diff --git a/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/activities/ActivityServiceImpl.java b/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/activities/ActivityServiceImpl.java
index d0ca31c9b3..5b1c282523 100644
--- a/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/activities/ActivityServiceImpl.java
+++ b/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/activities/ActivityServiceImpl.java
@@ -28,7 +28,6 @@ import java.sql.SQLException;
 import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.Date;
 import java.util.List;
-import java.util.Map;
 
 import org.alfresco.error.AlfrescoRuntimeException;
 import org.alfresco.repo.activities.feed.ActivityFeedDAO;
@@ -44,7 +43,6 @@ import org.alfresco.service.cmr.activities.FeedControl;
 import org.alfresco.service.cmr.repository.NodeRef;
 import org.alfresco.service.cmr.security.AuthorityService;
 import org.alfresco.service.namespace.QName;
-import org.alfresco.util.JSONtoFmModel;
 import org.alfresco.util.ParameterCheck;
 import org.apache.commons.logging.Log;
 import org.apache.commons.logging.LogFactory;
@@ -221,7 +219,7 @@ public class ActivityServiceImpl implements ActivityService
             }
             else if ((! currentUser.equals(AuthenticationUtil.SYSTEM_USER_NAME)) && (! userNamesAreCaseSensitive))
             {
-                // user names are case-insensitive
+                // user names are not case-sensitive
                 currentUser = currentUser.toLowerCase();
             }
         } 
@@ -277,22 +275,23 @@ public class ActivityServiceImpl implements ActivityService
     /* (non-Javadoc)
      * @see org.alfresco.service.cmr.activities.ActivityService#getUserFeedEntries(java.lang.String, java.lang.String, java.lang.String)
      */
-    public List<Map<String, Object>> getUserFeedEntries(String feedUserId, String format, String siteId)
+    public List<String> getUserFeedEntries(String feedUserId, String format, String siteId)
     {
         // NOTE: siteId is optional
         ParameterCheck.mandatoryString("feedUserId", feedUserId);
         ParameterCheck.mandatoryString("format", format);
         
-        List<Map<String, Object>> activityFeedModels = new ArrayList<Map<String, Object>>();
+        List<String> activityFeedEntries = new ArrayList<String>();
         
-        if (! userNamesAreCaseSensitive)
-        {
-            feedUserId = feedUserId.toLowerCase();
-        }
-
         String currentUser = AuthenticationUtil.getCurrentUserName();
         if (currentUser != null)
         {
+            if (! userNamesAreCaseSensitive)
+            {
+                feedUserId = feedUserId.toLowerCase();
+                currentUser = currentUser.toLowerCase();
+            }
+            
             if ((! authorityService.isAdminAuthority(currentUser)) && (! currentUser.equals(feedUserId)))
             {
                 throw new AlfrescoRuntimeException("Unable to get feed entries for '" + feedUserId + "' - currently logged in as '" + currentUser +"'");
@@ -318,7 +317,7 @@ public class ActivityServiceImpl implements ActivityService
                     {
                         break;
                     }
-                    activityFeedModels.add(JSONtoFmModel.convertJSONObjectToMap(activityFeed.getJSONString()));
+                    activityFeedEntries.add(activityFeed.getJSONString());
                 }
             }
             catch (SQLException se)
@@ -335,18 +334,18 @@ public class ActivityServiceImpl implements ActivityService
             throw new AlfrescoRuntimeException("Unable to get user feed entries - current user is null");
         }
         
-        return activityFeedModels;
+        return activityFeedEntries;
     }
     
     /* (non-Javadoc)
      * @see org.alfresco.service.cmr.activities.ActivityService#getSiteFeedEntries(java.lang.String, java.lang.String)
      */
-    public List<Map<String, Object>> getSiteFeedEntries(String siteId, String format)
+    public List<String> getSiteFeedEntries(String siteId, String format)
     {
         ParameterCheck.mandatoryString("siteId", siteId);
         ParameterCheck.mandatoryString("format", format);
         
-        List<Map<String, Object>> activityFeedModels = new ArrayList<Map<String, Object>>();
+        List<String> activityFeedEntries = new ArrayList<String>();
 
         String currentUser = AuthenticationUtil.getCurrentUserName();
         if (currentUser != null) 
@@ -364,7 +363,7 @@ public class ActivityServiceImpl implements ActivityService
                     {
                         break;
                     }
-                    activityFeedModels.add(JSONtoFmModel.convertJSONObjectToMap(activityFeed.getJSONString()));
+                    activityFeedEntries.add(activityFeed.getJSONString());
                 }
             }
             catch (SQLException se)
@@ -381,7 +380,7 @@ public class ActivityServiceImpl implements ActivityService
             throw new AlfrescoRuntimeException("Unable to get site feed entries - current user is null");
         }
         
-        return activityFeedModels;
+        return activityFeedEntries;
     }
     
     /* (non-Javadoc)
diff --git a/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/activities/ActivityServiceImplTest.java b/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/activities/ActivityServiceImplTest.java
index 6e43c8fd8b..f6945dda4c 100644
--- a/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/activities/ActivityServiceImplTest.java
+++ b/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/activities/ActivityServiceImplTest.java
@@ -26,7 +26,6 @@ package org.alfresco.repo.activities;
 
 import java.util.HashMap;
 import java.util.List;
-import java.util.Map;
 
 import org.alfresco.repo.jscript.ClasspathScriptLocation;
 import org.alfresco.service.cmr.activities.ActivityService;
@@ -113,7 +112,7 @@ public class ActivityServiceImplTest extends BaseSpringTest
         }
         authenticationService.authenticate(USER_UN, USER_PW.toCharArray());
         
-        List<Map<String, Object>> siteFeedEntries = this.activityService.getSiteFeedEntries("unknown site", "some format");
+        List<String> siteFeedEntries = this.activityService.getSiteFeedEntries("unknown site", "some format");
         
         assertNotNull(siteFeedEntries);
         assertTrue(siteFeedEntries.isEmpty());
@@ -121,8 +120,7 @@ public class ActivityServiceImplTest extends BaseSpringTest
     
     public void testGetEmptyUserFeed() throws Exception
     {
-        
-        List<Map<String, Object>> userFeedEntries = this.activityService.getUserFeedEntries("unknown user", "some format", null);
+        List<String> userFeedEntries = this.activityService.getUserFeedEntries("unknown user", "some format", null);
         
         assertNotNull(userFeedEntries);
         assertTrue(userFeedEntries.isEmpty());
diff --git a/source/java/org/alfresco/service/cmr/activities/ActivityService.java b/source/java/org/alfresco/service/cmr/activities/ActivityService.java
index b3379f78d1..4136e7d7bf 100644
--- a/source/java/org/alfresco/service/cmr/activities/ActivityService.java
+++ b/source/java/org/alfresco/service/cmr/activities/ActivityService.java
@@ -25,7 +25,6 @@
 package org.alfresco.service.cmr.activities;
 
 import java.util.List;
-import java.util.Map;
 
 import org.alfresco.service.cmr.repository.NodeRef;
 import org.alfresco.service.namespace.QName;
@@ -98,16 +97,18 @@ public interface ActivityService
      * @param userId - required
      * @param format - required
      * @param siteId - optional, if set then will filter by given siteId else return all sites
+     * @return list of JSON feed entries
      */
-    public List<Map<String, Object>> getUserFeedEntries(String userId, String format, String siteId);
+    public List<String> getUserFeedEntries(String userId, String format, String siteId);
     
     /**
      * Retrieve site feed
      *
      * @param activityType - required
      * @param format - required
+     * @return list of JSON feed entries
      */
-    public List<Map<String, Object>> getSiteFeedEntries(String siteId, String format);
+    public List<String> getSiteFeedEntries(String siteId, String format);
     
     
     /*