diff --git a/.deadcode-out b/.deadcode-out
index 600f348859..51429164ae 100644
--- a/.deadcode-out
+++ b/.deadcode-out
@@ -45,7 +45,6 @@ package "code.gitea.io/gitea/models/dbfs"
 
 package "code.gitea.io/gitea/models/forgefed"
 	func GetFederationHost
-	func UpdateFederationHost
 
 package "code.gitea.io/gitea/models/forgejo/semver"
 	func GetVersion
diff --git a/services/federation/federation_service.go b/services/federation/federation_service.go
index 0e7efa133a..be2dc2eb6a 100644
--- a/services/federation/federation_service.go
+++ b/services/federation/federation_service.go
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import (
 	"strings"
 
 	"code.gitea.io/gitea/models/forgefed"
+	"code.gitea.io/gitea/models/repo"
 	"code.gitea.io/gitea/models/user"
 	"code.gitea.io/gitea/modules/activitypub"
 	"code.gitea.io/gitea/modules/auth/password"
@@ -78,6 +79,20 @@ func ProcessLikeActivity(ctx context.Context, form any, repositoryID int64) (int
 	}
 	log.Info("Got user:%v", user.Name)
 
+	// execute the activity if the repo was not stared already
+	alreadyStared := repo.IsStaring(ctx, user.ID, repositoryID)
+	if !alreadyStared {
+		err = repo.StarRepo(ctx, user.ID, repositoryID, true)
+		if err != nil {
+			return http.StatusNotAcceptable, "Error staring", err
+		}
+	}
+	federationHost.LatestActivity = activity.StartTime
+	err = forgefed.UpdateFederationHost(ctx, federationHost)
+	if err != nil {
+		return http.StatusNotAcceptable, "Error updating federatedHost", err
+	}
+
 	return 0, "", nil
 }
 
diff --git a/tests/integration/api_activitypub_repository_test.go b/tests/integration/api_activitypub_repository_test.go
index 203307a369..bccc594d07 100644
--- a/tests/integration/api_activitypub_repository_test.go
+++ b/tests/integration/api_activitypub_repository_test.go
@@ -203,6 +203,11 @@ func TestActivityPubRepositoryInboxValid(t *testing.T) {
 
 		federatedUser = unittest.AssertExistsAndLoadBean(t, &user.FederatedUser{ExternalID: "30", FederationHostID: federationHost.ID})
 		unittest.AssertExistsAndLoadBean(t, &user.User{ID: federatedUser.UserID})
+
+		// Replay activity2.
+		resp, err = c.Post(activity2, repoInboxURL)
+		assert.NoError(t, err)
+		assert.Equal(t, http.StatusNotAcceptable, resp.StatusCode)
 	})
 }