diff --git a/lib/pleroma/web/twitter_api/twitter_api.ex b/lib/pleroma/web/twitter_api/twitter_api.ex
index 0f84cffbd..f2b2b4418 100644
--- a/lib/pleroma/web/twitter_api/twitter_api.ex
+++ b/lib/pleroma/web/twitter_api/twitter_api.ex
@@ -115,9 +115,9 @@ defmodule Pleroma.Web.TwitterAPI.TwitterAPI do
     end
   end
 
-  def follow(%User{} = follower, followed_id) do
-    with %User{} = followed <- Repo.get(User, followed_id),
-    { :ok, follower } <- User.follow(follower, followed),
+  def follow(%User{} = follower, params) do
+    with { :ok, %User{} = followed } <- get_user(params),
+         { :ok, follower } <- User.follow(follower, followed),
          { :ok, activity } <- ActivityPub.insert(%{
            "type" => "Follow",
            "actor" => follower.ap_id,
@@ -131,11 +131,11 @@ defmodule Pleroma.Web.TwitterAPI.TwitterAPI do
     end
   end
 
-  def unfollow(%User{} = follower, followed_id) do
-    with %User{} = followed <- Repo.get(User, followed_id),
-         { :ok, follower } <- User.unfollow(follower, followed)
+  def unfollow(%User{} = follower, params) do
+    with { :ok, %User{} = unfollowed } <- get_user(params),
+         { :ok, follower } <- User.unfollow(follower, unfollowed)
     do
-      { :ok, follower, followed }
+      { :ok, follower, unfollowed}
     else
       err -> err
     end
@@ -266,7 +266,7 @@ defmodule Pleroma.Web.TwitterAPI.TwitterAPI do
     end
   end
 
-  def get_user(user, params) do
+  def get_user(user \\ nil, params) do
     case params do
       %{ "user_id" => user_id } ->
         case target = Repo.get(User, user_id) do
diff --git a/lib/pleroma/web/twitter_api/twitter_api_controller.ex b/lib/pleroma/web/twitter_api/twitter_api_controller.ex
index 8ea54852d..4d21ce9d3 100644
--- a/lib/pleroma/web/twitter_api/twitter_api_controller.ex
+++ b/lib/pleroma/web/twitter_api/twitter_api_controller.ex
@@ -65,8 +65,8 @@ defmodule Pleroma.Web.TwitterAPI.Controller do
     |> json_reply(200, json)
   end
 
-  def follow(%{assigns: %{user: user}} = conn, %{ "user_id" => followed_id }) do
-    case TwitterAPI.follow(user, followed_id) do
+  def follow(%{assigns: %{user: user}} = conn, params) do
+    case TwitterAPI.follow(user, params) do
       { :ok, user, followed, _activity } ->
         response = followed |> UserRepresenter.to_json(%{for: user})
         conn
@@ -75,11 +75,10 @@ defmodule Pleroma.Web.TwitterAPI.Controller do
     end
   end
 
-  def unfollow(%{assigns: %{user: user}} = conn, %{ "user_id" => followed_id }) do
-    case TwitterAPI.unfollow(user, followed_id) do
-      { :ok, user, followed } ->
-        response = followed |> UserRepresenter.to_json(%{for: user})
-
+  def unfollow(%{assigns: %{user: user}} = conn, params) do
+    case TwitterAPI.unfollow(user, params) do
+      { :ok, user, unfollowed, } ->
+        response = unfollowed |> UserRepresenter.to_json(%{for: user})
         conn
         |> json_reply(200, response)
       { :error, msg } -> forbidden_json_reply(conn, msg)
diff --git a/test/web/twitter_api/twitter_api_test.exs b/test/web/twitter_api/twitter_api_test.exs
index 273093eba..590428423 100644
--- a/test/web/twitter_api/twitter_api_test.exs
+++ b/test/web/twitter_api/twitter_api_test.exs
@@ -155,32 +155,47 @@ defmodule Pleroma.Web.TwitterAPI.TwitterAPITest do
     assert status == ActivityRepresenter.to_map(activity, %{for: user, user: actor})
   end
 
-  test "Follow another user" do
+  test "Follow another user using user_id" do
     user = insert(:user)
     followed = insert(:user)
 
-    { :ok, user, followed, activity } = TwitterAPI.follow(user, followed.id)
-
-    user = Repo.get(User, user.id)
-    follow = Repo.get(Activity, activity.id)
-
+    {:ok, user, followed, _activity } = TwitterAPI.follow(user, %{"user_id" => followed.id})
     assert user.following == [User.ap_followers(followed)]
-    assert follow == activity
 
-    { :error, msg } = TwitterAPI.follow(user, followed.id)
+    { :error, msg } = TwitterAPI.follow(user, %{"user_id" => followed.id})
     assert msg == "Could not follow user: #{followed.nickname} is already on your list."
   end
 
-  test "Unfollow another user" do
+  test "Follow another user using screen_name" do
+    user = insert(:user)
     followed = insert(:user)
-    user = insert(:user, %{following: [User.ap_followers(followed)]})
 
-    { :ok, user, _followed } = TwitterAPI.unfollow(user, followed.id)
+    {:ok, user, followed, _activity } = TwitterAPI.follow(user, %{"screen_name" => followed.nickname})
+    assert user.following == [User.ap_followers(followed)]
 
-    user = Repo.get(User, user.id)
+    { :error, msg } = TwitterAPI.follow(user, %{"screen_name" => followed.nickname})
+    assert msg == "Could not follow user: #{followed.nickname} is already on your list."
+  end
 
+  test "Unfollow another user using user_id" do
+    unfollowed = insert(:user)
+    user = insert(:user, %{following: [User.ap_followers(unfollowed)]})
+
+    {:ok, user, unfollowed } = TwitterAPI.unfollow(user, %{"user_id" => unfollowed.id})
     assert user.following == []
-    { :error, msg } = TwitterAPI.unfollow(user, followed.id)
+
+    { :error, msg } = TwitterAPI.unfollow(user, %{"user_id" => unfollowed.id})
+    assert msg == "Not subscribed!"
+  end
+
+  test "Unfollow another user using screen_name" do
+    unfollowed = insert(:user)
+    user = insert(:user, %{following: [User.ap_followers(unfollowed)]})
+
+    {:ok, user, unfollowed } = TwitterAPI.unfollow(user, %{"screen_name" => unfollowed.nickname})
+    assert user.following == []
+
+    { :error, msg } = TwitterAPI.unfollow(user, %{"screen_name" => unfollowed.nickname})
     assert msg == "Not subscribed!"
   end