diff --git a/migrate.py b/migrate.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..ce3fc5853
--- /dev/null
+++ b/migrate.py
@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
+__filename__ = "migrate.py"
+__author__ = "Bob Mottram"
+__license__ = "AGPL3+"
+__version__ = "1.0.0"
+__maintainer__ = "Bob Mottram"
+__email__ = "bob@freedombone.net"
+__status__ = "Production"
+
+import os
+
+def migrateFollows(followFilename: str,oldHandle: str,newHandle: str) -> None:
+    """Changes a handle within following or followers list
+    """
+    if not os.path.isfile(followFilename):
+        return
+    if oldHandle not in open(followFilename).read():
+        return
+    followData=None
+    with open(followFilename, 'r') as followFile:
+        followData=followFile.read()
+    if not followData:
+        return
+    newFollowData=followData.replace(oldHandle,newHandle)
+    if followData==newFollowData:
+        return
+    with open(followFilename, 'w') as followFile:
+        followFile.write(newFollowData)
+
+def migrateAccount(baseDir: str,oldHandle: str,newHandle: str) -> None:
+    """If a followed account changes then this modifies the
+    following and followers lists for each account accordingly
+    """
+    if oldHandle.startswith('@'):
+        oldHandle=oldHandle[1:]
+    if '@' not in oldHandle:
+        return
+    if newHandle.startswith('@'):
+        ewHandle=newHandle[1:]
+    if '@' not in newHandle:
+        return
+
+    # update followers and following lists for each account
+    for subdir, dirs, files in os.walk(baseDir+'/accounts'):
+        for handle in dirs:
+            if '@' in handle:
+                accountDir=baseDir+'/accounts/'+handle
+                followFilename=accountDir+'/following.txt'
+                migrateFollows(followFilename,oldHandle,newHandle)
+                followFilename=accountDir+'/followers.txt'
+                migrateFollows(followFilename,oldHandle,newHandle)