diff --git a/crates/federate/src/worker.rs b/crates/federate/src/worker.rs
index 79e19dd40..dd307fc7d 100644
--- a/crates/federate/src/worker.rs
+++ b/crates/federate/src/worker.rs
@@ -421,6 +421,7 @@ mod test {
   use lemmy_api_common::utils::{generate_inbox_url, generate_shared_inbox_url};
   use lemmy_db_schema::{
     newtypes::DbUrl,
+    schema::received_activity,
     source::{
       activity::{ActorType, SentActivity, SentActivityForm},
       person::{Person, PersonInsertForm},
@@ -431,7 +432,6 @@ mod test {
   use reqwest::StatusCode;
   use serde_json::{json, Value};
   use serial_test::serial;
-  use std::{fs::File, io::BufReader};
   use test_context::{test_context, AsyncTestContext};
   use tokio::{
     spawn,
@@ -449,6 +449,7 @@ mod test {
     cancel: CancellationToken,
     cleaned_up: bool,
     wait_stop_server: ServerHandle,
+    is_concurrent: bool,
   }
 
   impl Data {
@@ -477,7 +478,7 @@ mod test {
       let concurrent_sends_per_instance = std::env::var("LEMMY_TEST_FEDERATION_CONCURRENT_SENDS")
         .ok()
         .and_then(|s| s.parse().ok())
-        .unwrap_or(1);
+        .unwrap_or(10);
 
       let fed_config = FederationWorkerConfig {
         concurrent_sends_per_instance,
@@ -501,6 +502,7 @@ mod test {
         cancel,
         wait_stop_server,
         cleaned_up: false,
+        is_concurrent: concurrent_sends_per_instance > 1,
       })
     }
 
@@ -590,13 +592,7 @@ mod test {
     }
     sleep(2 * *WORK_FINISHED_RECHECK_DELAY).await;
     tracing::debug!("sent activity");
-    // receive for successfully sent activity
-    for i in 0..100 {
-      let inbox_rcv = data.inbox_receiver.recv().await.unwrap();
-      let parsed_activity = serde_json::from_str::<WithContext<Value>>(&inbox_rcv)?;
-      assert_eq!(&sent[i].data, parsed_activity.inner());
-      tracing::debug!("received activity");
-    }
+    compare_sent_with_receive(data, sent).await?;
 
     Ok(())
   }
@@ -625,13 +621,7 @@ mod test {
       }
       sleep(2 * *WORK_FINISHED_RECHECK_DELAY).await;
       tracing::debug!("sent activity");
-      // receive for successfully sent activity
-      for i in 0..count {
-        let inbox_rcv = data.inbox_receiver.recv().await.unwrap();
-        let parsed_activity = serde_json::from_str::<WithContext<Value>>(&inbox_rcv)?;
-        assert_eq!(&sent[i].data, parsed_activity.inner());
-        tracing::debug!("received activity");
-      }
+      compare_sent_with_receive(data, sent).await?;
     }
 
     Ok(())
@@ -723,4 +713,36 @@ mod test {
 
     Ok(sent)
   }
+  async fn compare_sent_with_receive(data: &mut Data, mut sent: Vec<SentActivity>) -> Result<()> {
+    let check_order = !data.is_concurrent; // allow out-of order receiving when running parallel
+    let mut received = Vec::new();
+    for _ in 0..sent.len() {
+      let inbox_rcv = data.inbox_receiver.recv().await.unwrap();
+      let parsed_activity = serde_json::from_str::<WithContext<Value>>(&inbox_rcv)?;
+      received.push(parsed_activity);
+    }
+    if !check_order {
+      // sort by id
+      received.sort_by(|a, b| {
+        a.inner()["id"]
+          .as_str()
+          .unwrap()
+          .cmp(b.inner()["id"].as_str().unwrap())
+      });
+      sent.sort_by(|a, b| {
+        a.data["id"]
+          .as_str()
+          .unwrap()
+          .cmp(&b.data["id"].as_str().unwrap())
+      });
+    }
+    // receive for successfully sent activity
+    for i in 0..sent.len() {
+      let sent_activity = &sent[i];
+      let received_activity = received[i].inner();
+      assert_eq!(&sent_activity.data, received_activity);
+      tracing::debug!("received activity");
+    }
+    Ok(())
+  }
 }