diff --git a/lib/pleroma/user.ex b/lib/pleroma/user.ex
index 228f12498..02f13eb2c 100644
--- a/lib/pleroma/user.ex
+++ b/lib/pleroma/user.ex
@@ -738,4 +738,28 @@ def get_or_fetch(uri_or_nickname) do
       get_or_fetch_by_nickname(uri_or_nickname)
     end
   end
+
+  # wait a period of time and return newest version of the User structs
+  # this is because we have synchronous follow APIs and need to simulate them
+  # with an async handshake
+  def wait_and_refresh(_, %User{local: true} = a, %User{local: true} = b) do
+    with %User{} = a <- Repo.get(User, a.id),
+         %User{} = b <- Repo.get(User, b.id) do
+      {:ok, a, b}
+    else
+      _e ->
+        :error
+    end
+  end
+
+  def wait_and_refresh(timeout, %User{} = a, %User{} = b) do
+    with :ok <- :timer.sleep(timeout),
+         %User{} = a <- Repo.get(User, a.id),
+         %User{} = b <- Repo.get(User, b.id) do
+      {:ok, a, b}
+    else
+      _e ->
+        :error
+    end
+  end
 end
diff --git a/lib/pleroma/web/mastodon_api/mastodon_api_controller.ex b/lib/pleroma/web/mastodon_api/mastodon_api_controller.ex
index 391a79885..9a470c364 100644
--- a/lib/pleroma/web/mastodon_api/mastodon_api_controller.ex
+++ b/lib/pleroma/web/mastodon_api/mastodon_api_controller.ex
@@ -574,7 +574,8 @@ def reject_follow_request(%{assigns: %{user: followed}} = conn, %{"id" => id}) d
   def follow(%{assigns: %{user: follower}} = conn, %{"id" => id}) do
     with %User{} = followed <- Repo.get(User, id),
          {:ok, follower} <- User.maybe_direct_follow(follower, followed),
-         {:ok, _activity} <- ActivityPub.follow(follower, followed) do
+         {:ok, _activity} <- ActivityPub.follow(follower, followed),
+         {:ok, follower, followed} <- User.wait_and_refresh(500, follower, followed) do
       render(conn, AccountView, "relationship.json", %{user: follower, target: followed})
     else
       {:error, message} ->
diff --git a/lib/pleroma/web/twitter_api/twitter_api.ex b/lib/pleroma/web/twitter_api/twitter_api.ex
index dbad08e66..3f0e2425c 100644
--- a/lib/pleroma/web/twitter_api/twitter_api.ex
+++ b/lib/pleroma/web/twitter_api/twitter_api.ex
@@ -23,7 +23,8 @@ def delete(%User{} = user, id) do
   def follow(%User{} = follower, params) do
     with {:ok, %User{} = followed} <- get_user(params),
          {:ok, follower} <- User.maybe_direct_follow(follower, followed),
-         {:ok, activity} <- ActivityPub.follow(follower, followed) do
+         {:ok, activity} <- ActivityPub.follow(follower, followed),
+         {:ok, follower, followed} <- User.wait_and_refresh(500, follower, followed) do
       {:ok, follower, followed, activity}
     else
       err -> err