diff --git a/Cargo.lock b/Cargo.lock
index aaf210f..4b1ad3c 100644
--- a/Cargo.lock
+++ b/Cargo.lock
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ version = 3
 
 [[package]]
 name = "activitypub_federation"
-version = "0.3.0"
+version = "0.3.1"
 dependencies = [
  "activitystreams-kinds",
  "actix-rt",
diff --git a/examples/federation/instance.rs b/examples/federation/instance.rs
index b1c69f7..1e12ea2 100644
--- a/examples/federation/instance.rs
+++ b/examples/federation/instance.rs
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ use activitypub_federation::{
     UrlVerifier,
     APUB_JSON_CONTENT_TYPE,
 };
-use actix_web::{web, web::Payload, App, HttpRequest, HttpResponse, HttpServer};
+use actix_web::{web, App, HttpRequest, HttpResponse, HttpServer};
 use async_trait::async_trait;
 use http_signature_normalization_actix::prelude::VerifyDigest;
 use reqwest::Client;
@@ -124,13 +124,14 @@ async fn http_get_user(
 /// Handles messages received in user inbox
 async fn http_post_user_inbox(
     request: HttpRequest,
-    payload: Payload,
+    payload: String,
     data: web::Data<InstanceHandle>,
 ) -> Result<HttpResponse, Error> {
     let data: InstanceHandle = data.into_inner().deref().clone();
+    let activity = serde_json::from_str(&payload)?;
     receive_activity::<WithContext<PersonAcceptedActivities>, MyUser, InstanceHandle>(
         request,
-        payload.into_inner(),
+        activity,
         &data.clone().local_instance,
         &Data::new(data),
     )
diff --git a/src/core/inbox.rs b/src/core/inbox.rs
index dbf3509..5241f51 100644
--- a/src/core/inbox.rs
+++ b/src/core/inbox.rs
@@ -6,16 +6,15 @@ use crate::{
     Error,
     LocalInstance,
 };
-use actix_web::{dev::Payload, web::Bytes, FromRequest, HttpRequest, HttpResponse};
-use anyhow::anyhow;
+use actix_web::{dev::Payload, FromRequest, HttpRequest, HttpResponse};
 use http_signature_normalization_actix::prelude::DigestVerified;
 use serde::de::DeserializeOwned;
-use tracing::{log::debug, warn};
+use tracing::log::debug;
 
 /// Receive an activity and perform some basic checks, including HTTP signature verification.
 pub async fn receive_activity<Activity, ActorT, Datatype>(
     request: HttpRequest,
-    mut payload: Payload,
+    activity: Activity,
     local_instance: &LocalInstance,
     data: &Data<Datatype>,
 ) -> Result<HttpResponse, <Activity as ActivityHandler>::Error>
@@ -31,15 +30,7 @@ where
     <ActorT as ApubObject>::Error: From<Error> + From<anyhow::Error>,
 {
     // ensure that payload hash was checked against digest header by middleware
-    DigestVerified::from_request(&request, &mut payload).await?;
-
-    let bytes = Bytes::from_request(&request, &mut payload)
-        .await
-        .map_err(|e| {
-            warn!("{}", e);
-            anyhow!("Failed to parse request body")
-        })?;
-    let activity: Activity = serde_json::from_slice(&bytes)?;
+    DigestVerified::from_request(&request, &mut Payload::None).await?;
 
     verify_domains_match(activity.id(), activity.actor())?;
     verify_url_valid(activity.id(), &local_instance.settings).await?;
diff --git a/src/traits.rs b/src/traits.rs
index dd39d04..1ff9b67 100644
--- a/src/traits.rs
+++ b/src/traits.rs
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ where
         data: &Data<Self::DataType>,
         request_counter: &mut i32,
     ) -> Result<(), Self::Error> {
-        self.verify(data, request_counter).await
+        self.deref().verify(data, request_counter).await
     }
 
     async fn receive(
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ where
         data: &Data<Self::DataType>,
         request_counter: &mut i32,
     ) -> Result<(), Self::Error> {
-        self.receive(data, request_counter).await
+        (*self).receive(data, request_counter).await
     }
 }