diff --git a/src/Vervis/Federation.hs b/src/Vervis/Federation.hs
index ed61372..a2b510c 100644
--- a/src/Vervis/Federation.hs
+++ b/src/Vervis/Federation.hs
@@ -417,6 +417,9 @@ handleOutboxNote host (Note mluNote luAttrib aud muParent muContext mpublished c
     uContext <- fromMaybeE muContext "Note without context"
     recips <- nonEmptyE (concatRecipients aud) "Note without recipients"
     (mparent, localRecips, mticket, remoteRecips) <- parseRecipsContextParent recips uContext muParent
+    federation <- getsYesod $ appFederation . appSettings
+    unless (federation || null remoteRecips) $
+        throwE "Federation disabled, but remote recipients specified"
     result <- lift $ try $ runDB $ (either abort return =<<) . runExceptT $ do
         (pid, shrUser) <- verifyIsLoggedInUser luAttrib "Note attributed to different actor"
         (did, meparent, mcollections) <- case mticket of
@@ -479,6 +482,8 @@ handleOutboxNote host (Note mluNote luAttrib aud muParent muContext mpublished c
                 return (did, meparent, Nothing)
         (lmid, obid, doc) <- lift $ insertMessage luAttrib shrUser pid uContext did muParent meparent content
         moreRemotes <- deliverLocal obid localRecips mcollections
+        unless (federation || null moreRemotes) $
+            throwE "Federation disabled but remote collection members found"
         remotesHttp <- lift $ deliverRemoteDB obid remoteRecips moreRemotes
         return (lmid, obid, doc, remotesHttp)
     (lmid, obid, doc, remotesHttp) <- case result of