diff --git a/fedireads/activitypub/actor.py b/fedireads/activitypub/actor.py
index 63d49401..1144fd1c 100644
--- a/fedireads/activitypub/actor.py
+++ b/fedireads/activitypub/actor.py
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ def get_actor(user):
         'preferredUsername': user.localname,
         'name': user.name,
         'inbox': user.inbox,
+        'outbox': '%s/outbox' % user.actor,
         'followers': '%s/followers' % user.actor,
         'following': '%s/following' % user.actor,
         'summary': user.summary,
@@ -23,6 +24,7 @@ def get_actor(user):
         },
         'endpoints': {
             'sharedInbox': user.shared_inbox,
-        }
+        },
+        'fedireadsUser': True,
     }
 
diff --git a/fedireads/outgoing.py b/fedireads/outgoing.py
index 79b47e1a..d22c2a92 100644
--- a/fedireads/outgoing.py
+++ b/fedireads/outgoing.py
@@ -66,7 +66,10 @@ def handle_account_search(query):
         data = response.json()
         for link in data['links']:
             if link['rel'] == 'self':
-                user = get_or_create_remote_user(link['href'])
+                try:
+                    user = get_or_create_remote_user(link['href'])
+                except KeyError:
+                    return HttpResponseNotFound()
     return user
 
 
diff --git a/fedireads/remote_user.py b/fedireads/remote_user.py
index 013358b1..8dbab159 100644
--- a/fedireads/remote_user.py
+++ b/fedireads/remote_user.py
@@ -29,23 +29,21 @@ def get_or_create_remote_user(actor):
     shared_inbox = data.get('endpoints').get('sharedInbox') if \
         data.get('endpoints') else None
 
-    try:
-        user = models.User.objects.create_user(
-            username,
-            '', '', # email and passwords are left blank
-            actor=actor,
-            name=data.get('name'),
-            summary=data.get('summary'),
-            inbox=data['inbox'], #fail if there's no inbox
-            outbox=data['outbox'], # fail if there's no outbox
-            shared_inbox=shared_inbox,
-            # TODO: I'm never actually using this for remote users
-            public_key=data.get('publicKey').get('publicKeyPem'),
-            local=False,
-            fedireads_user=False,
-        )
-    except KeyError:
-        return False
+    # throws a key error if it can't find any of these fields
+    user = models.User.objects.create_user(
+        username,
+        '', '', # email and passwords are left blank
+        actor=actor,
+        name=data.get('name'),
+        summary=data.get('summary'),
+        inbox=data['inbox'], #fail if there's no inbox
+        outbox=data['outbox'], # fail if there's no outbox
+        shared_inbox=shared_inbox,
+        # TODO: I'm never actually using this for remote users
+        public_key=data.get('publicKey').get('publicKeyPem'),
+        local=False,
+        fedireads_user=data.get('fedireadsUser', False),
+    )
     return user
 
 
diff --git a/fedireads/templates/user.html b/fedireads/templates/user.html
index 27b2f7e9..ff3f06ba 100644
--- a/fedireads/templates/user.html
+++ b/fedireads/templates/user.html
@@ -14,15 +14,13 @@
         {% endif %}
         {% if not is_self %}
         {% if not request.user in user.followers.all %}
-        <form action="/follow/" method="post">
+        <form action="/follow/{{ user.username }}" method="post">
             {% csrf_token %}
-            <input type="hidden" name="user" value="{{ user.id }}"></input>
             <input type="submit" value="Follow"></input>
         </form>
         {% else %}
-        <form action="/unfollow/" method="post">
+        <form action="/unfollow/{{ user.username }}" method="post">
             {% csrf_token %}
-            <input type="hidden" name="user" value="{{ user.id }}"></input>
             <input type="submit" value="Unfollow"></input>
         </form>
         {% endif %}
diff --git a/fedireads/templates/user_results.html b/fedireads/templates/user_results.html
index 97d0d7ff..6c91b705 100644
--- a/fedireads/templates/user_results.html
+++ b/fedireads/templates/user_results.html
@@ -4,9 +4,8 @@
     {% for result in results %}
     <div>
         <h2>{{ result.username }}</h2>
-        <form action="/follow/" method="post">
+        <form action="/follow/{{ result.username }}" method="post">
             {% csrf_token %}
-            <input type="hidden" name="user" value="{{ result.id }}"></input>
             <input type="submit" value="Follow"></input>
         </form>
     </div>
diff --git a/fedireads/urls.py b/fedireads/urls.py
index 506cb014..18cdb27c 100644
--- a/fedireads/urls.py
+++ b/fedireads/urls.py
@@ -56,8 +56,8 @@ urlpatterns = [
         r'^shelve/(?P<username>\w+)/(?P<shelf_id>[\w-]+)/(?P<book_id>\d+)/?$',
         views.shelve
     ),
-    re_path(r'^follow/?$', views.follow),
-    re_path(r'^unfollow/?$', views.unfollow),
+    re_path(r'^follow/(?P<username>[\w@\.]+)/?$', views.follow),
+    re_path(r'^unfollow/(?P<username>[\w@\.]+)/?$', views.unfollow),
     re_path(r'^search/?$', views.search),
     re_path(r'^edit_profile/?$', views.edit_profile),
 
diff --git a/fedireads/views.py b/fedireads/views.py
index fed94f25..18a65a0f 100644
--- a/fedireads/views.py
+++ b/fedireads/views.py
@@ -274,11 +274,10 @@ def favorite(request, status_id):
 
 
 @login_required
-def follow(request):
+def follow(request, username):
     ''' follow another user, here or abroad '''
-    to_follow = request.POST.get('user')
     # should this be an actor rather than an id? idk
-    to_follow = models.User.objects.get(id=to_follow)
+    to_follow = models.User.objects.get(username=username)
 
     outgoing.handle_outgoing_follow(request.user, to_follow)
     user_slug = to_follow.localname if to_follow.localname \