diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 654d208dd..6f268d110 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@ The format is based on [Keep a Changelog](https://keepachangelog.com/en/1.0.0/).
 - Addressable lists
 - Twitter API: added rate limit for `/api/account/password_reset` endpoint.
 - ActivityPub: Add an internal service actor for fetching ActivityPub objects.
+- ActivityPub: Optional signing of ActivityPub object fetches.
 
 ### Changed
 - Configuration: Filter.AnonymizeFilename added ability to retain file extension with custom text
diff --git a/config/config.exs b/config/config.exs
index 38780eef7..bda92e45d 100644
--- a/config/config.exs
+++ b/config/config.exs
@@ -305,7 +305,8 @@
   accept_blocks: true,
   unfollow_blocked: true,
   outgoing_blocks: true,
-  follow_handshake_timeout: 500
+  follow_handshake_timeout: 500,
+  sign_object_fetches: true
 
 config :pleroma, :user, deny_follow_blocked: true
 
diff --git a/config/test.exs b/config/test.exs
index 0af62aa14..92dca18bc 100644
--- a/config/test.exs
+++ b/config/test.exs
@@ -31,6 +31,8 @@
   skip_thread_containment: false,
   federating: false
 
+config :pleroma, :activitypub, sign_object_fetches: false
+
 # Configure your database
 config :pleroma, Pleroma.Repo,
   adapter: Ecto.Adapters.Postgres,
diff --git a/docs/config.md b/docs/config.md
index 42556a0be..02f86dc16 100644
--- a/docs/config.md
+++ b/docs/config.md
@@ -332,6 +332,7 @@ This will make Pleroma listen on `127.0.0.1` port `8080` and generate urls start
 * ``unfollow_blocked``: Whether blocks result in people getting unfollowed
 * ``outgoing_blocks``: Whether to federate blocks to other instances
 * ``deny_follow_blocked``: Whether to disallow following an account that has blocked the user in question
+* ``sign_object_fetches``: Sign object fetches with HTTP signatures
 
 ## :http_security
 * ``enabled``: Whether the managed content security policy is enabled
diff --git a/lib/pleroma/object/fetcher.ex b/lib/pleroma/object/fetcher.ex
index 96b34ae9f..305ce8357 100644
--- a/lib/pleroma/object/fetcher.ex
+++ b/lib/pleroma/object/fetcher.ex
@@ -6,6 +6,8 @@ defmodule Pleroma.Object.Fetcher do
   alias Pleroma.HTTP
   alias Pleroma.Object
   alias Pleroma.Object.Containment
+  alias Pleroma.Signature
+  alias Pleroma.Web.ActivityPub.InternalFetchActor
   alias Pleroma.Web.ActivityPub.Transmogrifier
   alias Pleroma.Web.OStatus
 
@@ -82,15 +84,52 @@ def fetch_object_from_id!(id, options \\ []) do
     end
   end
 
+  defp make_signature(id, date) do
+    uri = URI.parse(id)
+
+    signature =
+      InternalFetchActor.get_actor()
+      |> Signature.sign(%{
+        "(request-target)": "get #{uri.path}",
+        host: uri.host,
+        date: date
+      })
+
+    [{:Signature, signature}]
+  end
+
+  defp sign_fetch(headers, id, date) do
+    if Pleroma.Config.get([:activitypub, :sign_object_fetches]) do
+      headers ++ make_signature(id, date)
+    else
+      headers
+    end
+  end
+
+  defp maybe_date_fetch(headers, date) do
+    if Pleroma.Config.get([:activitypub, :sign_object_fetches]) do
+      headers ++ [{:Date, date}]
+    else
+      headers
+    end
+  end
+
   def fetch_and_contain_remote_object_from_id(id) do
     Logger.info("Fetching object #{id} via AP")
 
+    date =
+      NaiveDateTime.utc_now()
+      |> Timex.format!("{WDshort}, {0D} {Mshort} {YYYY} {h24}:{m}:{s} GMT")
+
+    headers =
+      [{:Accept, "application/activity+json"}]
+      |> maybe_date_fetch(date)
+      |> sign_fetch(id, date)
+
+    Logger.debug("Fetch headers: #{inspect(headers)}")
+
     with true <- String.starts_with?(id, "http"),
-         {:ok, %{body: body, status: code}} when code in 200..299 <-
-           HTTP.get(
-             id,
-             [{:Accept, "application/activity+json"}]
-           ),
+         {:ok, %{body: body, status: code}} when code in 200..299 <- HTTP.get(id, headers),
          {:ok, data} <- Jason.decode(body),
          :ok <- Containment.contain_origin_from_id(id, data) do
       {:ok, data}
diff --git a/test/object/fetcher_test.exs b/test/object/fetcher_test.exs
index 56a9d775f..482252cff 100644
--- a/test/object/fetcher_test.exs
+++ b/test/object/fetcher_test.exs
@@ -150,4 +150,34 @@ test "it can refetch pruned objects" do
       assert object.id != object_two.id
     end
   end
+
+  describe "signed fetches" do
+    test_with_mock "it signs fetches when configured to do so",
+                   Pleroma.Signature,
+                   [:passthrough],
+                   [] do
+      option = Pleroma.Config.get([:activitypub, :sign_object_fetches])
+      Pleroma.Config.put([:activitypub, :sign_object_fetches], true)
+
+      Fetcher.fetch_object_from_id("http://mastodon.example.org/@admin/99541947525187367")
+
+      assert called(Pleroma.Signature.sign(:_, :_))
+
+      Pleroma.Config.put([:activitypub, :sign_object_fetches], option)
+    end
+
+    test_with_mock "it doesn't sign fetches when not configured to do so",
+                   Pleroma.Signature,
+                   [:passthrough],
+                   [] do
+      option = Pleroma.Config.get([:activitypub, :sign_object_fetches])
+      Pleroma.Config.put([:activitypub, :sign_object_fetches], false)
+
+      Fetcher.fetch_object_from_id("http://mastodon.example.org/@admin/99541947525187367")
+
+      refute called(Pleroma.Signature.sign(:_, :_))
+
+      Pleroma.Config.put([:activitypub, :sign_object_fetches], option)
+    end
+  end
 end