diff --git a/lib/pleroma/instances/instance.ex b/lib/pleroma/instances/instance.ex
index 3695e0b75..3d3ef5774 100644
--- a/lib/pleroma/instances/instance.ex
+++ b/lib/pleroma/instances/instance.ex
@@ -91,6 +91,13 @@ defmodule Pleroma.Instances.Instance do
 
   def reachable?(url_or_host) when is_binary(url_or_host), do: true
 
+  @doc "Creates a record for the instance unless one exists. Existing records are kept."
+  def ensure_exists(url_or_host) when is_binary(url_or_host) do
+    %Instance{host: host(url_or_host)}
+    |> changeset(%{})
+    |> Repo.insert(on_conflict: :nothing, conflict_target: :host)
+  end
+
   def set_reachable(url_or_host) when is_binary(url_or_host) do
     host = host(url_or_host)
 
diff --git a/lib/pleroma/web/activity_pub/activity_pub.ex b/lib/pleroma/web/activity_pub/activity_pub.ex
index b997e7831..a5325d8ec 100644
--- a/lib/pleroma/web/activity_pub/activity_pub.ex
+++ b/lib/pleroma/web/activity_pub/activity_pub.ex
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ defmodule Pleroma.Web.ActivityPub.ActivityPub do
   alias Pleroma.Conversation.Participation
   alias Pleroma.Filter
   alias Pleroma.Hashtag
+  alias Pleroma.Instances.Instance
   alias Pleroma.Maps
   alias Pleroma.Notification
   alias Pleroma.Object
@@ -2068,10 +2069,11 @@ defmodule Pleroma.Web.ActivityPub.ActivityPub do
       else
         maybe_handle_clashing_nickname(data)
 
-        data
-        |> User.remote_user_changeset()
-        |> Repo.insert()
-        |> User.set_cache()
+        with {:ok, user} <- data |> User.remote_user_changeset() |> Repo.insert() do
+          # Keeps the instances table complete, so it can list our peers.
+          Instance.ensure_exists(user.ap_id)
+          User.set_cache({:ok, user})
+        end
       end
     end
   end
diff --git a/test/pleroma/web/activity_pub/activity_pub_test.exs b/test/pleroma/web/activity_pub/activity_pub_test.exs
index c118cd8f1..fcebdffb1 100644
--- a/test/pleroma/web/activity_pub/activity_pub_test.exs
+++ b/test/pleroma/web/activity_pub/activity_pub_test.exs
@@ -184,6 +184,25 @@ defmodule Pleroma.Web.ActivityPub.ActivityPubTest do
       assert user.follower_address == "http://mastodon.example.org/users/admin/followers"
     end
 
+    test "it records the user's instance" do
+      refute Repo.get_by(Pleroma.Instances.Instance, host: "mastodon.example.org")
+
+      {:ok, _user} = ActivityPub.make_user_from_ap_id("http://mastodon.example.org/users/admin")
+
+      assert %{unreachable_since: nil} =
+               Repo.get_by(Pleroma.Instances.Instance, host: "mastodon.example.org")
+    end
+
+    test "it keeps an existing instance record" do
+      unreachable_since = ~N[2020-01-01 00:00:00.000000]
+      insert(:instance, host: "mastodon.example.org", unreachable_since: unreachable_since)
+
+      {:ok, _user} = ActivityPub.make_user_from_ap_id("http://mastodon.example.org/users/admin")
+
+      assert %{unreachable_since: ^unreachable_since} =
+               Repo.get_by(Pleroma.Instances.Instance, host: "mastodon.example.org")
+    end
+
     test "it returns a user that is invisible" do
       user_id = "http://mastodon.example.org/users/relay"
       {:ok, user} = ActivityPub.make_user_from_ap_id(user_id)