diff --git a/bookwyrm/tests/views/test_rss_feed.py b/bookwyrm/tests/views/test_rss_feed.py
index 3608b043a..f2d3baf2d 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/tests/views/test_rss_feed.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/tests/views/test_rss_feed.py
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 """ testing import """
-
 from unittest.mock import patch
 from django.test import RequestFactory, TestCase
 
@@ -7,59 +6,77 @@ from bookwyrm import models
 from bookwyrm.views import rss_feed
 
 
+@patch("bookwyrm.models.activitypub_mixin.broadcast_task.delay")
+@patch("bookwyrm.activitystreams.ActivityStream.get_activity_stream")
+@patch("bookwyrm.activitystreams.ActivityStream.add_status")
 class RssFeedView(TestCase):
     """rss feed behaves as expected"""
 
     def setUp(self):
-        """test data"""
-        self.site = models.SiteSettings.objects.create()
-
         with patch("bookwyrm.suggested_users.rerank_suggestions_task.delay"):
-            self.user = models.User.objects.create_user(
+            self.local_user = models.User.objects.create_user(
                 "rss_user", "rss@test.rss", "password", local=True
             )
-
         work = models.Work.objects.create(title="Test Work")
         self.book = models.Edition.objects.create(
             title="Example Edition",
             remote_id="https://example.com/book/1",
             parent_work=work,
         )
-
-        with patch("bookwyrm.models.activitypub_mixin.broadcast_task.delay"):
-            with patch("bookwyrm.activitystreams.ActivityStream.add_status"):
-                self.review = models.Review.objects.create(
-                    name="Review name",
-                    content="test content",
-                    rating=3,
-                    user=self.user,
-                    book=self.book,
-                )
-
-                self.quote = models.Quotation.objects.create(
-                    quote="a sickening sense",
-                    content="test content",
-                    user=self.user,
-                    book=self.book,
-                )
-
-                self.generatednote = models.GeneratedNote.objects.create(
-                    content="test content", user=self.user
-                )
-
         self.factory = RequestFactory()
 
-    @patch("bookwyrm.activitystreams.ActivityStream.get_activity_stream")
-    def test_rss_feed(self, _):
+        models.SiteSettings.objects.create()
+
+    def test_rss_empty(self, *_):
         """load an rss feed"""
         view = rss_feed.RssFeed()
         request = self.factory.get("/user/rss_user/rss")
-        request.user = self.user
-        with patch("bookwyrm.models.SiteSettings.objects.get") as site:
-            site.return_value = self.site
-            result = view(request, username=self.user.username)
+        request.user = self.local_user
+        result = view(request, username=self.local_user.username)
+        self.assertEqual(result.status_code, 200)
+        self.assertIn(b"Status updates from rss_user", result.content)
+
+    def test_rss_comment(self, *_):
+        """load an rss feed"""
+        models.Comment.objects.create(
+            content="comment test content",
+            user=self.local_user,
+            book=self.book,
+        )
+        view = rss_feed.RssFeed()
+        request = self.factory.get("/user/rss_user/rss")
+        request.user = self.local_user
+        result = view(request, username=self.local_user.username)
+        self.assertEqual(result.status_code, 200)
+        self.assertIn(b"Example Edition", result.content)
+
+    def test_rss_review(self, *_):
+        """load an rss feed"""
+        models.Review.objects.create(
+            name="Review name",
+            content="test content",
+            rating=3,
+            user=self.local_user,
+            book=self.book,
+        )
+        view = rss_feed.RssFeed()
+        request = self.factory.get("/user/rss_user/rss")
+        request.user = self.local_user
+        result = view(request, username=self.local_user.username)
+        self.assertEqual(result.status_code, 200)
+
+    def test_rss_quotation(self, *_):
+        """load an rss feed"""
+        models.Quotation.objects.create(
+            quote="a sickening sense",
+            content="test content",
+            user=self.local_user,
+            book=self.book,
+        )
+        view = rss_feed.RssFeed()
+        request = self.factory.get("/user/rss_user/rss")
+        request.user = self.local_user
+        result = view(request, username=self.local_user.username)
         self.assertEqual(result.status_code, 200)
 
-        self.assertIn(b"Status updates from rss_user", result.content)
         self.assertIn(b"a sickening sense", result.content)
-        self.assertIn(b"Example Edition", result.content)
diff --git a/bookwyrm/views/rss_feed.py b/bookwyrm/views/rss_feed.py
index 0d3a8902e..5faa16243 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/views/rss_feed.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/views/rss_feed.py
@@ -1,6 +1,9 @@
 """ serialize user's posts in rss feed """
 
 from django.contrib.syndication.views import Feed
+from django.template.loader import get_template
+from django.utils.translation import gettext_lazy as _
+
 from .helpers import get_user_from_username, privacy_filter
 
 # pylint: disable=no-self-use, unused-argument
@@ -8,7 +11,15 @@ class RssFeed(Feed):
     """serialize user's posts in rss feed"""
 
     description_template = "rss/content.html"
-    title_template = "rss/title.html"
+
+    def item_title(self, item):
+        """render the item title"""
+        if hasattr(item, "pure_name") and item.pure_name:
+            return item.pure_name
+        title_template = get_template("snippets/status/header_content.html")
+        title = title_template.render({"status": item})
+        template = get_template("rss/title.html")
+        return template.render({"user": item.user, "item_title": title}).strip()
 
     def get_object(self, request, username):  # pylint: disable=arguments-differ
         """the user who's posts get serialized"""
@@ -20,7 +31,7 @@ class RssFeed(Feed):
 
     def title(self, obj):
         """title of the rss feed entry"""
-        return f"Status updates from {obj.display_name}"
+        return _(f"Status updates from {obj.display_name}")
 
     def items(self, obj):
         """the user's activity feed"""