diff --git a/lib/pleroma/workers/receiver_worker.ex b/lib/pleroma/workers/receiver_worker.ex
index d4db97b639..7dce02a5fc 100644
--- a/lib/pleroma/workers/receiver_worker.ex
+++ b/lib/pleroma/workers/receiver_worker.ex
@@ -56,17 +56,20 @@ def timeout(%_{args: %{"timeout" => timeout}}), do: timeout
 
   def timeout(_job), do: :timer.seconds(5)
 
+  defp process_errors({:error, {:error, _} = error}), do: process_errors(error)
+
   defp process_errors(errors) do
     case errors do
       {:error, :origin_containment_failed} -> {:cancel, :origin_containment_failed}
       {:error, :already_present} -> {:cancel, :already_present}
       {:error, {:validate_object, _} = reason} -> {:cancel, reason}
-      {:error, {:error, {:validate, {:error, _changeset} = reason}}} -> {:cancel, reason}
+      {:error, {:validate, {:error, _changeset} = reason}} -> {:cancel, reason}
       {:error, {:reject, _} = reason} -> {:cancel, reason}
       {:signature, false} -> {:cancel, :invalid_signature}
       {:error, "Object has been deleted"} = reason -> {:cancel, reason}
       {:error, {:side_effects, {:error, :no_object_actor}} = reason} -> {:cancel, reason}
       {:error, :not_found} = reason -> {:cancel, reason}
+      {:error, :forbidden} = reason -> {:cancel, reason}
       {:error, _} = e -> e
       e -> {:error, e}
     end
diff --git a/test/pleroma/workers/receiver_worker_test.exs b/test/pleroma/workers/receiver_worker_test.exs
index 33be910853..640cefb785 100644
--- a/test/pleroma/workers/receiver_worker_test.exs
+++ b/test/pleroma/workers/receiver_worker_test.exs
@@ -51,6 +51,54 @@ test "it does not retry duplicates" do
              })
   end
 
+  test "it does not retry if a user fetch fails with a 403" do
+    Tesla.Mock.mock(fn
+      %{url: "https://simpsons.com/users/bart"} ->
+        %Tesla.Env{
+          status: 403,
+          body: ""
+        }
+    end)
+
+    params =
+      %{
+        "@context" => [
+          "https://www.w3.org/ns/activitystreams",
+          "https://w3id.org/security/v1"
+        ],
+        "actor" => "https://simpsons.com/users/bart",
+        "cc" => [],
+        "id" => "https://simpsons.com/activity/eat-my-shorts",
+        "object" => %{},
+        "to" => ["https://www.w3.org/ns/activitystreams#Public"],
+        "type" => "Create"
+      }
+
+    req_headers = [
+      ["accept-encoding", "gzip"],
+      ["content-length", "31337"],
+      ["content-type", "application/activity+json"],
+      ["date", "Wed, 28 Aug 2024 15:36:31 GMT"],
+      ["digest", "SHA-256=ouge/6HP2/QryG6F3JNtZ6vzs/hSwMk67xdxe87eH7A="],
+      ["host", "bikeshed.party"],
+      [
+        "signature",
+        "does not matter as user needs to be fetched first"
+      ]
+    ]
+
+    {:ok, oban_job} =
+      Federator.incoming_ap_doc(%{
+        method: "POST",
+        req_headers: req_headers,
+        request_path: "/inbox",
+        params: params,
+        query_string: ""
+      })
+
+    assert {:cancel, {:error, :forbidden}} = ReceiverWorker.perform(oban_job)
+  end
+
   test "it can validate the signature" do
     Tesla.Mock.mock(fn
       %{url: "https://mastodon.social/users/bastianallgeier"} ->