diff --git a/webapp_create_post.py b/webapp_create_post.py
index 7537e6e42..7da6795ca 100644
--- a/webapp_create_post.py
+++ b/webapp_create_post.py
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ from utils import get_currencies
 from utils import get_category_types
 from utils import get_account_timezone
 from utils import get_supported_languages
+from webapp_utils import html_following_data_list
 from webapp_utils import html_common_emoji
 from webapp_utils import begin_edit_section
 from webapp_utils import end_edit_section
@@ -39,48 +40,6 @@ from maps import get_map_preferences_coords
 from maps import get_location_from_tags
 
 
-def _html_following_data_list(base_dir: str, nickname: str,
-                              domain: str, domain_full: str) -> str:
-    """Returns a datalist of handles being followed
-    """
-    list_str = '<datalist id="followingHandles">\n'
-    following_filename = \
-        acct_dir(base_dir, nickname, domain) + '/following.txt'
-    msg = None
-    if os.path.isfile(following_filename):
-        with open(following_filename, 'r',
-                  encoding='utf-8') as following_file:
-            msg = following_file.read()
-            # add your own handle, so that you can send DMs
-            # to yourself as reminders
-            msg += nickname + '@' + domain_full + '\n'
-    if msg:
-        # include petnames
-        petnames_filename = \
-            acct_dir(base_dir, nickname, domain) + '/petnames.txt'
-        if os.path.isfile(petnames_filename):
-            following_list = []
-            with open(petnames_filename, 'r',
-                      encoding='utf-8') as petnames_file:
-                pet_str = petnames_file.read()
-                # extract each petname and append it
-                petnames_list = pet_str.split('\n')
-                for pet in petnames_list:
-                    following_list.append(pet.split(' ')[0])
-            # add the following.txt entries
-            following_list += msg.split('\n')
-        else:
-            # no petnames list exists - just use following.txt
-            following_list = msg.split('\n')
-        following_list.sort()
-        if following_list:
-            for following_address in following_list:
-                if following_address:
-                    list_str += '<option>@' + following_address + '</option>\n'
-    list_str += '</datalist>\n'
-    return list_str
-
-
 def _html_new_post_drop_down(scope_icon: str, scope_description: str,
                              reply_str: str,
                              translate: {},
@@ -1066,7 +1025,7 @@ def html_new_post(edit_post_params: {},
             '    <input type="text" name="mentions" ' + \
             'list="followingHandles" value="' + mentions_str + '" selected>\n'
         new_post_form += \
-            _html_following_data_list(base_dir, nickname, domain, domain_full)
+            html_following_data_list(base_dir, nickname, domain, domain_full)
         new_post_form += ''
         selected_str = ''
 
diff --git a/webapp_utils.py b/webapp_utils.py
index 7c9a4cb16..2399f9a4d 100644
--- a/webapp_utils.py
+++ b/webapp_utils.py
@@ -1967,3 +1967,47 @@ def get_default_path(media_instance: bool, blogs_instance: bool,
     else:
         path = '/users/' + nickname + '/inbox'
     return path
+
+
+def html_following_data_list(base_dir: str, nickname: str,
+                             domain: str, domain_full: str,
+                             following_type: str = "following") -> str:
+    """Returns a datalist of handles being followed
+    folloingHandles, followersHandles
+    """
+    list_str = '<datalist id="' + following_type + 'Handles">\n'
+    following_filename = \
+        acct_dir(base_dir, nickname, domain) + '/' + following_type + '.txt'
+    msg = None
+    if os.path.isfile(following_filename):
+        with open(following_filename, 'r',
+                  encoding='utf-8') as following_file:
+            msg = following_file.read()
+            # add your own handle, so that you can send DMs
+            # to yourself as reminders
+            msg += nickname + '@' + domain_full + '\n'
+    if msg:
+        # include petnames
+        petnames_filename = \
+            acct_dir(base_dir, nickname, domain) + '/petnames.txt'
+        if os.path.isfile(petnames_filename):
+            following_list = []
+            with open(petnames_filename, 'r',
+                      encoding='utf-8') as petnames_file:
+                pet_str = petnames_file.read()
+                # extract each petname and append it
+                petnames_list = pet_str.split('\n')
+                for pet in petnames_list:
+                    following_list.append(pet.split(' ')[0])
+            # add the following.txt entries
+            following_list += msg.split('\n')
+        else:
+            # no petnames list exists - just use following.txt
+            following_list = msg.split('\n')
+        following_list.sort()
+        if following_list:
+            for following_address in following_list:
+                if following_address:
+                    list_str += '<option>@' + following_address + '</option>\n'
+    list_str += '</datalist>\n'
+    return list_str