diff --git a/lib/pleroma/object.ex b/lib/pleroma/object.ex
index 572c32a32..bea93ecda 100644
--- a/lib/pleroma/object.ex
+++ b/lib/pleroma/object.ex
@@ -19,14 +19,21 @@ defmodule Pleroma.Object do
 
   schema "objects" do
     field(:data, :map)
+    # This is set by a database side trigger on insert and update
     field(:ap_id, :string)
 
     timestamps()
   end
 
+  # Add the default 'returning' options, so we get the generated ap_id column
+  def insert(cng, options \\ []) do
+    cng
+    |> Repo.insert(Keyword.put(options, :returning, true))
+  end
+
   def create(data) do
     Object.change(%Object{}, %{data: data})
-    |> Repo.insert()
+    |> insert()
   end
 
   def change(struct, params \\ %{}) do
diff --git a/lib/pleroma/web/activity_pub/activity_pub.ex b/lib/pleroma/web/activity_pub/activity_pub.ex
index 984f85cc6..49cb18831 100644
--- a/lib/pleroma/web/activity_pub/activity_pub.ex
+++ b/lib/pleroma/web/activity_pub/activity_pub.ex
@@ -976,7 +976,7 @@ defmodule Pleroma.Web.ActivityPub.ActivityPub do
           data
         end
 
-      Repo.insert(%Object{data: obj_data})
+      Object.insert(%Object{data: obj_data})
     end
   end
 
diff --git a/lib/pleroma/web/activity_pub/utils.ex b/lib/pleroma/web/activity_pub/utils.ex
index 39a532db3..27f9c5ab4 100644
--- a/lib/pleroma/web/activity_pub/utils.ex
+++ b/lib/pleroma/web/activity_pub/utils.ex
@@ -153,7 +153,7 @@ defmodule Pleroma.Web.ActivityPub.Utils do
 
     with true <- is_nil(object),
          changeset <- Object.context_mapping(context),
-         {:ok, inserted_object} <- Repo.insert(changeset) do
+         {:ok, inserted_object} <- Object.insert(changeset) do
       inserted_object
     else
       _ ->
diff --git a/priv/repo/migrations/20191007123056_add_ap_id_column_to_objects.exs b/priv/repo/migrations/20191007123056_add_ap_id_column_to_objects.exs
index ebc94833c..fb38fa29c 100644
--- a/priv/repo/migrations/20191007123056_add_ap_id_column_to_objects.exs
+++ b/priv/repo/migrations/20191007123056_add_ap_id_column_to_objects.exs
@@ -6,6 +6,6 @@ defmodule Pleroma.Repo.Migrations.AddApIdColumnToObjects do
       add :ap_id, :string
     end
 
-    create unique_index(:objects, [:ap_id], concurrently: true)
+    create unique_index(:objects, [:ap_id])
   end
 end
diff --git a/priv/repo/migrations/20191007160755_fill_object_ap_id_field.exs b/priv/repo/migrations/20191007160755_fill_object_ap_id_field.exs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..55834b3e1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/priv/repo/migrations/20191007160755_fill_object_ap_id_field.exs
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+defmodule Pleroma.Repo.Migrations.FillObjectApIdField do
+  use Ecto.Migration
+
+  def change do
+    execute("update objects set ap_id = data->>'id'")
+  end
+end
diff --git a/priv/repo/migrations/20191007170423_add_object_ap_id_trigger.exs b/priv/repo/migrations/20191007170423_add_object_ap_id_trigger.exs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..99ffa79e6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/priv/repo/migrations/20191007170423_add_object_ap_id_trigger.exs
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+defmodule Pleroma.Repo.Migrations.AddObjectApIdTrigger do
+  use Ecto.Migration
+
+  def change do
+    execute("""
+    CREATE OR REPLACE FUNCTION set_ap_id()
+    RETURNS trigger
+    LANGUAGE plpgsql
+    AS $BODY$
+    BEGIN
+      NEW.ap_id = NEW.data->>'id';
+      RETURN NEW;
+    END
+    $BODY$;
+    """)
+
+    execute("""
+    CREATE TRIGGER object_ap_id_extraction
+    BEFORE INSERT OR UPDATE
+    ON objects
+    FOR EACH ROW
+    EXECUTE PROCEDURE set_ap_id();
+    """)
+  end
+end
diff --git a/test/object_test.exs b/test/object_test.exs
index 3d64fdb49..ed62f6485 100644
--- a/test/object_test.exs
+++ b/test/object_test.exs
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ defmodule Pleroma.ObjectTest do
 
   test "returns an object by it's AP id" do
     object = insert(:note)
+    object = Object.get_by_id(object.id)
     found_object = Object.get_by_ap_id(object.data["id"])
 
     assert object == found_object
@@ -32,11 +33,21 @@ defmodule Pleroma.ObjectTest do
 
       {:error, _result} = Repo.insert(cs)
     end
+
+    test "it automatically sets the ap_id field" do
+      {:ok, object} =
+        %Object{}
+        |> Object.change(%{data: %{id: "myid"}})
+        |> Object.insert()
+
+      assert object.ap_id == "myid"
+    end
   end
 
   describe "deletion function" do
     test "deletes an object" do
       object = insert(:note)
+      object = Object.get_by_id(object.id)
       found_object = Object.get_by_ap_id(object.data["id"])
 
       assert object == found_object
@@ -52,6 +63,7 @@ defmodule Pleroma.ObjectTest do
 
     test "ensures cache is cleared for the object" do
       object = insert(:note)
+      object = Object.get_by_id(object.id)
       cached_object = Object.get_cached_by_ap_id(object.data["id"])
 
       assert object == cached_object