diff --git a/models/repo/star.go b/models/repo/star.go
index 8b43e9cc2c..b2e729f5de 100644
--- a/models/repo/star.go
+++ b/models/repo/star.go
@@ -10,8 +10,6 @@ import (
 	"code.gitea.io/gitea/models/db"
 	user_model "code.gitea.io/gitea/models/user"
 
-	//"code.gitea.io/gitea/modules/activitypub"
-
 	"code.gitea.io/gitea/modules/timeutil"
 )
 
@@ -27,8 +25,7 @@ func init() {
 	db.RegisterModel(new(Star))
 }
 
-// StarRepo or unstar repository.
-func StarLocalRepo(ctx context.Context, userID, repoID int64, star bool) error {
+func StarRepo(ctx context.Context, userID, repoID int64, star bool) error {
 	ctx, committer, err := db.TxContext(ctx)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
diff --git a/models/repo/star_test.go b/models/repo/star_test.go
index 3d4dcaa3e3..62eac4e29a 100644
--- a/models/repo/star_test.go
+++ b/models/repo/star_test.go
@@ -15,15 +15,15 @@ import (
 
 func TestStarRepo(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.NoError(t, unittest.PrepareTestDatabase())
-	const doerID = 2
+	const userID = 2
 	const repoID = 1
-	unittest.AssertNotExistsBean(t, &repo_model.Star{UID: doerID, RepoID: repoID})
-	assert.NoError(t, repo_model.StarLocalRepo(db.DefaultContext, doerID, repoID, true))
-	unittest.AssertExistsAndLoadBean(t, &repo_model.Star{UID: doerID, RepoID: repoID})
-	assert.NoError(t, repo_model.StarLocalRepo(db.DefaultContext, doerID, repoID, true))
-	unittest.AssertExistsAndLoadBean(t, &repo_model.Star{UID: doerID, RepoID: repoID})
-	assert.NoError(t, repo_model.StarLocalRepo(db.DefaultContext, doerID, repoID, false))
-	unittest.AssertNotExistsBean(t, &repo_model.Star{UID: doerID, RepoID: repoID})
+	unittest.AssertNotExistsBean(t, &repo_model.Star{UID: userID, RepoID: repoID})
+	assert.NoError(t, repo_model.StarRepo(db.DefaultContext, userID, repoID, true))
+	unittest.AssertExistsAndLoadBean(t, &repo_model.Star{UID: userID, RepoID: repoID})
+	assert.NoError(t, repo_model.StarRepo(db.DefaultContext, userID, repoID, true))
+	unittest.AssertExistsAndLoadBean(t, &repo_model.Star{UID: userID, RepoID: repoID})
+	assert.NoError(t, repo_model.StarRepo(db.DefaultContext, userID, repoID, false))
+	unittest.AssertNotExistsBean(t, &repo_model.Star{UID: userID, RepoID: repoID})
 }
 
 func TestIsStaring(t *testing.T) {
@@ -57,9 +57,9 @@ func TestClearRepoStars(t *testing.T) {
 	const userID = 2
 	const repoID = 1
 	unittest.AssertNotExistsBean(t, &repo_model.Star{UID: userID, RepoID: repoID})
-	assert.NoError(t, repo_model.StarLocalRepo(db.DefaultContext, userID, repoID, true))
+	assert.NoError(t, repo_model.StarRepo(db.DefaultContext, userID, repoID, true))
 	unittest.AssertExistsAndLoadBean(t, &repo_model.Star{UID: userID, RepoID: repoID})
-	assert.NoError(t, repo_model.StarLocalRepo(db.DefaultContext, userID, repoID, false))
+	assert.NoError(t, repo_model.StarRepo(db.DefaultContext, userID, repoID, false))
 	unittest.AssertNotExistsBean(t, &repo_model.Star{UID: userID, RepoID: repoID})
 	assert.NoError(t, repo_model.ClearRepoStars(db.DefaultContext, repoID))
 	unittest.AssertNotExistsBean(t, &repo_model.Star{UID: userID, RepoID: repoID})
diff --git a/modules/repository/star_service.go b/modules/repository/star_service.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..1dc74804ae
--- /dev/null
+++ b/modules/repository/star_service.go
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+// Copyright 2024 The Forgejo Authors c/o Codeberg e.V.. All rights reserved.
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
+
+package repository
diff --git a/routers/api/v1/user/star.go b/routers/api/v1/user/star.go
index ea1cee231d..2e37499c59 100644
--- a/routers/api/v1/user/star.go
+++ b/routers/api/v1/user/star.go
@@ -14,10 +14,10 @@ import (
 	repo_model "code.gitea.io/gitea/models/repo"
 	user_model "code.gitea.io/gitea/models/user"
 	"code.gitea.io/gitea/modules/context"
+	"code.gitea.io/gitea/modules/forgefed"
 	api "code.gitea.io/gitea/modules/structs"
 	"code.gitea.io/gitea/routers/api/v1/utils"
 	"code.gitea.io/gitea/services/convert"
-	"code.gitea.io/gitea/services/repository"
 )
 
 // getStarredRepos returns the repos that the user with the specified userID has
@@ -157,8 +157,7 @@ func Star(ctx *context.APIContext) {
 	//   "404":
 	//     "$ref": "#/responses/notFound"
 
-	// TODO: why is this *context.APIContext passed, where a context.Context is expected?
-	err := repository.StarRepo(ctx, *ctx.Doer, ctx.Repo.Repository.ID, true)
+	err := forgefed.StarRepoAndFederate(ctx, *ctx.Doer, ctx.Repo.Repository.ID, true)
 	if err != nil {
 		ctx.Error(http.StatusInternalServerError, "StarRepo", err)
 		return
@@ -189,7 +188,7 @@ func Unstar(ctx *context.APIContext) {
 	//   "404":
 	//     "$ref": "#/responses/notFound"
 
-	err := repository.StarRepo(ctx, *ctx.Doer, ctx.Repo.Repository.ID, false)
+	err := forgefed.StarRepoAndFederate(ctx, *ctx.Doer, ctx.Repo.Repository.ID, false)
 	if err != nil {
 		ctx.Error(http.StatusInternalServerError, "StarRepo", err)
 		return
diff --git a/routers/web/repo/repo.go b/routers/web/repo/repo.go
index 60f6e7a2c8..dd630b5ff3 100644
--- a/routers/web/repo/repo.go
+++ b/routers/web/repo/repo.go
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ import (
 	"code.gitea.io/gitea/modules/base"
 	"code.gitea.io/gitea/modules/cache"
 	"code.gitea.io/gitea/modules/context"
+	"code.gitea.io/gitea/modules/forgefed"
 	"code.gitea.io/gitea/modules/git"
 	"code.gitea.io/gitea/modules/log"
 	repo_module "code.gitea.io/gitea/modules/repository"
@@ -317,9 +318,9 @@ func Action(ctx *context.Context) {
 	case "unwatch":
 		err = repo_model.WatchRepo(ctx, ctx.Doer.ID, ctx.Repo.Repository.ID, false)
 	case "star":
-		err = repo_service.StarRepo(ctx, *ctx.Doer, ctx.Repo.Repository.ID, true)
+		err = forgefed.StarRepoAndFederate(ctx, *ctx.Doer, ctx.Repo.Repository.ID, true)
 	case "unstar":
-		err = repo_service.StarRepo(ctx, *ctx.Doer, ctx.Repo.Repository.ID, false)
+		err = forgefed.StarRepoAndFederate(ctx, *ctx.Doer, ctx.Repo.Repository.ID, false)
 	case "accept_transfer":
 		err = acceptOrRejectRepoTransfer(ctx, true)
 	case "reject_transfer":
diff --git a/services/federation/federation_service.go b/services/federation/federation_service.go
index 6581a78d45..2f77630578 100644
--- a/services/federation/federation_service.go
+++ b/services/federation/federation_service.go
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ func ProcessLikeActivity(ctx context.Context, form any, repositoryID int64) (int
 	// execute the activity if the repo was not stared already
 	alreadyStared := repo.IsStaring(ctx, user.ID, repositoryID)
 	if !alreadyStared {
-		err = repo.StarLocalRepo(ctx, user.ID, repositoryID, true)
+		err = StarRepoAndFederate(ctx, *user, repositoryID, true)
 		if err != nil {
 			return http.StatusNotAcceptable, "Error staring", err
 		}
@@ -238,17 +238,16 @@ func StoreFederatedRepoList(ctx context.Context, localRepoId int64, federatedRep
 }
 
 func SendLikeActivities(ctx context.Context, doer user.User, repoID int64) error {
-
 	federatedRepos, err := repo.FindFederatedReposByRepoID(ctx, repoID)
 	log.Info("Federated Repos is: %v", federatedRepos)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	/*apclient, err := activitypub.NewClient(ctx, &doer, doer.APAPIURL())
+	apclient, err := activitypub.NewClient(ctx, &doer, doer.APAPIURL())
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
-	}*/
+	}
 
 	for _, federatedRepo := range federatedRepos {
 		target := federatedRepo.Uri + "/inbox/" // A like goes to the inbox of the federated repo
@@ -258,16 +257,30 @@ func SendLikeActivities(ctx context.Context, doer user.User, repoID int64) error
 			return err
 		}
 		log.Info("Like Activity: %v", likeActivity)
-		/*json, err := likeActivity.MarshalJSON()
+		json, err := likeActivity.MarshalJSON()
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
-		}*/
+		}
 
 		// TODO: decouple loading & creating activities from sending them - use two loops.
 		// TODO: set timeouts for outgoing request in oder to mitigate DOS by slow lories
 		// TODO: Check if we need to respect rate limits
 		// ToDo: Change this to the standalone table of FederatedRepos
-		//apclient.Post([]byte(json), target)
+		apclient.Post([]byte(json), target)
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}
+
+func StarRepoAndFederate(ctx context.Context, doer user.User, repoID int64, star bool) error {
+	if err := repo.StarRepo(ctx, doer.ID, repoID, star); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	if star && setting.Federation.Enabled {
+		if err := SendLikeActivities(ctx, doer, repoID); err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
 	}
 
 	return nil