diff --git a/lib/pleroma/user.ex b/lib/pleroma/user.ex
index 9c0cc7455..1dcb68470 100644
--- a/lib/pleroma/user.ex
+++ b/lib/pleroma/user.ex
@@ -197,6 +197,14 @@ defmodule Pleroma.User do
     end
   end
 
+  def maybe_follow(%User{} = follower, %User{info: info} = followed) do
+    if not following?(follower, followed) do
+      follow(follower, followed)
+    else
+      {:ok, follower}
+    end
+  end
+
   def follow(%User{} = follower, %User{info: info} = followed) do
     ap_followers = followed.follower_address
 
diff --git a/lib/pleroma/web/mastodon_api/mastodon_api_controller.ex b/lib/pleroma/web/mastodon_api/mastodon_api_controller.ex
index caff4ad86..922b83ed0 100644
--- a/lib/pleroma/web/mastodon_api/mastodon_api_controller.ex
+++ b/lib/pleroma/web/mastodon_api/mastodon_api_controller.ex
@@ -499,7 +499,7 @@ defmodule Pleroma.Web.MastodonAPI.MastodonAPIController do
 
   def authorize_follow_request(%{assigns: %{user: followed}} = conn, %{"id" => id}) do
     with %User{} = follower <- Repo.get(User, id),
-         {:ok, follower} <- User.follow(follower, followed),
+         {:ok, follower} <- User.maybe_follow(follower, followed),
          %Activity{} = follow_activity <- Utils.fetch_latest_follow(follower, followed),
          {:ok, follow_activity} <- Utils.update_follow_state(follow_activity, "accept"),
          {:ok, _activity} <-