diff --git a/index.js b/index.js
index 4822a7e..9016b03 100644
--- a/index.js
+++ b/index.js
@@ -72,6 +72,8 @@ client.connect({ useNewUrlParser: true })
     return pub.actor.createLocalActor('dummy', 'Person')
   })
   .then(dummy => {
+    // shortcut to be able to sign GETs, will be factored out via activitypub-express
+    global.guppeSystemUser = dummy
     return store.setup(DOMAIN, dummy)
   })
   .then(() => {
diff --git a/pub/federation.js b/pub/federation.js
index 4fe2d34..4e139ec 100644
--- a/pub/federation.js
+++ b/pub/federation.js
@@ -13,7 +13,12 @@ function requestObject (id) {
   return request({
     url: id,
     headers: { Accept: 'application/activity+json' },
-    json: true
+    httpSignature: {
+      key: global.guppeSystemUser._meta.privateKey,
+      keyId: global.guppeSystemUser.id,
+      headers: ['(request-target)', 'host', 'date'],
+      authorizationHeaderName: 'Signature'
+    }
   })
 }