diff --git a/daemon.py b/daemon.py
index 85af03d44..f81e17114 100644
--- a/daemon.py
+++ b/daemon.py
@@ -301,7 +301,7 @@ from utils import loadJson
 from utils import saveJson
 from utils import isSuspended
 from utils import dangerousMarkup
-from utils import refreshNewswire
+from utils import refresh_newswire
 from utils import isImageFile
 from utils import hasGroupType
 from manualapprove import manualDenyFollowRequestThread
@@ -2502,7 +2502,7 @@ class PubServer(BaseHTTPRequestHandler):
                         except OSError:
                             print('EX: _personOptions unable to delete ' +
                                   newswireBlockedFilename)
-                        refreshNewswire(self.server.base_dir)
+                        refresh_newswire(self.server.base_dir)
                 else:
                     if os.path.isdir(accountDir):
                         nwFilename = newswireBlockedFilename
@@ -2515,7 +2515,7 @@ class PubServer(BaseHTTPRequestHandler):
                             print('EX: unable to write ' + nwFilename +
                                   ' ' + str(ex))
                         if nwWritten:
-                            refreshNewswire(self.server.base_dir)
+                            refresh_newswire(self.server.base_dir)
             usersPathStr = \
                 usersPath + '/' + self.server.defaultTimeline + \
                 '?page=' + str(pageNumber)
@@ -2548,7 +2548,7 @@ class PubServer(BaseHTTPRequestHandler):
                         except OSError:
                             print('EX: _personOptions unable to delete ' +
                                   featuresBlockedFilename)
-                        refreshNewswire(self.server.base_dir)
+                        refresh_newswire(self.server.base_dir)
                 else:
                     if os.path.isdir(accountDir):
                         featFilename = featuresBlockedFilename
@@ -2561,7 +2561,7 @@ class PubServer(BaseHTTPRequestHandler):
                             print('EX: unable to write ' + featFilename +
                                   ' ' + str(ex))
                         if featWritten:
-                            refreshNewswire(self.server.base_dir)
+                            refresh_newswire(self.server.base_dir)
             usersPathStr = \
                 usersPath + '/' + self.server.defaultTimeline + \
                 '?page=' + str(pageNumber)
@@ -16729,7 +16729,7 @@ class PubServer(BaseHTTPRequestHandler):
                     if self._postToOutbox(message_json,
                                           self.server.project_version,
                                           nickname):
-                        refreshNewswire(self.server.base_dir)
+                        refresh_newswire(self.server.base_dir)
                         populateReplies(self.server.base_dir,
                                         self.server.http_prefix,
                                         self.server.domain_full,
diff --git a/person.py b/person.py
index 5878345ad..87b913e13 100644
--- a/person.py
+++ b/person.py
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ from utils import loadJson
 from utils import saveJson
 from utils import setConfigParam
 from utils import getConfigParam
-from utils import refreshNewswire
+from utils import refresh_newswire
 from utils import getProtocolPrefixes
 from utils import hasUsersPath
 from utils import getImageExtensions
@@ -1238,7 +1238,7 @@ def removeAccount(base_dir: str, nickname: str,
         shutil.rmtree(base_dir + '/sharefilesdeactivated/' + nickname,
                       ignore_errors=False, onerror=None)
 
-    refreshNewswire(base_dir)
+    refresh_newswire(base_dir)
 
     return True
 
@@ -1270,7 +1270,7 @@ def deactivateAccount(base_dir: str, nickname: str, domain: str) -> bool:
         shutil.move(base_dir + '/sharefiles/' + nickname,
                     deactivatedSharefilesDir + '/' + nickname)
 
-    refreshNewswire(base_dir)
+    refresh_newswire(base_dir)
 
     return os.path.isdir(deactivatedDir + '/' + nickname + '@' + domain)
 
@@ -1298,7 +1298,7 @@ def activateAccount(base_dir: str, nickname: str, domain: str) -> None:
             shutil.move(deactivatedSharefilesDir + '/' + nickname,
                         base_dir + '/sharefiles/' + nickname)
 
-    refreshNewswire(base_dir)
+    refresh_newswire(base_dir)
 
 
 def isPersonSnoozed(base_dir: str, nickname: str, domain: str,
diff --git a/utils.py b/utils.py
index d2a411089..ff5cd3e5b 100644
--- a/utils.py
+++ b/utils.py
@@ -126,18 +126,18 @@ def is_featured_writer(base_dir: str, nickname: str, domain: str) -> bool:
     """Is the given account a featured writer, appearing in the features
     timeline on news instances?
     """
-    featuresBlockedFilename = \
+    features_blocked_filename = \
         acct_dir(base_dir, nickname, domain) + '/.nofeatures'
-    return not os.path.isfile(featuresBlockedFilename)
+    return not os.path.isfile(features_blocked_filename)
 
 
-def refreshNewswire(base_dir: str):
+def refresh_newswire(base_dir: str):
     """Causes the newswire to be updates after a change to user accounts
     """
-    refreshNewswireFilename = base_dir + '/accounts/.refresh_newswire'
-    if os.path.isfile(refreshNewswireFilename):
+    refresh_newswireFilename = base_dir + '/accounts/.refresh_newswire'
+    if os.path.isfile(refresh_newswireFilename):
         return
-    with open(refreshNewswireFilename, 'w+') as refreshFile:
+    with open(refresh_newswireFilename, 'w+') as refreshFile:
         refreshFile.write('\n')