diff --git a/lib/diaspora_federation/entities/relayable.rb b/lib/diaspora_federation/entities/relayable.rb
index df8818f..1cc3d77 100644
--- a/lib/diaspora_federation/entities/relayable.rb
+++ b/lib/diaspora_federation/entities/relayable.rb
@@ -146,19 +146,26 @@ module DiasporaFederation
         Base64.strict_encode64(privkey.sign(DIGEST, signature_data))
       end
 
-      # Sort all XML elements according to the order used for the signatures.
-      # It updates also the signatures with the keys of the author and the parent
+      # Update the signatures with the keys of the author and the parent
       # if the signatures are not there yet and if the keys are available.
       #
-      # @return [Hash] sorted xml elements with updated signatures
+      # @return [Hash] properties with updated signatures
       def enriched_properties
-        data = super.merge(additional_xml_elements)
-        signature_order.map {|element| [element, data[element] || ""] }.to_h.tap do |hash|
+        super.merge(additional_xml_elements).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
 
+      # Sort all XML elements according to the order used for the signatures.
+      #
+      # @return [Hash] sorted xml elements
+      def xml_elements
+        data = super
+        order = signature_order + %i(author_signature parent_author_signature)
+        order.map {|element| [element, data[element] || ""] }.to_h
+      end
+
       # The order for signing
       # @return [Array]
       def signature_order
diff --git a/lib/diaspora_federation/entity.rb b/lib/diaspora_federation/entity.rb
index 34b1874..5bbb64d 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|
-        enriched_properties.each do |name, value|
+        xml_elements.each do |name, value|
           add_property_to_xml(doc, root_element, name, value)
         end
       end
@@ -224,6 +224,11 @@ module DiasporaFederation
       normalized_properties
     end
 
+    # default: no special order
+    def xml_elements
+      enriched_properties
+    end
+
     def add_property_to_xml(doc, root_element, name, value)
       if value.is_a? String
         root_element << simple_node(doc, name, value)