diff --git a/bookwyrm/activitypub/base_activity.py b/bookwyrm/activitypub/base_activity.py
index 1aacfd1f9..448d55637 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/activitypub/base_activity.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/activitypub/base_activity.py
@@ -39,12 +39,12 @@ def naive_parse(activity_objects, activity_json, serializer=None):
             activity_json["type"] = "PublicKey"
 
         activity_type = activity_json.get("type")
+        if activity_type in ["Question", "Article"]:
+            return None
         try:
             serializer = activity_objects[activity_type]
         except KeyError as err:
             # we know this exists and that we can't handle it
-            if activity_type in ["Question", "Article"]:
-                return None
             raise ActivitySerializerError(err)
 
     return serializer(activity_objects=activity_objects, **activity_json)
diff --git a/bookwyrm/tests/views/inbox/test_inbox_create.py b/bookwyrm/tests/views/inbox/test_inbox_create.py
index d08840b5b..cc1b8d508 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/tests/views/inbox/test_inbox_create.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/tests/views/inbox/test_inbox_create.py
@@ -219,7 +219,7 @@ class InboxCreate(TestCase):
         views.inbox.activity_task(activity)
 
     def test_create_unsupported_type_article(self, *_):
-        """ special case in unsupported type because we do know what it is"""
+        """special case in unsupported type because we do know what it is"""
         activity = self.create_json
         activity["object"] = {
             "id": "https://example.com/status/887",