diff --git a/crates/db_schema/src/schema.rs b/crates/db_schema/src/schema.rs
index 50bdac751..01b5472b1 100644
--- a/crates/db_schema/src/schema.rs
+++ b/crates/db_schema/src/schema.rs
@@ -877,7 +877,7 @@ diesel::table! {
         send_community_followers_of -> Nullable<Int4>,
         send_all_instances -> Bool,
         actor_type -> ActorTypeEnum,
-        actor_apub_id -> Nullable<Text>,
+        actor_apub_id -> Text,
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/crates/db_schema/src/source/activity.rs b/crates/db_schema/src/source/activity.rs
index 6eb17f606..5ce6466f1 100644
--- a/crates/db_schema/src/source/activity.rs
+++ b/crates/db_schema/src/source/activity.rs
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ pub struct SentActivity {
   pub send_community_followers_of: Option<CommunityId>,
   pub send_all_instances: bool,
   pub actor_type: ActorType,
-  pub actor_apub_id: Option<DbUrl>,
+  pub actor_apub_id: DbUrl,
 }
 
 #[cfg_attr(feature = "full", derive(Insertable))]
diff --git a/crates/federate/src/worker.rs b/crates/federate/src/worker.rs
index 64a5f3a7e..6385e0fbb 100644
--- a/crates/federate/src/worker.rs
+++ b/crates/federate/src/worker.rs
@@ -188,13 +188,13 @@ impl InstanceWorker {
       self.state.last_successful_published_time = Some(activity.published);
       return Ok(());
     }
-    // TODO: make db column not null
-    let Some(actor_apub_id) = &activity.actor_apub_id else {
-      return Ok(()); // activity was inserted before persistent queue was activated
-    };
-    let actor = get_actor_cached(&mut self.context.pool(), activity.actor_type, actor_apub_id)
-      .await
-      .context("failed getting actor instance (was it marked deleted / removed?)")?;
+    let actor = get_actor_cached(
+      &mut self.context.pool(),
+      activity.actor_type,
+      &activity.actor_apub_id,
+    )
+    .await
+    .context("failed getting actor instance (was it marked deleted / removed?)")?;
 
     let object = WithContext::new(object.clone(), FEDERATION_CONTEXT.deref().clone());
     let inbox_urls = inbox_urls.into_iter().collect();
diff --git a/migrations/2024-05-30-085949_activity_actor_not_null/down.sql b/migrations/2024-05-30-085949_activity_actor_not_null/down.sql
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..ddf10e978
--- /dev/null
+++ b/migrations/2024-05-30-085949_activity_actor_not_null/down.sql
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+ALTER TABLE sent_activity ALTER COLUMN actor_apub_id DROP NOT NULL;
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/migrations/2024-05-30-085949_activity_actor_not_null/up.sql b/migrations/2024-05-30-085949_activity_actor_not_null/up.sql
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..bf5c8bac5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/migrations/2024-05-30-085949_activity_actor_not_null/up.sql
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+ALTER TABLE sent_activity ALTER COLUMN actor_apub_id SET NOT NULL;
\ No newline at end of file