, int local,
     xs *boosts = NULL;
 
     /* do not show non-public messages in the public timeline */
-    if (local && !is_msg_public(snac, msg))
+    if (local && !is_msg_public(msg))
         return os;
 
     /* hidden? do nothing more for this conversation */
diff --git a/mastoapi.c b/mastoapi.c
index dbb6e11..25e54d3 100644
--- a/mastoapi.c
+++ b/mastoapi.c
@@ -658,7 +658,7 @@ xs_dict *mastoapi_status(snac *snac, const xs_dict *msg)
     st = xs_dict_append(st, "content",      xs_dict_get(msg, "content"));
 
     st = xs_dict_append(st, "visibility",
-        is_msg_public(snac, msg) ? "public" : "private");
+        is_msg_public(msg) ? "public" : "private");
 
     tmp = xs_dict_get(msg, "sensitive");
     if (xs_is_null(tmp))
diff --git a/snac.h b/snac.h
index 4652827..fed9309 100644
--- a/snac.h
+++ b/snac.h
@@ -242,7 +242,7 @@ int send_to_inbox(snac *snac, const xs_str *inbox, const xs_dict *msg,
 xs_str *get_actor_inbox(snac *snac, const char *actor);
 int send_to_actor(snac *snac, const char *actor, const xs_dict *msg,
                   xs_val **payload, int *p_size, int timeout);
-int is_msg_public(snac *snac, const xs_dict *msg);
+int is_msg_public(const xs_dict *msg);
 int is_msg_for_me(snac *snac, const xs_dict *msg);
 
 int process_user_queue(snac *snac);