diff --git a/internal/distributor/distributor.go b/internal/distributor/distributor.go
index 151c1b522..09e827396 100644
--- a/internal/distributor/distributor.go
+++ b/internal/distributor/distributor.go
@@ -32,8 +32,13 @@ import (
 type Distributor interface {
 	// FromClientAPI returns a channel for accepting messages that come from the gts client API.
 	FromClientAPI() chan FromClientAPI
-	// ClientAPIOut returns a channel for putting in messages that need to go to the gts client API.
+	// ToClientAPI returns a channel for putting in messages that need to go to the gts client API.
 	ToClientAPI() chan ToClientAPI
+	// FromFederator returns a channel for accepting messages that come from the federator (activitypub).
+	FromFederator() chan FromFederator
+	// ToFederator returns a channel for putting in messages that need to go to the federator (activitypub).
+	ToFederator() chan ToFederator
+
 	// Start starts the Distributor, reading from its channels and passing messages back and forth.
 	Start() error
 	// Stop stops the distributor cleanly, finishing handling any remaining messages before closing down.
@@ -45,6 +50,8 @@ type distributor struct {
 	// federator     pub.FederatingActor
 	fromClientAPI chan FromClientAPI
 	toClientAPI   chan ToClientAPI
+	fromFederator chan FromFederator
+	toFederator   chan ToFederator
 	stop          chan interface{}
 	log           *logrus.Logger
 }
@@ -55,21 +62,29 @@ func New(log *logrus.Logger) Distributor {
 		// federator:     federator,
 		fromClientAPI: make(chan FromClientAPI, 100),
 		toClientAPI:   make(chan ToClientAPI, 100),
+		fromFederator: make(chan FromFederator, 100),
+		toFederator:   make(chan ToFederator, 100),
 		stop:          make(chan interface{}),
 		log:           log,
 	}
 }
 
-// ClientAPIIn returns a channel for accepting messages that come from the gts client API.
 func (d *distributor) FromClientAPI() chan FromClientAPI {
 	return d.fromClientAPI
 }
 
-// ClientAPIOut returns a channel for putting in messages that need to go to the gts client API.
 func (d *distributor) ToClientAPI() chan ToClientAPI {
 	return d.toClientAPI
 }
 
+func (d *distributor) FromFederator() chan FromFederator {
+	return d.fromFederator
+}
+
+func (d *distributor) ToFederator() chan ToFederator {
+	return d.toFederator
+}
+
 // Start starts the Distributor, reading from its channels and passing messages back and forth.
 func (d *distributor) Start() error {
 	go func() {
@@ -80,6 +95,10 @@ func (d *distributor) Start() error {
 				d.log.Infof("received message FROM client API: %+v", clientMsg)
 			case clientMsg := <-d.toClientAPI:
 				d.log.Infof("received message TO client API: %+v", clientMsg)
+			case federatorMsg := <-d.fromFederator:
+				d.log.Infof("received message FROM federator: %+v", federatorMsg)
+			case federatorMsg := <-d.toFederator:
+				d.log.Infof("received message TO federator: %+v", federatorMsg)
 			case <-d.stop:
 				break DistLoop
 			}
@@ -108,3 +127,17 @@ type ToClientAPI struct {
 	APActivityType gtsmodel.ActivityStreamsActivity
 	Activity       interface{}
 }
+
+// FromFederator wraps a message that travels from the federator into the distributor
+type FromFederator struct {
+	APObjectType   gtsmodel.ActivityStreamsObject
+	APActivityType gtsmodel.ActivityStreamsActivity
+	Activity       interface{}
+}
+
+// ToFederator wraps a message that travels from the distributor into the federator
+type ToFederator struct {
+	APObjectType   gtsmodel.ActivityStreamsObject
+	APActivityType gtsmodel.ActivityStreamsActivity
+	Activity       interface{}
+}
diff --git a/internal/federation/actor.go b/internal/federation/actor.go
index c5cd37c18..061f4709f 100644
--- a/internal/federation/actor.go
+++ b/internal/federation/actor.go
@@ -24,21 +24,14 @@ import (
 	"github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
 	"github.com/superseriousbusiness/gotosocial/internal/config"
 	"github.com/superseriousbusiness/gotosocial/internal/db"
+	"github.com/superseriousbusiness/gotosocial/internal/transport"
 )
 
-// New returns a go-fed compatible federating actor
-func New(db db.DB, config *config.Config, log *logrus.Logger) pub.FederatingActor {
-
-	c := &Commoner{
-		db:     db,
-		log:    log,
-		config: config,
-	}
-
-	f := &Federator{
-		db:     db,
-		log:    log,
-		config: config,
-	}
-	return pub.NewFederatingActor(c, f, db.Federation(), &Clock{})
+// NewFederatingActor returns a go-fed compatible federating actor
+func NewFederatingActor(db db.DB, transportController transport.Controller, config *config.Config, log *logrus.Logger) pub.FederatingActor {
+	c := NewCommonBehavior(db, log, config, transportController)
+	f := NewFederatingProtocol(db, log, config, transportController)
+	pubDatabase := db.Federation()
+	clock := &Clock{}
+	return pub.NewFederatingActor(c, f, pubDatabase, clock)
 }
diff --git a/internal/federation/common.go b/internal/federation/common.go
index e752654e6..0c73a8bf4 100644
--- a/internal/federation/common.go
+++ b/internal/federation/common.go
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ package federation
 
 import (
 	"context"
+	"fmt"
 	"net/http"
 	"net/url"
 
@@ -28,13 +29,27 @@ import (
 	"github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
 	"github.com/superseriousbusiness/gotosocial/internal/config"
 	"github.com/superseriousbusiness/gotosocial/internal/db"
+	"github.com/superseriousbusiness/gotosocial/internal/db/gtsmodel"
+	"github.com/superseriousbusiness/gotosocial/internal/transport"
+	"github.com/superseriousbusiness/gotosocial/internal/util"
 )
 
-// Commoner implements the go-fed common behavior interface
-type Commoner struct {
-	db     db.DB
-	log    *logrus.Logger
-	config *config.Config
+// commonBehavior implements the go-fed common behavior interface
+type commonBehavior struct {
+	db                  db.DB
+	log                 *logrus.Logger
+	config              *config.Config
+	transportController transport.Controller
+}
+
+// NewCommonBehavior returns an implementation of the pub.CommonBehavior interface that uses the given db, log, config, and transportController
+func NewCommonBehavior(db db.DB, log *logrus.Logger, config *config.Config, transportController transport.Controller) pub.CommonBehavior {
+	return &commonBehavior{
+		db:                  db,
+		log:                 log,
+		config:              config,
+		transportController: transportController,
+	}
 }
 
 /*
@@ -63,7 +78,7 @@ type Commoner struct {
 // Finally, if the authentication and authorization succeeds, then
 // authenticated must be true and error nil. The request will continue
 // to be processed.
-func (c *Commoner) AuthenticateGetInbox(ctx context.Context, w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) (context.Context, bool, error) {
+func (c *commonBehavior) AuthenticateGetInbox(ctx context.Context, w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) (context.Context, bool, error) {
 	// TODO
 	// use context.WithValue() and context.Value() to set and get values through here
 	return nil, false, nil
@@ -88,7 +103,7 @@ func (c *Commoner) AuthenticateGetInbox(ctx context.Context, w http.ResponseWrit
 // Finally, if the authentication and authorization succeeds, then
 // authenticated must be true and error nil. The request will continue
 // to be processed.
-func (c *Commoner) AuthenticateGetOutbox(ctx context.Context, w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) (context.Context, bool, error) {
+func (c *commonBehavior) AuthenticateGetOutbox(ctx context.Context, w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) (context.Context, bool, error) {
 	// TODO
 	return nil, false, nil
 }
@@ -101,7 +116,7 @@ func (c *Commoner) AuthenticateGetOutbox(ctx context.Context, w http.ResponseWri
 //
 // Always called, regardless whether the Federated Protocol or Social
 // API is enabled.
-func (c *Commoner) GetOutbox(ctx context.Context, r *http.Request) (vocab.ActivityStreamsOrderedCollectionPage, error) {
+func (c *commonBehavior) GetOutbox(ctx context.Context, r *http.Request) (vocab.ActivityStreamsOrderedCollectionPage, error) {
 	// TODO
 	return nil, nil
 }
@@ -129,34 +144,29 @@ func (c *Commoner) GetOutbox(ctx context.Context, r *http.Request) (vocab.Activi
 // Note that the library will not maintain a long-lived pointer to the
 // returned Transport so that any private credentials are able to be
 // garbage collected.
-func (c *Commoner) NewTransport(ctx context.Context, actorBoxIRI *url.URL, gofedAgent string) (pub.Transport, error) {
-	// TODO
-	// prefs := []httpsig.Algorithm{httpsig.RSA_SHA256}
-	// digestPref := httpsig.DigestSha256
-	// getHeadersToSign := []string{httpsig.RequestTarget, "Date"}
-	// postHeadersToSign := []string{httpsig.RequestTarget, "Date", "Digest"}
-	// // Using github.com/go-fed/httpsig for HTTP Signatures:
-	// getSigner, _, err := httpsig.NewSigner(prefs, digestPref, getHeadersToSign, httpsig.Signature)
-	// if err != nil {
-	// 	return nil, err
-	// }
-	// postSigner, _, err := httpsig.NewSigner(prefs, digestPref, postHeadersToSign, httpsig.Signature)
-	// if err != nil {
-	// 	return nil, err
-	// }
-	// pubKeyId, privKey, err := s.getKeysForActorBoxIRI(actorBoxIRI)
-	// client := &http.Client{
-	// 	Timeout: time.Second * 30,
-	// }
-	// t := pub.NewHttpSigTransport(
-	// 	client,
-	// 	f.config.Host,
-	// 	&Clock{},
-	// 	getSigner,
-	// 	postSigner,
-	// 	pubKeyId,
-	// 	privKey)
+func (c *commonBehavior) NewTransport(ctx context.Context, actorBoxIRI *url.URL, gofedAgent string) (pub.Transport, error) {
 
-	return nil, nil
+	var username string
+	var err error
 
+	if util.IsInboxPath(actorBoxIRI) {
+		username, err = util.ParseInboxPath(actorBoxIRI)
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("couldn't parse path %s as an inbox: %s", actorBoxIRI.String(), err)
+		}
+	} else if util.IsOutboxPath(actorBoxIRI) {
+		username, err = util.ParseOutboxPath(actorBoxIRI)
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("couldn't parse path %s as an outbox: %s", actorBoxIRI.String(), err)
+		}
+	} else {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("id %s was neither an inbox path nor an outbox path", actorBoxIRI.String())
+	}
+
+	account := &gtsmodel.Account{}
+	if err := c.db.GetWhere("username", username, account); err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	return c.transportController.NewTransport(account.PublicKeyURI, account.PrivateKey)
 }
diff --git a/internal/federation/federator.go b/internal/federation/federator.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..ee6c1f327
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/federation/federator.go
@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+/*
+   GoToSocial
+   Copyright (C) 2021 GoToSocial Authors admin@gotosocial.org
+
+   This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+   it under the terms of the GNU Affero General Public License as published by
+   the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+   (at your option) any later version.
+
+   This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+   but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+   MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+   GNU Affero General Public License for more details.
+
+   You should have received a copy of the GNU Affero General Public License
+   along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+*/
+
+package federation
+
+import (
+	"github.com/go-fed/activity/pub"
+	"github.com/superseriousbusiness/gotosocial/internal/distributor"
+)
+
+// Federator wraps everything needed to manage activitypub federation from gotosocial
+type Federator interface {
+}
+
+type federator struct {
+	actor       pub.FederatingActor
+	distributor distributor.Distributor
+}
+
+// NewFederator returns a new federator that uses the given actor and distributor
+func NewFederator(actor pub.FederatingActor, distributor distributor.Distributor) Federator {
+	return &federator{
+		actor:       actor,
+		distributor: distributor,
+	}
+}
diff --git a/internal/federation/protocol.go b/internal/federation/protocol.go
index 0274264ce..84cae3ac1 100644
--- a/internal/federation/protocol.go
+++ b/internal/federation/protocol.go
@@ -34,17 +34,17 @@ import (
 	"github.com/superseriousbusiness/gotosocial/internal/util"
 )
 
-// Federator implements the go-fed federating protocol interface
-type Federator struct {
+// FederatingProtocol implements the go-fed federating protocol interface
+type FederatingProtocol struct {
 	db                  db.DB
 	log                 *logrus.Logger
 	config              *config.Config
 	transportController transport.Controller
 }
 
-// NewFederator returns the gotosocial implementation of the go-fed FederatingProtocol interface
-func NewFederator(db db.DB, log *logrus.Logger, config *config.Config, transportController transport.Controller) pub.FederatingProtocol {
-	return &Federator{
+// NewFederatingProtocol returns the gotosocial implementation of the go-fed FederatingProtocol interface
+func NewFederatingProtocol(db db.DB, log *logrus.Logger, config *config.Config, transportController transport.Controller) pub.FederatingProtocol {
+	return &FederatingProtocol{
 		db:                  db,
 		log:                 log,
 		config:              config,
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ func NewFederator(db db.DB, log *logrus.Logger, config *config.Config, transport
 // PostInbox. In this case, the DelegateActor implementation must not
 // write a response to the ResponseWriter as is expected that the caller
 // to PostInbox will do so when handling the error.
-func (f *Federator) PostInboxRequestBodyHook(ctx context.Context, r *http.Request, activity pub.Activity) (context.Context, error) {
+func (f *FederatingProtocol) PostInboxRequestBodyHook(ctx context.Context, r *http.Request, activity pub.Activity) (context.Context, error) {
 	l := f.log.WithFields(logrus.Fields{
 		"func":      "PostInboxRequestBodyHook",
 		"useragent": r.UserAgent(),
@@ -128,7 +128,7 @@ func (f *Federator) PostInboxRequestBodyHook(ctx context.Context, r *http.Reques
 // Finally, if the authentication and authorization succeeds, then
 // authenticated must be true and error nil. The request will continue
 // to be processed.
-func (f *Federator) AuthenticatePostInbox(ctx context.Context, w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) (context.Context, bool, error) {
+func (f *FederatingProtocol) AuthenticatePostInbox(ctx context.Context, w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) (context.Context, bool, error) {
 	l := f.log.WithFields(logrus.Fields{
 		"func":      "AuthenticatePostInbox",
 		"useragent": r.UserAgent(),
@@ -167,7 +167,7 @@ func (f *Federator) AuthenticatePostInbox(ctx context.Context, w http.ResponseWr
 // Finally, if the authentication and authorization succeeds, then
 // blocked must be false and error nil. The request will continue
 // to be processed.
-func (f *Federator) Blocked(ctx context.Context, actorIRIs []*url.URL) (bool, error) {
+func (f *FederatingProtocol) Blocked(ctx context.Context, actorIRIs []*url.URL) (bool, error) {
 	// TODO
 	return false, nil
 }
@@ -191,7 +191,7 @@ func (f *Federator) Blocked(ctx context.Context, actorIRIs []*url.URL) (bool, er
 //
 // Applications are not expected to handle every single ActivityStreams
 // type and extension. The unhandled ones are passed to DefaultCallback.
-func (f *Federator) FederatingCallbacks(ctx context.Context) (pub.FederatingWrappedCallbacks, []interface{}, error) {
+func (f *FederatingProtocol) FederatingCallbacks(ctx context.Context) (pub.FederatingWrappedCallbacks, []interface{}, error) {
 	// TODO
 	return pub.FederatingWrappedCallbacks{}, nil, nil
 }
@@ -203,7 +203,7 @@ func (f *Federator) FederatingCallbacks(ctx context.Context) (pub.FederatingWrap
 // Applications are not expected to handle every single ActivityStreams
 // type and extension, so the unhandled ones are passed to
 // DefaultCallback.
-func (f *Federator) DefaultCallback(ctx context.Context, activity pub.Activity) error {
+func (f *FederatingProtocol) DefaultCallback(ctx context.Context, activity pub.Activity) error {
 	l := f.log.WithFields(logrus.Fields{
 		"func":   "DefaultCallback",
 		"aptype": activity.GetTypeName(),
@@ -216,7 +216,7 @@ func (f *Federator) DefaultCallback(ctx context.Context, activity pub.Activity)
 // an activity to determine if inbox forwarding needs to occur.
 //
 // Zero or negative numbers indicate infinite recursion.
-func (f *Federator) MaxInboxForwardingRecursionDepth(ctx context.Context) int {
+func (f *FederatingProtocol) MaxInboxForwardingRecursionDepth(ctx context.Context) int {
 	// TODO
 	return 0
 }
@@ -226,7 +226,7 @@ func (f *Federator) MaxInboxForwardingRecursionDepth(ctx context.Context) int {
 // delivery.
 //
 // Zero or negative numbers indicate infinite recursion.
-func (f *Federator) MaxDeliveryRecursionDepth(ctx context.Context) int {
+func (f *FederatingProtocol) MaxDeliveryRecursionDepth(ctx context.Context) int {
 	// TODO
 	return 0
 }
@@ -238,7 +238,7 @@ func (f *Federator) MaxDeliveryRecursionDepth(ctx context.Context) int {
 //
 // The activity is provided as a reference for more intelligent
 // logic to be used, but the implementation must not modify it.
-func (f *Federator) FilterForwarding(ctx context.Context, potentialRecipients []*url.URL, a pub.Activity) ([]*url.URL, error) {
+func (f *FederatingProtocol) FilterForwarding(ctx context.Context, potentialRecipients []*url.URL, a pub.Activity) ([]*url.URL, error) {
 	// TODO
 	return nil, nil
 }
@@ -251,7 +251,7 @@ func (f *Federator) FilterForwarding(ctx context.Context, potentialRecipients []
 //
 // Always called, regardless whether the Federated Protocol or Social
 // API is enabled.
-func (f *Federator) GetInbox(ctx context.Context, r *http.Request) (vocab.ActivityStreamsOrderedCollectionPage, error) {
+func (f *FederatingProtocol) GetInbox(ctx context.Context, r *http.Request) (vocab.ActivityStreamsOrderedCollectionPage, error) {
 	// TODO
 	return nil, nil
 }
diff --git a/internal/federation/protocol_test.go b/internal/federation/protocol_test.go
index eeb849acf..d83c0e3c5 100644
--- a/internal/federation/protocol_test.go
+++ b/internal/federation/protocol_test.go
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ func (suite *ProtocolTestSuite) TestPostInboxRequestBodyHook() {
 		return nil, nil
 	}))
 	// setup module being tested
-	federator := federation.NewFederator(suite.db, suite.log, suite.config, tc).(*federation.Federator)
+	federator := federation.NewFederatingProtocol(suite.db, suite.log, suite.config, tc).(*federation.FederatingProtocol)
 
 	// setup request
 	ctx := context.Background()
@@ -156,7 +156,7 @@ func (suite *ProtocolTestSuite) TestAuthenticatePostInbox() {
 	}))
 
 	// now setup module being tested, with the mock transport controller
-	federator := federation.NewFederator(suite.db, suite.log, suite.config, tc)
+	federator := federation.NewFederatingProtocol(suite.db, suite.log, suite.config, tc)
 
 	// setup request
 	ctx := context.Background()
diff --git a/internal/gotosocial/actions.go b/internal/gotosocial/actions.go
index 5f7ad788f..89b65f5e4 100644
--- a/internal/gotosocial/actions.go
+++ b/internal/gotosocial/actions.go
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ package gotosocial
 import (
 	"context"
 	"fmt"
+	"net/http"
 	"os"
 	"os/signal"
 	"syscall"
@@ -45,6 +46,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/superseriousbusiness/gotosocial/internal/oauth"
 	"github.com/superseriousbusiness/gotosocial/internal/router"
 	"github.com/superseriousbusiness/gotosocial/internal/storage"
+	"github.com/superseriousbusiness/gotosocial/internal/transport"
 	"github.com/superseriousbusiness/gotosocial/internal/typeutils"
 )
 
@@ -72,6 +74,9 @@ var Run action.GTSAction = func(ctx context.Context, c *config.Config, log *logr
 	if err := distributor.Start(); err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("error starting distributor: %s", err)
 	}
+	transportController := transport.NewController(c, &federation.Clock{}, http.DefaultClient, log)
+	federatingActor := federation.NewFederatingActor(dbService, transportController, c, log)
+	federator := federation.NewFederator(federatingActor, distributor)
 
 	// build converters and util
 	ic := typeutils.NewConverter(c, dbService)
@@ -113,7 +118,7 @@ var Run action.GTSAction = func(ctx context.Context, c *config.Config, log *logr
 		return fmt.Errorf("error creating instance account: %s", err)
 	}
 
-	gts, err := New(dbService, &cache.MockCache{}, router, federation.New(dbService, c, log), c)
+	gts, err := New(dbService, &cache.MockCache{}, router, federator, c)
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("error creating gotosocial service: %s", err)
 	}
diff --git a/internal/gotosocial/gotosocial.go b/internal/gotosocial/gotosocial.go
index d8f46f873..461c189ad 100644
--- a/internal/gotosocial/gotosocial.go
+++ b/internal/gotosocial/gotosocial.go
@@ -21,10 +21,10 @@ package gotosocial
 import (
 	"context"
 
-	"github.com/go-fed/activity/pub"
 	"github.com/superseriousbusiness/gotosocial/internal/cache"
 	"github.com/superseriousbusiness/gotosocial/internal/config"
 	"github.com/superseriousbusiness/gotosocial/internal/db"
+	"github.com/superseriousbusiness/gotosocial/internal/federation"
 	"github.com/superseriousbusiness/gotosocial/internal/router"
 )
 
@@ -38,23 +38,23 @@ type Gotosocial interface {
 // New returns a new gotosocial server, initialized with the given configuration.
 // An error will be returned the caller if something goes wrong during initialization
 // eg., no db or storage connection, port for router already in use, etc.
-func New(db db.DB, cache cache.Cache, apiRouter router.Router, federationAPI pub.FederatingActor, config *config.Config) (Gotosocial, error) {
+func New(db db.DB, cache cache.Cache, apiRouter router.Router, federator federation.Federator, config *config.Config) (Gotosocial, error) {
 	return &gotosocial{
-		db:            db,
-		cache:         cache,
-		apiRouter:     apiRouter,
-		federationAPI: federationAPI,
-		config:        config,
+		db:        db,
+		cache:     cache,
+		apiRouter: apiRouter,
+		federator: federator,
+		config:    config,
 	}, nil
 }
 
 // gotosocial fulfils the gotosocial interface.
 type gotosocial struct {
-	db            db.DB
-	cache         cache.Cache
-	apiRouter     router.Router
-	federationAPI pub.FederatingActor
-	config        *config.Config
+	db        db.DB
+	cache     cache.Cache
+	apiRouter router.Router
+	federator federation.Federator
+	config    *config.Config
 }
 
 // Start starts up the gotosocial server. If something goes wrong
diff --git a/internal/util/regexes.go b/internal/util/regexes.go
index 015d8d829..a59bd678a 100644
--- a/internal/util/regexes.go
+++ b/internal/util/regexes.go
@@ -64,6 +64,10 @@ var (
 	// inboxPathRegex parses a path that validates and captures the username part from eg /users/example_username/inbox
 	inboxPathRegex = regexp.MustCompile(inboxPathRegexString)
 
+	outboxPathRegexString = fmt.Sprintf(`^/?%s/(%s)/%s$`, UsersPath, usernameRegexString, OutboxPath)
+	// outboxPathRegex parses a path that validates and captures the username part from eg /users/example_username/outbox
+	outboxPathRegex = regexp.MustCompile(outboxPathRegexString)
+
 	actorPathRegexString = fmt.Sprintf(`^?/%s/(%s)$`, ActorsPath, usernameRegexString)
 	// actorPathRegex parses a path that validates and captures the username part from eg /actors/example_username
 	actorPathRegex = regexp.MustCompile(actorPathRegexString)
diff --git a/internal/util/uri.go b/internal/util/uri.go
index a4b5848df..444d14e6a 100644
--- a/internal/util/uri.go
+++ b/internal/util/uri.go
@@ -137,6 +137,11 @@ func IsInboxPath(id *url.URL) bool {
 	return inboxPathRegex.MatchString(strings.ToLower(id.Path))
 }
 
+// IsOutboxPath returns true if the given URL path corresponds to eg /users/example_username/outbox
+func IsOutboxPath(id *url.URL) bool {
+	return outboxPathRegex.MatchString(strings.ToLower(id.Path))
+}
+
 // IsInstanceActorPath returns true if the given URL path corresponds to eg /actors/example_username
 func IsInstanceActorPath(id *url.URL) bool {
 	return actorPathRegex.MatchString(strings.ToLower(id.Path))
@@ -195,3 +200,14 @@ func ParseInboxPath(id *url.URL) (username string, err error) {
 	username = matches[1]
 	return
 }
+
+// ParseOutboxPath returns the username from a path such as /users/example_username/outbox
+func ParseOutboxPath(id *url.URL) (username string, err error) {
+	matches := outboxPathRegex.FindStringSubmatch(id.Path)
+	if len(matches) != 2 {
+		err = fmt.Errorf("expected 2 matches but matches length was %d", len(matches))
+		return
+	}
+	username = matches[1]
+	return
+}
diff --git a/testrig/actions.go b/testrig/actions.go
index c2615451c..906a2bdc8 100644
--- a/testrig/actions.go
+++ b/testrig/actions.go
@@ -19,8 +19,11 @@
 package testrig
 
 import (
+	"bytes"
 	"context"
 	"fmt"
+	"io/ioutil"
+	"net/http"
 	"os"
 	"os/signal"
 	"syscall"
@@ -44,6 +47,7 @@ import (
 
 // Run creates and starts a gotosocial testrig server
 var Run action.GTSAction = func(ctx context.Context, _ *config.Config, log *logrus.Logger) error {
+	c := NewTestConfig()
 	dbService := NewTestDB()
 	router := NewTestRouter()
 	storageBackend := NewTestStorage()
@@ -54,8 +58,15 @@ var Run action.GTSAction = func(ctx context.Context, _ *config.Config, log *logr
 		return fmt.Errorf("error starting distributor: %s", err)
 	}
 	mastoConverter := NewTestTypeConverter(dbService)
-
-	c := NewTestConfig()
+	transportController := NewTestTransportController(NewMockHTTPClient(func(req *http.Request) (*http.Response, error) {
+		r := ioutil.NopCloser(bytes.NewReader([]byte{}))
+		return &http.Response{
+			StatusCode: 200,
+			Body:       r,
+		}, nil
+	}))
+	federatingActor := federation.NewFederatingActor(dbService, transportController, c, log)
+	federator := federation.NewFederator(federatingActor, distributor)
 
 	StandardDBSetup(dbService)
 	StandardStorageSetup(storageBackend, "./testrig/media")
@@ -97,7 +108,7 @@ var Run action.GTSAction = func(ctx context.Context, _ *config.Config, log *logr
 	// 	return fmt.Errorf("error creating instance account: %s", err)
 	// }
 
-	gts, err := gotosocial.New(dbService, &cache.MockCache{}, router, federation.New(dbService, c, log), c)
+	gts, err := gotosocial.New(dbService, &cache.MockCache{}, router, federator, c)
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("error creating gotosocial service: %s", err)
 	}