diff --git a/Changelog.md b/Changelog.md
index bd07b6113..c7955fd6f 100644
--- a/Changelog.md
+++ b/Changelog.md
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 
 * avoid posting empty comments. [#3836](https://github.com/diaspora/diaspora/issues/3836)
 * Delegate parent_author to the target of a RelayableRetraction
+* Do not fail on receiving a SignedRetraction via the public route
 
 ## Refactor
 
diff --git a/lib/postzord/receiver/public.rb b/lib/postzord/receiver/public.rb
index 374f8af93..43433b28b 100644
--- a/lib/postzord/receiver/public.rb
+++ b/lib/postzord/receiver/public.rb
@@ -30,6 +30,11 @@ class Postzord::Receiver::Public < Postzord::Receiver
       receive_relayable
     elsif @object.is_a?(AccountDeletion)
       #nothing
+    elsif @object.is_a?(SignedRetraction) # feels like a hack
+      self.recipient_user_ids.each do |user_id|
+        user = User.where(id: user_id).first
+        @object.perform user if user
+      end
     else
       Resque.enqueue(Jobs::ReceiveLocalBatch, @object.class.to_s, @object.id, self.recipient_user_ids)
       true
@@ -53,7 +58,8 @@ class Postzord::Receiver::Public < Postzord::Receiver
     @object = Diaspora::Parser::from_xml(@salmon.parsed_data)
     raise "Object is not public" if object_can_be_public_and_it_is_not?
     raise "Author does not match XML author" if author_does_not_match_xml_author?
-    @object.save!  if @object
+    @object.save! if @object && @object.respond_to?(:save!)
+    @object
   end
 
   # @return [Array<Integer>] User ids
diff --git a/spec/integration/receiving_spec.rb b/spec/integration/receiving_spec.rb
index 0a9579428..b58d79f03 100644
--- a/spec/integration/receiving_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/integration/receiving_spec.rb
@@ -310,28 +310,39 @@ describe 'a user receives a post' do
 
 
   context 'retractions' do
+    let(:message) { bob.post(:status_message, text: "cats", to: @bobs_aspect.id) }
+    let(:zord) { Postzord::Receiver::Private.new(alice, person: bob.person) }
+
     it 'should accept retractions' do
-      message = bob.post(:status_message, text: "cats", to: @bobs_aspect.id)
       retraction = Retraction.for(message)
       xml = retraction.to_diaspora_xml
 
       expect {
-        zord = Postzord::Receiver::Private.new(alice, person: bob.person)
         zord.parse_and_receive(xml)
       }.to change(StatusMessage, :count).by(-1)
     end
 
     it 'should accept relayable retractions' do
-      message = bob.post(:status_message, text: "cats", to: @bobs_aspect.id)
       comment = bob.comment! message, "and dogs"
       retraction = RelayableRetraction.build(bob, comment)
       xml = retraction.to_diaspora_xml
 
       expect {
-        zord = Postzord::Receiver::Private.new(alice, person: bob.person)
         zord.parse_and_receive xml
       }.to change(Comment, :count).by(-1)
     end
+
+    it 'should accept signed retractions for public posts' do
+      message = bob.post(:status_message, text: "cats", public: true)
+      retraction = SignedRetraction.build(bob, message)
+      salmon = Postzord::Dispatcher::Public.salmon bob, retraction.to_diaspora_xml
+      xml = salmon.xml_for alice.person
+      zord = Postzord::Receiver::Public.new xml
+
+      expect {
+        zord.receive!
+      }.to change(Post, :count).by(-1)
+    end
   end
 
   it 'should marshal a profile for a person' do