diff --git a/bookwyrm/activitystreams.py b/bookwyrm/activitystreams.py
index 88f1f0114..6fa367008 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/activitystreams.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/activitystreams.py
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ class ActivityStream(ABC):
         """ given a status, what users should see it """
         # direct messages don't appeard in feeds, direct comments/reviews/etc do
         if status.privacy == "direct" and status.status_type == "Note":
-            return None
+            return []
 
         # everybody who could plausibly see this status
         audience = models.User.objects.filter(
@@ -150,7 +150,7 @@ class LocalStream(ActivityStream):
     def stream_users(self, status):
         # this stream wants no part in non-public statuses
         if status.privacy != "public" or not status.user.local:
-            return None
+            return []
         return super().stream_users(status)
 
     def stream_statuses(self, user):
@@ -170,7 +170,7 @@ class FederatedStream(ActivityStream):
     def stream_users(self, status):
         # this stream wants no part in non-public statuses
         if status.privacy != "public":
-            return None
+            return []
         return super().stream_users(status)
 
     def stream_statuses(self, user):
diff --git a/bookwyrm/tests/test_activitystreams.py b/bookwyrm/tests/test_activitystreams.py
index d7a3d4eb6..88ca4693b 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/tests/test_activitystreams.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/tests/test_activitystreams.py
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ class Activitystreams(TestCase):
         )
         status.mention_users.add(self.local_user)
         users = self.test_stream.stream_users(status)
-        self.assertIsNone(users)
+        self.assertEqual(users, [])
 
         status = models.Comment.objects.create(
             user=self.remote_user,
@@ -167,7 +167,7 @@ class Activitystreams(TestCase):
             user=self.remote_user, content="hi", privacy="public"
         )
         users = activitystreams.LocalStream().stream_users(status)
-        self.assertIsNone(users)
+        self.assertEqual(users, [])
 
     def test_localstream_stream_users_local_status(self, *_):
         """ get a list of users that should see a status """
@@ -184,7 +184,7 @@ class Activitystreams(TestCase):
             user=self.local_user, content="hi", privacy="unlisted"
         )
         users = activitystreams.LocalStream().stream_users(status)
-        self.assertIsNone(users)
+        self.assertEqual(users, [])
 
     def test_federatedstream_stream_users(self, *_):
         """ get a list of users that should see a status """
@@ -201,4 +201,4 @@ class Activitystreams(TestCase):
             user=self.remote_user, content="hi", privacy="unlisted"
         )
         users = activitystreams.FederatedStream().stream_users(status)
-        self.assertIsNone(users)
+        self.assertEqual(users, [])