diff --git a/docker/federation/run-federation-test.bash b/docker/federation/run-federation-test.bash
index 8486648b3..206a32402 100755
--- a/docker/federation/run-federation-test.bash
+++ b/docker/federation/run-federation-test.bash
@@ -1,6 +1,11 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 set -e
 
+# already start rust build in the background
+pushd ../../server/ || exit
+cargo build &
+popd || exit
+
 if [ "$1" = "-yarn" ]; then
   pushd ../../ui/ || exit
   yarn
@@ -8,6 +13,7 @@ if [ "$1" = "-yarn" ]; then
   popd || exit
 fi
 
+# wait for rust build to finish
 pushd ../../server/ || exit
 cargo build
 popd || exit
diff --git a/server/src/apub/post.rs b/server/src/apub/post.rs
index 5401b67f6..084e0fb25 100644
--- a/server/src/apub/post.rs
+++ b/server/src/apub/post.rs
@@ -25,17 +25,14 @@ use crate::{
   routes::DbPoolParam,
   Settings,
 };
-use activitystreams::{
-  activity::{Create, Delete, Dislike, Like, Remove, Undo, Update},
-  context,
-  object::{kind::PageType, properties::ObjectProperties, AnyImage, Image, Page, Tombstone},
-  BaseBox,
-};
+use activitystreams::{activity::{Create, Delete, Dislike, Like, Remove, Undo, Update}, context, object::{kind::PageType, properties::ObjectProperties, AnyImage, Image, Page, Tombstone}, BaseBox, Activity, Base};
 use activitystreams_ext::Ext1;
 use actix_web::{body::Body, web::Path, HttpResponse, Result};
 use diesel::PgConnection;
 use failure::Error;
-use serde::Deserialize;
+use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
+use crate::apub::shared_inbox::do_announce;
+use failure::_core::fmt::Debug;
 
 #[derive(Deserialize)]
 pub struct PostQuery {
@@ -241,7 +238,7 @@ impl ApubObjectType for Post {
 
     insert_activity(&conn, creator.id, &create, true)?;
 
-    send_activity(&create, creator, vec!(community.get_shared_inbox_url()))?;
+    Post::send_post(creator, conn, &community, create)?;
     Ok(())
   }
 
@@ -264,7 +261,7 @@ impl ApubObjectType for Post {
 
     insert_activity(&conn, creator.id, &update, true)?;
 
-    send_activity(&update, creator, vec!(community.get_shared_inbox_url()))?;
+    Post::send_post(creator, conn, &community, update)?;
     Ok(())
   }
 
@@ -288,7 +285,8 @@ impl ApubObjectType for Post {
     insert_activity(&conn, self.creator_id, &delete, true)?;
 
     let community = Community::read(conn, self.community_id)?;
-    send_activity(&delete, creator, vec!(community.get_shared_inbox_url()))?;
+
+    Post::send_post(creator, conn, &community, delete)?;
     Ok(())
   }
 
@@ -328,7 +326,7 @@ impl ApubObjectType for Post {
     insert_activity(&conn, self.creator_id, &undo, true)?;
 
     let community = Community::read(conn, self.community_id)?;
-    send_activity(&undo, creator, vec!(community.get_shared_inbox_url()))?;
+    Post::send_post(creator, conn, &community, undo)?;
     Ok(())
   }
 
@@ -352,7 +350,8 @@ impl ApubObjectType for Post {
     insert_activity(&conn, mod_.id, &remove, true)?;
 
     let community = Community::read(conn, self.community_id)?;
-    send_activity(&remove, mod_, vec!(community.get_shared_inbox_url()))?;
+
+    Post::send_post(mod_, conn, &community, remove)?;
     Ok(())
   }
   fn send_undo_remove(&self, mod_: &User_, conn: &PgConnection) -> Result<(), Error> {
@@ -390,11 +389,12 @@ impl ApubObjectType for Post {
     insert_activity(&conn, mod_.id, &undo, true)?;
 
     let community = Community::read(conn, self.community_id)?;
-    send_activity(&undo, mod_, vec!(community.get_shared_inbox_url()))?;
+    Post::send_post(mod_, conn, &community, undo)?;
     Ok(())
   }
 }
 
+
 impl ApubLikeableType for Post {
   fn send_like(&self, creator: &User_, conn: &PgConnection) -> Result<(), Error> {
     let page = self.to_apub(conn)?;
@@ -478,3 +478,23 @@ impl ApubLikeableType for Post {
     Ok(())
   }
 }
+
+impl Post {
+  fn send_post<A>(creator: &User_, conn: &PgConnection, community: &Community, activity: A) -> Result<(), Error>
+    where
+        A: Activity + Base + Serialize + Debug {
+    insert_activity(&conn, creator.id, &activity, true)?;
+
+    // if this is a local community, we need to do an announce from the community instead
+    if community.local {
+      do_announce(activity, &community.actor_id, &creator.actor_id, conn)?;
+    } else {
+      send_activity(
+        &activity,
+        creator,
+        vec![community.get_shared_inbox_url()],
+      )?;
+    }
+    Ok(())
+  }
+}
diff --git a/server/src/apub/shared_inbox.rs b/server/src/apub/shared_inbox.rs
index a19b698dc..9e8e893f9 100644
--- a/server/src/apub/shared_inbox.rs
+++ b/server/src/apub/shared_inbox.rs
@@ -37,7 +37,6 @@ use failure::{Error, _core::fmt::Debug};
 use log::debug;
 use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
 use crate::apub::fetcher::get_or_fetch_and_upsert_remote_community;
-use activitystreams_new::primitives::XsdAnyUri;
 use crate::apub::activities::{populate_object_props, send_activity};
 use crate::apub::ActorType;
 use activitystreams::activity::Announce;
@@ -68,7 +67,7 @@ impl SharedAcceptedObjects {
       SharedAcceptedObjects::Announce(a) => a.announce_props.get_object_base_box(),
     }
   }
-  fn sender(&self) -> XsdAnyUri {
+  fn sender(&self) -> String {
     let uri = match self {
       SharedAcceptedObjects::Create(c) => c.create_props.get_actor_xsd_any_uri(),
       SharedAcceptedObjects::Update(u) => u.update_props.get_actor_xsd_any_uri(),
@@ -79,9 +78,9 @@ impl SharedAcceptedObjects {
       SharedAcceptedObjects::Remove(r) => r.remove_props.get_actor_xsd_any_uri(),
       SharedAcceptedObjects::Announce(a) => a.announce_props.get_actor_xsd_any_uri(),
     };
-    uri.unwrap().clone()
+    uri.unwrap().clone().to_string()
   }
-  fn cc(&self) -> XsdAnyUri {
+  fn cc(&self) -> String {
     // TODO: there is probably an easier way to do this
     let oprops = match self {
       SharedAcceptedObjects::Create(c) => &c.object_props,
@@ -93,7 +92,7 @@ impl SharedAcceptedObjects {
       SharedAcceptedObjects::Remove(r) => &r.object_props,
       SharedAcceptedObjects::Announce(a) => &a.object_props,
     };
-    oprops.get_cc_xsd_any_uri().unwrap().to_owned()
+    oprops.get_cc_xsd_any_uri().unwrap().to_owned().to_string()
   }
 }
 
@@ -111,10 +110,9 @@ pub async fn shared_inbox(
   debug!("Shared inbox received activity: {}", json);
 
   let object = activity.object().cloned().unwrap();
-  let sender = activity.sender();
-  let cc = activity.cc();
+  let sender = &activity.sender();
+  let cc = &activity.cc();
 
-  // TODO: should make an enum Actor that contains user and community, and has methods like get_public_key()
   match get_or_fetch_and_upsert_remote_user(&sender.to_string(), &conn) {
     Ok(u) => verify(&request, &u),
     Err(_) => {
@@ -127,7 +125,7 @@ pub async fn shared_inbox(
     (SharedAcceptedObjects::Create(c), Some("Page")) => {
       // TODO: first check that it is addressed to a local community
       receive_create_post(&c, &conn, chat_server)?;
-      do_announce(*c, &cc, &sender, conn)
+      do_announce(*c, cc, sender, conn)
     }
     (SharedAcceptedObjects::Update(u), Some("Page")) => {
       receive_update_post(&u, &conn, chat_server)?;
@@ -1499,22 +1497,22 @@ fn receive_undo_like_post(
   Ok(HttpResponse::Ok().finish())
 }
 
-fn do_announce<A>(
+// TODO: move to community.rs
+pub fn do_announce<A>(
   activity: A,
-  community_uri: &XsdAnyUri,
-  sender: &XsdAnyUri,
+  community_uri: &str,
+  sender: &str,
   conn: &PgConnection,
 ) -> Result<HttpResponse, Error>
 where
   A: Activity + Base + Serialize,
 {
-  // Note: signature check is done by receive_create_post() etc
-
-  let community = Community::read_from_actor_id(conn, &community_uri.to_string())?;
+  dbg!(&community_uri);
+  // TODO: this fails for some reason
+  let community = Community::read_from_actor_id(conn, &community_uri)?;
 
   insert_activity(&conn, -1, &activity, false)?;
 
-  // TODO: move the sending to community.rs
   let mut announce = Announce::default();
   populate_object_props(
     &mut announce.object_props,
@@ -1526,15 +1524,18 @@ where
     .set_actor_xsd_any_uri(community.actor_id.to_owned())?
     .set_object_base_box(BaseBox::from_concrete(activity)?)?;
 
-  insert_activity(&conn, -1, &announce, true)?;
+  insert_activity(&conn, community.id, &announce, true)?;
 
   // dont send to the instance where the activity originally came from, because that would result
   // in a database error (same data inserted twice)
   let mut to = community.get_follower_inboxes(&conn)?;
-  let sending_user = get_or_fetch_and_upsert_remote_user(&sender.to_string(), conn)?;
+  let sending_user = get_or_fetch_and_upsert_remote_user(&sender, conn)?;
   // this seems to be the "easiest" stable alternative for remove_item()
   to.retain(|x| *x != sending_user.get_shared_inbox_url());
 
+  dbg!(&announce);
+  dbg!(&to);
+
   send_activity(
     &announce,
     &community,