diff --git a/daemon.py b/daemon.py
index bc164aad..cc4dea4a 100644
--- a/daemon.py
+++ b/daemon.py
@@ -1078,9 +1078,18 @@ class PubServer(BaseHTTPRequestHandler):
             followerNickname=originPathStr.replace('/users/','')
             followingHandle=self.path.split('/followdeny=')[1]
             if '@' in followingHandle:
-                manualDenyFollowRequest(self.server.baseDir, \
-                                        followerNickname,self.server.domain, \
-                                        followingHandle)
+                manualDenyFollowRequest(self.server.session, \
+                                        self.server.baseDir, \
+                                        self.server.httpPrefix, \
+                                        followerNickname,self.server.domain,self.server.port, \
+                                        followingHandle, \
+                                        self.server.federationList, \
+                                        self.server.sendThreads, \
+                                        self.server.postLog, \
+                                        self.server.cachedWebfingers, \
+                                        self.server.personCache, \
+                                        self.server.debug, \
+                                        self.server.projectVersion)
             self._redirect_headers(originPathStr,cookie)
             self.server.GETbusy=False
             return
diff --git a/epicyon.py b/epicyon.py
index 0e6b77a1..2efd856b 100644
--- a/epicyon.py
+++ b/epicyon.py
@@ -432,6 +432,7 @@ if args.approve:
     if '@' not in args.approve:
         print('syntax: --approve nick@domain')
         sys.exit()
+    session = createSession(domain,port,useTor)        
     sendThreads=[]
     postLog=[]
     cachedWebfingers={}
@@ -455,7 +456,19 @@ if args.deny:
     if '@' not in args.deny:
         print('syntax: --deny nick@domain')
         sys.exit()
-    manualDenyFollowRequest(baseDir,args.nickname,domain,args.deny)
+    session = createSession(domain,port,useTor)        
+    sendThreads=[]
+    postLog=[]
+    cachedWebfingers={}
+    personCache={}
+    manualDenyFollowRequest(session,baseDir, \
+                            httpPrefix,
+                            args.nickname,domain,port, \
+                            args.deny, \
+                            federationList, \
+                            sendThreads,postLog, \
+                            cachedWebfingers,personCache, \
+                            debug,__version__)
     sys.exit()
 
 if args.followerspending:
diff --git a/follow.py b/follow.py
index 911df897..686b608a 100644
--- a/follow.py
+++ b/follow.py
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ from utils import followPerson
 from posts import sendSignedJson
 from posts import getPersonBox
 from acceptreject import createAccept
+from acceptreject import createReject
 from webfinger import webfingerHandle
 from auth import createBasicAuthHeader
 from auth import createPassword
@@ -510,6 +511,39 @@ def followedAccountAccepts(session,baseDir: str,httpPrefix: str, \
                           sendThreads,postLog,cachedWebfingers, \
                           personCache,debug,projectVersion)
 
+def followedAccountRejects(session,baseDir: str,httpPrefix: str, \
+                           nicknameToFollow: str,domainToFollow: str,port: int, \
+                           nickname: str,domain: str,fromPort: int, \
+                           personUrl: str,federationList: [], \
+                           followJson: {}, \
+                           sendThreads: [],postLog: [], \
+                           cachedWebfingers: {},personCache: {}, \
+                           debug: bool,projectVersion: str):
+    """The person receiving a follow request rejects the new follower
+    and sends back a Reject activity
+    """
+    # send reject back
+    if debug:
+        print('DEBUG: sending Reject activity for follow request which arrived at '+ \
+              nicknameToFollow+'@'+domainToFollow+' back to '+nickname+'@'+domain)
+    rejectJson=createReject(baseDir,federationList, \
+                            nicknameToFollow,domainToFollow,port, \
+                            personUrl,'',httpPrefix,followJson)
+    if debug:
+        pprint(rejectJson)
+        print('DEBUG: sending follow Reject from '+ \
+              nicknameToFollow+'@'+domainToFollow+ \
+              ' port '+str(port)+' to '+ \
+              nickname+'@'+domain+' port '+ str(fromPort))
+    clientToServer=False
+    return sendSignedJson(rejectJson,session,baseDir, \
+                          nicknameToFollow,domainToFollow,port, \
+                          nickname,domain,fromPort, '', \
+                          httpPrefix,True,clientToServer, \
+                          federationList, \
+                          sendThreads,postLog,cachedWebfingers, \
+                          personCache,debug,projectVersion)
+
 def sendFollowRequest(session,baseDir: str, \
                       nickname: str,domain: str,port: int,httpPrefix: str, \
                       followNickname: str,followDomain: str, \
diff --git a/manualapprove.py b/manualapprove.py
index 03b5dcdd..f8d61040 100644
--- a/manualapprove.py
+++ b/manualapprove.py
@@ -11,8 +11,17 @@ import json
 import commentjson
 
 from follow import followedAccountAccepts
+from follow import followedAccountRejects
 
-def manualDenyFollowRequest(baseDir: str,nickname: str,domain: str,denyHandle: str) -> None:
+def manualDenyFollowRequest(session,baseDir: str, \
+                            httpPrefix: str,
+                            nickname: str,domain: str,port: int, \
+                            denyHandle: str, \
+                            federationList: [], \
+                            sendThreads: [],postLog: [], \
+                            cachedWebfingers: {},personCache: {}, \
+                            debug: bool, \
+                            projectVersion: str) -> None:
     """Manually deny a follow request
     """
     handle=nickname+'@'+domain
@@ -44,6 +53,21 @@ def manualDenyFollowRequest(baseDir: str,nickname: str,domain: str,denyHandle: s
     rejectsFile=open(rejectedFollowsFilename, "a+")
     rejectsFile.write(denyHandle+'\n')
     rejectsFile.close()
+    
+    denyNickname=denyHandle.split('@')[0]
+    approveDomain=denyHandle.split('@')[1].replace('\n','')
+    approvePort=port
+    if ':' in denyDomain:
+        denyPort=denyDomain.split(':')[1]
+        denyDomain=denyDomain.split(':')[0]
+    followedAccountRejects(session,baseDir,httpPrefix, \
+                           nickname,domain,port, \
+                           denyNickname,denyDomain,denyPort, \
+                           followJson['actor'],federationList, \
+                           followJson, \
+                           sendThreads,postLog, \
+                           cachedWebfingers,personCache, \
+                           debug,projectVersion)
 
     print('Follow request from '+denyHandle+' was denied.')