diff --git a/lib/diaspora_federation/entities/relayable.rb b/lib/diaspora_federation/entities/relayable.rb
index 63a6daa..df8818f 100644
--- a/lib/diaspora_federation/entities/relayable.rb
+++ b/lib/diaspora_federation/entities/relayable.rb
@@ -151,11 +151,11 @@ module DiasporaFederation
       # if the signatures are not there yet and if the keys are available.
       #
       # @return [Hash] sorted xml elements with updated signatures
-      def xml_elements
-        xml_data = super.merge(additional_xml_elements)
-        signature_order.map {|element| [element, xml_data[element] || ""] }.to_h.tap do |xml_elements|
-          xml_elements[:author_signature] = author_signature || sign_with_author
-          xml_elements[:parent_author_signature] = parent_author_signature || sign_with_parent_author_if_available.to_s
+      def enriched_properties
+        data = super.merge(additional_xml_elements)
+        signature_order.map {|element| [element, data[element] || ""] }.to_h.tap do |hash|
+          hash[:author_signature] = author_signature || sign_with_author
+          hash[:parent_author_signature] = parent_author_signature || sign_with_parent_author_if_available.to_s
         end
       end
 
@@ -172,7 +172,7 @@ module DiasporaFederation
 
       # @return [String] signature data string
       def signature_data
-        data = to_h.merge(additional_xml_elements)
+        data = normalized_properties.merge(additional_xml_elements)
         signature_order.map {|name| data[name] }.join(";")
       end
 
diff --git a/lib/diaspora_federation/entities/relayable_retraction.rb b/lib/diaspora_federation/entities/relayable_retraction.rb
index 48063ab..8d742ad 100644
--- a/lib/diaspora_federation/entities/relayable_retraction.rb
+++ b/lib/diaspora_federation/entities/relayable_retraction.rb
@@ -83,11 +83,11 @@ module DiasporaFederation
       # if the signatures are not there yet and if the keys are available.
       #
       # @return [Hash] xml elements with updated signatures
-      def xml_elements
+      def enriched_properties
         privkey = DiasporaFederation.callbacks.trigger(:fetch_private_key, author)
 
-        super.tap do |xml_elements|
-          fill_required_signature(privkey, xml_elements) unless privkey.nil?
+        super.tap do |hash|
+          fill_required_signature(privkey, hash) unless privkey.nil?
         end
       end
 
diff --git a/lib/diaspora_federation/entities/signed_retraction.rb b/lib/diaspora_federation/entities/signed_retraction.rb
index 92a56f0..9df148a 100644
--- a/lib/diaspora_federation/entities/signed_retraction.rb
+++ b/lib/diaspora_federation/entities/signed_retraction.rb
@@ -68,9 +68,9 @@ module DiasporaFederation
       # if the signatures are not there yet and if the keys are available.
       #
       # @return [Hash] xml elements with updated signatures
-      def xml_elements
-        super.tap do |xml_elements|
-          xml_elements[:target_author_signature] = target_author_signature || sign_with_author.to_s
+      def enriched_properties
+        super.tap do |hash|
+          hash[:target_author_signature] = target_author_signature || sign_with_author.to_s
         end
       end
 
diff --git a/lib/diaspora_federation/entity.rb b/lib/diaspora_federation/entity.rb
index 690f9fe..34b1874 100644
--- a/lib/diaspora_federation/entity.rb
+++ b/lib/diaspora_federation/entity.rb
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ module DiasporaFederation
     def to_xml
       doc = Nokogiri::XML::DocumentFragment.new(Nokogiri::XML::Document.new)
       Nokogiri::XML::Element.new(self.class.entity_name, doc).tap do |root_element|
-        xml_elements.each do |name, value|
+        enriched_properties.each do |name, value|
           add_property_to_xml(doc, root_element, name, value)
         end
       end
@@ -215,10 +215,15 @@ module DiasporaFederation
       end
     end
 
-    def xml_elements
+    def normalized_properties
       properties.map {|name, value| [name, self.class.class_props[name] == String ? value.to_s : value] }.to_h
     end
 
+    # default: nothing to enrich
+    def enriched_properties
+      normalized_properties
+    end
+
     def add_property_to_xml(doc, root_element, name, value)
       if value.is_a? String
         root_element << simple_node(doc, name, value)
diff --git a/spec/lib/diaspora_federation/entities/comment_spec.rb b/spec/lib/diaspora_federation/entities/comment_spec.rb
index e455ee3..1e630c0 100644
--- a/spec/lib/diaspora_federation/entities/comment_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/lib/diaspora_federation/entities/comment_spec.rb
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ module DiasporaFederation
     let(:parent_entity) { FactoryGirl.build(:related_entity, author: bob.diaspora_id) }
     let(:data) {
       FactoryGirl.build(:comment_entity, author: alice.diaspora_id, parent_guid: parent.guid, parent: parent_entity)
-                 .send(:xml_elements).merge(created_at: Time.now.utc, parent: parent_entity)
+                 .send(:enriched_properties).merge(created_at: Time.now.utc, parent: parent_entity)
     }
 
     let(:xml) { <<-XML }
diff --git a/spec/lib/diaspora_federation/entities/conversation_spec.rb b/spec/lib/diaspora_federation/entities/conversation_spec.rb
index 2893a85..903053e 100644
--- a/spec/lib/diaspora_federation/entities/conversation_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/lib/diaspora_federation/entities/conversation_spec.rb
@@ -4,11 +4,11 @@ module DiasporaFederation
     let(:parent_entity) { FactoryGirl.build(:related_entity, author: bob.diaspora_id) }
     let(:signed_msg1) {
       FactoryGirl.build(:message_entity, author: bob.diaspora_id, parent_guid: parent.guid, parent: parent_entity)
-                 .send(:xml_elements).merge(parent: parent_entity)
+                 .send(:enriched_properties).merge(parent: parent_entity)
     }
     let(:signed_msg2) {
       FactoryGirl.build(:message_entity, author: bob.diaspora_id, parent_guid: parent.guid, parent: parent_entity)
-                 .send(:xml_elements).merge(parent: parent_entity)
+                 .send(:enriched_properties).merge(parent: parent_entity)
     }
     let(:data) {
       FactoryGirl.attributes_for(:conversation_entity).merge!(
diff --git a/spec/lib/diaspora_federation/entities/like_spec.rb b/spec/lib/diaspora_federation/entities/like_spec.rb
index b6329a5..c298112 100644
--- a/spec/lib/diaspora_federation/entities/like_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/lib/diaspora_federation/entities/like_spec.rb
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ module DiasporaFederation
         parent_guid: parent.guid,
         parent_type: parent.entity_type,
         parent:      parent_entity
-      ).send(:xml_elements).merge(parent: parent_entity)
+      ).send(:enriched_properties).merge(parent: parent_entity)
     }
 
     let(:xml) { <<-XML }
diff --git a/spec/lib/diaspora_federation/entities/message_spec.rb b/spec/lib/diaspora_federation/entities/message_spec.rb
index df5beaa..1fa9b1b 100644
--- a/spec/lib/diaspora_federation/entities/message_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/lib/diaspora_federation/entities/message_spec.rb
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ module DiasporaFederation
     let(:parent_entity) { FactoryGirl.build(:related_entity, author: bob.diaspora_id) }
     let(:data) {
       FactoryGirl.build(:message_entity, author: alice.diaspora_id, parent_guid: parent.guid, parent: parent_entity)
-                 .send(:xml_elements).merge(parent: parent_entity)
+                 .send(:enriched_properties).merge(parent: parent_entity)
     }
 
     let(:xml) { <<-XML }
diff --git a/spec/lib/diaspora_federation/entities/participation_spec.rb b/spec/lib/diaspora_federation/entities/participation_spec.rb
index 5015763..19e51b3 100644
--- a/spec/lib/diaspora_federation/entities/participation_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/lib/diaspora_federation/entities/participation_spec.rb
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ module DiasporaFederation
         parent_guid: parent.guid,
         parent_type: parent.entity_type,
         parent:      parent_entity
-      ).send(:xml_elements).merge(parent: parent_entity)
+      ).send(:enriched_properties).merge(parent: parent_entity)
     }
 
     let(:xml) { <<-XML }
diff --git a/spec/lib/diaspora_federation/entities/poll_participation_spec.rb b/spec/lib/diaspora_federation/entities/poll_participation_spec.rb
index 39d2d87..dd2361f 100644
--- a/spec/lib/diaspora_federation/entities/poll_participation_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/lib/diaspora_federation/entities/poll_participation_spec.rb
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ module DiasporaFederation
         author:      alice.diaspora_id,
         parent_guid: parent.guid,
         parent:      parent_entity
-      ).send(:xml_elements).merge(parent: parent_entity)
+      ).send(:enriched_properties).merge(parent: parent_entity)
     }
 
     let(:xml) { <<-XML }
diff --git a/spec/lib/diaspora_federation/entities/relayable_retraction_spec.rb b/spec/lib/diaspora_federation/entities/relayable_retraction_spec.rb
index 4fabd02..031cbe7 100644
--- a/spec/lib/diaspora_federation/entities/relayable_retraction_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/lib/diaspora_federation/entities/relayable_retraction_spec.rb
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ module DiasporaFederation
         target_guid: target.guid,
         target_type: target.entity_type,
         target:      target_entity
-      ).send(:xml_elements).tap do |data|
+      ).send(:enriched_properties).tap do |data|
         data[:target_author_signature] = nil
         data[:target] = target_entity
       end
diff --git a/spec/lib/diaspora_federation/entities/signed_retraction_spec.rb b/spec/lib/diaspora_federation/entities/signed_retraction_spec.rb
index 1d4cc19..a74ce6c 100644
--- a/spec/lib/diaspora_federation/entities/signed_retraction_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/lib/diaspora_federation/entities/signed_retraction_spec.rb
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ module DiasporaFederation
         target_guid: target.guid,
         target_type: target.entity_type,
         target:      target_entity
-      ).send(:xml_elements).merge(target: target_entity)
+      ).send(:enriched_properties).merge(target: target_entity)
     }
 
     let(:xml) { <<-XML }