diff --git a/activitypub.py b/activitypub.py
index 29fb8de..7a91aad 100644
--- a/activitypub.py
+++ b/activitypub.py
@@ -152,7 +152,7 @@ class ActivityPub(Protocol):
         logger.info(f'Headers: {json_dumps(dict(request.headers), indent=2)}')
 
         # parse_signature_header lower-cases all keys
-        keyId = parse_signature_header(sig).get('keyid')
+        keyId = fragmentless(parse_signature_header(sig).get('keyid'))
         if not keyId:
             error('HTTP Signature missing keyId', status=401)
 
@@ -165,16 +165,21 @@ class ActivityPub(Protocol):
             error('Invalid Digest header, required for HTTP Signature', status=401)
 
         try:
-            key_actor = cls.get_object(keyId).as2
+            key_actor = cls.get_object(keyId)
         except BadGateway:
             obj_id = as1.get_object(activity).get('id')
             if (activity.get('type') == 'Delete' and obj_id and
-                fragmentless(keyId) == fragmentless(obj_id)):
-                logging.info("Object/actor being deleted is also keyId; ignoring")
-                abort(202, 'OK')
-            raise
+                keyId == fragmentless(obj_id)):
+                logging.info('Object/actor being deleted is also keyId')
+                key_actor = Object(id=keyId, source_protocol='activitypub', deleted=True)
+                key_actor.put()
+            else:
+                raise
 
-        key = key_actor.get("publicKey", {}).get('publicKeyPem')
+        if key_actor.deleted:
+            abort(202, f'Ignoring, signer {keyId} is already deleted')
+
+        key = key_actor.as2.get("publicKey", {}).get('publicKeyPem')
         logger.info(f'Verifying signature for {request.path} with key {key}')
         try:
             verified = HeaderVerifier(request.headers, key,
diff --git a/protocol.py b/protocol.py
index 312b91f..19fcaeb 100644
--- a/protocol.py
+++ b/protocol.py
@@ -386,7 +386,7 @@ class Protocol:
         id = util.fragmentless(id)
         logger.info(f'Loading Object {id}')
         obj = models.Object.get_by_id(id)
-        if obj and obj.as1:
+        if obj and (obj.as1 or obj.deleted):
             logger.info('  got from datastore')
             return obj
 
diff --git a/tests/test_activitypub.py b/tests/test_activitypub.py
index de2aa15..713f26d 100644
--- a/tests/test_activitypub.py
+++ b/tests/test_activitypub.py
@@ -234,7 +234,8 @@ class ActivityPubTest(testutil.TestCase):
                     'owner': 'http://own/er',
                     'publicKeyPem': self.user.public_pem().decode(),
                 },
-            }).put()
+            })
+            self.key_id_obj.put()
 
     def assert_object(self, id, **props):
         return super().assert_object(id, delivered_protocol='webmention', **props)
@@ -829,7 +830,7 @@ class ActivityPubTest(testutil.TestCase):
     def test_inbox_verify_http_signature(self, mock_common_log, mock_activitypub_log,
                                          _, mock_get, ___):
         # actor with a public key
-        self.key_id_obj.delete()
+        self.key_id_obj.key.delete()
         Protocol.get_object.cache.clear()
         mock_get.return_value = self.as2_resp({
             **ACTOR,
@@ -907,13 +908,23 @@ class ActivityPubTest(testutil.TestCase):
         self.assertEqual('active', other.key.get().status)
 
     def test_delete_actor_not_fetchable(self, _, mock_get, ___):
-        self.key_id_obj.delete()
+        self.key_id_obj.key.delete()
         Protocol.get_object.cache.clear()
 
         mock_get.return_value = requests_response(status=410)
         got = self.post('/inbox', json={**DELETE, 'object': 'http://my/key/id'})
         self.assertEqual(202, got.status_code)
 
+    def test_delete_actor_empty_deleted_object(self, _, mock_get, ___):
+        self.key_id_obj.as2 = None
+        self.key_id_obj.deleted = True
+        self.key_id_obj.put()
+        Protocol.get_object.cache.clear()
+
+        got = self.post('/inbox', json={**DELETE, 'object': 'http://my/key/id'})
+        self.assertEqual(202, got.status_code)
+        mock_get.assert_not_called()
+
     def test_delete_note(self, _, mock_get, ___):
         obj = Object(id='http://an/obj', as2={})
         obj.put()
diff --git a/tests/test_protocol.py b/tests/test_protocol.py
index a05057a..621debd 100644
--- a/tests/test_protocol.py
+++ b/tests/test_protocol.py
@@ -71,3 +71,11 @@ class ProtocolTest(testutil.TestCase):
         stored.put()
         self.assert_entities_equal(stored, FakeProtocol.get_object('foo'))
         self.assertEqual([], FakeProtocol.fetched)
+
+    @patch('requests.get')
+    def test_get_object_empty_deleted(self, mock_get):
+        stored = Object(id='foo', deleted=True)
+        stored.put()
+
+        self.assert_entities_equal(stored, FakeProtocol.get_object('foo'))
+        mock_get.assert_not_called()