diff --git a/lib/pleroma/web/akkoma_api/controllers/protocol_handler_controller.ex b/lib/pleroma/web/akkoma_api/controllers/protocol_handler_controller.ex
index a0a521f5b..40e039e9a 100644
--- a/lib/pleroma/web/akkoma_api/controllers/protocol_handler_controller.ex
+++ b/lib/pleroma/web/akkoma_api/controllers/protocol_handler_controller.ex
@@ -3,6 +3,11 @@
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: AGPL-3.0-only
 
 defmodule Pleroma.Web.AkkomaAPI.ProtocolHandlerController do
+  @moduledoc """
+  Handles web-based protocol requests, in particular web+ap: which reference ActivityPub URIs.
+  see https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-soni-protocol-handler-well-known-uri/
+  A web+ap: URI should be handled like an https: URI, redirecting to the local representation of the remote or local object.
+  """
   use Pleroma.Web, :controller
 
   import Pleroma.Web.ControllerHelper, only: [json_response: 3]
@@ -17,7 +22,6 @@ defmodule Pleroma.Web.AkkomaAPI.ProtocolHandlerController do
   # Note: (requires read:search)
   plug(OAuthScopesPlug, %{scopes: ["read:search"], fallback: :proceed_unauthenticated} when action in @oauth_search_actions)
 
-  # Protocol definition: https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-soni-protocol-handler-well-known-uri/
   def reroute(conn, %{"target" => target_param}) do
     conn |> redirect(to: "/api/v1/akkoma/protocol-handler?#{URI.encode_query([target: target_param])}")
   end
@@ -38,12 +42,13 @@ defmodule Pleroma.Web.AkkomaAPI.ProtocolHandlerController do
 
   def handle(conn, _), do: conn |> json_response(:bad_request, "Could not handle protocol URL")
 
+  @spec find_and_redirect(Plug.Conn.t(), String.t()) :: Plug.Conn.t()
   defp find_and_redirect(%{assigns: %{user: user}} = conn, identifier) do
     # Remove userinfo if present (username:password@)
     cleaned = URI.parse("https:" <> identifier) |> Map.merge(%{ userinfo: nil }) |> URI.to_string()
     with {:error, _err} <- User.get_or_fetch(cleaned),
         [] <- DatabaseSearch.maybe_fetch([], user, cleaned),
-        [] <- exact_search(cleaned, user) do
+        [] <- exact_user_search(cleaned, user) do
       conn |> json_response(:not_found, "Not Found - #{cleaned}")
     else
       {:ok, %User{} = found_user} -> conn |> redirect(to: "/users/#{found_user.id}")
@@ -54,7 +59,7 @@ defmodule Pleroma.Web.AkkomaAPI.ProtocolHandlerController do
     end
   end
 
-  defp exact_search(identifier, user) do
+  defp exact_user_search(identifier, user) do
     case User.search(identifier, limit: 1, for_user: user) do
       [%User{:ap_id => ^identifier} = found_user] -> [found_user]
       [%User{:uri => ^identifier} = found_user] -> [found_user]
diff --git a/test/pleroma/web/akkoma_api/protocol_handler_controller_test.exs b/test/pleroma/web/akkoma_api/protocol_handler_controller_test.exs
index 5857dece8..ca0466804 100644
--- a/test/pleroma/web/akkoma_api/protocol_handler_controller_test.exs
+++ b/test/pleroma/web/akkoma_api/protocol_handler_controller_test.exs
@@ -6,38 +6,6 @@ defmodule Pleroma.Web.AkkomaAPI.ProtocolHandlerControllerTest do
 
   import Pleroma.Factory
 
-  setup do
-    Tesla.Mock.mock(fn
-      %{method: :get, url: "https://mastodon.social/users/emelie/statuses/101849165031453009"} ->
-        %Tesla.Env{
-          status: 200,
-          headers: [{"content-type", "application/activity+json"}],
-          body: File.read!("test/fixtures/tesla_mock/status.emelie.json")
-        }
-      %{method: :get, url: "https://mastodon.social/users/emelie"} ->
-        %Tesla.Env{
-          status: 200,
-          headers: [{"content-type", "application/activity+json"}],
-          body: File.read!("test/fixtures/tesla_mock/emelie.json")
-        }
-      %{method: :get, url: "https://mastodon.social/@emelie"} ->
-        %Tesla.Env{
-          status: 200,
-          headers: [{"content-type", "application/activity+json"}],
-          body: File.read!("test/fixtures/tesla_mock/emelie.json")
-        }
-      %{method: :get, url: "https://mastodon.social/users/emelie/collections/featured"} ->
-        %Tesla.Env{
-          status: 200,
-          headers: [{"content-type", "application/activity+json"}],
-          body:
-            File.read!("test/fixtures/users_mock/masto_featured.json")
-            |> String.replace("{{domain}}", "mastodon.social")
-            |> String.replace("{{nickname}}", "emelie")
-        }
-    end)
-  end
-
   describe "GET /.well-known/protocol-handler" do
     test "should return bad_request when missing `target`" do
       %{conn: conn} = oauth_access([])
@@ -63,6 +31,42 @@ defmodule Pleroma.Web.AkkomaAPI.ProtocolHandlerControllerTest do
   end
 
   describe "GET /api/v1/akkoma/protocol-handler" do
+    setup do
+      clear_config([Pleroma.Web.Endpoint, :url, :host], "sub.example.com")
+      Tesla.Mock.mock(fn
+        %{method: :get, url: "https://mastodon.social/users/emelie/statuses/101849165031453009"} ->
+          %Tesla.Env{
+            status: 200,
+            headers: [{"content-type", "application/activity+json"}],
+            body: File.read!("test/fixtures/tesla_mock/status.emelie.json")
+          }
+        %{method: :get, url: "https://mastodon.social/users/emelie"} ->
+          %Tesla.Env{
+            status: 200,
+            headers: [{"content-type", "application/activity+json"}],
+            body: File.read!("test/fixtures/tesla_mock/emelie.json")
+          }
+        %{method: :get, url: "https://mastodon.social/@emelie"} ->
+          %Tesla.Env{
+            status: 200,
+            headers: [{"content-type", "application/activity+json"}],
+            body: File.read!("test/fixtures/tesla_mock/emelie.json")
+          }
+        %{method: :get, url: "https://mastodon.social/users/emelie/collections/featured"} ->
+          %Tesla.Env{
+            status: 200,
+            headers: [{"content-type", "application/activity+json"}],
+            body:
+              File.read!("test/fixtures/users_mock/masto_featured.json")
+              |> String.replace("{{domain}}", "mastodon.social")
+              |> String.replace("{{nickname}}", "emelie")
+          }
+        _ -> %Tesla.Env{
+          status: 404,
+        }
+      end)
+    end
+
     test "should return bad_request when target prefix has unknown protocol" do
       %{conn: conn} = oauth_access([])
 
@@ -75,7 +79,6 @@ defmodule Pleroma.Web.AkkomaAPI.ProtocolHandlerControllerTest do
     end
 
     test "should return forbidden for unauthed user when target is remote" do
-      clear_config([Pleroma.Web.Endpoint, :url, :host], "sub.example.com")
       %{conn: conn} = oauth_access([])
 
       resp =
@@ -87,7 +90,6 @@ defmodule Pleroma.Web.AkkomaAPI.ProtocolHandlerControllerTest do
     end
 
     test "should return redirect for unauthed user when target is local AP ID for user" do
-      clear_config([Pleroma.Web.Endpoint, :url, :host], "sub.example.com")
       %{conn: conn} = oauth_access([])
       local_user = insert(:user, %{nickname: "akkoma@sub.example.com", local: true, ap_id: "https://sub.example.com/users/akkoma"})
 
@@ -100,23 +102,54 @@ defmodule Pleroma.Web.AkkomaAPI.ProtocolHandlerControllerTest do
       assert resp =~ "<a href=\"/users/#{local_user.id}\">"
     end
 
-    test "should return redirect for unauthed user when target is local AP ID for note activity" do
-      clear_config([Pleroma.Web.Endpoint, :url, :host], "mastodon.social")
+    test "should return not_found for unauthed user when target is local AP ID for DM note activity" do
+      %{conn: conn} = oauth_access([])
+      local_user = insert(:user, %{nickname: "akkoma@sub.example.com", local: true, ap_id: "https://sub.example.com/users/akkoma"})
+      note = insert(:note, %{
+        id: "AYAsX3ZRH6NJAzZmEa",
+        data: %{
+          "cc" => [],
+          "to" => [],
+          "actor" => local_user.ap_id,
+          "id" => "https://sub.example.com/notice/AYAsX3ZRH6NJAzZmEa",
+          "summary" => "",
+          "content" => "Pleroma's really cool!",
+          "directMessage" => true,
+        }
+      })
+      insert(:note_activity, note: note, user: local_user)
 
-      clear_config([Pleroma.Web.Endpoint, :url, :host], "sub.example.com")
-      %{conn: conn} = oauth_access(["read:search"])
+      conn
+        |> get("/api/v1/akkoma/protocol-handler?target=web%2Bap%3A%2F%2Fsub.example.com/notice/AYAsX3ZRH6NJAzZmEa")
+        |> json_response(404)
+    end
+
+    test "should return not_found for unauthed user when target is local AP ID for public note activity" do
+      %{conn: conn} = oauth_access([])
+      local_user = insert(:user, %{nickname: "akkoma@sub.example.com", local: true, ap_id: "https://sub.example.com/users/akkoma"})
+      note = insert(:note, %{
+        id: "AYAsX3ZRH6NJAzZmPa",
+        data: %{
+          "cc" => [],
+          "to" => ["https://www.w3.org/ns/activitystreams#Public"],
+          "actor" => local_user.ap_id,
+          "id" => "https://sub.example.com/notice/AYAsX3ZRH6NJAzZmPa",
+          "summary" => "",
+          "content" => "Pleroma's really cool!",
+        }
+      })
+      activity = insert(:note_activity, note: note, user: local_user, visibility: "direct")
 
       resp =
         conn
-        |> get("/api/v1/akkoma/protocol-handler?target=web%2Bap%3A%2F%2Fmastodon.social/users/emelie/statuses/101849165031453009")
+        |> get("/api/v1/akkoma/protocol-handler?target=web%2Bap%3A%2F%2Fsub.example.com/notice/AYAsX3ZRH6NJAzZmPa")
         |> html_response(302)
 
-      assert activity = Activity.get_by_object_ap_id_with_object("https://mastodon.social/users/emelie/statuses/101849165031453009")
-      assert resp =~ "You are being"
-      assert resp =~ "<a href=\"/notice/#{activity.id}\">"
+        assert resp =~ "You are being"
+        assert resp =~ "<a href=\"/notice/#{activity.id}\">"
     end
 
-    test "should return redirect for authed user when target is AP ID for user" do
+    test "should return redirect for authed user when target is AP ID for remote user" do
       %{conn: conn} = oauth_access(["read:search"])
       remote_user = insert(:user, %{nickname: "akkoma@ihatebeinga.live", local: false, ap_id: "https://ihatebeinga.live/users/akkoma"})
 
@@ -129,7 +162,7 @@ defmodule Pleroma.Web.AkkomaAPI.ProtocolHandlerControllerTest do
       assert resp =~ "<a href=\"/users/#{remote_user.id}\">"
     end
 
-    test "should return redirect for authed user when target is URL for user" do
+    test "should return redirect for authed user when target is URI for remote user" do
       %{conn: conn} = oauth_access(["read:search"])
       remote_user = insert(:user, %{
         nickname: "emelie@mastodon.social",
@@ -160,7 +193,7 @@ defmodule Pleroma.Web.AkkomaAPI.ProtocolHandlerControllerTest do
       assert resp =~ "<a href=\"/users/#{remote_user.id}\">"
     end
 
-    test "should return redirect for authed user when target is AP ID for note activity" do
+    test "should return redirect for authed user when target is AP ID for remote note activity" do
       %{conn: conn} = oauth_access(["read:search"])
 
       resp =