diff --git a/lib/diaspora_federation/entities.rb b/lib/diaspora_federation/entities.rb
index 1b6c09c..96c5957 100644
--- a/lib/diaspora_federation/entities.rb
+++ b/lib/diaspora_federation/entities.rb
@@ -8,7 +8,11 @@ module DiasporaFederation
   end
 end
 
+# abstract types
+require "diaspora_federation/entities/post"
 require "diaspora_federation/entities/relayable"
+
+# types
 require "diaspora_federation/entities/profile"
 require "diaspora_federation/entities/person"
 require "diaspora_federation/entities/location"
diff --git a/lib/diaspora_federation/entities/post.rb b/lib/diaspora_federation/entities/post.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a1f3b47
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/diaspora_federation/entities/post.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+module DiasporaFederation
+  module Entities
+    # this is a module that defines common properties for a post which
+    # include {StatusMessage} and {Reshare}.
+    module Post
+      # on inclusion of this module the required properties for a post are added to the object that includes it
+      #
+      # @!attribute [r] author
+      #   The diaspora ID of the person who posts the post
+      #   @see Person#author
+      #   @return [String] diaspora ID
+      #
+      # @!attribute [r] guid
+      #   a random string of at least 16 chars.
+      #   @see Validation::Rule::Guid
+      #   @return [String] status message guid
+      #
+      # @!attribute [r] created_at
+      #   post entity creation time
+      #   @return [Time] creation time
+      #
+      # @!attribute [r] provider_display_name
+      #   a string that describes a means by which a user has posted the post
+      #   @return [String] provider display name
+      def self.included(entity)
+        entity.class_eval do
+          property :author, xml_name: :diaspora_handle
+          property :guid
+          property :created_at, default: -> { Time.now.utc }
+          property :provider_display_name, default: nil
+        end
+      end
+    end
+  end
+end
diff --git a/lib/diaspora_federation/entities/reshare.rb b/lib/diaspora_federation/entities/reshare.rb
index 8ae158c..f0acc15 100644
--- a/lib/diaspora_federation/entities/reshare.rb
+++ b/lib/diaspora_federation/entities/reshare.rb
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@ module DiasporaFederation
     #
     # @see Validators::ReshareValidator
     class Reshare < Entity
+      include Post
+
       # @!attribute [r] root_author
       #   The diaspora ID of the person who posted the original post
       #   @see Person#author
@@ -16,34 +18,10 @@ module DiasporaFederation
       #   @return [String] root guid
       property :root_guid
 
-      # @!attribute [r] author
-      #   The diaspora ID of the person who reshares a post
-      #   @see Person#author
-      #   @return [String] diaspora ID
-      property :author, xml_name: :diaspora_handle
-
-      # @!attribute [r] guid
-      #   a random string of at least 16 chars.
-      #   @see Validation::Rule::Guid
-      #   @see StatusMessage#guid
-      #   @return [String] guid
-      property :guid
-
       # @!attribute [r] public
       #   has no meaning at the moment
       #   @return [Boolean] public
       property :public, default: true # always true? (we only reshare public posts)
-
-      # @!attribute [r] created_at
-      #   reshare entity creation time
-      #   @return [Time] creation time
-      property :created_at, default: -> { Time.now.utc }
-
-      # @!attribute [r] provider_display_name
-      #   a string that describes a means by which a user has posted the reshare
-      #   @see StatusMessage#provider_display_name
-      #   @return [String] provider display name
-      property :provider_display_name, default: nil
     end
   end
 end
diff --git a/lib/diaspora_federation/entities/status_message.rb b/lib/diaspora_federation/entities/status_message.rb
index a20b973..cbd02ac 100644
--- a/lib/diaspora_federation/entities/status_message.rb
+++ b/lib/diaspora_federation/entities/status_message.rb
@@ -4,17 +4,7 @@ module DiasporaFederation
     #
     # @see Validators::StatusMessageValidator
     class StatusMessage < Entity
-      # @!attribute [r] author
-      #   The diaspora ID of the person who posts the status message
-      #   @see Person#author
-      #   @return [String] diaspora ID
-      property :author, xml_name: :diaspora_handle
-
-      # @!attribute [r] guid
-      #   a random string of at least 16 chars.
-      #   @see Validation::Rule::Guid
-      #   @return [String] status message guid
-      property :guid
+      include Post
 
       # @!attribute [r] raw_message
       #   text of the status message composed by the user
@@ -40,16 +30,6 @@ module DiasporaFederation
       #   shows whether the status message is visible to everyone or only to some aspects
       #   @return [Boolean] is it public
       property :public, default: false
-
-      # @!attribute [r] created_at
-      #   status message entity creation time
-      #   @return [Time] creation time
-      property :created_at, default: -> { Time.now.utc }
-
-      # @!attribute [r] provider_display_name
-      #   a string that describes a means by which a user has posted the status message
-      #   @return [String] provider display name
-      property :provider_display_name, default: nil
     end
   end
 end
diff --git a/spec/lib/diaspora_federation/entities/reshare_spec.rb b/spec/lib/diaspora_federation/entities/reshare_spec.rb
index 8ac1417..a0b5735 100644
--- a/spec/lib/diaspora_federation/entities/reshare_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/lib/diaspora_federation/entities/reshare_spec.rb
@@ -5,13 +5,13 @@ module DiasporaFederation
     let(:xml) {
       <<-XML
 <reshare>
-  <root_diaspora_id>#{data[:root_author]}</root_diaspora_id>
-  <root_guid>#{data[:root_guid]}</root_guid>
   <diaspora_handle>#{data[:author]}</diaspora_handle>
   <guid>#{data[:guid]}</guid>
-  <public>#{data[:public]}</public>
   <created_at>#{data[:created_at]}</created_at>
   <provider_display_name>#{data[:provider_display_name]}</provider_display_name>
+  <root_diaspora_id>#{data[:root_author]}</root_diaspora_id>
+  <root_guid>#{data[:root_guid]}</root_guid>
+  <public>#{data[:public]}</public>
 </reshare>
 XML
     }
diff --git a/spec/lib/diaspora_federation/entities/status_message_spec.rb b/spec/lib/diaspora_federation/entities/status_message_spec.rb
index b209254..5056ac2 100644
--- a/spec/lib/diaspora_federation/entities/status_message_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/lib/diaspora_federation/entities/status_message_spec.rb
@@ -17,6 +17,8 @@ module DiasporaFederation
 <status_message>
   <diaspora_handle>#{data[:author]}</diaspora_handle>
   <guid>#{data[:guid]}</guid>
+  <created_at>#{data[:created_at]}</created_at>
+  <provider_display_name>#{data[:provider_display_name]}</provider_display_name>
   <raw_message>#{data[:raw_message]}</raw_message>
   <photo>
     <guid>#{photo1.guid}</guid>
@@ -48,8 +50,6 @@ module DiasporaFederation
     <lng>#{location.lng}</lng>
   </location>
   <public>#{data[:public]}</public>
-  <created_at>#{data[:created_at]}</created_at>
-  <provider_display_name>#{data[:provider_display_name]}</provider_display_name>
 </status_message>
       XML
     }