diff --git a/lib/pleroma/signature.ex b/lib/pleroma/signature.ex
index fca61799b..382cf9db3 100644
--- a/lib/pleroma/signature.ex
+++ b/lib/pleroma/signature.ex
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ defmodule Pleroma.Signature do
       |> put_req_header("(request-target)", request_target)
       |> put_req_header("@request-target", request_target)
 
-    @http_signatures_impl.validate_conn(conn)
+    @http_signatures_impl.validate_conn(conn) == true
   end
 
   @spec validate_signature(Plug.Conn.t()) :: boolean()
diff --git a/test/pleroma/signature_test.exs b/test/pleroma/signature_test.exs
index 572d7acc3..0c7c4c840 100644
--- a/test/pleroma/signature_test.exs
+++ b/test/pleroma/signature_test.exs
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ defmodule Pleroma.SignatureTest do
   import Mock
 
   alias Pleroma.Signature
+  alias Pleroma.StubbedHTTPSignaturesMock, as: HTTPSignaturesMock
 
   setup do
     mock(fn env -> apply(HttpRequestMock, :request, [env]) end)
@@ -103,6 +104,18 @@ defmodule Pleroma.SignatureTest do
     end
   end
 
+  describe "validate_signature/1" do
+    test "treats HTTP signature errors as failed validation" do
+      conn = %Plug.Conn{method: "GET", request_path: "/inbox", req_headers: []}
+
+      Mox.expect(HTTPSignaturesMock, :validate_conn, fn _conn ->
+        {:error, :request_target_header}
+      end)
+
+      assert Signature.validate_signature(conn) == false
+    end
+  end
+
   describe "key_id_to_actor_id/1" do
     test "it properly deduces the actor id for misskey" do
       assert Signature.key_id_to_actor_id("https://example.com/users/1234/publickey") ==