diff --git a/inbox.py b/inbox.py
index 84ec14556..34df912e7 100644
--- a/inbox.py
+++ b/inbox.py
@@ -993,8 +993,12 @@ def receiveAnnounce(session,handle: str,baseDir: str, \
                     lookupActor=postJsonObject['object']['attributedTo']
         if lookupActor:
             if debug:
-                print('DEBUG: Obtaining actor for announce post '+lookupActor)
-            getPersonFromCache(baseDir,lookupActor,personCache)            
+                print('DEBUG: Obtaining actor for announce post from cache '+lookupActor)
+            if not getPersonFromCache(baseDir,lookupActor,personCache):
+                print('DEBUG: retrieve actor for announce post '+lookupActor)
+                getPersonPubKey(baseDir,session,lookupActor, \
+                                personCache,debug, \
+                                __version__,httpPrefix,domain)                
     if debug:
         print('DEBUG: announced/repeated post arrived in inbox')
     return True
@@ -1162,7 +1166,7 @@ def validPostContent(messageJson: {},maxMentions: int) -> bool:
     print('ACCEPT: post content is valid')
     return True
 
-def obtainAvatarForReplyPost(baseDir: str,personCache: {},postJsonObject: {},debug: bool) -> None:
+def obtainAvatarForReplyPost(session,baseDir: str,httpPrefix: str,domain: str,personCache: {},postJsonObject: {},debug: bool) -> None:
     """Tries to obtain the actor for the person being replied to
     so that their avatar can later be shown
     """
@@ -1179,7 +1183,11 @@ def obtainAvatarForReplyPost(baseDir: str,personCache: {},postJsonObject: {},deb
     if lookupActor:
         if debug:
             print('DEBUG: Obtaining actor for reply post '+lookupActor)
-        getPersonFromCache(baseDir,lookupActor,personCache)
+        if not getPersonFromCache(baseDir,lookupActor,personCache):
+            print('DEBUG: retrieve actor for announce post '+lookupActor)
+            getPersonPubKey(baseDir,session,lookupActor, \
+                            personCache,debug, \
+                            __version__,httpPrefix,domain)                
 
 def inboxAfterCapabilities(session,keyId: str,handle: str,messageJson: {}, \
                            baseDir: str,httpPrefix: str,sendThreads: [], \
@@ -1271,7 +1279,7 @@ def inboxAfterCapabilities(session,keyId: str,handle: str,messageJson: {}, \
     
     if messageJson.get('postNickname'):
         if validPostContent(messageJson['post'],maxMentions):
-            obtainAvatarForReplyPost(baseDir,personCache,messageJson['post'],debug)
+            obtainAvatarForReplyPost(session,baseDir,httpPrefix,domain,personCache,messageJson['post'],debug)
             try:
                 with open(destinationFilename, 'w+') as fp:
                     commentjson.dump(messageJson['post'], fp, indent=4, sort_keys=False)
@@ -1279,7 +1287,7 @@ def inboxAfterCapabilities(session,keyId: str,handle: str,messageJson: {}, \
                 print(e)
     else:
         if validPostContent(messageJson,maxMentions):
-            obtainAvatarForReplyPost(baseDir,personCache,messageJson,debug)
+            obtainAvatarForReplyPost(session,baseDir,httpPrefix,domain,personCache,messageJson,debug)
             try:
                 with open(destinationFilename, 'w+') as fp:
                     commentjson.dump(messageJson, fp, indent=4, sort_keys=False)