diff --git a/relay/application.py b/relay/application.py
index f0ea4fe..52e16c9 100644
--- a/relay/application.py
+++ b/relay/application.py
@@ -134,6 +134,11 @@ def request_actor(self):
 	except KeyError: pass
 
 
+def request_instance(self):
+	try: return self['instance']
+	except KeyError: pass
+
+
 def request_message(self):
 	try: return self['message']
 	except KeyError: pass
@@ -148,6 +153,7 @@ def request_signature(self):
 
 
 setattr(web.Request, 'actor', property(request_actor))
+setattr(web.Request, 'instance', property(request_instance))
 setattr(web.Request, 'message', property(request_message))
 setattr(web.Request, 'signature', property(request_signature))
 
diff --git a/relay/database.py b/relay/database.py
index ca26f50..d1d64a7 100644
--- a/relay/database.py
+++ b/relay/database.py
@@ -83,14 +83,6 @@ class RelayDatabase(dict):
 					self.del_inbox(domain)
 					continue
 
-				if not instance.get('software'):
-					nodeinfo = asyncio.run(fetch_nodeinfo(domain))
-
-					if not nodeinfo:
-						continue
-
-					instance['software'] = nodeinfo.swname
-
 			new_db = False
 
 		except FileNotFoundError:
diff --git a/relay/processors.py b/relay/processors.py
index 4ccb0d1..92df00d 100644
--- a/relay/processors.py
+++ b/relay/processors.py
@@ -113,5 +113,12 @@ async def run_processor(request):
 	if request.message.type not in processors:
 		return
 
+	if request.instance and not request.instance.get('software'):
+		nodeinfo = await misc.fetch_nodeinfo(request.instance.domain)
+
+		if nodeinfo:
+			request.instance[nodeinfo] = nodeinfo.swname
+			request.database.save()
+
 	logging.verbose(f'New "{request.message.type}" from actor: {request.actor.id}')
 	return await processors[request.message.type](request)
diff --git a/relay/views.py b/relay/views.py
index f39b497..c360ca2 100644
--- a/relay/views.py
+++ b/relay/views.py
@@ -113,6 +113,8 @@ async def inbox(request):
 		logging.verbose(f'Failed to fetch actor: {request.signature.keyid}')
 		return Response.new_error(400, 'failed to fetch actor', 'json')
 
+	request['instance'] = request.database.get_inbox(request['actor'].inbox)
+
 	## reject if the actor isn't whitelisted while the whiltelist is enabled
 	if config.whitelist_enabled and not config.is_whitelisted(request.actor.domain):
 		logging.verbose(f'Rejected actor for not being in the whitelist: {request.actor.id}')