diff --git a/app/lib/activitypub/activity.rb b/app/lib/activitypub/activity.rb
index 3a39b723e..999954cb5 100644
--- a/app/lib/activitypub/activity.rb
+++ b/app/lib/activitypub/activity.rb
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ class ActivityPub::Activity
   end
 
   def notify_about_mentions(status)
-    status.mentions.includes(:account).each do |mention|
+    status.active_mentions.includes(:account).each do |mention|
       next unless mention.account.local? && audience_includes?(mention.account)
       NotifyService.new.call(mention.account, mention)
     end
diff --git a/app/lib/activitypub/activity/create.rb b/app/lib/activitypub/activity/create.rb
index 73475bf02..7e6702a63 100644
--- a/app/lib/activitypub/activity/create.rb
+++ b/app/lib/activitypub/activity/create.rb
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ class ActivityPub::Activity::Create < ActivityPub::Activity
 
     process_status_params
     process_tags
+    process_audience
 
     ApplicationRecord.transaction do
       @status = Status.create!(@params)
@@ -66,6 +67,27 @@ class ActivityPub::Activity::Create < ActivityPub::Activity
     end
   end
 
+  def process_audience
+    (as_array(@object['to']) + as_array(@object['cc'])).uniq.each do |audience|
+      next if audience == ActivityPub::TagManager::COLLECTIONS[:public]
+
+      # Unlike with tags, there is no point in resolving accounts we don't already
+      # know here, because silent mentions would only be used for local access
+      # control anyway
+      account = account_from_uri(audience)
+
+      next if account.nil? || @mentions.any? { |mention| mention.account_id == account.id }
+
+      @mentions << Mention.new(account: account, silent: true)
+
+      # If there is at least one silent mention, then the status can be considered
+      # as a limited-audience status, and not strictly a direct message
+      next unless @params[:visibility] == :direct
+
+      @params[:visibility] = :limited
+    end
+  end
+
   def attach_tags(status)
     @tags.each do |tag|
       status.tags << tag
@@ -113,7 +135,7 @@ class ActivityPub::Activity::Create < ActivityPub::Activity
 
     return if account.nil?
 
-    @mentions << Mention.new(account: account)
+    @mentions << Mention.new(account: account, silent: false)
   end
 
   def process_emoji(tag)
diff --git a/app/lib/activitypub/tag_manager.rb b/app/lib/activitypub/tag_manager.rb
index 95d1cf9f3..be3a562d0 100644
--- a/app/lib/activitypub/tag_manager.rb
+++ b/app/lib/activitypub/tag_manager.rb
@@ -58,8 +58,8 @@ class ActivityPub::TagManager
       [COLLECTIONS[:public]]
     when 'unlisted', 'private'
       [account_followers_url(status.account)]
-    when 'direct'
-      status.mentions.map { |mention| uri_for(mention.account) }
+    when 'direct', 'limited'
+      status.active_mentions.map { |mention| uri_for(mention.account) }
     end
   end
 
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ class ActivityPub::TagManager
       cc << COLLECTIONS[:public]
     end
 
-    cc.concat(status.mentions.map { |mention| uri_for(mention.account) }) unless status.direct_visibility?
+    cc.concat(status.active_mentions.map { |mention| uri_for(mention.account) }) unless status.direct_visibility? || status.limited_visibility?
 
     cc
   end
diff --git a/app/lib/feed_manager.rb b/app/lib/feed_manager.rb
index b10e5dd24..3d7db2721 100644
--- a/app/lib/feed_manager.rb
+++ b/app/lib/feed_manager.rb
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ class FeedManager
     end
 
     query.each do |status|
-      next if status.direct_visibility? || filter?(:home, status, into_account)
+      next if status.direct_visibility? || status.limited_visibility? || filter?(:home, status, into_account)
       add_to_feed(:home, into_account.id, status)
     end
 
@@ -156,12 +156,12 @@ class FeedManager
     return true  if status.reply? && (status.in_reply_to_id.nil? || status.in_reply_to_account_id.nil?)
     return true  if phrase_filtered?(status, receiver_id, :home)
 
-    check_for_blocks = status.mentions.pluck(:account_id)
+    check_for_blocks = status.active_mentions.pluck(:account_id)
     check_for_blocks.concat([status.account_id])
 
     if status.reblog?
       check_for_blocks.concat([status.reblog.account_id])
-      check_for_blocks.concat(status.reblog.mentions.pluck(:account_id))
+      check_for_blocks.concat(status.reblog.active_mentions.pluck(:account_id))
     end
 
     return true if blocks_or_mutes?(receiver_id, check_for_blocks, :home)
@@ -188,7 +188,7 @@ class FeedManager
     # This filter is called from NotifyService, but already after the sender of
     # the notification has been checked for mute/block. Therefore, it's not
     # necessary to check the author of the toot for mute/block again
-    check_for_blocks = status.mentions.pluck(:account_id)
+    check_for_blocks = status.active_mentions.pluck(:account_id)
     check_for_blocks.concat([status.in_reply_to_account]) if status.reply? && !status.in_reply_to_account_id.nil?
 
     should_filter   = blocks_or_mutes?(receiver_id, check_for_blocks, :mentions)                                                         # Filter if it's from someone I blocked, in reply to someone I blocked, or mentioning someone I blocked (or muted)
diff --git a/app/lib/formatter.rb b/app/lib/formatter.rb
index 35d5a09b7..d13884ec8 100644
--- a/app/lib/formatter.rb
+++ b/app/lib/formatter.rb
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ class Formatter
       return html.html_safe # rubocop:disable Rails/OutputSafety
     end
 
-    linkable_accounts = status.mentions.map(&:account)
+    linkable_accounts = status.active_mentions.map(&:account)
     linkable_accounts << status.account
 
     html = raw_content
diff --git a/app/lib/ostatus/atom_serializer.rb b/app/lib/ostatus/atom_serializer.rb
index 1a0a635b3..7a181fb40 100644
--- a/app/lib/ostatus/atom_serializer.rb
+++ b/app/lib/ostatus/atom_serializer.rb
@@ -354,7 +354,7 @@ class OStatus::AtomSerializer
     append_element(entry, 'summary', status.spoiler_text, 'xml:lang': status.language) if status.spoiler_text?
     append_element(entry, 'content', Formatter.instance.format(status).to_str || '.', type: 'html', 'xml:lang': status.language)
 
-    status.mentions.sort_by(&:id).each do |mentioned|
+    status.active_mentions.sort_by(&:id).each do |mentioned|
       append_element(entry, 'link', nil, rel: :mentioned, 'ostatus:object-type': OStatus::TagManager::TYPES[:person], href: OStatus::TagManager.instance.uri_for(mentioned.account))
     end
 
diff --git a/app/models/account_conversation.rb b/app/models/account_conversation.rb
index a7205ec1a..c12c8d233 100644
--- a/app/models/account_conversation.rb
+++ b/app/models/account_conversation.rb
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ class AccountConversation < ApplicationRecord
     private
 
     def participants_from_status(recipient, status)
-      ((status.mentions.pluck(:account_id) + [status.account_id]).uniq - [recipient.id]).sort
+      ((status.active_mentions.pluck(:account_id) + [status.account_id]).uniq - [recipient.id]).sort
     end
   end
 
diff --git a/app/models/mention.rb b/app/models/mention.rb
index 8ab886b18..d01a88e32 100644
--- a/app/models/mention.rb
+++ b/app/models/mention.rb
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 #  created_at :datetime         not null
 #  updated_at :datetime         not null
 #  account_id :bigint(8)
+#  silent     :boolean          default(FALSE), not null
 #
 
 class Mention < ApplicationRecord
@@ -18,10 +19,17 @@ class Mention < ApplicationRecord
 
   validates :account, uniqueness: { scope: :status }
 
+  scope :active, -> { where(silent: false) }
+  scope :silent, -> { where(silent: true) }
+
   delegate(
     :username,
     :acct,
     to: :account,
     prefix: true
   )
+
+  def active?
+    !silent?
+  end
 end
diff --git a/app/models/notification.rb b/app/models/notification.rb
index b9bec0808..78b180301 100644
--- a/app/models/notification.rb
+++ b/app/models/notification.rb
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ class Notification < ApplicationRecord
     favourite:      'Favourite',
   }.freeze
 
-  STATUS_INCLUDES = [:account, :application, :stream_entry, :media_attachments, :tags, mentions: :account, reblog: [:stream_entry, :account, :application, :media_attachments, :tags, mentions: :account]].freeze
+  STATUS_INCLUDES = [:account, :application, :media_attachments, :tags, active_mentions: :account, reblog: [:account, :application, :media_attachments, :tags, active_mentions: :account]].freeze
 
   belongs_to :account, optional: true
   belongs_to :from_account, class_name: 'Account', optional: true
diff --git a/app/models/status.rb b/app/models/status.rb
index f61bd0fee..b18cb56b2 100644
--- a/app/models/status.rb
+++ b/app/models/status.rb
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ class Status < ApplicationRecord
 
   update_index('statuses#status', :proper) if Chewy.enabled?
 
-  enum visibility: [:public, :unlisted, :private, :direct], _suffix: :visibility
+  enum visibility: [:public, :unlisted, :private, :direct, :limited], _suffix: :visibility
 
   belongs_to :application, class_name: 'Doorkeeper::Application', optional: true
 
@@ -51,7 +51,8 @@ class Status < ApplicationRecord
   has_many :favourites, inverse_of: :status, dependent: :destroy
   has_many :reblogs, foreign_key: 'reblog_of_id', class_name: 'Status', inverse_of: :reblog, dependent: :destroy
   has_many :replies, foreign_key: 'in_reply_to_id', class_name: 'Status', inverse_of: :thread
-  has_many :mentions, dependent: :destroy
+  has_many :mentions, dependent: :destroy, inverse_of: :status
+  has_many :active_mentions, -> { active }, class_name: 'Mention', inverse_of: :status
   has_many :media_attachments, dependent: :nullify
 
   has_and_belongs_to_many :tags
@@ -89,7 +90,7 @@ class Status < ApplicationRecord
                    :status_stat,
                    :tags,
                    :stream_entry,
-                   mentions: :account,
+                   active_mentions: :account,
                    reblog: [
                      :account,
                      :application,
@@ -98,7 +99,7 @@ class Status < ApplicationRecord
                      :media_attachments,
                      :conversation,
                      :status_stat,
-                     mentions: :account,
+                     active_mentions: :account,
                    ],
                    thread: :account
 
@@ -171,7 +172,11 @@ class Status < ApplicationRecord
   end
 
   def hidden?
-    private_visibility? || direct_visibility?
+    private_visibility? || direct_visibility? || limited_visibility?
+  end
+
+  def distributable?
+    public_visibility? || unlisted_visibility?
   end
 
   def with_media?
diff --git a/app/models/stream_entry.rb b/app/models/stream_entry.rb
index a2f273281..1a9afc5c7 100644
--- a/app/models/stream_entry.rb
+++ b/app/models/stream_entry.rb
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ class StreamEntry < ApplicationRecord
   end
 
   def mentions
-    orphaned? ? [] : status.mentions.map(&:account)
+    orphaned? ? [] : status.active_mentions.map(&:account)
   end
 
   private
diff --git a/app/policies/status_policy.rb b/app/policies/status_policy.rb
index 6addc8a8a..64a5111fc 100644
--- a/app/policies/status_policy.rb
+++ b/app/policies/status_policy.rb
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ class StatusPolicy < ApplicationPolicy
   end
 
   def show?
-    if direct?
+    if requires_mention?
       owned? || mention_exists?
     elsif private?
       owned? || following_author? || mention_exists?
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ class StatusPolicy < ApplicationPolicy
   end
 
   def reblog?
-    !direct? && (!private? || owned?) && show? && !blocking_author?
+    !requires_mention? && (!private? || owned?) && show? && !blocking_author?
   end
 
   def favourite?
@@ -41,8 +41,8 @@ class StatusPolicy < ApplicationPolicy
 
   private
 
-  def direct?
-    record.direct_visibility?
+  def requires_mention?
+    record.direct_visibility? || record.limited_visibility?
   end
 
   def owned?
diff --git a/app/serializers/activitypub/note_serializer.rb b/app/serializers/activitypub/note_serializer.rb
index 82b7ffe95..c9d23e25f 100644
--- a/app/serializers/activitypub/note_serializer.rb
+++ b/app/serializers/activitypub/note_serializer.rb
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ class ActivityPub::NoteSerializer < ActiveModel::Serializer
   end
 
   def virtual_tags
-    object.mentions.to_a.sort_by(&:id) + object.tags + object.emojis
+    object.active_mentions.to_a.sort_by(&:id) + object.tags + object.emojis
   end
 
   def atom_uri
diff --git a/app/serializers/rest/status_serializer.rb b/app/serializers/rest/status_serializer.rb
index 61423f961..1f2f46b7e 100644
--- a/app/serializers/rest/status_serializer.rb
+++ b/app/serializers/rest/status_serializer.rb
@@ -36,6 +36,17 @@ class REST::StatusSerializer < ActiveModel::Serializer
     !current_user.nil?
   end
 
+  def visibility
+    # This visibility is masked behind "private"
+    # to avoid API changes because there are no
+    # UX differences
+    if object.limited_visibility?
+      'private'
+    else
+      object.visibility
+    end
+  end
+
   def uri
     OStatus::TagManager.instance.uri_for(object)
   end
@@ -88,7 +99,7 @@ class REST::StatusSerializer < ActiveModel::Serializer
   end
 
   def ordered_mentions
-    object.mentions.to_a.sort_by(&:id)
+    object.active_mentions.to_a.sort_by(&:id)
   end
 
   class ApplicationSerializer < ActiveModel::Serializer
diff --git a/app/services/batched_remove_status_service.rb b/app/services/batched_remove_status_service.rb
index 2fcb3cc66..b8ab58938 100644
--- a/app/services/batched_remove_status_service.rb
+++ b/app/services/batched_remove_status_service.rb
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ class BatchedRemoveStatusService < BaseService
   def call(statuses)
     statuses = Status.where(id: statuses.map(&:id)).includes(:account, :stream_entry).flat_map { |status| [status] + status.reblogs.includes(:account, :stream_entry).to_a }
 
-    @mentions = statuses.map { |s| [s.id, s.mentions.includes(:account).to_a] }.to_h
+    @mentions = statuses.map { |s| [s.id, s.active_mentions.includes(:account).to_a] }.to_h
     @tags     = statuses.map { |s| [s.id, s.tags.pluck(:name)] }.to_h
 
     @stream_entry_batches  = []
diff --git a/app/services/fan_out_on_write_service.rb b/app/services/fan_out_on_write_service.rb
index 5ddddf3a9..7f2a91775 100644
--- a/app/services/fan_out_on_write_service.rb
+++ b/app/services/fan_out_on_write_service.rb
@@ -10,6 +10,8 @@ class FanOutOnWriteService < BaseService
 
     if status.direct_visibility?
       deliver_to_own_conversation(status)
+    elsif status.limited_visibility?
+      deliver_to_mentioned_followers(status)
     else
       deliver_to_self(status) if status.account.local?
       deliver_to_followers(status)
@@ -53,6 +55,16 @@ class FanOutOnWriteService < BaseService
     end
   end
 
+  def deliver_to_mentioned_followers(status)
+    Rails.logger.debug "Delivering status #{status.id} to limited followers"
+
+    status.mentions.includes(:account).each do |mention|
+      mentioned_account = mention.account
+      next if !mentioned_account.local? || !mentioned_account.following?(status.account) || FeedManager.instance.filter?(:home, status, mention.account_id)
+      FeedManager.instance.push_to_home(mentioned_account, status)
+    end
+  end
+
   def render_anonymous_payload(status)
     @payload = InlineRenderer.render(status, nil, :status)
     @payload = Oj.dump(event: :update, payload: @payload)
diff --git a/app/services/remove_status_service.rb b/app/services/remove_status_service.rb
index 1ee645e6d..11d28e783 100644
--- a/app/services/remove_status_service.rb
+++ b/app/services/remove_status_service.rb
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ class RemoveStatusService < BaseService
     @status       = status
     @account      = status.account
     @tags         = status.tags.pluck(:name).to_a
-    @mentions     = status.mentions.includes(:account).to_a
+    @mentions     = status.active_mentions.includes(:account).to_a
     @reblogs      = status.reblogs.to_a
     @stream_entry = status.stream_entry
     @options      = options
diff --git a/app/views/stream_entries/_detailed_status.html.haml b/app/views/stream_entries/_detailed_status.html.haml
index 0b204d437..6e6d0eda8 100644
--- a/app/views/stream_entries/_detailed_status.html.haml
+++ b/app/views/stream_entries/_detailed_status.html.haml
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@
     - if status.direct_visibility?
       %span.detailed-status__link<
         = fa_icon('envelope')
-    - elsif status.private_visibility?
+    - elsif status.private_visibility? || status.limited_visibility?
       %span.detailed-status__link<
         = fa_icon('lock')
     - else
diff --git a/app/workers/activitypub/distribution_worker.rb b/app/workers/activitypub/distribution_worker.rb
index c2bfd4f2f..17c1ef7ff 100644
--- a/app/workers/activitypub/distribution_worker.rb
+++ b/app/workers/activitypub/distribution_worker.rb
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ class ActivityPub::DistributionWorker
   private
 
   def skip_distribution?
-    @status.direct_visibility?
+    @status.direct_visibility? || @status.limited_visibility?
   end
 
   def relayable?
diff --git a/app/workers/activitypub/reply_distribution_worker.rb b/app/workers/activitypub/reply_distribution_worker.rb
index fe99fc05f..c0ed3a1f4 100644
--- a/app/workers/activitypub/reply_distribution_worker.rb
+++ b/app/workers/activitypub/reply_distribution_worker.rb
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ class ActivityPub::ReplyDistributionWorker
     @status  = Status.find(status_id)
     @account = @status.thread&.account
 
-    return if @account.nil? || skip_distribution?
+    return unless @account.present? && @status.distributable?
 
     ActivityPub::DeliveryWorker.push_bulk(inboxes) do |inbox_url|
       [signed_payload, @status.account_id, inbox_url]
@@ -20,10 +20,6 @@ class ActivityPub::ReplyDistributionWorker
 
   private
 
-  def skip_distribution?
-    @status.private_visibility? || @status.direct_visibility?
-  end
-
   def inboxes
     @inboxes ||= @account.followers.inboxes
   end
diff --git a/db/migrate/20181010141500_add_silent_to_mentions.rb b/db/migrate/20181010141500_add_silent_to_mentions.rb
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..dbb4fba26
--- /dev/null
+++ b/db/migrate/20181010141500_add_silent_to_mentions.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+require Rails.root.join('lib', 'mastodon', 'migration_helpers')
+
+class AddSilentToMentions < ActiveRecord::Migration[5.2]
+  include Mastodon::MigrationHelpers
+
+  disable_ddl_transaction!
+
+  def up
+    safety_assured do
+      add_column_with_default(
+        :mentions,
+        :silent,
+        :boolean,
+        allow_null: false,
+        default: false
+      )
+    end
+  end
+
+  def down
+    remove_column :mentions, :silent
+  end
+end
diff --git a/db/schema.rb b/db/schema.rb
index bf6ab4e68..f79f26f16 100644
--- a/db/schema.rb
+++ b/db/schema.rb
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
 #
 # It's strongly recommended that you check this file into your version control system.
 
-ActiveRecord::Schema.define(version: 2018_10_07_025445) do
+ActiveRecord::Schema.define(version: 2018_10_10_141500) do
 
   # These are extensions that must be enabled in order to support this database
   enable_extension "plpgsql"
@@ -301,6 +301,7 @@ ActiveRecord::Schema.define(version: 2018_10_07_025445) do
     t.datetime "created_at", null: false
     t.datetime "updated_at", null: false
     t.bigint "account_id"
+    t.boolean "silent", default: false, null: false
     t.index ["account_id", "status_id"], name: "index_mentions_on_account_id_and_status_id", unique: true
     t.index ["status_id"], name: "index_mentions_on_status_id"
   end
diff --git a/spec/lib/activitypub/activity/create_spec.rb b/spec/lib/activitypub/activity/create_spec.rb
index 62b9db8c2..cd20b7c7c 100644
--- a/spec/lib/activitypub/activity/create_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/lib/activitypub/activity/create_spec.rb
@@ -105,6 +105,31 @@ RSpec.describe ActivityPub::Activity::Create do
       end
     end
 
+    context 'limited' do
+      let(:recipient) { Fabricate(:account) }
+
+      let(:object_json) do
+        {
+          id: [ActivityPub::TagManager.instance.uri_for(sender), '#bar'].join,
+          type: 'Note',
+          content: 'Lorem ipsum',
+          to: ActivityPub::TagManager.instance.uri_for(recipient),
+        }
+      end
+
+      it 'creates status' do
+        status = sender.statuses.first
+
+        expect(status).to_not be_nil
+        expect(status.visibility).to eq 'limited'
+      end
+
+      it 'creates silent mention' do
+        status = sender.statuses.first
+        expect(status.mentions.first).to be_silent
+      end
+    end
+
     context 'direct' do
       let(:recipient) { Fabricate(:account) }
 
@@ -114,6 +139,10 @@ RSpec.describe ActivityPub::Activity::Create do
           type: 'Note',
           content: 'Lorem ipsum',
           to: ActivityPub::TagManager.instance.uri_for(recipient),
+          tag: {
+            type: 'Mention',
+            href: ActivityPub::TagManager.instance.uri_for(recipient),
+          },
         }
       end