diff --git a/lib/pleroma/web/mastodon_api/mastodon_socket.ex b/lib/pleroma/web/mastodon_api/mastodon_socket.ex
index 0f3d5ff7c..f3c13d1aa 100644
--- a/lib/pleroma/web/mastodon_api/mastodon_socket.ex
+++ b/lib/pleroma/web/mastodon_api/mastodon_socket.ex
@@ -11,9 +11,8 @@ defmodule Pleroma.Web.MastodonAPI.MastodonSocket do
     timeout: :infinity
   )
 
-  def connect(params, socket) do
-    with token when not is_nil(token) <- params["access_token"],
-         %Token{user_id: user_id} <- Repo.get_by(Token, token: token),
+  def connect(%{"access_token" => token} = params, socket) do
+    with %Token{user_id: user_id} <- Repo.get_by(Token, token: token),
          %User{} = user <- Repo.get(User, user_id),
          stream
          when stream in [
@@ -45,6 +44,24 @@ def connect(params, socket) do
     end
   end
 
+  def connect(%{"stream" => stream} = params, socket)
+      when stream in ["public", "public:local", "hashtag"] do
+    topic =
+      case stream do
+        "hashtag" -> "hashtag:#{params["tag"]}"
+        _ -> stream
+      end
+
+    with socket =
+           socket
+           |> assign(:topic, topic) do
+      Pleroma.Web.Streamer.add_socket(topic, socket)
+      {:ok, socket}
+    else
+      _e -> :error
+    end
+  end
+
   def id(_), do: nil
 
   def handle(:text, message, _state) do
diff --git a/lib/pleroma/web/streamer.ex b/lib/pleroma/web/streamer.ex
index 6b6d40346..5cab62c85 100644
--- a/lib/pleroma/web/streamer.ex
+++ b/lib/pleroma/web/streamer.ex
@@ -169,16 +169,33 @@ defp represent_update(%Activity{} = activity, %User{} = user) do
     |> Jason.encode!()
   end
 
+  defp represent_update(%Activity{} = activity) do
+    %{
+      event: "update",
+      payload:
+        Pleroma.Web.MastodonAPI.StatusView.render(
+          "status.json",
+          activity: activity
+        )
+        |> Jason.encode!()
+    }
+    |> Jason.encode!()
+  end
+
   def push_to_socket(topics, topic, %Activity{data: %{"type" => "Announce"}} = item) do
     Enum.each(topics[topic] || [], fn socket ->
       # Get the current user so we have up-to-date blocks etc.
-      user = User.get_cached_by_ap_id(socket.assigns[:user].ap_id)
-      blocks = user.info["blocks"] || []
+      if socket.assigns[:user] do
+        user = User.get_cached_by_ap_id(socket.assigns[:user].ap_id)
+        blocks = user.info["blocks"] || []
 
-      parent = Object.normalize(item.data["object"])
+        parent = Object.normalize(item.data["object"])
 
-      unless is_nil(parent) or item.actor in blocks or parent.data["actor"] in blocks do
-        send(socket.transport_pid, {:text, represent_update(item, user)})
+        unless is_nil(parent) or item.actor in blocks or parent.data["actor"] in blocks do
+          send(socket.transport_pid, {:text, represent_update(item, user)})
+        end
+      else
+        send(socket.transport_pid, {:text, represent_update(item)})
       end
     end)
   end
@@ -186,11 +203,15 @@ def push_to_socket(topics, topic, %Activity{data: %{"type" => "Announce"}} = ite
   def push_to_socket(topics, topic, item) do
     Enum.each(topics[topic] || [], fn socket ->
       # Get the current user so we have up-to-date blocks etc.
-      user = User.get_cached_by_ap_id(socket.assigns[:user].ap_id)
-      blocks = user.info["blocks"] || []
+      if socket.assigns[:user] do
+        user = User.get_cached_by_ap_id(socket.assigns[:user].ap_id)
+        blocks = user.info["blocks"] || []
 
-      unless item.actor in blocks do
-        send(socket.transport_pid, {:text, represent_update(item, user)})
+        unless item.actor in blocks do
+          send(socket.transport_pid, {:text, represent_update(item, user)})
+        end
+      else
+        send(socket.transport_pid, {:text, represent_update(item)})
       end
     end)
   end
diff --git a/test/web/mastodon_api/mastodon_socket_test.exs b/test/web/mastodon_api/mastodon_socket_test.exs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..c7d71defc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/web/mastodon_api/mastodon_socket_test.exs
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+defmodule Pleroma.Web.MastodonApi.MastodonSocketTest do
+  use Pleroma.DataCase
+
+  alias Pleroma.Web.MastodonApi.MastodonSocket
+  alias Pleroma.Web.{Streamer, CommonAPI}
+  alias Pleroma.User
+
+  import Pleroma.Factory
+
+  test "public is working when non-authenticated" do
+    user = insert(:user)
+
+    task =
+      Task.async(fn ->
+        assert_receive {:text, _}, 4_000
+      end)
+
+    fake_socket = %{
+      transport_pid: task.pid,
+      assigns: %{}
+    }
+
+    topics = %{
+      "public" => [fake_socket]
+    }
+
+    {:ok, activity} = CommonAPI.post(user, %{"status" => "Test"})
+
+    Streamer.push_to_socket(topics, "public", activity)
+
+    Task.await(task)
+  end
+end