diff --git a/lib/pleroma/web/activity_pub/transmogrifier.ex b/lib/pleroma/web/activity_pub/transmogrifier.ex
index 01f39e985..6e6244b7c 100644
--- a/lib/pleroma/web/activity_pub/transmogrifier.ex
+++ b/lib/pleroma/web/activity_pub/transmogrifier.ex
@@ -577,12 +577,13 @@ defp handle_incoming_normalised(
           # We'd still like to process side effects so insert a fake tombstone and retry
           # (real tombstones from Object.delete do not have an actor field)
           with {:ok, object_id} <- ObjectValidators.ObjectID.cast(data["object"]),
-               %Activity{data: %{"actor" => actor}} <-
-                 Activity.create_by_object_ap_id(object_id) |> Repo.one(),
+               {_, %Activity{data: %{"actor" => actor}}} <-
+                 {:create, Activity.create_by_object_ap_id(object_id) |> Repo.one()},
                {:ok, tombstone_data, _} <- Builder.tombstone(actor, object_id),
                {:ok, _tombstone} <- Object.create(tombstone_data) do
             handle_incoming(data)
           else
+            {:create, _} -> {:error, :ignore}
             _ -> e
           end
         else