diff --git a/app/workers/receive_base.rb b/app/workers/receive_base.rb
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..7c280b550
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/workers/receive_base.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+module Workers
+  class ReceiveBase < Base
+    sidekiq_options queue: :receive
+
+    include Diaspora::Logging
+
+    # don't retry for errors that will fail again
+    def filter_errors_for_retry
+      yield
+    rescue DiasporaFederation::Entity::ValidationError,
+           DiasporaFederation::Entity::InvalidRootNode,
+           DiasporaFederation::Entity::InvalidEntityName,
+           DiasporaFederation::Entity::UnknownEntity,
+           DiasporaFederation::Entities::Relayable::SignatureVerificationFailed,
+           DiasporaFederation::Federation::Receiver::InvalidSender,
+           DiasporaFederation::Federation::Receiver::NotPublic,
+           DiasporaFederation::Salmon::SenderKeyNotFound,
+           DiasporaFederation::Salmon::InvalidEnvelope,
+           DiasporaFederation::Salmon::InvalidSignature,
+           DiasporaFederation::Salmon::InvalidAlgorithm,
+           DiasporaFederation::Salmon::InvalidEncoding,
+           # TODO: deprecated
+           DiasporaFederation::Salmon::MissingMagicEnvelope,
+           DiasporaFederation::Salmon::MissingAuthor,
+           DiasporaFederation::Salmon::MissingHeader,
+           DiasporaFederation::Salmon::InvalidHeader => e
+      logger.warn "don't retry for error: #{e.class}"
+    rescue ActiveRecord::RecordInvalid => e
+      logger.warn "failed to save received object: #{e.record.errors.full_messages}"
+      raise e unless [
+        "already been taken",
+        "is ignored by the post author"
+      ].any? {|reason| e.message.include? reason }
+    end
+  end
+end
diff --git a/app/workers/receive_encrypted_salmon.rb b/app/workers/receive_encrypted_salmon.rb
deleted file mode 100644
index ffb3f6df4..000000000
--- a/app/workers/receive_encrypted_salmon.rb
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,19 +0,0 @@
-#   Copyright (c) 2010-2011, Diaspora Inc.  This file is
-#   licensed under the Affero General Public License version 3 or later.  See
-#   the COPYRIGHT file.
-
-
-module Workers
-  class ReceiveEncryptedSalmon < Base
-    sidekiq_options queue: :receive_salmon
-
-    def perform(user_id, xml)
-      suppress_annoying_errors do
-        user = User.find(user_id)
-        zord = Postzord::Receiver::Private.new(user, :salmon_xml => xml)
-        zord.perform!
-      end
-    end
-  end
-end
-
diff --git a/app/workers/receive_private.rb b/app/workers/receive_private.rb
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..bd78b06b5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/workers/receive_private.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+#   Copyright (c) 2010-2011, Diaspora Inc.  This file is
+#   licensed under the Affero General Public License version 3 or later.  See
+#   the COPYRIGHT file.
+
+module Workers
+  class ReceivePrivate < ReceiveBase
+    def perform(user_id, data, legacy)
+      filter_errors_for_retry do
+        user_private_key = User.where(id: user_id).pluck(:serialized_private_key).first
+        rsa_key = OpenSSL::PKey::RSA.new(user_private_key)
+        DiasporaFederation::Federation::Receiver.receive_private(data, rsa_key, user_id, legacy)
+      end
+    end
+  end
+end
diff --git a/app/workers/receive_public.rb b/app/workers/receive_public.rb
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..3ec918d2d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/workers/receive_public.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+#   Copyright (c) 2010-2011, Diaspora Inc.  This file is
+#   licensed under the Affero General Public License version 3 or later.  See
+#   the COPYRIGHT file.
+
+module Workers
+  class ReceivePublic < ReceiveBase
+    def perform(data, legacy=false)
+      filter_errors_for_retry do
+        DiasporaFederation::Federation::Receiver.receive_public(data, legacy)
+      end
+    end
+  end
+end
diff --git a/app/workers/receive_unencrypted_salmon.rb b/app/workers/receive_unencrypted_salmon.rb
deleted file mode 100644
index 4340443bc..000000000
--- a/app/workers/receive_unencrypted_salmon.rb
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,16 +0,0 @@
-#   Copyright (c) 2010-2011, Diaspora Inc.  This file is
-#   licensed under the Affero General Public License version 3 or later.  See
-#   the COPYRIGHT file.
-
-module Workers
-  class ReceiveUnencryptedSalmon < Base
-    sidekiq_options queue: :receive
-
-    def perform(xml)
-      suppress_annoying_errors do
-        receiver = Postzord::Receiver::Public.new(xml)
-        receiver.perform!
-      end
-    end
-  end
-end
diff --git a/config/initializers/diaspora_federation.rb b/config/initializers/diaspora_federation.rb
index 163249c72..8a6e27128 100644
--- a/config/initializers/diaspora_federation.rb
+++ b/config/initializers/diaspora_federation.rb
@@ -65,12 +65,12 @@ DiasporaFederation.configure do |config|
 
     on :fetch_private_key do |diaspora_id|
       key = Person.where(diaspora_handle: diaspora_id).joins(:owner).pluck(:serialized_private_key).first
-      OpenSSL::PKey::RSA.new key unless key.nil?
+      OpenSSL::PKey::RSA.new(key) unless key.nil?
     end
 
     on :fetch_public_key do |diaspora_id|
       key = Person.find_or_fetch_by_identifier(diaspora_id).serialized_public_key
-      OpenSSL::PKey::RSA.new key unless key.nil?
+      OpenSSL::PKey::RSA.new(key) unless key.nil?
     end
 
     on :fetch_related_entity do |entity_type, guid|
@@ -78,18 +78,15 @@ DiasporaFederation.configure do |config|
       Diaspora::Federation::Entities.related_entity(entity) if entity
     end
 
-    on :queue_public_receive do |xml|
-      Workers::ReceiveUnencryptedSalmon.perform_async(xml)
+    on :queue_public_receive do |xml, legacy=false|
+      Workers::ReceivePublic.perform_async(xml, legacy)
     end
 
-    on :queue_private_receive do |guid, xml|
+    on :queue_private_receive do |guid, xml, legacy=false|
       person = Person.find_by_guid(guid)
 
-      if person.nil? || person.owner_id.nil?
-        false
-      else
-        Workers::ReceiveEncryptedSalmon.perform_async(person.owner.id, xml)
-        true
+      (person.present? && person.owner_id.present?).tap do |user_found|
+        Workers::ReceivePrivate.perform_async(person.owner.id, xml, legacy) if user_found
       end
     end
 
diff --git a/spec/federation_callbacks_spec.rb b/spec/federation_callbacks_spec.rb
index 4b0730e06..8b107420e 100644
--- a/spec/federation_callbacks_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/federation_callbacks_spec.rb
@@ -284,36 +284,36 @@ describe "diaspora federation callbacks" do
   end
 
   describe ":queue_public_receive" do
-    it "enqueues a ReceiveUnencryptedSalmon job" do
-      xml = "<diaspora/>"
-      expect(Workers::ReceiveUnencryptedSalmon).to receive(:perform_async).with(xml)
+    it "enqueues a ReceivePublic job" do
+      data = "<diaspora/>"
+      expect(Workers::ReceivePublic).to receive(:perform_async).with(data, true)
 
-      DiasporaFederation.callbacks.trigger(:queue_public_receive, xml)
+      DiasporaFederation.callbacks.trigger(:queue_public_receive, data, true)
     end
   end
 
   describe ":queue_private_receive" do
-    let(:xml) { "<diaspora/>" }
+    let(:data) { "<diaspora/>" }
 
     it "returns true if the user is found" do
-      result = DiasporaFederation.callbacks.trigger(:queue_private_receive, alice.person.guid, xml)
+      result = DiasporaFederation.callbacks.trigger(:queue_private_receive, alice.person.guid, data)
       expect(result).to be_truthy
     end
 
-    it "enqueues a ReceiveEncryptedSalmon job" do
-      expect(Workers::ReceiveEncryptedSalmon).to receive(:perform_async).with(alice.id, xml)
+    it "enqueues a ReceivePrivate job" do
+      expect(Workers::ReceivePrivate).to receive(:perform_async).with(alice.id, data, true)
 
-      DiasporaFederation.callbacks.trigger(:queue_private_receive, alice.person.guid, xml)
+      DiasporaFederation.callbacks.trigger(:queue_private_receive, alice.person.guid, data, true)
     end
 
     it "returns false if the no user is found" do
       person = FactoryGirl.create(:person)
-      result = DiasporaFederation.callbacks.trigger(:queue_private_receive, person.guid, xml)
+      result = DiasporaFederation.callbacks.trigger(:queue_private_receive, person.guid, data, true)
       expect(result).to be_falsey
     end
 
     it "returns false if the no person is found" do
-      result = DiasporaFederation.callbacks.trigger(:queue_private_receive, "2398rq3948yftn", xml)
+      result = DiasporaFederation.callbacks.trigger(:queue_private_receive, "2398rq3948yftn", data, true)
       expect(result).to be_falsey
     end
   end
diff --git a/spec/workers/receive_private_spec.rb b/spec/workers/receive_private_spec.rb
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..86d09ed19
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/workers/receive_private_spec.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+require "spec_helper"
+
+describe Workers::ReceivePrivate do
+  let(:data) { "<xml></xml>" }
+
+  it "calls receive_private of federation gem" do
+    rsa_key = double
+
+    expect(OpenSSL::PKey::RSA).to receive(:new).with(alice.serialized_private_key).and_return(rsa_key)
+    expect(DiasporaFederation::Federation::Receiver).to receive(:receive_private).with(data, rsa_key, alice.id, true)
+
+    Workers::ReceivePrivate.new.perform(alice.id, data, true)
+  end
+
+  it "filters errors that would also fail on second try" do
+    rsa_key = double
+
+    expect(OpenSSL::PKey::RSA).to receive(:new).with(alice.serialized_private_key).and_return(rsa_key)
+    expect(DiasporaFederation::Federation::Receiver).to receive(:receive_private).with(
+      data, rsa_key, alice.id, false
+    ).and_raise(DiasporaFederation::Salmon::InvalidSignature)
+
+    expect {
+      Workers::ReceivePrivate.new.perform(alice.id, data, false)
+    }.not_to raise_error
+  end
+
+  it "does not filter errors that would succeed on second try" do
+    rsa_key = double
+
+    expect(OpenSSL::PKey::RSA).to receive(:new).with(alice.serialized_private_key).and_return(rsa_key)
+    expect(DiasporaFederation::Federation::Receiver).to receive(:receive_private).with(
+      data, rsa_key, alice.id, false
+    ).and_raise(DiasporaFederation::Federation::Fetcher::NotFetchable)
+
+    expect {
+      Workers::ReceivePrivate.new.perform(alice.id, data, false)
+    }.to raise_error DiasporaFederation::Federation::Fetcher::NotFetchable
+  end
+end
diff --git a/spec/workers/receive_public_spec.rb b/spec/workers/receive_public_spec.rb
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..0f2c3aa7c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/workers/receive_public_spec.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+require "spec_helper"
+
+describe Workers::ReceivePublic do
+  let(:data) { "<xml></xml>" }
+
+  it "calls receive_public of federation gem" do
+    expect(DiasporaFederation::Federation::Receiver).to receive(:receive_public).with(data, true)
+
+    Workers::ReceivePublic.new.perform(data, true)
+  end
+
+  it "filters errors that would also fail on second try" do
+    expect(DiasporaFederation::Federation::Receiver).to receive(:receive_public).with(
+      data, false
+    ).and_raise(DiasporaFederation::Salmon::InvalidSignature)
+
+    expect {
+      Workers::ReceivePublic.new.perform(data, false)
+    }.not_to raise_error
+  end
+
+  it "does not filter errors that would succeed on second try" do
+    expect(DiasporaFederation::Federation::Receiver).to receive(:receive_public).with(
+      data, false
+    ).and_raise(DiasporaFederation::Federation::Fetcher::NotFetchable)
+
+    expect {
+      Workers::ReceivePublic.new.perform(data, false)
+    }.to raise_error DiasporaFederation::Federation::Fetcher::NotFetchable
+  end
+end
diff --git a/spec/workers/receive_salmon_spec.rb b/spec/workers/receive_salmon_spec.rb
deleted file mode 100644
index a57bc6fbc..000000000
--- a/spec/workers/receive_salmon_spec.rb
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,23 +0,0 @@
-require 'spec_helper'
-
-describe Workers::ReceiveEncryptedSalmon do
-  before do
-    @user = alice
-    @xml = '<xml></xml>'
-    allow(User).to receive(:find){ |id|
-      if id == @user.id
-        @user
-      else
-        nil
-      end
-    }
-  end
-  it 'calls receive_salmon' do
-    zord = double
-
-    expect(zord).to receive(:perform!)
-    expect(Postzord::Receiver::Private).to receive(:new).with(@user, hash_including(:salmon_xml => @xml)).and_return(zord)
-
-    Workers::ReceiveEncryptedSalmon.new.perform(@user.id, @xml)
-  end
-end