diff --git a/lib/pleroma/user.ex b/lib/pleroma/user.ex
index 3f729fdcc..c7753ca5d 100644
--- a/lib/pleroma/user.ex
+++ b/lib/pleroma/user.ex
@@ -1037,16 +1037,6 @@ defmodule Pleroma.User do
 
   defp maybe_send_registration_email(_), do: {:ok, :noop}
 
-  def needs_update?(%User{local: true}), do: false
-
-  def needs_update?(%User{local: false, last_refreshed_at: nil}), do: true
-
-  def needs_update?(%User{local: false} = user) do
-    NaiveDateTime.diff(NaiveDateTime.utc_now(), user.last_refreshed_at) >= 86_400
-  end
-
-  def needs_update?(_), do: true
-
   @spec maybe_direct_follow(User.t(), User.t()) :: {:ok, User.t()} | {:error, String.t()}
 
   # "Locked" (self-locked) users demand explicit authorization of follow requests
@@ -2059,15 +2049,13 @@ defmodule Pleroma.User do
   def fetch_by_ap_id(ap_id), do: ActivityPub.make_user_from_ap_id(ap_id)
 
   def get_or_fetch_by_ap_id(ap_id) do
-    cached_user = get_cached_by_ap_id(ap_id)
+    user = get_cached_by_ap_id(ap_id) || fetch_by_ap_id(ap_id)
 
-    maybe_fetched_user = needs_update?(cached_user) && fetch_by_ap_id(ap_id)
-
-    case {cached_user, maybe_fetched_user} do
-      {_, {:ok, %User{} = user}} ->
+    case user do
+      %User{} = user ->
         {:ok, user}
 
-      {%User{} = user, _} ->
+      {:ok, %User{} = user} ->
         {:ok, user}
 
       _ ->