diff --git a/lib/federation/activity_pub/actor.ex b/lib/federation/activity_pub/actor.ex
index 30f141a9a..42bd31d8b 100644
--- a/lib/federation/activity_pub/actor.ex
+++ b/lib/federation/activity_pub/actor.ex
@@ -33,7 +33,10 @@ defmodule Mobilizon.Federation.ActivityPub.Actor do
     case Actors.get_actor_by_url(url, preload) do
       {:ok, %Actor{} = cached_actor} ->
         if Actors.needs_update?(cached_actor) do
-          __MODULE__.make_actor_from_url(url, options)
+          case __MODULE__.make_actor_from_url(url, options) do
+            {:ok, %Actor{} = actor} -> {:ok, actor}
+            {:error, _} -> {:ok, cached_actor}
+          end
         else
           {:ok, cached_actor}
         end
@@ -83,11 +86,14 @@ defmodule Mobilizon.Federation.ActivityPub.Actor do
     Logger.debug("Finding or making actor from nickname #{nickname}")
 
     case Actors.get_actor_by_name_with_preload(nickname, type) do
-      %Actor{url: actor_url} = actor ->
-        if Actors.needs_update?(actor) do
-          make_actor_from_url(actor_url, preload: true)
+      %Actor{url: actor_url} = cached_actor ->
+        if Actors.needs_update?(cached_actor) do
+          case __MODULE__.make_actor_from_url(actor_url, preload: true) do
+            {:ok, %Actor{} = actor} -> {:ok, actor}
+            {:error, _} -> {:ok, cached_actor}
+          end
         else
-          {:ok, actor}
+          {:ok, cached_actor}
         end
 
       nil ->