diff --git a/followingCalendar.py b/followingCalendar.py
index 10c5ae39e..2281fda63 100644
--- a/followingCalendar.py
+++ b/followingCalendar.py
@@ -42,14 +42,19 @@ def receiveCalendarEvents(baseDir: str, nickname: str, domain: str,
     indicating whether to receive calendar events from that account
     """
     # check that a following file exists
+    if ':' in domain:
+        domain = domain.split(':')[0]
     followingFilename = baseDir + '/accounts/' + \
         nickname + '@' + domain + '/following.txt'
     if not os.path.isfile(followingFilename):
+        print("WARN: following.txt doesn't exist for " +
+              nickname + '@' + domain)
         return
     handle = followingNickname + '@' + followingDomain
 
     # check that you are following this handle
     if handle + '\n' not in open(followingFilename).read():
+        print('WARN: ' + handle + ' is not in ' + followingFilename)
         return
 
     calendarFilename = baseDir + '/accounts/' + \
@@ -59,17 +64,22 @@ def receiveCalendarEvents(baseDir: str, nickname: str, domain: str,
     # a set of handles
     followingHandles = ''
     if os.path.isfile(calendarFilename):
+        print('Calendar file exists')
         with open(calendarFilename, 'r') as calendarFile:
             followingHandles = calendarFile.read()
     else:
         # create a new calendar file from the following file
+        print('Creating calendar file ' + calendarFilename)
+        followingHandles = ''
         with open(followingFilename, 'r') as followingFile:
             followingHandles = followingFile.read()
+        if add:
             with open(calendarFilename, 'w+') as fp:
-                fp.write(followingHandles)
+                fp.write(followingHandles + handle + '\n')
 
     # already in the calendar file?
     if handle + '\n' in followingHandles:
+        print(handle + ' exists in followingCalendar.txt')
         if add:
             # already added
             return
@@ -78,6 +88,7 @@ def receiveCalendarEvents(baseDir: str, nickname: str, domain: str,
         with open(calendarFilename, 'w+') as fp:
             fp.write(followingHandles)
     else:
+        print(handle + ' not in followingCalendar.txt')
         # not already in the calendar file
         if add:
             # append to the list of handles
diff --git a/tests.py b/tests.py
index 13e3a2892..127d0c798 100644
--- a/tests.py
+++ b/tests.py
@@ -777,12 +777,21 @@ def testFollowBetweenServers():
                           bobDomain + '/followers.txt'):
             if os.path.isfile(aliceDir + '/accounts/alice@' +
                               aliceDomain + '/following.txt'):
-                break
+                if os.path.isfile(aliceDir + '/accounts/alice@' +
+                                  aliceDomain + '/followingCalendar.txt'):
+                    break
         time.sleep(1)
 
     assert validInbox(bobDir, 'bob', bobDomain)
     assert validInboxFilenames(bobDir, 'bob', bobDomain,
                                aliceDomain, alicePort)
+    assert 'alice@' + aliceDomain in open(bobDir + '/accounts/bob@' +
+                                          bobDomain + '/followers.txt').read()
+    assert 'bob@' + bobDomain in open(aliceDir + '/accounts/alice@' +
+                                      aliceDomain + '/following.txt').read()
+    assert 'bob@' + bobDomain in open(aliceDir + '/accounts/alice@' +
+                                      aliceDomain +
+                                      '/followingCalendar.txt').read()
 
     print('\n\n*********************************************************')
     print('Alice sends a message to Bob')
@@ -828,11 +837,6 @@ def testFollowBetweenServers():
     thrBob.join()
     assert thrBob.isAlive() is False
 
-    assert 'alice@' + aliceDomain in open(bobDir + '/accounts/bob@' +
-                                          bobDomain + '/followers.txt').read()
-    assert 'bob@' + bobDomain in open(aliceDir + '/accounts/alice@' +
-                                      aliceDomain + '/following.txt').read()
-
     # queue item removed
     time.sleep(4)
     assert len([name for name in os.listdir(queuePath)
diff --git a/utils.py b/utils.py
index c39b042fd..875bb0582 100644
--- a/utils.py
+++ b/utils.py
@@ -369,24 +369,27 @@ def followPerson(baseDir: str, nickname: str, domain: str,
                 content = f.read()
                 f.seek(0, 0)
                 f.write(handleToFollow + '\n' + content)
-                if debug:
-                    print('DEBUG: follow added')
+                print('DEBUG: follow added')
         except Exception as e:
             print('WARN: Failed to write entry to follow file ' +
                   filename + ' ' + str(e))
     else:
         # first follow
         if debug:
-            print('DEBUG: creating new following file to follow ' +
-                  handleToFollow)
+            print('DEBUG: ' + handle +
+                  ' creating new following file to follow ' + handleToFollow +
+                  ', filename is ' + filename)
         with open(filename, 'w+') as f:
             f.write(handleToFollow + '\n')
 
     # Default to adding new follows to the calendar.
     # Possibly this could be made optional
-    if followFile == 'following.txt':
+    if followFile.endswith('following.txt'):
         # if following a person add them to the list of
         # calendar follows
+        print('DEBUG: adding ' +
+              followNickname + '@' + followDomain + ' to calendar of ' +
+              nickname + '@' + domain)
         addPersonToCalendar(baseDir, nickname, domain,
                             followNickname, followDomain)
     return True