diff --git a/follow.py b/follow.py
index 567187ee..b6973a97 100644
--- a/follow.py
+++ b/follow.py
@@ -505,9 +505,13 @@ def receiveFollowRequest(session,baseDir: str,httpPrefix: str, \
             print('Updating followers file: '+followersFilename+' adding '+approveHandle)
             if os.path.isfile(followersFilename):
                 if approveHandle not in open(followersFilename).read():
-                    followersFile=open(followersFilename, "a+")
-                    followersFile.write(approveHandle+'\n')
-                    followersFile.close()
+                    try:
+                        with open(followersFilename, 'r+') as followersFile:
+                            content = followersFile.read()
+                            followersFile.seek(0, 0)
+                            followersFile.write(approveHandle+'\n'+content)
+                    except Exception as e:
+                        print('WARN: Failed to write entry to followers file '+str(e))
             else:
                 followersFile=open(followersFilename, "w+")
                 followersFile.write(approveHandle+'\n')
diff --git a/utils.py b/utils.py
index b96b0585..53c25a53 100644
--- a/utils.py
+++ b/utils.py
@@ -219,11 +219,17 @@ def followPerson(baseDir: str,nickname: str, domain: str, \
             if debug:
                 print('DEBUG: follow already exists')
             return True
-        with open(filename, "a") as followfile:
-            followfile.write(followNickname+'@'+followDomain+'\n')
-            if debug:
-                print('DEBUG: follow added')
-            return True
+        # prepend to follow file
+        try:
+            with open(filename, 'r+') as followFile:
+                content = followFile.read()
+                followFile.seek(0, 0)
+                followFile.write(followNickname+'@'+followDomain+'\n'+content)
+                if debug:
+                    print('DEBUG: follow added')
+                return True
+        except Exception as e:
+            print('WARN: Failed to write entry to follow file '+filename+' '+str(e))        
     if debug:
         print('DEBUG: creating new following file')
     with open(filename, "w") as followfile: