diff --git a/fedireads/templates/snippets/follow_button.html b/fedireads/templates/snippets/follow_button.html
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..23f9ab56
--- /dev/null
+++ b/fedireads/templates/snippets/follow_button.html
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+{% if not request.user in user.followers.all %}
+<form action="/follow/" method="post">
+    {% csrf_token %}
+    <input type="hidden" name="user" value="{{ user.username }}"></input>
+    <input type="submit" value="Follow"></input>
+</form>
+{% else %}
+<form action="/unfollow/" method="post">
+    {% csrf_token %}
+    <input type="hidden" name="user" value="{{ user.username }}"></input>
+    <input type="submit" value="Unfollow"></input>
+</form>
+{% endif %}
diff --git a/fedireads/templates/user.html b/fedireads/templates/user.html
index c58ae253..16d4604a 100644
--- a/fedireads/templates/user.html
+++ b/fedireads/templates/user.html
@@ -11,19 +11,7 @@
         <blockquote>{{ user.summary | safe }}</blockquote>
         {% endif %}
         {% if not is_self %}
-        {% if not request.user in user.followers.all %}
-        <form action="/follow/" method="post">
-            {% csrf_token %}
-            <input type="hidden" name="user" value="{{ user.username }}"></input>
-            <input type="submit" value="Follow"></input>
-        </form>
-        {% else %}
-        <form action="/unfollow/" method="post">
-            {% csrf_token %}
-            <input type="hidden" name="user" value="{{ user.username }}"></input>
-            <input type="submit" value="Unfollow"></input>
-        </form>
-        {% endif %}
+        {% include 'snippets/follow_button.html' with user=user %}
         {% endif %}
 
         {% if is_self %}
@@ -38,17 +26,7 @@
         <div>
             <a href="{{ follower.actor }}">{{ follower.username }}</a>
             {% if not request.user in follower.followers.all %}
-            <form action="/follow/" method="post">
-                {% csrf_token %}
-                <input type="hidden" name="user" value="{{ follower.username }}"></input>
-                <input type="submit" value="Follow"></input>
-            </form>
-            {% else %}
-            <form action="/unfollow/" method="post">
-                {% csrf_token %}
-                <input type="hidden" name="user" value="{{ follower.username }}"></input>
-                <input type="submit" value="Unfollow"></input>
-            </form>
+            {% include 'snippets/follow_button.html' with user=user %}
             {% endif %}
         </div>
         {% endfor %}
diff --git a/fedireads/templates/user_results.html b/fedireads/templates/user_results.html
index 6c91b705..1f0af835 100644
--- a/fedireads/templates/user_results.html
+++ b/fedireads/templates/user_results.html
@@ -4,10 +4,7 @@
     {% for result in results %}
     <div>
         <h2>{{ result.username }}</h2>
-        <form action="/follow/{{ result.username }}" method="post">
-            {% csrf_token %}
-            <input type="submit" value="Follow"></input>
-        </form>
+        {% include 'snippets/follow_button.html' with user=result %}
     </div>
     {% endfor %}
 </div>
diff --git a/fedireads/views.py b/fedireads/views.py
index 90401e75..61324543 100644
--- a/fedireads/views.py
+++ b/fedireads/views.py
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 from django.contrib.auth import authenticate, login, logout
 from django.contrib.auth.decorators import login_required
 from django.db.models import Avg, Q
-from django.http import HttpResponseNotFound
+from django.http import HttpResponseBadRequest, HttpResponseNotFound
 from django.shortcuts import redirect
 from django.template.response import TemplateResponse
 import re
@@ -365,8 +365,10 @@ def favorite(request, status_id):
 def follow(request):
     ''' follow another user, here or abroad '''
     username = request.POST['user']
-    # should this be an actor rather than an id? idk
-    to_follow = models.User.objects.get(username=username)
+    try:
+        to_follow = get_user_from_username(username)
+    except models.User.DoesNotExist:
+        return HttpResponseBadRequest()
 
     outgoing.handle_outgoing_follow(request.user, to_follow)
     user_slug = to_follow.localname if to_follow.localname \
@@ -378,7 +380,10 @@ def follow(request):
 def unfollow(request):
     ''' unfollow a user '''
     username = request.POST['user']
-    to_unfollow = models.User.objects.get(username=username)
+    try:
+        to_unfollow = get_user_from_username(username)
+    except models.User.DoesNotExist:
+        return HttpResponseBadRequest()
 
     outgoing.handle_outgoing_unfollow(request.user, to_unfollow)
     user_slug = to_unfollow.localname if to_unfollow.localname \