diff --git a/src/server/fetcher.rs b/src/server/fetcher.rs
index 039dac97..7434ea3c 100644
--- a/src/server/fetcher.rs
+++ b/src/server/fetcher.rs
@@ -131,12 +131,31 @@ impl Fetcher for Context {
 		let addressed = object.addressed();
 		let object_model = model::object::Model::new(&object)?;
 
-		model::object::Entity::insert(object_model.clone().into_active_model())
-			.exec(self.db()).await?;
+		// since bare objects make no sense in our representation, we create a mock activity attributed to
+		// our server actor which creates this object. we respect all addressing we were made aware of
+		// and claim no ownership of this object, pointing to the original author if it's given.
+		// TODO it may be cool to make a system that, when the "true" activity is discovered, deletes
+		// this and replaces the addressing entries? idk kinda lot of work
+		let wrapper_activity_model = model::activity::Model {
+			id: self.aid(uuid::Uuid::new_v4().to_string()),
+			activity_type: apb::ActivityType::Create,
+			actor: self.base(),
+			object: Some(object_model.id.clone()),
+			target: object_model.attributed_to.clone(),
+			cc: object_model.cc.clone(),
+			bcc: object_model.bcc.clone(),
+			to: object_model.to.clone(),
+			bto: object_model.bto.clone(),
+			published: chrono::Utc::now(),
+		};
 
 		let expanded_addresses = self.expand_addressing(addressed).await?;
-		// TODO we don't know which activity created this!
-		self.address_to("", Some(&object_model.id), &expanded_addresses).await?;
+		self.address_to(&wrapper_activity_model.id, Some(&object_model.id), &expanded_addresses).await?;
+
+		model::activity::Entity::insert(wrapper_activity_model.into_active_model())
+			.exec(self.db()).await?;
+		model::object::Entity::insert(object_model.clone().into_active_model())
+			.exec(self.db()).await?;
 
 		Ok(object_model)
 	}