diff --git a/inbox.py b/inbox.py
index 01623b270..f44d17d2b 100644
--- a/inbox.py
+++ b/inbox.py
@@ -58,6 +58,7 @@ from utils import updateAnnounceCollection
 from utils import undoAnnounceCollectionEntry
 from utils import dangerousMarkup
 from httpsig import messageContentDigest
+from posts import createDirectMessagePost
 from posts import validContentWarning
 from posts import downloadAnnounce
 from posts import isDM
@@ -2056,6 +2057,67 @@ def _updateLastSeen(baseDir: str, handle: str, actor: str) -> None:
         lastSeenFile.write(str(daysSinceEpoch))
 
 
+def _bounceDM(senderPostId: str, session, httpPrefix: str,
+              baseDir: str, nickname: str, domain: str, port: int,
+              sendingHandle: str, federationList: [],
+              sendThreads: [], postLog: [],
+              cachedWebfingers: {}, personCache: {},
+              translate: {}, debug: bool) -> None:
+    """Sends a bounce message back to the sending handle
+    if a DM has been rejected
+    """
+    print(nickname + '@' + domain +
+          ' cannot receive DM from ' + sendingHandle +
+          ' because they do not follow them')
+    senderNickname = sendingHandle.split('@')[0]
+    senderDomain = sendingHandle.split('@')[1]
+    senderPort = port
+    if ':' in senderDomain:
+        senderPortStr = senderDomain.split(':')[1]
+        if senderPortStr.isdigit():
+            senderPort = int(senderPortStr)
+            senderDomain = senderDomain.split(':')[0]
+    cc = []
+
+    # create the bounce DM
+    subject = None
+    content = translate['DM bounce']
+    followersOnly = False
+    saveToFile = False
+    clientToServer = False
+    commentsEnabled = False
+    attachImageFilename = None
+    mediaType = None
+    imageDescription = ''
+    inReplyTo = removeIdEnding(senderPostId)
+    inReplyToAtomUri = None
+    schedulePost = False
+    eventDate = None
+    eventTime = None
+    location = None
+    postJsonObject = \
+        createDirectMessagePost(baseDir, nickname, domain, port,
+                                httpPrefix, content, followersOnly,
+                                saveToFile, clientToServer,
+                                commentsEnabled,
+                                attachImageFilename, mediaType,
+                                imageDescription,
+                                inReplyTo, inReplyToAtomUri,
+                                subject, debug, schedulePost,
+                                eventDate, eventTime, location)
+    if not postJsonObject:
+        print('WARN: unable to create bounce message to ' + sendingHandle)
+        return
+    # bounce DM goes back to the sender
+    print('Sending bounce DM to ' + sendingHandle)
+    sendSignedJson(postJsonObject, session, baseDir,
+                   nickname, domain, port,
+                   senderNickname, senderDomain, senderPort, cc,
+                   httpPrefix, False, False, federationList,
+                   sendThreads, postLog, cachedWebfingers,
+                   personCache, debug, __version__)
+
+
 def _inboxAfterInitial(recentPostsCache: {}, maxRecentPosts: int,
                        session, keyId: str, handle: str, messageJson: {},
                        baseDir: str, httpPrefix: str, sendThreads: [],
@@ -2302,11 +2364,17 @@ def _inboxAfterInitial(recentPostsCache: {}, maxRecentPosts: int,
                             if not isFollowingActor(baseDir,
                                                     nickname, domain,
                                                     sendH):
-                                print(nickname + '@' + domain +
-                                      ' cannot receive DM from ' +
-                                      sendH +
-                                      ' because they do not ' +
-                                      'follow them')
+                                # send back a bounce DM
+                                if postJsonObject.get('id'):
+                                    senderPostId = \
+                                        postJsonObject['id']
+                                    _bounceDM(senderPostId,
+                                              session, httpPrefix,
+                                              baseDir, nickname, domain, port,
+                                              sendH, federationList,
+                                              sendThreads, postLog,
+                                              cachedWebfingers, personCache,
+                                              translate, debug)
                                 return False
 
                     # dm index will be updated
diff --git a/translations/ar.json b/translations/ar.json
index bec3a0389..6d4b5b6d8 100644
--- a/translations/ar.json
+++ b/translations/ar.json
@@ -370,5 +370,6 @@
     "Publish a blog article": "نشر مقال بلوق",
     "Featured writer": "كاتب متميز",
     "Broch mode": "وضع الكتيب",
-    "Pixel": "بكسل"
+    "Pixel": "بكسل",
+    "DM bounce": "يتم قبول الرسائل فقط من الحسابات المتبعة"
 }
diff --git a/translations/ca.json b/translations/ca.json
index ae3607114..17ee18c1c 100644
--- a/translations/ca.json
+++ b/translations/ca.json
@@ -370,5 +370,6 @@
     "Publish a blog article": "Publicar un article del bloc",
     "Featured writer": "Escriptor destacat",
     "Broch mode": "Mode Broch",
-    "Pixel": "Pixel"
+    "Pixel": "Pixel",
+    "DM bounce": "Els missatges només s’accepten des dels comptes seguits"
 }
diff --git a/translations/cy.json b/translations/cy.json
index 0ab618d79..b3e77400d 100644
--- a/translations/cy.json
+++ b/translations/cy.json
@@ -370,5 +370,6 @@
     "Publish a blog article": "Cyhoeddi erthygl blog",
     "Featured writer": "Awdur dan sylw",
     "Broch mode": "Modd Broch",
-    "Pixel": "Pixel"
+    "Pixel": "Pixel",
+    "DM bounce": "Dim ond o gyfrifon a ddilynir y derbynnir negeseuon"
 }
diff --git a/translations/de.json b/translations/de.json
index a5f963c83..c7c1cb650 100644
--- a/translations/de.json
+++ b/translations/de.json
@@ -370,5 +370,6 @@
     "Publish a blog article": "Veröffentlichen Sie einen Blog-Artikel",
     "Featured writer": "Ausgewählter Schriftsteller",
     "Broch mode": "Broch-Modus",
-    "Pixel": "Pixel"
+    "Pixel": "Pixel",
+    "DM bounce": "Nachrichten werden nur von folgenden Konten akzeptiert"
 }
diff --git a/translations/en.json b/translations/en.json
index 4d2af2ec5..4e3db4794 100644
--- a/translations/en.json
+++ b/translations/en.json
@@ -370,5 +370,6 @@
     "Publish a blog article": "Publish a blog article",
     "Featured writer": "Featured writer",
     "Broch mode": "Broch mode",
-    "Pixel": "Pixel"
+    "Pixel": "Pixel",
+    "DM bounce": "Messages are only accepted from followed accounts"
 }
diff --git a/translations/es.json b/translations/es.json
index 095363f66..fa7f25060 100644
--- a/translations/es.json
+++ b/translations/es.json
@@ -370,5 +370,6 @@
     "Publish a blog article": "Publica un artículo de blog",
     "Featured writer": "Escritora destacada",
     "Broch mode": "Modo broche",
-    "Pixel": "Pixel"
+    "Pixel": "Pixel",
+    "DM bounce": "Solo se aceptan mensajes de cuentas seguidas"
 }
diff --git a/translations/fr.json b/translations/fr.json
index 835b52d5f..0c8d6f0c6 100644
--- a/translations/fr.json
+++ b/translations/fr.json
@@ -370,5 +370,6 @@
     "Publish a blog article": "Publier un article de blog",
     "Featured writer": "Écrivain en vedette",
     "Broch mode": "Mode Broch",
-    "Pixel": "Pixel"
+    "Pixel": "Pixel",
+    "DM bounce": "Les messages ne sont acceptés que des comptes suivis"
 }
diff --git a/translations/ga.json b/translations/ga.json
index b04c8b874..d9eb10393 100644
--- a/translations/ga.json
+++ b/translations/ga.json
@@ -370,5 +370,6 @@
     "Publish a blog article": "Foilsigh alt blagála",
     "Featured writer": "Scríbhneoir mór le rá",
     "Broch mode": "Modh broch",
-    "Pixel": "Pixel"
+    "Pixel": "Pixel",
+    "DM bounce": "Ní ghlactar le teachtaireachtaí ach ó chuntais a leanann"
 }
diff --git a/translations/hi.json b/translations/hi.json
index a3a81ab27..ac8b0b00e 100644
--- a/translations/hi.json
+++ b/translations/hi.json
@@ -370,5 +370,6 @@
     "Publish a blog article": "एक ब्लॉग लेख प्रकाशित करें",
     "Featured writer": "फीचर्ड लेखक",
     "Broch mode": "ब्रोच मोड",
-    "Pixel": "पिक्सेल"
+    "Pixel": "पिक्सेल",
+    "DM bounce": "संदेश केवल अनुसरण किए गए खातों से स्वीकार किए जाते हैं"
 }
diff --git a/translations/it.json b/translations/it.json
index 13a001e35..a22a09d4e 100644
--- a/translations/it.json
+++ b/translations/it.json
@@ -370,5 +370,6 @@
     "Publish a blog article": "Pubblica un articolo sul blog",
     "Featured writer": "Scrittore in primo piano",
     "Broch mode": "Modalità Broch",
-    "Pixel": "Pixel"
+    "Pixel": "Pixel",
+    "DM bounce": "I messaggi sono accettati solo dagli account seguiti"
 }
diff --git a/translations/ja.json b/translations/ja.json
index 36ea8d2ef..736dde695 100644
--- a/translations/ja.json
+++ b/translations/ja.json
@@ -370,5 +370,6 @@
     "Publish a blog article": "ブログ記事を公開する",
     "Featured writer": "注目の作家",
     "Broch mode": "ブロッホモード",
-    "Pixel": "ピクセル"
+    "Pixel": "ピクセル",
+    "DM bounce": "メッセージはフォローされているアカウントからのみ受け付けられます"
 }
diff --git a/translations/oc.json b/translations/oc.json
index ce631490f..75d48eee6 100644
--- a/translations/oc.json
+++ b/translations/oc.json
@@ -366,5 +366,6 @@
     "Publish a blog article": "Publish a blog article",
     "Featured writer": "Featured writer",
     "Broch mode": "Broch mode",
-    "Pixel": "Pixel"
+    "Pixel": "Pixel",
+    "DM bounce": "Messages are only accepted from followed accounts"
 }
diff --git a/translations/pt.json b/translations/pt.json
index b86088f68..e1d37d4f7 100644
--- a/translations/pt.json
+++ b/translations/pt.json
@@ -370,5 +370,6 @@
     "Publish a blog article": "Publique um artigo de blog",
     "Featured writer": "Escritor em destaque",
     "Broch mode": "Modo broch",
-    "Pixel": "Pixel"
+    "Pixel": "Pixel",
+    "DM bounce": "Mensagens são aceitas apenas de contas seguidas"
 }
diff --git a/translations/ru.json b/translations/ru.json
index 88ea8db79..a1d021f05 100644
--- a/translations/ru.json
+++ b/translations/ru.json
@@ -370,5 +370,6 @@
     "Publish a blog article": "Опубликовать статью в блоге",
     "Featured writer": "Избранный писатель",
     "Broch mode": "Брош режим",
-    "Pixel": "Пиксель"
+    "Pixel": "Пиксель",
+    "DM bounce": "Сообщения принимаются только от следующих аккаунтов"
 }
diff --git a/translations/zh.json b/translations/zh.json
index 90283d086..8cd6a124d 100644
--- a/translations/zh.json
+++ b/translations/zh.json
@@ -370,5 +370,6 @@
     "Publish a blog article": "发布博客文章",
     "Featured writer": "特色作家",
     "Broch mode": "断点模式",
-    "Pixel": "像素点"
+    "Pixel": "像素点",
+    "DM bounce": "仅接受来自后续帐户的邮件"
 }