diff --git a/activitypub.c b/activitypub.c
index 99fe498..21316c0 100644
--- a/activitypub.c
+++ b/activitypub.c
@@ -163,12 +163,16 @@ d_char *recipient_list(snac *snac, char *msg, int expand_public)
     for (n = 0; lists[n]; n++) {
         char *l = lists[n];
         char *v;
+        xs *tl = NULL;
 
+        /* if it's a string, create a list with only one element */
         if (xs_type(l) == XSTYPE_STRING) {
-            if (xs_list_in(list, l) == -1)
-                list = xs_list_append(list, l);
+            tl = xs_list_new();
+            tl = xs_list_append(tl, l);
+
+            l = tl;
         }
-        else
+
         while (xs_list_iter(&l, &v)) {
             if (expand_public && strcmp(v, public_address) == 0) {
                 /* iterate the followers and add them */
@@ -455,6 +459,25 @@ d_char *msg_undo(snac *snac, char *object)
 }
 
 
+d_char *msg_delete(snac *snac, char *id)
+/* creates a 'Delete' + 'Tombstone' for a local entry */
+{
+    xs *tomb = xs_dict_new();
+    d_char *msg = NULL;
+
+    /* sculpt the tombstone */
+    tomb = xs_dict_append(tomb, "type", "Tombstone");
+    tomb = xs_dict_append(tomb, "id",   id);
+
+    /* now create the Delete */
+    msg = msg_base(snac, "Delete", "@object", snac->actor, "@now", tomb);
+
+    msg = xs_dict_append(msg, "to", public_address);
+
+    return msg;
+}
+
+
 d_char *msg_follow(snac *snac, char *actor)
 /* creates a 'Follow' message */
 {
diff --git a/html.c b/html.c
index d6df61d..1e2248c 100644
--- a/html.c
+++ b/html.c
@@ -930,6 +930,19 @@ int html_post_handler(d_char *req, char *q_path, d_char *payload, int p_size,
         }
         else
         if (strcmp(action, L("Delete")) == 0) {
+            /* delete an entry */
+            if (xs_startswith(id, snac.actor)) {
+                /* it's a post by us: generate a delete */
+                xs *msg = msg_delete(&snac, id);
+
+                post(&snac, msg);
+
+                snac_log(&snac, xs_fmt("posted tombstone for %s", id));
+            }
+
+            timeline_del(&snac, id);
+
+            snac_log(&snac, xs_fmt("deleted entry %s", id));
         }
         else
             status = 404;
diff --git a/snac.h b/snac.h
index afccc65..9a597b2 100644
--- a/snac.h
+++ b/snac.h
@@ -114,6 +114,7 @@ d_char *msg_create(snac *snac, char *object);
 d_char *msg_follow(snac *snac, char *actor);
 d_char *msg_note(snac *snac, char *content, char *rcpts, char *in_reply_to);
 d_char *msg_undo(snac *snac, char *object);
+d_char *msg_delete(snac *snac, char *id);
 
 int activitypub_request(snac *snac, char *url, d_char **data);
 int actor_request(snac *snac, char *actor, d_char **data);