diff --git a/app/ap_object.py b/app/ap_object.py
index 86738cf..df3f698 100644
--- a/app/ap_object.py
+++ b/app/ap_object.py
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@ from datetime import datetime
 from typing import Any
 
 import pydantic
-from dateutil.parser import isoparse
 from markdown import markdown
 
 from app import activitypub as ap
@@ -11,6 +10,7 @@ from app.actor import LOCAL_ACTOR
 from app.actor import Actor
 from app.actor import RemoteActor
 from app.media import proxied_media_url
+from app.utils.datetime import parse_isoformat
 
 
 class Object:
@@ -46,9 +46,9 @@ class Object:
     def ap_published_at(self) -> datetime | None:
         # TODO: default to None? or now()?
         if "published" in self.ap_object:
-            return isoparse(self.ap_object["published"])
+            return parse_isoformat(self.ap_object["published"])
         elif "created" in self.ap_object:
-            return isoparse(self.ap_object["created"])
+            return parse_isoformat(self.ap_object["created"])
         return None
 
     @property
diff --git a/app/boxes.py b/app/boxes.py
index dde094d..e1ee325 100644
--- a/app/boxes.py
+++ b/app/boxes.py
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@ from urllib.parse import urlparse
 
 import fastapi
 import httpx
-from dateutil.parser import isoparse
 from loguru import logger
 from sqlalchemy import delete
 from sqlalchemy import func
@@ -35,6 +34,7 @@ from app.source import markdownify
 from app.uploads import upload_to_attachment
 from app.utils import opengraph
 from app.utils import webmentions
+from app.utils.datetime import parse_isoformat
 
 AnyboxObject = models.InboxObject | models.OutboxObject
 
@@ -724,7 +724,7 @@ async def _handle_create_activity(
 
     ap_published_at = now()
     if "published" in ro.ap_object:
-        ap_published_at = isoparse(ro.ap_object["published"])
+        ap_published_at = parse_isoformat(ro.ap_object["published"])
 
     is_reply = bool(ro.in_reply_to)
     is_local_reply = ro.in_reply_to and ro.in_reply_to.startswith(BASE_URL)
@@ -847,7 +847,7 @@ async def save_to_inbox(
 
     ap_published_at = now()
     if "published" in raw_object:
-        ap_published_at = isoparse(raw_object["published"])
+        ap_published_at = parse_isoformat(raw_object["published"])
 
     activity_ro = RemoteObject(raw_object, actor=actor)
 
diff --git a/app/utils/datetime.py b/app/utils/datetime.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..800b00d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/utils/datetime.py
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+from datetime import datetime
+from datetime import timezone
+
+from dateutil.parser import isoparse
+
+
+def parse_isoformat(isodate: str) -> datetime:
+    return isoparse(isodate).astimezone(timezone.utc)