diff --git a/packages/backend/src/remote/activitypub/models/person.ts b/packages/backend/src/remote/activitypub/models/person.ts
index 76cd5a3da..17d9858e4 100644
--- a/packages/backend/src/remote/activitypub/models/person.ts
+++ b/packages/backend/src/remote/activitypub/models/person.ts
@@ -68,15 +68,12 @@ async function validateActor(x: IObject, resolver: Resolver): Promise<IActor> {
 		if (x.movedTo === uri) {
 			throw new Error('invalid Actor: moved to self');
 		}
+		// This may throw an exception if we cannot resolve the move target.
+		// If we are processing an incoming activity, this is desired behaviour
+		// because that will cause the activity to be retried.
 		await resolvePerson(x.movedTo, resolver)
 			.then(moveTarget => {
 				x.movedTo = moveTarget.id
-			})
-			.catch((err: Error) => {
-				// Can't find the move target for some reason.
-				// Don't treat the actor as invalid, just ignore the movedTo.
-				logger.warn(`cannot find move target "${x.movedTo}", error: ${err.toString()}`);
-				delete x.movedTo;
 			});
 	}