diff --git a/lib/pleroma/web/activity_pub/object_validators/tag_validator.ex b/lib/pleroma/web/activity_pub/object_validators/tag_validator.ex
index 47cf7b415..411517045 100644
--- a/lib/pleroma/web/activity_pub/object_validators/tag_validator.ex
+++ b/lib/pleroma/web/activity_pub/object_validators/tag_validator.ex
@@ -50,12 +50,7 @@ defmodule Pleroma.Web.ActivityPub.ObjectValidators.TagValidator do
   end
 
   def changeset(struct, %{"type" => "Hashtag", "name" => name} = data) do
-    name =
-      cond do
-        "#" <> name -> name
-        name -> name
-      end
-      |> String.downcase()
+    name = String.downcase(name)
 
     data = Map.put(data, "name", name)