diff --git a/plugins/OStatus/actions/pushcallback.php b/plugins/OStatus/actions/pushcallback.php
index 317398243d..f5bb880df9 100644
--- a/plugins/OStatus/actions/pushcallback.php
+++ b/plugins/OStatus/actions/pushcallback.php
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ class PushCallbackAction extends Action
     /**
      * Handler for GET verification requests from the hub.
      */
-    function handleGet()
+    public function handleGet()
     {
         $mode = $this->arg('hub_mode');
         $topic = $this->arg('hub_topic');
@@ -110,12 +110,21 @@ class PushCallbackAction extends Action
         }
 
         if ($mode == 'subscribe') {
-            if ($feedsub->sub_state == 'active') {
+            $renewal = ($feedsub->sub_state == 'active');
+            if ($renewal) {
                 common_log(LOG_INFO, __METHOD__ . ': sub update confirmed');
             } else {
                 common_log(LOG_INFO, __METHOD__ . ': sub confirmed');
             }
+
             $feedsub->confirmSubscribe($lease_seconds);
+
+            if (!$renewal) {
+                // Kickstart the feed by importing its most recent backlog
+                // FIXME: Send this to background queue handling
+                common_log(LOG_INFO, __METHOD__ . ': Confirmed a new subscription, importing backlog...');
+                $feedsub->importFeed();
+            }
         } else {
             common_log(LOG_INFO, __METHOD__ . ": unsub confirmed; deleting sub record for $topic");
             $feedsub->confirmUnsubscribe();
diff --git a/plugins/OStatus/classes/FeedSub.php b/plugins/OStatus/classes/FeedSub.php
index 2d360afedd..f3ebb5e15d 100644
--- a/plugins/OStatus/classes/FeedSub.php
+++ b/plugins/OStatus/classes/FeedSub.php
@@ -405,6 +405,7 @@ class FeedSub extends Managed_DataObject
         }
         $this->modified = common_sql_now();
 
+        common_debug(__METHOD__ . ': Updating sub state and metadata for '.$this->getUri());
         return $this->update($original);
     }
 
@@ -463,6 +464,24 @@ class FeedSub extends Managed_DataObject
         $this->receiveFeed($post);
     }
 
+    /**
+     * All our feed URIs should be URLs.
+     */
+    public function importFeed()
+    {
+        $feed_url = $this->getUri();
+
+        // Fetch the URL
+        try {
+            common_log(LOG_INFO, sprintf('Importing feed backlog from %s', $feed_url));
+            $feed_xml = HTTPClient::quickGet($feed_url, 'application/atom+xml');
+        } catch (Exception $e) {
+            throw new FeedSubException("Could not fetch feed from URL '%s': %s (%d).\n", $feed_url, $e->getMessage(), $e->getCode());
+        }
+
+        return $this->receiveFeed($feed_xml);
+    }
+
     protected function receiveFeed($feed_xml)
     {
         // We're passed the XML for the Atom feed as $feed_xml,
diff --git a/plugins/OStatus/scripts/testfeed.php b/plugins/OStatus/scripts/testfeed.php
index da1eee292e..2e2b25e366 100755
--- a/plugins/OStatus/scripts/testfeed.php
+++ b/plugins/OStatus/scripts/testfeed.php
@@ -53,9 +53,11 @@ if (!$sub) {
     exit(1);
 }
 
+// XXX: This could maybe be replaced with $sub->importFeed()
+
 // Fetch the URL
 try {
-    $xml = HTTPClient::quickGet($feedurl, 'text/html,application/xhtml+xml');
+    $xml = HTTPClient::quickGet($feedurl, 'application/atom+xml');
 } catch (Exception $e) {
     echo sprintf("Could not fetch feedurl %s (%d).\n", $e->getMessage(), $e->getCode());
     exit(1);