diff --git a/inbox_receive.py b/inbox_receive.py
index 698063ea8..b7b82c72e 100644
--- a/inbox_receive.py
+++ b/inbox_receive.py
@@ -1933,7 +1933,8 @@ def receive_announce(recent_posts_cache: {},
         return False
     object_nickname = get_nickname_from_actor(announce_url)
     if object_nickname:
-        if not valid_nickname(object_domain, object_nickname):
+        if not object_nickname.startswith('?p=') and \
+           not valid_nickname(object_domain, object_nickname):
             print('WARN: receive_announce object invalid nickname ' +
                   str(object_nickname) + '@' + str(object_domain) + ' ' +
                   str(announce_url))
diff --git a/posts.py b/posts.py
index b2a2b006a..820d6be99 100644
--- a/posts.py
+++ b/posts.py
@@ -6452,7 +6452,8 @@ def download_announce(session, base_dir: str, http_prefix: str,
                   str(post_json_object['object']))
             return None
         if object_nickname:
-            if not valid_nickname(object_domain, object_nickname):
+            if not object_nickname.startswith('?p=') and \
+               not valid_nickname(object_domain, object_nickname):
                 print('WARN: download_announce object invalid nickname ' +
                       str(object_nickname) + '@' + str(object_domain) + ' ' +
                       str(post_json_object).replace('\n', ' '))