diff --git a/mediagoblin/db/mixin.py b/mediagoblin/db/mixin.py
index ab6de230..07e1fe97 100644
--- a/mediagoblin/db/mixin.py
+++ b/mediagoblin/db/mixin.py
@@ -451,8 +451,8 @@ class ActivityMixin(object):
             "audio": _("audio"),
             "person": _("a person"),
         }
-        obj = self.object_helper.get_object()
-        target = None if self.target_helper is None else self.target_helper.get_object()
+        obj = self.object
+        target = None if self.target is None else self.target
         actor = self.get_actor
         content = verb_to_content.get(self.verb, None)
 
@@ -506,7 +506,7 @@ class ActivityMixin(object):
             "updated": updated.isoformat(),
             "content": self.content,
             "url": self.get_url(request),
-            "object": self.get_object.serialize(request),
+            "object": self.object().serialize(request),
             "objectType": self.object_type,
             "links": {
                 "self": {
@@ -521,9 +521,8 @@ class ActivityMixin(object):
         if self.title:
             obj["title"] = self.title
 
-        target = self.get_target
-        if target is not None:
-            obj["target"] = target.serialize(request)
+        if self.target_id is not None:
+            obj["target"] = self.target().serialize(request)
 
         return obj
 
diff --git a/mediagoblin/db/models.py b/mediagoblin/db/models.py
index af6e2872..f1449667 100644
--- a/mediagoblin/db/models.py
+++ b/mediagoblin/db/models.py
@@ -304,6 +304,8 @@ class User(Base, UserMixin):
         if self.location:
             user.update({"location": self.get_location.serialize(request)})
 
+        return user
+
     def unserialize(self, data):
         if "summary" in data:
             self.bio = data["summary"]
@@ -689,8 +691,9 @@ class MediaEntry(Base, MediaEntryMixin):
         author = self.get_uploader
         published = UTC.localize(self.created)
         updated = UTC.localize(self.updated)
+        public_id = self.get_public_id(request)
         context = {
-            "id": self.get_public_id(request),
+            "id": public_id,
             "author": author.serialize(request),
             "objectType": self.object_type,
             "url": self.url_for_self(request.urlgen, qualified=True),
@@ -707,7 +710,7 @@ class MediaEntry(Base, MediaEntryMixin):
             },
             "links": {
                 "self": {
-                    "href": href,
+                    "href": public_id,
                 },
 
             }
@@ -1276,7 +1279,6 @@ class CommentReport(ReportBase):
         MediaComment, backref=backref("reports_filed_on",
             lazy="dynamic"))
 
-
 class MediaReport(ReportBase):
     """
     Reports that have been filed on media entries
@@ -1435,7 +1437,7 @@ class Activity(Base, ActivityMixin):
     # Create the generic foreign Key for the target
     target_id = Column(Integer, ForeignKey(GenericModelReference.id), nullable=True)
     target_helper = relationship(GenericModelReference, foreign_keys=[target_id])
-    taget = association_proxy("target_helper", "get_target",
+    target = association_proxy("target_helper", "get_object",
                               creator=GenericModelReference.find_or_new)
 
     get_actor = relationship(User,