diff --git a/acceptreject.py b/acceptreject.py
index ff855312d..6d4c4acd4 100644
--- a/acceptreject.py
+++ b/acceptreject.py
@@ -156,6 +156,17 @@ def acceptFollow(baseDir: str,domain : str,messageJson: {}, \
                                     nickname,acceptedDomainFull, \
                                     messageJson['capabilities'])
 
+    # has this person already been unfollowed?
+    unfollowedFilename=baseDir+'/accounts/'+nickname+'@'+acceptedDomainFull+'/unfollowed.txt'
+    if os.path.isfile(unfollowedFilename):
+        if followedNickname+'@'+followedDomainFull in open(unfollowedFilename).read():
+            if debug:
+                print('DEBUG: follow accept arrived for '+ \
+                      nickname+'@'+acceptedDomainFull+ \
+                      ' from '+followedNickname+'@'+followedDomainFull+ \
+                      ' but they have been unfollowed')
+            return            
+
     if followPerson(baseDir, \
                     nickname,acceptedDomainFull, \
                     followedNickname,followedDomainFull, \
diff --git a/follow.py b/follow.py
index ed5c448cc..ab314129e 100644
--- a/follow.py
+++ b/follow.py
@@ -184,6 +184,7 @@ def unfollowPerson(baseDir: str,nickname: str, domain: str, \
         os.mkdir(baseDir+'/accounts')
     if not os.path.isdir(baseDir+'/accounts/'+handle):
         os.mkdir(baseDir+'/accounts/'+handle)
+
     filename=baseDir+'/accounts/'+handle+'/'+followFile
     if not os.path.isfile(filename):
         if debug:
@@ -199,6 +200,18 @@ def unfollowPerson(baseDir: str,nickname: str, domain: str, \
         for line in lines:
             if line.strip("\n") != handleToUnfollow:
                 f.write(line)
+
+    # write to an unfollowed file so that if a follow accept
+    # later arrives then it can be ignored
+    unfollowedFilename=baseDir+'/accounts/'+handle+'/unfollowed.txt'
+    if os.path.isfile(unfollowedFilename):
+        if handleToUnfollow not in open(unfollowedFilename).read():
+            with open(filename, "a+") as f:
+                f.write(handleToUnfollow+'\n')
+    else:
+        with open(filename, "w+") as f:
+            f.write(handleToUnfollow+'\n')
+
     return True
 
 def unfollowerOfPerson(baseDir: str,nickname: str,domain: str, \
diff --git a/utils.py b/utils.py
index d4285000c..d228253d0 100644
--- a/utils.py
+++ b/utils.py
@@ -214,6 +214,21 @@ def followPerson(baseDir: str,nickname: str, domain: str, \
         handleToFollow=followNickname+'@'+followDomain.split(':')[0].lower()
     else:
         handleToFollow=followNickname+'@'+followDomain.lower()
+
+    # was this person previously unfollowed?
+    unfollowedFilename=baseDir+'/accounts/'+handle+'/unfollowed.txt'
+    if os.path.isfile(unfollowedFilename):
+        if handleToFollow in open(unfollowedFilename).read():
+            # remove them from the unfollowed file
+            newLines=''
+            with open(unfollowedFilename, "r") as f:
+                lines = f.readlines()
+                for line in lines:
+                    if handleToFollow not in line:
+                        newLines+=line
+            with open(unfollowedFilename, "w") as f:
+                f.write(newLines)
+
     if not os.path.isdir(baseDir+'/accounts'):
         os.mkdir(baseDir+'/accounts')
     if not os.path.isdir(baseDir+'/accounts/'+handle):