diff --git a/bookwyrm/activitystreams.py b/bookwyrm/activitystreams.py
index 71f9e42d77..42f99e2093 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/activitystreams.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/activitystreams.py
@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@ def _get_audience(self, status):  # pylint: disable=no-self-use
         trace.get_current_span().set_attribute("status_privacy", status.privacy)
         trace.get_current_span().set_attribute(
             "status_reply_parent_privacy",
-            status.reply_parent.privacy if status.reply_parent else None,
+            status.reply_parent.privacy if status.reply_parent else status.privacy,
         )
         # direct messages don't appear in feeds, direct comments/reviews/etc do
         if status.privacy == "direct" and status.status_type == "Note":
diff --git a/bookwyrm/suggested_users.py b/bookwyrm/suggested_users.py
index d897feff7e..3e9bef9c43 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/suggested_users.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/suggested_users.py
@@ -254,7 +254,8 @@ def rerank_suggestions_task(user_id):
 def rerank_user_task(user_id, update_only=False):
     """do the hard work in celery"""
     user = models.User.objects.get(id=user_id)
-    suggested_users.rerank_obj(user, update_only=update_only)
+    if user:
+        suggested_users.rerank_obj(user, update_only=update_only)
 
 
 @app.task(queue=SUGGESTED_USERS)