diff --git a/lib/pleroma/web/activity_pub/activity_pub.ex b/lib/pleroma/web/activity_pub/activity_pub.ex
index 881377844..c8be6d3df 100644
--- a/lib/pleroma/web/activity_pub/activity_pub.ex
+++ b/lib/pleroma/web/activity_pub/activity_pub.ex
@@ -172,7 +172,7 @@ defmodule Pleroma.Web.ActivityPub.ActivityPub do
         {:ok, activity}
 
       {:reject, nil} ->
-        {:reject, "Unspecified MRF error"}
+        {:reject, "Unspecified MRF rejection"}
 
       {:reject, message} ->
         {:reject, message}
diff --git a/lib/pleroma/web/activity_pub/mrf/hellthread_policy.ex b/lib/pleroma/web/activity_pub/mrf/hellthread_policy.ex
index a699f6a7e..9aa6d1cbe 100644
--- a/lib/pleroma/web/activity_pub/mrf/hellthread_policy.ex
+++ b/lib/pleroma/web/activity_pub/mrf/hellthread_policy.ex
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ defmodule Pleroma.Web.ActivityPub.MRF.HellthreadPolicy do
   defp reject_message(message, threshold) when threshold > 0 do
     with {_, recipients} <- get_recipient_count(message) do
       if recipients > threshold do
-        {:reject, nil}
+        {:reject, "Message recipient count above MRF policy threshold"}
       else
         {:ok, message}
       end
diff --git a/lib/pleroma/web/activity_pub/mrf/keyword_policy.ex b/lib/pleroma/web/activity_pub/mrf/keyword_policy.ex
index d5c341433..df4cedea6 100644
--- a/lib/pleroma/web/activity_pub/mrf/keyword_policy.ex
+++ b/lib/pleroma/web/activity_pub/mrf/keyword_policy.ex
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ defmodule Pleroma.Web.ActivityPub.MRF.KeywordPolicy do
     if Enum.any?(Pleroma.Config.get([:mrf_keyword, :reject]), fn pattern ->
          string_matches?(content, pattern) or string_matches?(summary, pattern)
        end) do
-      {:reject, nil}
+      {:reject, "Message contains a rejected keyword"}
     else
       {:ok, message}
     end
@@ -87,8 +87,8 @@ defmodule Pleroma.Web.ActivityPub.MRF.KeywordPolicy do
          {:ok, message} <- check_replace(message) do
       {:ok, message}
     else
-      _e ->
-        {:reject, nil}
+      {:reject, error_message} ->
+        {:reject, error_message}
     end
   end
 
diff --git a/lib/pleroma/web/activity_pub/mrf/reject_non_public.ex b/lib/pleroma/web/activity_pub/mrf/reject_non_public.ex
index ea3df1b4d..dde29cce3 100644
--- a/lib/pleroma/web/activity_pub/mrf/reject_non_public.ex
+++ b/lib/pleroma/web/activity_pub/mrf/reject_non_public.ex
@@ -34,14 +34,14 @@ defmodule Pleroma.Web.ActivityPub.MRF.RejectNonPublic do
         with true <- Keyword.get(policy, :allow_followersonly) do
           {:ok, object}
         else
-          _e -> {:reject, nil}
+          _e -> {:reject, "Follower only messages not allowed by server"}
         end
 
       "direct" ->
         with true <- Keyword.get(policy, :allow_direct) do
           {:ok, object}
         else
-          _e -> {:reject, nil}
+          _e -> {:reject, "Direct messages not allowed by server"}
         end
     end
   end
diff --git a/lib/pleroma/web/mastodon_api/mastodon_api_controller.ex b/lib/pleroma/web/mastodon_api/mastodon_api_controller.ex
index 20f9273a0..95e74a34b 100644
--- a/lib/pleroma/web/mastodon_api/mastodon_api_controller.ex
+++ b/lib/pleroma/web/mastodon_api/mastodon_api_controller.ex
@@ -572,11 +572,6 @@ defmodule Pleroma.Web.MastodonAPI.MastodonAPIController do
           |> put_status(422)
           |> json(%{error: message})
 
-        {:reject, message} ->
-          conn
-          |> put_status(500)
-          |> json(%{error: message})
-
         {_, activity} ->
           conn
           |> put_view(StatusView)
@@ -596,6 +591,7 @@ defmodule Pleroma.Web.MastodonAPI.MastodonAPIController do
       case CommonAPI.post(user, params) do
         {:ok, activity} -> activity
         {:error, message} -> {:ignore, message}
+        {:reject, message} -> {:ignore, message}
       end
     end)
   end