diff --git a/activitypub.c b/activitypub.c
index 2c20e63..6fb6bf5 100644
--- a/activitypub.c
+++ b/activitypub.c
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ int actor_request(snac *snac, const char *actor, xs_dict **data)
         *data = NULL;
 
     /* get from disk first */
-    status = actor_get(snac, actor, data);
+    status = actor_get(actor, data);
 
     if (status != 200) {
         /* actor data non-existent or stale: get from the net */
diff --git a/data.c b/data.c
index d7643e2..73192ba 100644
--- a/data.c
+++ b/data.c
@@ -1439,20 +1439,12 @@ int actor_add(const char *actor, xs_dict *msg)
 }
 
 
-int actor_get(snac *snac1, const char *actor, xs_dict **data)
+int actor_get(const char *actor, xs_dict **data)
 /* returns an already downloaded actor */
 {
     int status = 200;
     xs_dict *d = NULL;
 
-    if (strcmp(actor, snac1->actor) == 0) {
-        /* this actor */
-        if (data)
-            *data = msg_actor(snac1);
-
-        return status;
-    }
-
     if (xs_startswith(actor, srv_baseurl)) {
         /* it's a (possible) local user */
         xs *l = xs_split(actor, "/");
diff --git a/html.c b/html.c
index 58501f2..5c2c4d7 100644
--- a/html.c
+++ b/html.c
@@ -188,7 +188,7 @@ xs_str *html_actor_icon(xs_str *os, char *actor,
 }
 
 
-xs_str *html_msg_icon(snac *snac, xs_str *os, const xs_dict *msg)
+xs_str *html_msg_icon(xs_str *os, const xs_dict *msg)
 {
     char *actor_id;
     xs *actor = NULL;
@@ -196,7 +196,7 @@ xs_str *html_msg_icon(snac *snac, xs_str *os, const xs_dict *msg)
     if ((actor_id = xs_dict_get(msg, "attributedTo")) == NULL)
         actor_id = xs_dict_get(msg, "actor");
 
-    if (actor_id && valid_status(actor_get(snac, actor_id, &actor))) {
+    if (actor_id && valid_status(actor_get(actor_id, &actor))) {
         char *date  = NULL;
         char *udate = NULL;
         char *url   = NULL;
@@ -870,7 +870,7 @@ xs_str *html_entry(snac *snac, xs_str *os, const xs_dict *msg, int local,
         xs *s1 = xs_fmt("<div class=\"snac-origin\">%s</div>\n", L("follows you"));
         s = xs_str_cat(s, s1);
 
-        s = html_msg_icon(snac, s, msg);
+        s = html_msg_icon(s, msg);
 
         s = xs_str_cat(s, "</div>\n</div>\n");
 
@@ -894,7 +894,7 @@ xs_str *html_entry(snac *snac, xs_str *os, const xs_dict *msg, int local,
     if (is_muted(snac, actor))
         return os;
 
-    if (strcmp(actor, snac->actor) != 0 && !valid_status(actor_get(snac, actor, NULL)))
+    if (strcmp(actor, snac->actor) != 0 && !valid_status(actor_get(actor, NULL)))
         return os;
 
     if (level == 0)
@@ -990,7 +990,7 @@ xs_str *html_entry(snac *snac, xs_str *os, const xs_dict *msg, int local,
         }
     }
 
-    s = html_msg_icon(snac, s, msg);
+    s = html_msg_icon(s, msg);
 
     /* add the content */
     s = xs_str_cat(s, "</div>\n<div class=\"e-content snac-content\">\n"); /** **/
@@ -1450,7 +1450,7 @@ xs_str *html_people_list(snac *snac, xs_str *os, xs_list *list, const char *head
         xs *md5 = xs_md5_hex(actor_id, strlen(actor_id));
         xs *actor = NULL;
 
-        if (valid_status(actor_get(snac, actor_id, &actor))) {
+        if (valid_status(actor_get(actor_id, &actor))) {
             s = xs_str_cat(s, "<div class=\"snac-post\">\n<div class=\"snac-post-header\">\n");
 
             s = html_actor_icon(s, actor, xs_dict_get(actor, "published"), NULL, NULL, 0);
@@ -1608,7 +1608,7 @@ xs_str *html_notifications(snac *snac)
         const char *actor_id = xs_dict_get(noti, "actor");
         xs *actor = NULL;
 
-        if (!valid_status(actor_get(snac, actor_id, &actor)))
+        if (!valid_status(actor_get(actor_id, &actor)))
             continue;
 
         xs *a_name = actor_name(actor);
diff --git a/mastoapi.c b/mastoapi.c
index 25e54d3..980d900 100644
--- a/mastoapi.c
+++ b/mastoapi.c
@@ -632,7 +632,7 @@ xs_dict *mastoapi_status(snac *snac, const xs_dict *msg)
 /* converts an ActivityPub note to a Mastodon status */
 {
     xs *actor = NULL;
-    actor_get(snac, xs_dict_get(msg, "attributedTo"), &actor);
+    actor_get(xs_dict_get(msg, "attributedTo"), &actor);
 
     /* if the author is not here, discard */
     if (actor == NULL)
@@ -1310,7 +1310,7 @@ int mastoapi_get_handler(const xs_dict *req, const char *q_path,
                 xs *actor = NULL;
                 xs *entry = NULL;
 
-                if (!valid_status(actor_get(&snac1, xs_dict_get(noti, "actor"), &actor)))
+                if (!valid_status(actor_get(xs_dict_get(noti, "actor"), &actor)))
                     continue;
 
                 if (objid != NULL && !valid_status(object_get(objid, &entry)))
diff --git a/snac.h b/snac.h
index fed9309..1365816 100644
--- a/snac.h
+++ b/snac.h
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@ void hide(snac *snac, const char *id);
 int is_hidden(snac *snac, const char *id);
 
 int actor_add(const char *actor, xs_dict *msg);
-int actor_get(snac *snac, const char *actor, xs_dict **data);
+int actor_get(const char *actor, xs_dict **data);
 
 int static_get(snac *snac, const char *id, xs_val **data, int *size, const char *inm, xs_str **etag);
 void static_put(snac *snac, const char *id, const char *data, int size);