diff --git a/lib/pleroma/web/activity_pub/activity_pub.ex b/lib/pleroma/web/activity_pub/activity_pub.ex
index 568db2348..4f7043c92 100644
--- a/lib/pleroma/web/activity_pub/activity_pub.ex
+++ b/lib/pleroma/web/activity_pub/activity_pub.ex
@@ -363,19 +363,21 @@ def update(%{to: to, cc: cc, actor: actor, object: object} = params) do
     end
   end
 
-  @spec follow(User.t(), User.t(), String.t() | nil, boolean()) ::
+  @spec follow(User.t(), User.t(), String.t() | nil, boolean(), keyword()) ::
           {:ok, Activity.t()} | {:error, any()}
-  def follow(follower, followed, activity_id \\ nil, local \\ true) do
+  def follow(follower, followed, activity_id \\ nil, local \\ true, opts \\ []) do
     with {:ok, result} <-
-           Repo.transaction(fn -> do_follow(follower, followed, activity_id, local) end) do
+           Repo.transaction(fn -> do_follow(follower, followed, activity_id, local, opts) end) do
       result
     end
   end
 
-  defp do_follow(follower, followed, activity_id, local) do
+  defp do_follow(follower, followed, activity_id, local, opts) do
+    skip_notify_and_stream = Keyword.get(opts, :skip_notify_and_stream, false)
+
     with data <- make_follow_data(follower, followed, activity_id),
          {:ok, activity} <- insert(data, local),
-         _ <- notify_and_stream(activity),
+         _ <- skip_notify_and_stream || notify_and_stream(activity),
          :ok <- maybe_federate(activity) do
       {:ok, activity}
     else
diff --git a/lib/pleroma/web/activity_pub/transmogrifier.ex b/lib/pleroma/web/activity_pub/transmogrifier.ex
index b2461de2b..50f3216f3 100644
--- a/lib/pleroma/web/activity_pub/transmogrifier.ex
+++ b/lib/pleroma/web/activity_pub/transmogrifier.ex
@@ -533,12 +533,12 @@ def handle_incoming(
            User.get_cached_by_ap_id(Containment.get_actor(%{"actor" => followed})),
          {:ok, %User{} = follower} <-
            User.get_or_fetch_by_ap_id(Containment.get_actor(%{"actor" => follower})),
-         {:ok, activity} <- ActivityPub.follow(follower, followed, id, false) do
+         {:ok, activity} <-
+           ActivityPub.follow(follower, followed, id, false, skip_notify_and_stream: true) do
       with deny_follow_blocked <- Pleroma.Config.get([:user, :deny_follow_blocked]),
            {_, false} <- {:user_blocked, User.blocks?(followed, follower) && deny_follow_blocked},
            {_, false} <- {:user_locked, User.locked?(followed)},
            {_, {:ok, follower}} <- {:follow, User.follow(follower, followed)},
-           _ <- Notification.update_notification_type(followed, activity),
            {_, {:ok, _}} <-
              {:follow_state_update, Utils.update_follow_state_for_all(activity, "accept")},
            {:ok, _relationship} <-
@@ -577,6 +577,7 @@ def handle_incoming(
           :noop
       end
 
+      ActivityPub.notify_and_stream(activity)
       {:ok, activity}
     else
       _e ->
diff --git a/test/web/activity_pub/transmogrifier/follow_handling_test.exs b/test/web/activity_pub/transmogrifier/follow_handling_test.exs
index 6b003b51c..06c39eed6 100644
--- a/test/web/activity_pub/transmogrifier/follow_handling_test.exs
+++ b/test/web/activity_pub/transmogrifier/follow_handling_test.exs
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ defmodule Pleroma.Web.ActivityPub.Transmogrifier.FollowHandlingTest do
 
   import Pleroma.Factory
   import Ecto.Query
+  import Mock
 
   setup_all do
     Tesla.Mock.mock_global(fn env -> apply(HttpRequestMock, :request, [env]) end)
@@ -151,6 +152,23 @@ test "it rejects incoming follow requests from blocked users when deny_follow_bl
       assert activity.data["state"] == "reject"
     end
 
+    test "it rejects incoming follow requests if the following errors for some reason" do
+      user = insert(:user)
+
+      data =
+        File.read!("test/fixtures/mastodon-follow-activity.json")
+        |> Poison.decode!()
+        |> Map.put("object", user.ap_id)
+
+      with_mock Pleroma.User, [:passthrough], follow: fn _, _ -> {:error, :testing} end do
+        {:ok, %Activity{data: %{"id" => id}}} = Transmogrifier.handle_incoming(data)
+
+        %Activity{} = activity = Activity.get_by_ap_id(id)
+
+        assert activity.data["state"] == "reject"
+      end
+    end
+
     test "it works for incoming follow requests from hubzilla" do
       user = insert(:user)