diff --git a/posts.py b/posts.py
index 20dac08e4..05e68a497 100644
--- a/posts.py
+++ b/posts.py
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ from session import postImage
 from webfinger import webfingerHandle
 from httpsig import createSignedHeader
 from siteactive import siteIsActive
+from utils import rejectPostId
 from utils import removeInvalidChars
 from utils import fileLastModified
 from utils import isPublicPost
@@ -3884,14 +3885,7 @@ def _rejectAnnounce(announceFilename: str,
                     announcePostId: str):
     """Marks an announce as rejected
     """
-    # reject the announce activity
-    announcePostFilename = \
-        locatePost(baseDir, nickname, domain, announcePostId)
-    if announcePostFilename:
-        rejectAnnounceFile = open(announcePostFilename + '.reject', "w+")
-        if rejectAnnounceFile:
-            rejectAnnounceFile.write('\n')
-            rejectAnnounceFile.close()
+    rejectPostId(baseDir, nickname, domain, announcePostId)
 
     # reject the post referenced by the announce activity object
     if not os.path.isfile(announceFilename + '.reject'):
diff --git a/utils.py b/utils.py
index 859b138d8..33535dc78 100644
--- a/utils.py
+++ b/utils.py
@@ -2034,3 +2034,16 @@ def camelCaseSplit(text: str) -> str:
     for word in matches:
         resultStr += word.group(0) + ' '
     return resultStr.strip()
+
+
+def rejectPostId(baseDir: str, nickname: str, domain: str,
+                 postId: str) -> None:
+    """ Marks the given post as rejected
+    """
+    postFilename = locatePost(baseDir, nickname, domain, postId)
+    if not postFilename:
+        return
+    rejectFile = open(postFilename + '.reject', "w+")
+    if rejectFile:
+        rejectFile.write('\n')
+        rejectFile.close()
diff --git a/webapp_post.py b/webapp_post.py
index 2dfee6d26..035f8bddb 100644
--- a/webapp_post.py
+++ b/webapp_post.py
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ from posts import getPersonBox
 from posts import isDM
 from posts import downloadAnnounce
 from posts import populateRepliesJson
+from utils import rejectPostId
 from utils import isRecentPost
 from utils import getConfigParam
 from utils import getFullDomain
@@ -1291,14 +1292,7 @@ def individualPostAsHtml(allowDownloads: bool,
                              allowLocalNetworkAccess)
         if not postJsonAnnounce:
             # if the announce could not be downloaded then mark it as rejected
-            announceFilename = \
-                locatePost(baseDir, nickname, domain,
-                           postJsonObject['id'])
-            if announceFilename:
-                rejectFile = open(announceFilename + '.reject', "w+")
-                if rejectFile:
-                    rejectFile.write('\n')
-                    rejectFile.close()
+            rejectPostId(baseDir, nickname, domain, postJsonObject['id'])
             return ''
         postJsonObject = postJsonAnnounce