diff --git a/bookwyrm/activitypub/interaction.py b/bookwyrm/activitypub/interaction.py
deleted file mode 100644
index 752b2fe3f..000000000
--- a/bookwyrm/activitypub/interaction.py
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,20 +0,0 @@
-''' boosting and liking posts '''
-from dataclasses import dataclass
-
-from .base_activity import ActivityObject
-
-
-@dataclass(init=False)
-class Like(ActivityObject):
-    ''' a user faving an object '''
-    actor: str
-    object: str
-    type: str = 'Like'
-
-
-@dataclass(init=False)
-class Boost(ActivityObject):
-    ''' boosting a status '''
-    actor: str
-    object: str
-    type: str = 'Announce'
diff --git a/bookwyrm/activitypub/note.py b/bookwyrm/activitypub/note.py
index 1e0bdcb77..5da2cced6 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/activitypub/note.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/activitypub/note.py
@@ -8,8 +8,6 @@ from .image import Image
 @dataclass(init=False)
 class Tombstone(ActivityObject):
     ''' the placeholder for a deleted status '''
-    published: str
-    deleted: str
     type: str = 'Tombstone'
 
 
diff --git a/bookwyrm/activitypub/verbs.py b/bookwyrm/activitypub/verbs.py
index 30eef4487..c3de73f3a 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/activitypub/verbs.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/activitypub/verbs.py
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ from typing import List
 from .base_activity import ActivityObject, Signature
 from .book import Edition
 
+
 @dataclass(init=False)
 class Verb(ActivityObject):
     ''' generic fields for activities - maybe an unecessary level of
diff --git a/bookwyrm/models/fields.py b/bookwyrm/models/fields.py
index 55de1fab2..880c76004 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/models/fields.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/models/fields.py
@@ -128,7 +128,7 @@ class ActivitypubRelatedFieldMixin(ActivitypubFieldMixin):
                 return related_model.find_existing(value)
             # this is an activitypub object, which we can deserialize
             activity_serializer = related_model.activity_serializer
-            return activity_serializer(**value).to_model(related_model)
+            return activity_serializer(**value).to_model()
         try:
             # make sure the value looks like a remote id
             validate_remote_id(value)
diff --git a/bookwyrm/models/user.py b/bookwyrm/models/user.py
index da717d2e1..61d119a8d 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/models/user.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/models/user.py
@@ -364,4 +364,4 @@ def get_remote_reviews(outbox):
     for activity in data['orderedItems']:
         if not activity['type'] == 'Review':
             continue
-        activitypub.Review(**activity).to_model(Review)
+        activitypub.Review(**activity).to_model()
diff --git a/bookwyrm/tests/views/test_inbox.py b/bookwyrm/tests/views/test_inbox.py
index 92e5dacea..af513609a 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/tests/views/test_inbox.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/tests/views/test_inbox.py
@@ -424,7 +424,7 @@ class Inbox(TestCase):
             'type': 'Delete',
             'id': '%s/activity' % self.status.remote_id,
             'actor': self.remote_user.remote_id,
-            'object': {'id': self.status.remote_id},
+            'object': {'id': self.status.remote_id, 'type': 'Tombstone'},
         }
         views.inbox.activity_task(activity)
         # deletion doens't remove the status, it turns it into a tombstone
@@ -453,7 +453,7 @@ class Inbox(TestCase):
             'type': 'Delete',
             'id': '%s/activity' % self.status.remote_id,
             'actor': self.remote_user.remote_id,
-            'object': {'id': self.status.remote_id},
+            'object': {'id': self.status.remote_id, 'type': 'Tombstone'},
         }
         views.inbox.activity_task(activity)
         # deletion doens't remove the status, it turns it into a tombstone
@@ -472,6 +472,7 @@ class Inbox(TestCase):
             '@context': 'https://www.w3.org/ns/activitystreams',
             'id': 'https://example.com/fav/1',
             'actor': 'https://example.com/users/rat',
+            'type': 'Like',
             'published': 'Mon, 25 May 2020 19:31:20 GMT',
             'object': 'https://example.com/status/1',
         }
@@ -492,6 +493,7 @@ class Inbox(TestCase):
                 '@context': 'https://www.w3.org/ns/activitystreams',
                 'id': 'https://example.com/fav/1',
                 'actor': 'https://example.com/users/rat',
+                'type': 'Like',
                 'published': 'Mon, 25 May 2020 19:31:20 GMT',
                 'object': 'https://example.com/fav/1',
             }