diff --git a/activitypub.c b/activitypub.c
index f9e7077..10e0e64 100644
--- a/activitypub.c
+++ b/activitypub.c
@@ -143,8 +143,6 @@ int actor_request(snac *snac, const char *actor, xs_dict **data)
 }
 
 
-void timeline_request_replies(snac *user, const char *id);
-
 int timeline_request(snac *snac, char **id, xs_str **wrk)
 /* ensures that an entry and its ancestors are in the timeline */
 {
@@ -191,7 +189,7 @@ int timeline_request(snac *snac, char **id, xs_str **wrk)
             }
         }
 
-        timeline_request_replies(snac, *id);
+        enqueue_request_replies(snac, *id);
     }
 
     return status;
@@ -1679,7 +1677,14 @@ void process_user_queue_item(snac *snac, xs_dict *q_item)
             update_question(snac, id);
     }
     else
-        snac_log(snac, xs_fmt("unexpected q_item type '%s'", type));
+    if (strcmp(type, "request_replies") == 0) {
+        const char *id = xs_dict_get(q_item, "message");
+
+        if (!xs_is_null(id))
+            timeline_request_replies(snac, id);
+    }
+    else
+        snac_log(snac, xs_fmt("unexpected user q_item type '%s'", type));
 }
 
 
diff --git a/data.c b/data.c
index 27f62a9..8da0888 100644
--- a/data.c
+++ b/data.c
@@ -1935,6 +1935,19 @@ void enqueue_close_question(snac *user, const char *id, int end_secs)
 }
 
 
+void enqueue_request_replies(snac *user, const char *id)
+/* enqueues a request for the replies of a message */
+{
+    xs *qmsg   = _new_qmsg("request_replies", id, 0);
+    char *ntid = xs_dict_get(qmsg, "ntid");
+    xs *fn     = xs_fmt("%s/queue/%s.json", user->basedir, ntid);
+
+    qmsg = _enqueue_put(fn, qmsg);
+
+    snac_debug(user, 0, xs_fmt("enqueue_request_replies %s", id));
+}
+
+
 int was_question_voted(snac *user, const char *id)
 /* returns true if the user voted in this poll */
 {
diff --git a/snac.h b/snac.h
index ef2c3ac..f3ed48c 100644
--- a/snac.h
+++ b/snac.h
@@ -165,6 +165,7 @@ void enqueue_email(xs_str *msg, int retries);
 void enqueue_telegram(const xs_str *msg, const char *bot, const char *chat_id);
 void enqueue_message(snac *snac, char *msg);
 void enqueue_close_question(snac *user, const char *id, int end_secs);
+void enqueue_request_replies(snac *user, const char *id);
 int was_question_voted(snac *user, const char *id);
 
 xs_list *user_queue(snac *snac);
@@ -213,6 +214,7 @@ xs_dict *msg_question(snac *user, const char *content, xs_list *attach,
 
 int activitypub_request(snac *snac, const char *url, xs_dict **data);
 int actor_request(snac *snac, const char *actor, xs_dict **data);
+void timeline_request_replies(snac *user, const char *id);
 int send_to_inbox_raw(const char *keyid, const char *seckey,
                   const xs_str *inbox, const xs_dict *msg,
                   xs_val **payload, int *p_size, int timeout);