diff --git a/overseer/apis/v1/whitelist.py b/overseer/apis/v1/whitelist.py
index 4339585..8eb9741 100644
--- a/overseer/apis/v1/whitelist.py
+++ b/overseer/apis/v1/whitelist.py
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 from overseer.apis.v1.base import *
+from overseer.utils import get_nodeinfo
 
 class Whitelist(Resource):
     get_parser = reqparse.RequestParser()
@@ -68,21 +69,34 @@ class WhitelistDomain(Resource):
         if domain.endswith("test.dbzer0.com"):
             requested_lemmy = Lemmy(f"https://{domain}")
             requested_lemmy._requestor.nodeinfo = {"software":{"name":"lemmy"}}
-            site = {"site_view":{"local_site":{"require_email_verification": True,"registration_mode":"open"}}}
+            open_registrations = False
+            email_verify = True
+            software = "lemmy"
         else:
-            requested_lemmy = Lemmy(f"https://{domain}")
-            site = requested_lemmy.site.get()
-        if not site:
-            raise e.BadRequest(f"Error encountered while polling domain {domain}. Please check it's running correctly")
+            nodeinfo = get_nodeinfo(domain)
+            if not nodeinfo:
+                raise e.BadRequest(f"Error encountered while polling domain {domain}. Please check it's running correctly")
+            software = nodeinfo["software"]["name"]
+            if software == "lemmy":
+                requested_lemmy = Lemmy(f"https://{domain}")
+                site = requested_lemmy.site.get()
+                if not site:
+                    raise e.BadRequest(f"Error encountered while polling lemmy domain {domain}. Please check it's running correctly")
+                open_registrations = site["site_view"]["local_site"]["registration_mode"] == "open"
+                email_verify = site["site_view"]["local_site"]["require_email_verification"]
+                software = software
+            else:
+                open_registrations = nodeinfo["openRegistrations"]
+                email_verify = False
         api_key = pm_new_api_key(domain)
         if not api_key:
             raise e.BadRequest("Failed to generate API Key")
         new_instance = Instance(
             domain=domain,
             api_key=hash_api_key(api_key),
-            open_registrations=site["site_view"]["local_site"]["registration_mode"] == "open",
-            email_verify=site["site_view"]["local_site"]["require_email_verification"],
-            software=requested_lemmy.nodeinfo['software']['name'],
+            open_registrations=open_registrations,
+            email_verify=email_verify,
+            software=software,
         )
         new_instance.create()
         if guarantor_instance:
diff --git a/overseer/utils.py b/overseer/utils.py
index 6fca757..06c879e 100644
--- a/overseer/utils.py
+++ b/overseer/utils.py
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ from datetime import datetime
 import dateutil.relativedelta
 from loguru import logger
 from overseer.flask import SQLITE_MODE
+import requests
 
 
 random.seed(random.SystemRandom().randint(0, 2**32 - 1))
@@ -100,4 +101,12 @@ def validate_regex(regex_string):
         re.compile(regex_string, re.IGNORECASE)
     except:
         return False
-    return True
\ No newline at end of file
+    return True
+
+def get_nodeinfo(domain):
+    try:
+        wellknown = requests.get(f"https://{domain}/.well-known/nodeinfo", timeout=2).json()
+        nodeinfo = requests.get(wellknown['links'][0]['href'], timeout=2).json()
+        return nodeinfo
+    except Exception as err:
+        return None
\ No newline at end of file