diff --git a/daemon_utils.py b/daemon_utils.py
index 3068611be..9ffc6e51b 100644
--- a/daemon_utils.py
+++ b/daemon_utils.py
@@ -36,7 +36,6 @@ from utils import get_instance_url
 from utils import remove_html
 from utils import get_locked_account
 from utils import post_summary_contains_links
-from utils import local_only_is_local
 from utils import get_local_network_addresses
 from utils import has_object_dict
 from utils import get_nickname_from_actor
@@ -44,6 +43,7 @@ from utils import get_domain_from_actor
 from utils import get_actor_from_post
 from utils import has_actor
 from utils import resembles_url
+from flags import local_only_is_local
 from flags import is_system_account
 from cache import check_for_changed_actor
 from cache import get_person_from_cache
diff --git a/flags.py b/flags.py
index 326824fbe..18a61033a 100644
--- a/flags.py
+++ b/flags.py
@@ -13,6 +13,8 @@ from timeFunctions import date_utcnow
 from timeFunctions import get_published_date
 from timeFunctions import date_from_string_format
 from timeFunctions import date_epoch
+from utils import get_full_domain
+from utils import get_domain_from_actor
 from utils import acct_dir
 from utils import data_dir
 from utils import get_config_param
@@ -680,3 +682,40 @@ def can_reply_to(base_dir: str, nickname: str, domain: str,
        hours_since_publication >= reply_interval_hours:
         return False
     return True
+
+
+def local_only_is_local(message_json: {}, domain_full: str) -> bool:
+    """Returns True if the given json post is verified as local only
+    """
+    if message_json['object']['localOnly'] is not True:
+        return True
+
+    # check that the to addresses are local
+    if isinstance(message_json['object']['to'], list):
+        for to_actor in message_json['object']['to']:
+            to_domain, to_port = \
+                get_domain_from_actor(to_actor)
+            if not to_domain:
+                continue
+            to_domain_full = \
+                get_full_domain(to_domain, to_port)
+            if domain_full != to_domain_full:
+                print("REJECT: inbox " +
+                      "local only post isn't local " +
+                      str(message_json))
+                return False
+
+    # check that the sender is local
+    attrib_field = message_json['object']['attributedTo']
+    local_actor = get_attributed_to(attrib_field)
+    local_domain, local_port = \
+        get_domain_from_actor(local_actor)
+    if local_domain:
+        local_domain_full = \
+            get_full_domain(local_domain, local_port)
+        if domain_full != local_domain_full:
+            print("REJECT: " +
+                  "inbox local only post isn't local " +
+                  str(message_json))
+            return False
+    return True
diff --git a/utils.py b/utils.py
index dbd008b1e..6c0d04e56 100644
--- a/utils.py
+++ b/utils.py
@@ -3842,43 +3842,6 @@ def resembles_url(text: str) -> bool:
     return False
 
 
-def local_only_is_local(message_json: {}, domain_full: str) -> bool:
-    """Returns True if the given json post is verified as local only
-    """
-    if message_json['object']['localOnly'] is not True:
-        return True
-
-    # check that the to addresses are local
-    if isinstance(message_json['object']['to'], list):
-        for to_actor in message_json['object']['to']:
-            to_domain, to_port = \
-                get_domain_from_actor(to_actor)
-            if not to_domain:
-                continue
-            to_domain_full = \
-                get_full_domain(to_domain, to_port)
-            if domain_full != to_domain_full:
-                print("REJECT: inbox " +
-                      "local only post isn't local " +
-                      str(message_json))
-                return False
-
-    # check that the sender is local
-    attrib_field = message_json['object']['attributedTo']
-    local_actor = get_attributed_to(attrib_field)
-    local_domain, local_port = \
-        get_domain_from_actor(local_actor)
-    if local_domain:
-        local_domain_full = \
-            get_full_domain(local_domain, local_port)
-        if domain_full != local_domain_full:
-            print("REJECT: " +
-                  "inbox local only post isn't local " +
-                  str(message_json))
-            return False
-    return True
-
-
 def post_summary_contains_links(message_json: {}) -> bool:
     """check if the json post summary contains links
     """