diff --git a/lib/pleroma/web/twitter_api/twitter_api.ex b/lib/pleroma/web/twitter_api/twitter_api.ex
index 9b9ee0bd1..e02c0766f 100644
--- a/lib/pleroma/web/twitter_api/twitter_api.ex
+++ b/lib/pleroma/web/twitter_api/twitter_api.ex
@@ -108,9 +108,9 @@ def fetch_status(user, id) 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,
@@ -259,7 +259,7 @@ def register_user(params) 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 8b5e6270b..92c20f97a 100644
--- a/lib/pleroma/web/twitter_api/twitter_api_controller.ex
+++ b/lib/pleroma/web/twitter_api/twitter_api_controller.ex
@@ -57,8 +57,8 @@ def user_timeline(%{assigns: %{user: user}} = conn, params) do
     end
   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
diff --git a/test/web/twitter_api/twitter_api_test.exs b/test/web/twitter_api/twitter_api_test.exs
index 196822f99..3a1745a1b 100644
--- a/test/web/twitter_api/twitter_api_test.exs
+++ b/test/web/twitter_api/twitter_api_test.exs
@@ -144,19 +144,25 @@ test "fetch a single status" 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 "Follow another user using screen_name" do
+    user = insert(:user)
+    followed = insert(:user)
+
+    {:ok, user, followed, _activity } = TwitterAPI.follow(user, %{"screen_name" => followed.nickname})
+    assert user.following == [User.ap_followers(followed)]
+
+    { :error, msg } = TwitterAPI.follow(user, %{"screen_name" => followed.nickname})
     assert msg == "Could not follow user: #{followed.nickname} is already on your list."
   end