diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
index 0022054..570a500 100644
--- a/main.go
+++ b/main.go
@@ -159,6 +159,10 @@ func newServer() {
 	if err = storagenew.InsertSelf(); err != nil {
 		log.Fatal().Err(err).Msg("Failed to insert self properly")
 	}
+	log.Info().Msg("Inserting placeholder/unknown user")
+	if err = storagenew.InsertUnknownActorPlaceholder(); err != nil {
+		log.Fatal().Err(err).Msg("Failed to insert self properly")
+	}
 	if *shared.FlagStartDebugServer {
 		go func() {
 			log.Info().Msg("Starting debug server")
diff --git a/shared/constants.go b/shared/constants.go
index 937d84e..bcb6028 100644
--- a/shared/constants.go
+++ b/shared/constants.go
@@ -8,6 +8,9 @@ const (
 	// where multiple releases in a day are required
 	Version = "0.0.1 pre-alpha"
 	// Username for the server actor
-	ServerActorName    = "server.actor"
+	ServerActorName = "server.actor"
+	// Username for the placeholder actor where the actual actor is unknown
+	// Examples include likes, boosts and followers / following
+	UnknownActorName   = "unknown.actor"
 	FeedUsernameSuffix = "-feed"
 )
diff --git a/storage-new/unknown.go b/storage-new/unknown.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c9dd121
--- /dev/null
+++ b/storage-new/unknown.go
@@ -0,0 +1,74 @@
+package storage
+
+import (
+	"crypto/rand"
+	"database/sql"
+
+	"git.mstar.dev/mstar/goutils/other"
+	"gorm.io/gorm"
+
+	"git.mstar.dev/mstar/linstrom/shared"
+	"git.mstar.dev/mstar/linstrom/storage-new/dbgen"
+	"git.mstar.dev/mstar/linstrom/storage-new/models"
+)
+
+var UnknownActorId string
+
+func InsertUnknownActorPlaceholder() error {
+	dbUser, err := dbgen.User.GetByUsername(shared.UnknownActorName)
+	if err == nil {
+		UnknownActorId = dbUser.ID
+		return nil
+	}
+	if err != gorm.ErrRecordNotFound {
+		return err
+	}
+	server, err := dbgen.RemoteServer.Where(dbgen.RemoteServer.IsSelf.Is(true)).First()
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	publicEdKeyBytes, privateEdKeyBytes, err := shared.GenerateKeypair(true)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	publicRsaKeyBytes, privateRsaKeyBytes, err := shared.GenerateKeypair(false)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	pkeyId := make([]byte, 64)
+	_, err = rand.Read(pkeyId)
+	if err != nil {
+		return other.Error(
+			"storage",
+			"failed to generate passkey ID for linstrom account",
+			err,
+		)
+	}
+	user := models.User{
+		ID:                   shared.NewId(),
+		Username:             shared.UnknownActorName,
+		Server:               *server,
+		ServerId:             server.ID,
+		DisplayName:          "Placeholder user",
+		Description:          "Placeholder user for when the actual users are unknown, like with Mastodon likes and boosts",
+		IsBot:                true,
+		IconId:               sql.NullString{Valid: false},
+		Background:           nil,
+		BackgroundId:         sql.NullString{Valid: false},
+		Banner:               nil,
+		BannerId:             sql.NullString{Valid: false},
+		Indexable:            false,
+		PublicKeyEd:          publicEdKeyBytes,
+		PrivateKeyEd:         privateEdKeyBytes,
+		PublicKeyRsa:         publicRsaKeyBytes,
+		PrivateKeyRsa:        privateRsaKeyBytes,
+		Verified:             true,
+		FinishedRegistration: true,
+		PasskeyId:            pkeyId,
+	}
+	err = dbgen.User.Save(&user)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	return nil
+}