diff --git a/bookwyrm/activitypub/book.py b/bookwyrm/activitypub/book.py
index ae9c334d..93cd384f 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/activitypub/book.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/activitypub/book.py
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ class Edition(Book):
     isbn13: str = ''
     oclcNumber: str = ''
     asin: str = ''
-    pages: str = ''
+    pages: int = None
     physicalFormat: str = ''
     publishers: List[str] = field(default_factory=lambda: [])
 
diff --git a/bookwyrm/models/book.py b/bookwyrm/models/book.py
index 3080a115..8d441e8b 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/models/book.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/models/book.py
@@ -92,7 +92,8 @@ class Work(OrderedCollectionPageMixin, Book):
     default_edition = fields.ForeignKey(
         'Edition',
         on_delete=models.PROTECT,
-        null=True
+        null=True,
+        load_remote=False
     )
 
     def get_default_edition(self):
diff --git a/bookwyrm/models/fields.py b/bookwyrm/models/fields.py
index 52933715..082ac53b 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/models/fields.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/models/fields.py
@@ -100,12 +100,19 @@ class ActivitypubFieldMixin:
 
 class ActivitypubRelatedFieldMixin(ActivitypubFieldMixin):
     ''' default (de)serialization for foreign key and one to one '''
+    def __init__(self, *args, load_remote=True, **kwargs):
+        self.load_remote = load_remote
+        super().__init__(*args, **kwargs)
+
     def field_from_activity(self, value):
         if not value:
             return None
 
         related_model = self.related_model
         if isinstance(value, dict) and value.get('id'):
+            if not self.load_remote:
+                # only look in the local database
+                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)
@@ -116,6 +123,9 @@ class ActivitypubRelatedFieldMixin(ActivitypubFieldMixin):
             # we don't know what this is, ignore it
             return None
         # gets or creates the model field from the remote id
+        if not self.load_remote:
+            # only look in the local database
+            return related_model.find_existing_by_remote_id(value)
         return activitypub.resolve_remote_id(related_model, value)