diff --git a/app/models/contact.rb b/app/models/contact.rb
index 46e40aa06..a4025ad1a 100644
--- a/app/models/contact.rb
+++ b/app/models/contact.rb
@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@
 #   the COPYRIGHT file.
 
 class Contact < ActiveRecord::Base
+  include Diaspora::Federated::Base
+
   belongs_to :user
   validates :user, presence: true
 
@@ -85,7 +87,7 @@ class Contact < ActiveRecord::Base
     user.share_with(person, user.auto_follow_back_aspect) if user.auto_follow_back && !receiving
   end
 
-  # object for local recipient
+  # object for local recipients
   def object_to_receive
     Contact.create_or_update_sharing_contact(person.owner, user.person)
   end
diff --git a/lib/diaspora/federated/base.rb b/lib/diaspora/federated/base.rb
index aff095ed3..ebceec3fa 100644
--- a/lib/diaspora/federated/base.rb
+++ b/lib/diaspora/federated/base.rb
@@ -7,6 +7,11 @@
 module Diaspora
   module Federated
     module Base
+      # object for local recipients
+      def object_to_receive
+        self
+      end
+
       # @abstract
       # @note this must return [Array<Person>]
       # @return [Array<Person>]
diff --git a/lib/diaspora/federation/dispatcher.rb b/lib/diaspora/federation/dispatcher.rb
index 6190c6e73..66bdc9932 100644
--- a/lib/diaspora/federation/dispatcher.rb
+++ b/lib/diaspora/federation/dispatcher.rb
@@ -42,9 +42,9 @@ module Diaspora
       end
 
       def deliver_to_local(people)
-        obj = object.respond_to?(:object_to_receive) ? object.object_to_receive : object
-        return unless obj
-        Workers::ReceiveLocal.perform_async(obj.class.to_s, obj.id, people.map(&:owner_id))
+        object_to_receive = object.object_to_receive
+        return unless object_to_receive
+        Workers::ReceiveLocal.perform_async(object_to_receive.class.to_s, object_to_receive.id, people.map(&:owner_id))
       end
 
       def deliver_to_remote(_people)
diff --git a/spec/lib/diaspora/federated/base_spec.rb b/spec/lib/diaspora/federated/base_spec.rb
index cba9b51af..78b262dfd 100644
--- a/spec/lib/diaspora/federated/base_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/lib/diaspora/federated/base_spec.rb
@@ -5,15 +5,21 @@
 require "spec_helper"
 
 describe Diaspora::Federated::Base do
+  class Foo
+    include Diaspora::Federated::Base
+  end
+
+  let(:foo) { Foo.new }
+
+  describe "#object_to_receive" do
+    it "returns self" do
+      expect(foo.object_to_receive).to eq(foo)
+    end
+  end
+
   describe "#subscribers" do
     it "throws an error if the including module does not redefine it" do
-      class Foo
-        include Diaspora::Federated::Base
-      end
-
-      f = Foo.new
-
-      expect { f.subscribers }.to raise_error(/override subscribers/)
+      expect { foo.subscribers }.to raise_error(/override subscribers/)
     end
   end
 end
diff --git a/spec/models/contact_spec.rb b/spec/models/contact_spec.rb
index 522413003..a1fa9e750 100644
--- a/spec/models/contact_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/contact_spec.rb
@@ -210,6 +210,16 @@ describe Contact, type: :model do
     end
   end
 
+  describe "#object_to_receive" do
+    it "returns the contact for the recipient" do
+      user = FactoryGirl.create(:user)
+      contact = alice.contacts.create(person: user.person)
+      receive = contact.object_to_receive
+      expect(receive.user).to eq(user)
+      expect(receive.person).to eq(alice.person)
+    end
+  end
+
   describe "#subscribers" do
     it "returns an array with recipient of the contact" do
       contact = alice.contacts.create(person: eve.person)