diff --git a/.github/changelog/2235-from-description b/.github/changelog/2235-from-description
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..82dc34bab
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/changelog/2235-from-description
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+Significance: minor
+Type: changed
+
+Added support for fetching actors by account identifiers and improved reliability of actor retrieval.
diff --git a/includes/collection/class-remote-actors.php b/includes/collection/class-remote-actors.php
index 5924ce425..4d4e823e9 100644
--- a/includes/collection/class-remote-actors.php
+++ b/includes/collection/class-remote-actors.php
@@ -202,6 +202,29 @@ public static function get_by_uri( $actor_uri ) {
 		return \get_post( $post_id );
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * Fetch a remote actor post by either actor URI or acct, fetching from remote if not found locally.
+	 *
+	 * @param string $uri_or_acct The actor URI or acct identifier.
+	 *
+	 * @return \WP_Post|\WP_Error Post object or WP_Error if not found.
+	 */
+	public static function fetch_by_various( $uri_or_acct ) {
+		if ( \filter_var( $uri_or_acct, FILTER_VALIDATE_URL ) ) {
+			return self::fetch_by_uri( $uri_or_acct );
+		}
+
+		if ( preg_match( '/^@?' . ACTIVITYPUB_USERNAME_REGEXP . '$/i', $uri_or_acct ) ) {
+			return self::fetch_by_acct( $uri_or_acct );
+		}
+
+		return new \WP_Error(
+			'activitypub_invalid_actor_identifier',
+			'The actor identifier is not supported',
+			array( 'status' => 400 )
+		);
+	}
+
 	/**
 	 * Lookup a remote actor post by actor URI (guid), fetching from remote if not found locally.
 	 *
@@ -239,6 +262,45 @@ public static function fetch_by_uri( $actor_uri ) {
 		return \get_post( $post_id );
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * Fetch a remote actor post by acct, fetching from remote if not found locally.
+	 *
+	 * @param string $acct The acct identifier.
+	 *
+	 * @return \WP_Post|\WP_Error Post object or WP_Error if not found.
+	 */
+	public static function fetch_by_acct( $acct ) {
+		$acct = Sanitize::webfinger( $acct );
+
+		// Check local DB for acct post meta.
+		global $wpdb;
+		// phpcs:ignore WordPress.DB.DirectDatabaseQuery.DirectQuery, WordPress.DB.DirectDatabaseQuery.NoCaching
+		$post_id = $wpdb->get_var(
+			$wpdb->prepare(
+				"SELECT post_id FROM $wpdb->postmeta WHERE meta_key='_activitypub_acct' AND meta_value=%s",
+				$acct
+			)
+		);
+
+		if ( $post_id ) {
+			return \get_post( $post_id );
+		}
+
+		$profile_uri = Webfinger::resolve( $acct );
+
+		if ( \is_wp_error( $profile_uri ) ) {
+			return $profile_uri;
+		}
+
+		$post = self::fetch_by_uri( $profile_uri );
+
+		if ( ! \is_wp_error( $post ) ) {
+			\update_post_meta( $post->ID, '_activitypub_acct', $acct );
+		}
+
+		return $post;
+	}
+
 	/**
 	 * Store an error that occurred when sending an ActivityPub message to a follower.
 	 *
diff --git a/includes/functions.php b/includes/functions.php
index e9e052fcb..047a6c3ec 100644
--- a/includes/functions.php
+++ b/includes/functions.php
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ function get_webfinger_resource( $user_id ) {
  *
  * @return array|\WP_Error The Actor profile as array or WP_Error on failure.
  */
-function get_remote_metadata_by_actor( $actor, $cached = true ) {
+function get_remote_metadata_by_actor( $actor, $cached = true ) { // phpcs:ignore VariableAnalysis.CodeAnalysis.VariableAnalysis.UnusedVariable, Generic.CodeAnalysis.UnusedFunctionParameter.FoundAfterLastUsed
 	/**
 	 * Filters the metadata before it is retrieved from a remote actor.
 	 *
@@ -101,7 +101,13 @@ function get_remote_metadata_by_actor( $actor, $cached = true ) {
 		return $pre;
 	}
 
-	return Http::get_remote_object( $actor, $cached );
+	$remote_actor = Remote_Actors::fetch_by_various( $actor );
+
+	if ( is_wp_error( $remote_actor ) ) {
+		return $remote_actor;
+	}
+
+	return json_decode( $remote_actor->post_content, true );
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/tests/includes/collection/class-test-remote-actors.php b/tests/includes/collection/class-test-remote-actors.php
index 7b45ab73d..747aa2070 100644
--- a/tests/includes/collection/class-test-remote-actors.php
+++ b/tests/includes/collection/class-test-remote-actors.php
@@ -178,13 +178,13 @@ public function test_fetch_by_uri() {
 		$id = Remote_Actors::create( $actor );
 		$this->assertNotWPError( $id );
 
-		// Should find the actor locally.
+		// Test 1: Should find the actor locally.
 		$post = Remote_Actors::fetch_by_uri( 'https://remote.example.com/actor/bob' );
-
 		$this->assertInstanceOf( 'WP_Post', $post );
 		$this->assertEquals( 'https://remote.example.com/actor/bob', $post->guid );
+		$this->assertEquals( $id, $post->ID );
 
-		// Delete local post, mock remote fetch.
+		// Test 2: Delete local post, mock remote fetch.
 		\wp_delete_post( $id );
 
 		add_filter(
@@ -200,17 +200,344 @@ function ( $pre, $url_or_object ) use ( $actor ) {
 		);
 
 		$post = Remote_Actors::fetch_by_uri( 'https://remote.example.com/actor/bob' );
-
 		$this->assertInstanceOf( 'WP_Post', $post );
 		$this->assertEquals( 'https://remote.example.com/actor/bob', $post->guid );
 
 		remove_all_filters( 'activitypub_pre_http_get_remote_object' );
 		\wp_delete_post( $post->ID );
 
-		// Should return WP_Error for invalid URI.
-		$not_found = Remote_Actors::fetch_by_uri( '' );
+		// Test 3: Should return WP_Error for empty URI.
+		$empty_uri = Remote_Actors::fetch_by_uri( '' );
+		$this->assertWPError( $empty_uri );
+
+		// Test 4: Should return WP_Error when remote fetch fails.
+		add_filter(
+			'activitypub_pre_http_get_remote_object',
+			function () {
+				return new \WP_Error( 'http_request_failed', 'Request failed' );
+			},
+			10,
+			2
+		);
+
+		$failed_fetch = Remote_Actors::fetch_by_uri( 'https://nonexistent.example.com/actor/missing' );
+		$this->assertWPError( $failed_fetch );
+
+		// Test 5: Should return WP_Error when remote object is not an actor.
+		add_filter(
+			'activitypub_pre_http_get_remote_object',
+			function () {
+				return array(
+					'id'      => 'https://remote.example.com/note/123',
+					'type'    => 'Note',
+					'content' => 'This is not an actor',
+				);
+			},
+			10,
+			2
+		);
+
+		$not_actor = Remote_Actors::fetch_by_uri( 'https://remote.example.com/note/123' );
+		$this->assertWPError( $not_actor );
+		$this->assertEquals( 'activitypub_no_actor', $not_actor->get_error_code() );
+
+		remove_all_filters( 'activitypub_pre_http_get_remote_object' );
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Test fetch_by_various method.
+	 *
+	 * @covers ::fetch_by_various
+	 */
+	public function test_fetch_by_various() {
+		// Test 1: Valid URL should call fetch_by_uri.
+		$actor = array(
+			'id'                => 'https://remote.example.com/actor/charlie',
+			'type'              => 'Person',
+			'url'               => 'https://remote.example.com/actor/charlie',
+			'inbox'             => 'https://remote.example.com/actor/charlie/inbox',
+			'name'              => 'Charlie',
+			'preferredUsername' => 'charlie',
+			'endpoints'         => array(
+				'sharedInbox' => 'https://remote.example.com/inbox',
+			),
+		);
+
+		$id = Remote_Actors::create( $actor );
+		$this->assertNotWPError( $id );
+
+		$post = Remote_Actors::fetch_by_various( 'https://remote.example.com/actor/charlie' );
+		$this->assertInstanceOf( 'WP_Post', $post );
+		$this->assertEquals( 'https://remote.example.com/actor/charlie', $post->guid );
+
+		\wp_delete_post( $id );
+
+		// Test 2: Acct identifier should call fetch_by_acct.
+		// Mock webfinger resolution.
+		add_filter(
+			'pre_http_request',
+			function ( $preempt, $parsed_args, $url ) {
+				if ( strpos( $url, '.well-known/webfinger' ) !== false ) {
+					return array(
+						'response' => array( 'code' => 200 ),
+						'body'     => wp_json_encode(
+							array(
+								'subject' => 'acct:charlie@remote.example.com',
+								'links'   => array(
+									array(
+										'rel'  => 'self',
+										'type' => 'application/activity+json',
+										'href' => 'https://remote.example.com/actor/charlie',
+									),
+								),
+							)
+						),
+					);
+				}
+				return $preempt;
+			},
+			10,
+			3
+		);
+
+		add_filter(
+			'activitypub_pre_http_get_remote_object',
+			function ( $pre, $url_or_object ) use ( $actor ) {
+				if ( $url_or_object === $actor['id'] ) {
+					return $actor;
+				}
+				return $pre;
+			},
+			10,
+			2
+		);
+
+		$post = Remote_Actors::fetch_by_various( 'charlie@remote.example.com' );
+		$this->assertInstanceOf( 'WP_Post', $post );
+		$this->assertEquals( 'https://remote.example.com/actor/charlie', $post->guid );
+
+		// Verify acct meta was stored.
+		$stored_acct = \get_post_meta( $post->ID, '_activitypub_acct', true );
+		$this->assertEquals( 'charlie@remote.example.com', $stored_acct );
+
+		remove_all_filters( 'pre_http_request' );
+		remove_all_filters( 'activitypub_pre_http_get_remote_object' );
+		\wp_delete_post( $post->ID );
+
+		// Test 3: Invalid input returns WP_Error.
+		$invalid = Remote_Actors::fetch_by_various( '' );
+		$this->assertWPError( $invalid );
+
+		// Test 4: URL without scheme.
+		$no_scheme = Remote_Actors::fetch_by_various( 'example.com/actor/test' );
+		$this->assertWPError( $no_scheme );
+
+		// Test 5: Malformed acct.
+		$malformed_acct = Remote_Actors::fetch_by_various( 'not-an-email-or-url' );
+		$this->assertWPError( $malformed_acct );
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Test fetch_by_acct method.
+	 *
+	 * @covers ::fetch_by_acct
+	 */
+	public function test_fetch_by_acct() {
+		// Test 1: Find existing actor by acct meta.
+		$actor = array(
+			'id'                => 'https://remote.example.com/actor/diana',
+			'type'              => 'Person',
+			'url'               => 'https://remote.example.com/actor/diana',
+			'inbox'             => 'https://remote.example.com/actor/diana/inbox',
+			'name'              => 'Diana',
+			'preferredUsername' => 'diana',
+			'endpoints'         => array(
+				'sharedInbox' => 'https://remote.example.com/inbox',
+			),
+		);
+
+		$id = Remote_Actors::create( $actor );
+		$this->assertNotWPError( $id );
+		\update_post_meta( $id, '_activitypub_acct', 'diana@remote.example.com' );
+
+		$post = Remote_Actors::fetch_by_acct( 'diana@remote.example.com' );
+		$this->assertInstanceOf( 'WP_Post', $post );
+		$this->assertEquals( $id, $post->ID );
+
+		\wp_delete_post( $id );
+
+		// Test 2: Webfinger resolution and remote fetch.
+		add_filter(
+			'pre_http_request',
+			function ( $preempt, $parsed_args, $url ) {
+				if ( strpos( $url, '.well-known/webfinger' ) !== false ) {
+					return array(
+						'response' => array( 'code' => 200 ),
+						'body'     => wp_json_encode(
+							array(
+								'subject' => 'acct:diana@remote.example.com',
+								'links'   => array(
+									array(
+										'rel'  => 'self',
+										'type' => 'application/activity+json',
+										'href' => 'https://remote.example.com/actor/diana',
+									),
+								),
+							)
+						),
+					);
+				}
+				return $preempt;
+			},
+			10,
+			3
+		);
+
+		add_filter(
+			'activitypub_pre_http_get_remote_object',
+			function ( $pre, $url_or_object ) use ( $actor ) {
+				if ( $url_or_object === $actor['id'] ) {
+					return $actor;
+				}
+				return $pre;
+			},
+			10,
+			2
+		);
+
+		$post = Remote_Actors::fetch_by_acct( 'diana@remote.example.com' );
+		$this->assertInstanceOf( 'WP_Post', $post );
+		$this->assertEquals( 'https://remote.example.com/actor/diana', $post->guid );
+
+		// Verify acct meta was stored after remote fetch.
+		$stored_acct = \get_post_meta( $post->ID, '_activitypub_acct', true );
+		$this->assertEquals( 'diana@remote.example.com', $stored_acct );
+
+		\wp_delete_post( $post->ID );
+		remove_all_filters( 'pre_http_request' );
+		remove_all_filters( 'activitypub_pre_http_get_remote_object' );
+
+		// Test 3: Webfinger resolution failure.
+		add_filter(
+			'pre_http_request',
+			function ( $preempt, $parsed_args, $url ) {
+				if ( strpos( $url, '.well-known/webfinger' ) !== false ) {
+					return array(
+						'response' => array( 'code' => 404 ),
+						'body'     => 'Not Found',
+					);
+				}
+				return $preempt;
+			},
+			10,
+			3
+		);
 
+		$not_found = Remote_Actors::fetch_by_acct( 'notfound@example.com' );
 		$this->assertWPError( $not_found );
+
+		remove_all_filters( 'pre_http_request' );
+
+		// Test 4: Invalid acct format.
+		$invalid = Remote_Actors::fetch_by_acct( 'invalid-acct-format' );
+		$this->assertWPError( $invalid );
+
+		// Test 5: Empty acct.
+		$empty = Remote_Actors::fetch_by_acct( '' );
+		$this->assertWPError( $empty );
+
+		// Test 6: Acct sanitization (with @acct: prefix).
+		add_filter(
+			'pre_http_request',
+			function ( $preempt, $parsed_args, $url ) {
+				if ( strpos( $url, '.well-known/webfinger' ) !== false ) {
+					return array(
+						'response' => array( 'code' => 200 ),
+						'body'     => wp_json_encode(
+							array(
+								'subject' => 'acct:diana@remote.example.com',
+								'links'   => array(
+									array(
+										'rel'  => 'self',
+										'type' => 'application/activity+json',
+										'href' => 'https://remote.example.com/actor/diana',
+									),
+								),
+							)
+						),
+					);
+				}
+				return $preempt;
+			},
+			10,
+			3
+		);
+
+		add_filter(
+			'activitypub_pre_http_get_remote_object',
+			function ( $pre, $url_or_object ) use ( $actor ) {
+				if ( $url_or_object === $actor['id'] ) {
+					return $actor;
+				}
+				return $pre;
+			},
+			10,
+			2
+		);
+
+		// Test with @acct: prefix - should be sanitized.
+		$post = Remote_Actors::fetch_by_acct( '@acct:diana@remote.example.com' );
+		$this->assertInstanceOf( 'WP_Post', $post );
+
+		// Verify acct was properly sanitized and stored.
+		$stored_acct = \get_post_meta( $post->ID, '_activitypub_acct', true );
+		$this->assertEquals( 'diana@remote.example.com', $stored_acct );
+
+		\wp_delete_post( $post->ID );
+		remove_all_filters( 'pre_http_request' );
+		remove_all_filters( 'activitypub_pre_http_get_remote_object' );
+
+		// Test 7: Webfinger succeeds but remote fetch fails.
+		add_filter(
+			'pre_http_request',
+			function ( $preempt, $parsed_args, $url ) {
+				if ( strpos( $url, '.well-known/webfinger' ) !== false ) {
+					return array(
+						'response' => array( 'code' => 200 ),
+						'body'     => wp_json_encode(
+							array(
+								'subject' => 'acct:broken@remote.example.com',
+								'links'   => array(
+									array(
+										'rel'  => 'self',
+										'type' => 'application/activity+json',
+										'href' => 'https://broken.example.com/actor/broken',
+									),
+								),
+							)
+						),
+					);
+				}
+				return $preempt;
+			},
+			10,
+			3
+		);
+
+		add_filter(
+			'activitypub_pre_http_get_remote_object',
+			function () {
+				return new \WP_Error( 'http_request_failed', 'Actor fetch failed' );
+			},
+			10,
+			2
+		);
+
+		$fetch_failed = Remote_Actors::fetch_by_acct( 'broken@remote.example.com' );
+		$this->assertWPError( $fetch_failed );
+
+		remove_all_filters( 'pre_http_request' );
+		remove_all_filters( 'activitypub_pre_http_get_remote_object' );
 	}
 
 	/**