diff --git a/importFollowing.py b/importFollowing.py
index 9848983f3..55a5c854e 100644
--- a/importFollowing.py
+++ b/importFollowing.py
@@ -11,7 +11,6 @@ import os
 import time
 import random
 from utils import get_full_domain
-from utils import acct_dir
 from utils import is_account_dir
 from utils import get_nickname_from_actor
 from utils import get_domain_from_actor
@@ -20,6 +19,7 @@ from follow import send_follow_request
 from session import create_session
 from session import set_session_for_sender
 from threads import begin_thread
+from person import set_person_notes
 
 
 def _establish_import_session(httpd,
@@ -89,16 +89,8 @@ def _update_import_following(base_dir: str,
                 get_full_domain(following_domain, following_port)
             if notes:
                 notes = notes.replace('<br>', '\n')
-                person_notes_filename = \
-                    acct_dir(base_dir, nickname, domain) + \
-                    '/notes/' + following_handle + '.txt'
-                try:
-                    with open(person_notes_filename, 'w+',
-                              encoding='utf-8') as fp_notes:
-                        fp_notes.write(notes)
-                except OSError:
-                    print('EX: Unable to import notes for ' +
-                          following_handle)
+                set_person_notes(base_dir, nickname, domain,
+                                 following_handle, notes)
             if is_following_actor(base_dir, nickname, domain,
                                   following_handle_full):
                 # remove the followed handle from the import list
diff --git a/person.py b/person.py
index 95e66adb4..c78db305e 100644
--- a/person.py
+++ b/person.py
@@ -1600,6 +1600,21 @@ def set_person_notes(base_dir: str, nickname: str, domain: str,
     return True
 
 
+def get_person_notes(base_dir: str, nickname: str, domain: str,
+                     handle: str) -> str:
+    """Returns notes about a person
+    """
+    person_notes = ''
+    person_notes_filename = \
+        acct_dir(base_dir, nickname, domain) + \
+        '/notes/' + handle + '.txt'
+    if os.path.isfile(person_notes_filename):
+        with open(person_notes_filename, 'r',
+                  encoding='utf-8') as fp_notes:
+            person_notes = fp_notes.read()
+    return person_notes
+
+
 def _detect_users_path(url: str) -> str:
     """Tries to detect the /users/ path
     """
diff --git a/webapp_person_options.py b/webapp_person_options.py
index 4fb09ea1e..1f0573a8f 100644
--- a/webapp_person_options.py
+++ b/webapp_person_options.py
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ from follow import is_follower_of_person
 from follow import is_following_actor
 from followingCalendar import receiving_calendar_events
 from notifyOnPost import notify_when_person_posts
+from person import get_person_notes
 from webapp_utils import html_header_with_external_style
 from webapp_utils import html_footer
 from webapp_utils import get_broken_link_substitute
@@ -628,13 +629,8 @@ def html_person_options(default_timeline: str,
 
         person_notes = ''
         if origin_path_str == '/users/' + nickname:
-            person_notes_filename = \
-                acct_dir(base_dir, nickname, domain) + \
-                '/notes/' + handle + '.txt'
-            if os.path.isfile(person_notes_filename):
-                with open(person_notes_filename, 'r',
-                          encoding='utf-8') as fp_notes:
-                    person_notes = fp_notes.read()
+            person_notes = \
+                get_person_notes(base_dir, nickname, domain, handle)
 
         options_str += \
             '    <br><br>' + translate['Notes'] + ': \n'
diff --git a/webapp_utils.py b/webapp_utils.py
index 9a6497799..14d3ee955 100644
--- a/webapp_utils.py
+++ b/webapp_utils.py
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ from cache import store_person_in_cache
 from content import add_html_tags
 from content import replace_emoji_from_tags
 from person import get_person_avatar_url
+from person import get_person_notes
 from posts import is_moderator
 from blocking import is_blocked
 from blocking import allowed_announce
@@ -137,18 +138,15 @@ def csv_following_list(following_filename: str,
                                      following_domain)
                 notify_on_new = 'false'
                 languages = ''
-                person_notes = ''
-                person_notes_filename = \
-                    acct_dir(base_dir, nickname, domain) + \
-                    '/notes/' + following_address + '.txt'
-                if os.path.isfile(person_notes_filename):
-                    with open(person_notes_filename, 'r',
-                              encoding='utf-8') as fp_notes:
-                        person_notes = fp_notes.read()
-                        person_notes = person_notes.replace(',', ' ')
-                        person_notes = person_notes.replace('"', "'")
-                        person_notes = person_notes.replace('\n', '<br>')
-                        person_notes = person_notes.replace('  ', ' ')
+                person_notes = \
+                    get_person_notes(base_dir, nickname, domain,
+                                     following_address)
+                if person_notes:
+                    # make notes suitable for csv file
+                    person_notes = person_notes.replace(',', ' ')
+                    person_notes = person_notes.replace('"', "'")
+                    person_notes = person_notes.replace('\n', '<br>')
+                    person_notes = person_notes.replace('  ', ' ')
                 if not following_list_csv:
                     following_list_csv = \
                         'Account address,Show boosts,' + \