diff --git a/changelog/unreleased/activitylog-fixes.md b/changelog/unreleased/activitylog-fixes.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..c2e509d37bc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog/unreleased/activitylog-fixes.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+Enhancement: Various fixes for the activitylog service
+
+First round of fixes to make the activitylog service more robust and reliable.
+
+https://github.com/owncloud/ocis/pull/9467
diff --git a/services/activitylog/pkg/command/server.go b/services/activitylog/pkg/command/server.go
index 4ed99d10bc1..e6854065c8b 100644
--- a/services/activitylog/pkg/command/server.go
+++ b/services/activitylog/pkg/command/server.go
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ var _registeredEvents = []events.Unmarshaller{
 	events.FileTouched{},
 	events.ContainerCreated{},
 	events.ItemTrashed{},
+	events.ItemPurged{},
 	events.ItemMoved{},
 	events.ShareCreated{},
 	events.ShareRemoved{},
diff --git a/services/activitylog/pkg/service/http.go b/services/activitylog/pkg/service/http.go
index 1fbd2fb53d6..af203113eea 100644
--- a/services/activitylog/pkg/service/http.go
+++ b/services/activitylog/pkg/service/http.go
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import (
 	"errors"
 	"net/http"
 	"path/filepath"
+	"slices"
 	"strconv"
 	"strings"
 	"time"
@@ -17,6 +18,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/cs3org/reva/v2/pkg/utils"
 	"google.golang.org/grpc/metadata"
 
+	libregraph "github.com/owncloud/libre-graph-api-go"
 	"github.com/owncloud/ocis/v2/ocis-pkg/ast"
 	"github.com/owncloud/ocis/v2/ocis-pkg/kql"
 	"github.com/owncloud/ocis/v2/ocis-pkg/l10n"
@@ -51,7 +53,7 @@ func (s *ActivitylogService) HandleGetItemActivities(w http.ResponseWriter, r *h
 		return
 	}
 
-	rid, limit, rawActivityAccepted, activityAccepted, err := s.getFilters(r.URL.Query().Get("kql"))
+	rid, limit, rawActivityAccepted, activityAccepted, sort, err := s.getFilters(r.URL.Query().Get("kql"))
 	if err != nil {
 		s.log.Info().Str("query", r.URL.Query().Get("kql")).Err(err).Msg("error getting filters")
 		_, _ = w.Write([]byte(err.Error()))
@@ -83,7 +85,7 @@ func (s *ActivitylogService) HandleGetItemActivities(w http.ResponseWriter, r *h
 		return
 	}
 
-	var resp GetActivitiesResponse
+	resp := GetActivitiesResponse{Activities: make([]libregraph.Activity, 0, len(evRes.GetEvents()))}
 	for _, e := range evRes.GetEvents() {
 		delete(toDelete, e.GetId())
 
@@ -179,6 +181,8 @@ func (s *ActivitylogService) HandleGetItemActivities(w http.ResponseWriter, r *h
 		}()
 	}
 
+	sort(resp.Activities)
+
 	b, err := json.Marshal(resp)
 	if err != nil {
 		s.log.Error().Err(err).Msg("error marshalling activities")
@@ -210,15 +214,17 @@ func (s *ActivitylogService) unwrapEvent(e *ehmsg.Event) interface{} {
 	return einterface
 }
 
-func (s *ActivitylogService) getFilters(query string) (*provider.ResourceId, int, func(RawActivity) bool, func(*ehmsg.Event) bool, error) {
+func (s *ActivitylogService) getFilters(query string) (*provider.ResourceId, int, func(RawActivity) bool, func(*ehmsg.Event) bool, func([]libregraph.Activity), error) {
 	qast, err := kql.Builder{}.Build(query)
 	if err != nil {
-		return nil, 0, nil, nil, err
+		return nil, 0, nil, nil, nil, err
 	}
 
 	prefilters := make([]func(RawActivity) bool, 0)
 	postfilters := make([]func(*ehmsg.Event) bool, 0)
 
+	sortby := func(_ []libregraph.Activity) {}
+
 	var (
 		itemID string
 		limit  int
@@ -233,7 +239,7 @@ func (s *ActivitylogService) getFilters(query string) (*provider.ResourceId, int
 			case "depth":
 				depth, err := strconv.Atoi(v.Value)
 				if err != nil {
-					return nil, limit, nil, nil, err
+					return nil, limit, nil, nil, sortby, err
 				}
 
 				prefilters = append(prefilters, func(a RawActivity) bool {
@@ -242,10 +248,19 @@ func (s *ActivitylogService) getFilters(query string) (*provider.ResourceId, int
 			case "limit":
 				l, err := strconv.Atoi(v.Value)
 				if err != nil {
-					return nil, limit, nil, nil, err
+					return nil, limit, nil, nil, sortby, err
 				}
 
 				limit = l
+			case "sort":
+				switch v.Value {
+				case "asc":
+					// nothing to do - already ascending
+				case "desc":
+					sortby = func(activities []libregraph.Activity) {
+						slices.Reverse(activities)
+					}
+				}
 			}
 		case *ast.DateTimeNode:
 			switch v.Operator.Value {
@@ -260,14 +275,18 @@ func (s *ActivitylogService) getFilters(query string) (*provider.ResourceId, int
 			}
 		case *ast.OperatorNode:
 			if v.Value != "AND" {
-				return nil, limit, nil, nil, errors.New("only AND operator is supported")
+				return nil, limit, nil, nil, sortby, errors.New("only AND operator is supported")
 			}
 		}
 	}
 
 	rid, err := storagespace.ParseID(itemID)
 	if err != nil {
-		return nil, limit, nil, nil, err
+		return nil, limit, nil, nil, sortby, err
+	}
+	if rid.GetOpaqueId() == "" {
+		// space root requested - fix format
+		rid.OpaqueId = rid.GetSpaceId()
 	}
 	pref := func(a RawActivity) bool {
 		for _, f := range prefilters {
@@ -285,7 +304,7 @@ func (s *ActivitylogService) getFilters(query string) (*provider.ResourceId, int
 		}
 		return true
 	}
-	return &rid, limit, pref, postf, nil
+	return &rid, limit, pref, postf, sortby, nil
 }
 
 // returns true if this is just a rename
diff --git a/services/activitylog/pkg/service/response.go b/services/activitylog/pkg/service/response.go
index 9a9d710bc2c..4d60b822577 100644
--- a/services/activitylog/pkg/service/response.go
+++ b/services/activitylog/pkg/service/response.go
@@ -57,6 +57,9 @@ func WithResource(ref *provider.Reference, addSpace bool) ActivityOption {
 	return func(ctx context.Context, gwc gateway.GatewayAPIClient, vars map[string]interface{}) error {
 		info, err := utils.GetResource(ctx, ref, gwc)
 		if err != nil {
+			vars["resource"] = Resource{
+				Name: filepath.Base(ref.GetPath()),
+			}
 			return err
 		}
 
@@ -90,6 +93,10 @@ func WithOldResource(ref *provider.Reference) ActivityOption {
 // WithTrashedResource sets the resource variable if the resource is trashed
 func WithTrashedResource(ref *provider.Reference, rid *provider.ResourceId) ActivityOption {
 	return func(ctx context.Context, gwc gateway.GatewayAPIClient, vars map[string]interface{}) error {
+		vars["resource"] = Resource{
+			Name: filepath.Base(ref.GetPath()),
+		}
+
 		resp, err := gwc.ListRecycle(ctx, &provider.ListRecycleRequest{
 			Ref: ref,
 		})
@@ -122,6 +129,10 @@ func WithUser(uid *user.UserId, username string) ActivityOption {
 		if username == "" {
 			u, err := utils.GetUser(uid, gwc)
 			if err != nil {
+				vars["user"] = Actor{
+					ID:          uid.GetOpaqueId(),
+					DisplayName: "DeletedUser",
+				}
 				return err
 			}
 			username = u.GetUsername()
@@ -143,6 +154,9 @@ func WithSharee(uid *user.UserId, gid *group.GroupId) ActivityOption {
 		case uid != nil:
 			u, err := utils.GetUser(uid, gwc)
 			if err != nil {
+				vars["sharee"] = Actor{
+					DisplayName: "DeletedUser",
+				}
 				return err
 			}
 
@@ -151,6 +165,10 @@ func WithSharee(uid *user.UserId, gid *group.GroupId) ActivityOption {
 				DisplayName: u.GetUsername(),
 			}
 		case gid != nil:
+			vars["sharee"] = Actor{
+				ID:          gid.GetOpaqueId(),
+				DisplayName: "DeletedGroup",
+			}
 			r, err := gwc.GetGroup(ctx, &group.GetGroupRequest{GroupId: gid})
 			if err != nil {
 				return fmt.Errorf("error getting group: %w", err)
@@ -176,6 +194,10 @@ func WithSpace(spaceid *provider.StorageSpaceId) ActivityOption {
 	return func(ctx context.Context, gwc gateway.GatewayAPIClient, vars map[string]interface{}) error {
 		s, err := utils.GetSpace(ctx, spaceid.GetOpaqueId(), gwc)
 		if err != nil {
+			vars["space"] = Resource{
+				ID:   spaceid.GetOpaqueId(),
+				Name: "DeletedSpace",
+			}
 			return err
 		}
 		vars["space"] = Resource{
@@ -209,7 +231,7 @@ func (s *ActivitylogService) GetVars(ctx context.Context, opts ...ActivityOption
 	vars := make(map[string]interface{})
 	for _, opt := range opts {
 		if err := opt(ctx, gwc, vars); err != nil {
-			return nil, err
+			s.log.Info().Err(err).Msg("error getting activity vars")
 		}
 	}
 
diff --git a/services/activitylog/pkg/service/service.go b/services/activitylog/pkg/service/service.go
index 2653bd434ba..d1bacb28374 100644
--- a/services/activitylog/pkg/service/service.go
+++ b/services/activitylog/pkg/service/service.go
@@ -104,6 +104,8 @@ func (a *ActivitylogService) Run() {
 			err = a.AddActivity(ev.Ref, e.ID, utils.TSToTime(ev.Timestamp))
 		case events.ItemTrashed:
 			err = a.AddActivityTrashed(ev.ID, ev.Ref, e.ID, utils.TSToTime(ev.Timestamp))
+		case events.ItemPurged:
+			err = a.RemoveResource(ev.ID)
 		case events.ItemMoved:
 			err = a.AddActivity(ev.Ref, e.ID, utils.TSToTime(ev.Timestamp))
 		case events.ShareCreated:
@@ -221,6 +223,18 @@ func (a *ActivitylogService) RemoveActivities(rid *provider.ResourceId, toDelete
 	})
 }
 
+// RemoveResource removes the resource from the store
+func (a *ActivitylogService) RemoveResource(rid *provider.ResourceId) error {
+	if rid == nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("resource id is required")
+	}
+
+	a.lock.Lock()
+	defer a.lock.Unlock()
+
+	return a.store.Delete(storagespace.FormatResourceID(*rid))
+}
+
 func (a *ActivitylogService) activities(rid *provider.ResourceId) ([]RawActivity, error) {
 	resourceID := storagespace.FormatResourceID(*rid)