diff --git a/activitypub.c b/activitypub.c
index de99b75..7cbf4db 100644
--- a/activitypub.c
+++ b/activitypub.c
@@ -15,8 +15,9 @@ int activitypub_request(snac *snac, char *url, d_char **data)
 {
     int status;
     xs *response = NULL;
-    xs *payload;
+    xs *payload = NULL;
     int p_size;
+    char *ctype;
 
     /* check if it's an url for this same site */
     /* ... */
@@ -25,41 +26,51 @@ int activitypub_request(snac *snac, char *url, d_char **data)
     response = http_signed_request(snac, "GET", url,
         NULL, NULL, 0, &status, &payload, &p_size);
 
-    {
-        xs *j = xs_json_loads(response);
-        printf("%s\n", j);
+    if (valid_status(status)) {
+        if (dbglevel >= 3) {
+            xs *j = xs_json_dumps_pp(response, 4);
+            fprintf(stderr, "%s\n", j);
+        }
+
+        /* ensure it's ActivityPub data */
+        ctype = xs_dict_get(response, "content-type");
+
+        if (xs_str_in(ctype, "application/activity+json") != -1)
+            *data = xs_json_loads(payload);
+        else
+            status = 500;
     }
 
-    if (valid_status(status)) {
-        *data = xs_json_loads(payload);
-    }
+    if (!valid_status(status))
+        *data = NULL;
 
     return status;
 }
 
 
-#if 0
 int actor_request(snac *snac, char *actor, d_char **data)
 /* request an actor */
 {
-    int status;
-    xs *response = NULL;
-    xs *payload;
-    int p_size;
+    int status, status2;
+    xs *payload = NULL;
 
     /* get from disk first */
     status = actor_get(snac, actor, data);
 
     if (status == 200)
-        return;
+        return status;
 
-    /* get from the net */
-    response = http_signed_request(snac, "GET", actor,
-        NULL, NULL, 0, &status, &payload, &p_size);
+    /* actor data non-existent or stale: get from the net */
+    status2 = activitypub_request(snac, actor, &payload);
 
-//    response = http_signed_request(&snac, "GET", "https://mastodon.social/users/VictorMoral",
-//        headers, NULL, 0, &status, &payload, &p_size);
+    if (valid_status(status2)) {
+        /* renew data */
+        xs *j = xs_json_dumps_pp(payload, 4);
+        status = actor_add(snac, actor, j);
+
+        *data   = payload;
+        payload = NULL;
+    }
 
     return status;
 }
-#endif
diff --git a/main.c b/main.c
index 101c549..7d48fa4 100644
--- a/main.c
+++ b/main.c
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
     char *user;
     char *url;
     int argi = 1;
+    snac snac;
 
     argc--;
     if (argc < argi)
@@ -73,7 +74,23 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 
     url = argv[argi++];
 
+    if (!user_open(&snac, user)) {
+        printf("error in user '%s'\n", user);
+        return 1;
+    }
+
     if (strcmp(cmd, "request") == 0) {
+        int status;
+        xs *data = NULL;
+
+        status = activitypub_request(&snac, url, &data);
+
+        printf("status: %d\n", status);
+        if (valid_status(status)) {
+
+            xs *j = xs_json_dumps_pp(data, 4);
+            printf("%s\n", j);
+        }
     }
 
     return 0;