diff --git a/web/src/lib.rs b/web/src/lib.rs
index ecf1d76d..f3ad655e 100644
--- a/web/src/lib.rs
+++ b/web/src/lib.rs
@@ -126,7 +126,7 @@ impl Uri {
 	///  - https://other.domain.net/unexpected/path/root
 	///  - +other.domain.net@users@root
 	///  - root
-	pub fn api(kind: &str, url: &str) -> String {
-		format!("{URL_BASE}/{kind}/{}", Self::short(url))
+	pub fn api(kind: &str, url: &str, fetch: bool) -> String {
+		format!("{URL_BASE}/{kind}/{}{}", Self::short(url), if fetch { "?fetch=true" } else { "" })
 	}
 }
diff --git a/web/src/page.rs b/web/src/page.rs
index dc01fcfa..f3dff908 100644
--- a/web/src/page.rs
+++ b/web/src/page.rs
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ pub fn UserPage() -> impl IntoView {
 			match CACHE.get(&Uri::full("users", &id)) {
 				Some(x) => Some(x.clone()),
 				None => {
-					let user : serde_json::Value = Http::fetch(&Uri::api("users", &id), auth).await.ok()?;
+					let user : serde_json::Value = Http::fetch(&Uri::api("users", &id, true), auth).await.ok()?;
 					CACHE.put(Uri::full("users", &id), user.clone());
 					Some(user)
 				},
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ pub fn UserPage() -> impl IntoView {
 									}</blockquote>
 								</div>
 							</div>
-							<TimelineFeed tl=Timeline::new(format!("{}/outbox/page", Uri::api("users", &id.clone()))) />
+							<TimelineFeed tl=Timeline::new(format!("{}/outbox/page", Uri::api("users", &id.clone(), false))) />
 						}.into_view()
 					},
 				}}
@@ -134,7 +134,7 @@ pub fn ObjectPage() -> impl IntoView {
 			match CACHE.get(&Uri::full("objects", &oid)) {
 				Some(x) => Some(x.clone()),
 				None => {
-					let obj = Http::fetch::<serde_json::Value>(&Uri::api("objects", &oid), auth).await.ok()?;
+					let obj = Http::fetch::<serde_json::Value>(&Uri::api("objects", &oid, true), auth).await.ok()?;
 					CACHE.put(Uri::full("objects", &oid), obj.clone());
 					Some(obj)
 				}
diff --git a/web/src/timeline.rs b/web/src/timeline.rs
index 2f72703c..badc59b2 100644
--- a/web/src/timeline.rs
+++ b/web/src/timeline.rs
@@ -126,7 +126,7 @@ async fn process_activities(
 }
 
 async fn fetch_and_update(kind: &'static str, id: String, auth: Signal<Option<String>>) {
-	match Http::fetch(&Uri::api(kind, &id), auth).await {
+	match Http::fetch(&Uri::api(kind, &id, false), auth).await {
 		Ok(data) => CACHE.put(id, data),
 		Err(e) => console_warn(&format!("could not fetch '{id}': {e}")),
 	}