diff --git a/crates/apub/src/lib.rs b/crates/apub/src/lib.rs
index 44c2d0d57..94752a397 100644
--- a/crates/apub/src/lib.rs
+++ b/crates/apub/src/lib.rs
@@ -112,6 +112,25 @@ where
   })
 }
 
+pub(crate) fn deserialize_one<'de, T, D>(deserializer: D) -> Result<[T; 1], D::Error>
+where
+  T: Deserialize<'de>,
+  D: Deserializer<'de>,
+{
+  #[derive(Deserialize)]
+  #[serde(untagged)]
+  enum MaybeArray<T> {
+    Simple(T),
+    Array([T; 1]),
+  }
+
+  let result: MaybeArray<T> = Deserialize::deserialize(deserializer)?;
+  Ok(match result {
+    MaybeArray::Simple(value) => [value],
+    MaybeArray::Array(value) => value,
+  })
+}
+
 pub enum EndpointType {
   Community,
   Person,
diff --git a/crates/apub/src/protocol/activities/community/report.rs b/crates/apub/src/protocol/activities/community/report.rs
index bf1a84f17..18b74c238 100644
--- a/crates/apub/src/protocol/activities/community/report.rs
+++ b/crates/apub/src/protocol/activities/community/report.rs
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ use url::Url;
 #[serde(rename_all = "camelCase")]
 pub struct Report {
   pub(crate) actor: ObjectId<ApubPerson>,
+  #[serde(deserialize_with = "crate::deserialize_one")]
   pub(crate) to: [ObjectId<ApubCommunity>; 1],
   pub(crate) object: ObjectId<PostOrComment>,
   pub(crate) summary: String,
diff --git a/crates/apub/src/protocol/activities/private_message/create_or_update.rs b/crates/apub/src/protocol/activities/private_message/create_or_update.rs
index a319daff5..9558d074a 100644
--- a/crates/apub/src/protocol/activities/private_message/create_or_update.rs
+++ b/crates/apub/src/protocol/activities/private_message/create_or_update.rs
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ use url::Url;
 pub struct CreateOrUpdatePrivateMessage {
   pub(crate) id: Url,
   pub(crate) actor: ObjectId<ApubPerson>,
+  #[serde(deserialize_with = "crate::deserialize_one")]
   pub(crate) to: [ObjectId<ApubPerson>; 1],
   pub(crate) object: ChatMessage,
   #[serde(rename = "type")]
diff --git a/crates/apub/src/protocol/activities/private_message/delete.rs b/crates/apub/src/protocol/activities/private_message/delete.rs
index 1156b0e8e..7d28e1c46 100644
--- a/crates/apub/src/protocol/activities/private_message/delete.rs
+++ b/crates/apub/src/protocol/activities/private_message/delete.rs
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ use url::Url;
 #[serde(rename_all = "camelCase")]
 pub struct DeletePrivateMessage {
   pub(crate) actor: ObjectId<ApubPerson>,
+  #[serde(deserialize_with = "crate::deserialize_one")]
   pub(crate) to: [ObjectId<ApubPerson>; 1],
   pub(crate) object: ObjectId<ApubPrivateMessage>,
   #[serde(rename = "type")]
diff --git a/crates/apub/src/protocol/activities/private_message/undo_delete.rs b/crates/apub/src/protocol/activities/private_message/undo_delete.rs
index 3ce260758..605938c40 100644
--- a/crates/apub/src/protocol/activities/private_message/undo_delete.rs
+++ b/crates/apub/src/protocol/activities/private_message/undo_delete.rs
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ use url::Url;
 #[serde(rename_all = "camelCase")]
 pub struct UndoDeletePrivateMessage {
   pub(crate) actor: ObjectId<ApubPerson>,
+  #[serde(deserialize_with = "crate::deserialize_one")]
   pub(crate) to: [ObjectId<ApubPerson>; 1],
   pub(crate) object: DeletePrivateMessage,
   #[serde(rename = "type")]
diff --git a/crates/apub/src/protocol/objects/chat_message.rs b/crates/apub/src/protocol/objects/chat_message.rs
index 64499ea33..608300ce1 100644
--- a/crates/apub/src/protocol/objects/chat_message.rs
+++ b/crates/apub/src/protocol/objects/chat_message.rs
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ pub struct ChatMessage {
   pub(crate) r#type: ChatMessageType,
   pub(crate) id: ObjectId<ApubPrivateMessage>,
   pub(crate) attributed_to: ObjectId<ApubPerson>,
+  #[serde(deserialize_with = "crate::deserialize_one")]
   pub(crate) to: [ObjectId<ApubPerson>; 1],
   pub(crate) content: String,
   pub(crate) media_type: Option<MediaTypeHtml>,