[nutomic@lemmy.ml](https://activitypub.space/user/nutomic%40lemmy.ml) reported a federation issue with a NodeBB instance and we debugged it. It turns out Lemmy is unable to handle actors who have `image` or `icon` set to `null`.
Lemmy is taking steps to handle this ([source](https://github.com/LemmyNet/activitypub-federation-rust/pull/151), [source](https://github.com/LemmyNet/lemmy/pull/6090)), and NodeBB will update its actor logic to omit properties without an avatar or cover photo set.
julian
npub1ml…2nu5a
2025-10-17 14:25:53 UTC
Author Public Key
npub1mlkrpm79rjl0lsz9hhjx3j0n6s7ylqykfwm5q3kcjn4y8ky4j3hqk2nu5aSeen on
wss://relay.momostr.pinkPublished at
2025-10-17 14:25:53 UTCEvent JSON
{
"id": "ebc58d4e320fa35d4a27c328c656352d0d34583126cceb73d79759fdc0263ab7",
"pubkey": "dfec30efc51cbeffc045bde468c9f3d43c4f80964bb74046d894ea43d895946e",
"created_at": 1760711153,
"kind": 1,
"tags": [
[
"proxy",
"https://activitypub.space/post/382",
"web"
],
[
"p",
"f234c787a6e49aca8423ed658f993b8f7c1f04d8dbcfba8cc30195fb7a300c56"
],
[
"t",
"nodebb"
],
[
"t",
"lemmy"
],
[
"t",
"activitypub"
],
[
"proxy",
"https://activitypub.space/post/382",
"activitypub"
],
[
"L",
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],
[
"l",
"pink.momostr.activitypub:https://activitypub.space/post/382",
"pink.momostr"
],
[
"-"
]
],
"content": "[nutomic@lemmy.ml](https://activitypub.space/user/nutomic%40lemmy.ml) reported a federation issue with a NodeBB instance and we debugged it. It turns out Lemmy is unable to handle actors who have `image` or `icon` set to `null`.\n\nLemmy is taking steps to handle this ([source](https://github.com/LemmyNet/activitypub-federation-rust/pull/151), [source](https://github.com/LemmyNet/lemmy/pull/6090)), and NodeBB will update its actor logic to omit properties without an avatar or cover photo set.",
"sig": "cc853c5a2a057ae1a278a630b106b77a301b6965441e8af48335ad1867b22315ee2193e5b49b7086f9be613c53d775df2a03b004cdbbf68cb6057f9c807755fd"
}