diff --git a/patches/series b/patches/series
index 0db0691..be394d4 100644
--- a/patches/series
+++ b/patches/series
@@ -29,6 +29,8 @@ up-2b1a252cc78dbb3ff8a34a8365b8c049c0b531fb_truncate-remote-user-fields.patch
 # Various perf tweaks related to statistic queries and job handling; also purge of ap_enabled.
 # dropped database load by about 20% on my small instance
 pr862_perftweak-stats-and-jobs.patch
+# WIP: after db pruning way too much stuff got refetched
+wip_less_aggressive_user_refresh.patch
 # Extra debugging
 dbg_log_receiver_crashes.patch
 dbg_log_all_http_requests.patch
diff --git a/patches/wip_less_aggressive_user_refresh.patch b/patches/wip_less_aggressive_user_refresh.patch
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9ae364b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/patches/wip_less_aggressive_user_refresh.patch
@@ -0,0 +1,73 @@
+From 08972cec35195133f6d8e0c496a60abc17ae3951 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
+From: Oneric <oneric@oneric.stub>
+Date: Sat, 28 Dec 2024 04:46:10 +0100
+Subject: [PATCH] Be less aggressive about user refreshes
+
+TODO: atm this still refreshes all users actually actively
+sending stuff to the inbox, but this will change with the
+signing key migration (only user/inbox endpoints still do)
+---
+ lib/pleroma/user.ex                               | 15 ++++++++-------
+ lib/pleroma/web/activity_pub/object_validator.ex  |  2 +-
+ .../article_note_page_validator.ex                |  3 ++-
+ 3 files changed, 11 insertions(+), 9 deletions(-)
+
+diff --git a/lib/pleroma/user.ex b/lib/pleroma/user.ex
+index 697597e1b..41530871d 100644
+--- a/lib/pleroma/user.ex
++++ b/lib/pleroma/user.ex
+@@ -975,16 +975,17 @@ defp maybe_send_registration_email(%User{email: email} = user) when is_binary(em
+ 
+   defp maybe_send_registration_email(_), do: {:ok, :noop}
+ 
+-  def needs_update?(user, options \\ [])
+-  def needs_update?(%User{local: true}, _options), do: false
+-  def needs_update?(%User{local: false, last_refreshed_at: nil}, _options), do: true
++  defp needs_update?(user, options)
++  defp needs_update?(%User{local: true}, _options), do: false
++  defp needs_update?(%User{local: false, last_refreshed_at: nil}, _options), do: true
+ 
+-  def needs_update?(%User{local: false} = user, options) do
+-    NaiveDateTime.diff(NaiveDateTime.utc_now(), user.last_refreshed_at) >=
+-      Keyword.get(options, :maximum_age, 86_400)
++  defp needs_update?(%User{local: false} = user, options) do
++    Keyword.get(options, :update_existing, true) &&
++      NaiveDateTime.diff(NaiveDateTime.utc_now(), user.last_refreshed_at) >=
++        Keyword.get(options, :maximum_age, 86_400)
+   end
+ 
+-  def needs_update?(_, _options), do: true
++  defp needs_update?(_, _options), do: true
+ 
+   # "Locked" (self-locked) users demand explicit authorization of follow requests
+   @spec can_direct_follow_local(User.t(), User.t()) :: true | false
+diff --git a/lib/pleroma/web/activity_pub/object_validator.ex b/lib/pleroma/web/activity_pub/object_validator.ex
+index 93980f35b..084eb733c 100644
+--- a/lib/pleroma/web/activity_pub/object_validator.ex
++++ b/lib/pleroma/web/activity_pub/object_validator.ex
+@@ -249,7 +249,7 @@ def stringify_keys(object), do: object
+   def fetch_actor(object) do
+     with actor <- Containment.get_actor(object),
+          {:ok, actor} <- ObjectValidators.ObjectID.cast(actor) do
+-      User.get_or_fetch_by_ap_id(actor)
++      User.get_or_fetch_by_ap_id(actor, update_existing: false)
+     end
+   end
+ 
+diff --git a/lib/pleroma/web/activity_pub/object_validators/article_note_page_validator.ex b/lib/pleroma/web/activity_pub/object_validators/article_note_page_validator.ex
+index d1cd496db..b8ea6acd9 100644
+--- a/lib/pleroma/web/activity_pub/object_validators/article_note_page_validator.ex
++++ b/lib/pleroma/web/activity_pub/object_validators/article_note_page_validator.ex
+@@ -104,7 +104,8 @@ defp remote_mention_resolver(
+                (t["name"] == mention || mention == "#{t["name"]}@#{initial_host}")
+            end),
+          false <- is_nil(mention_tag),
+-         {:ok, %User{} = user} <- User.get_or_fetch_by_ap_id(mention_tag["href"]) do
++         {:ok, %User{} = user} <-
++           User.get_or_fetch_by_ap_id(mention_tag["href"], update_existing: false) do
+       link = Pleroma.Formatter.mention_tag(user, nickname, opts)
+       {link, %{acc | mentions: MapSet.put(acc.mentions, {"@" <> nickname, user})}}
+     else
+-- 
+2.39.5
+