diff --git a/bookwyrm/activitypub/person.py b/bookwyrm/activitypub/person.py
index dafd19107..ed2ae80b2 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/activitypub/person.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/activitypub/person.py
@@ -21,9 +21,9 @@ class Person(ActivityObject):
 
     preferredUsername: str
     inbox: str
-    outbox: str
     followers: str
     publicKey: PublicKey
+    outbox: str = None
     endpoints: Dict = None
     name: str = None
     summary: str = None
diff --git a/bookwyrm/migrations/0061_auto_20210402_1435.py b/bookwyrm/migrations/0061_auto_20210402_1435.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..a6899aa35
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bookwyrm/migrations/0061_auto_20210402_1435.py
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+# Generated by Django 3.1.6 on 2021-04-02 14:35
+
+import bookwyrm.models.fields
+from django.db import migrations
+
+
+class Migration(migrations.Migration):
+
+    dependencies = [
+        ("bookwyrm", "0060_siteinvite_invitees"),
+    ]
+
+    operations = [
+        migrations.AlterField(
+            model_name="user",
+            name="outbox",
+            field=bookwyrm.models.fields.RemoteIdField(
+                max_length=255,
+                null=True,
+                unique=True,
+                validators=[bookwyrm.models.fields.validate_remote_id],
+            ),
+        ),
+    ]
diff --git a/bookwyrm/models/user.py b/bookwyrm/models/user.py
index f951ee45a..33dedc9ef 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/models/user.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/models/user.py
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ class User(OrderedCollectionPageMixin, AbstractUser):
         null=True,
         blank=True,
     )
-    outbox = fields.RemoteIdField(unique=True)
+    outbox = fields.RemoteIdField(unique=True, null=True)
     summary = fields.HtmlField(null=True, blank=True)
     local = models.BooleanField(default=False)
     bookwyrm_user = fields.BooleanField(default=True)
@@ -360,7 +360,7 @@ def set_remote_server(user_id):
     actor_parts = urlparse(user.remote_id)
     user.federated_server = get_or_create_remote_server(actor_parts.netloc)
     user.save(broadcast=False)
-    if user.bookwyrm_user:
+    if user.bookwyrm_user and user.outbox:
         get_remote_reviews.delay(user.outbox)