diff --git a/lib/diaspora/federated/retraction.rb b/lib/diaspora/federated/retraction.rb
index b9c73dd5e..756b94f32 100644
--- a/lib/diaspora/federated/retraction.rb
+++ b/lib/diaspora/federated/retraction.rb
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ class Retraction
   end
 
   def public?
-    data[:target][:public]
+    data[:target] && data[:target][:public]
   end
 
   private
diff --git a/spec/lib/diaspora/federated/retraction_spec.rb b/spec/lib/diaspora/federated/retraction_spec.rb
index 3dad77b2f..864b03203 100644
--- a/spec/lib/diaspora/federated/retraction_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/lib/diaspora/federated/retraction_spec.rb
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ describe Retraction do
     end
 
     it "creates a retraction for a contact" do
-      contact = FactoryGirl.create(:contact)
+      contact = FactoryGirl.build(:contact, receiving: false)
 
       expect(Diaspora::Federation::Entities).to receive(:retraction_data_for).with(contact)
 
@@ -156,5 +156,10 @@ describe Retraction do
       private_post = alice.post(:status_message, text: "destroy!", to: alice.aspects.first.id)
       expect(Retraction.for(private_post).public?).to be_falsey
     end
+
+    it "returns false for a contact retraction" do
+      contact = FactoryGirl.create(:contact, receiving: false)
+      expect(Retraction.for(contact).public?).to be_falsey
+    end
   end
 end