diff --git a/src/Core/Protocol.php b/src/Core/Protocol.php
index 796add555..bba7149a0 100644
--- a/src/Core/Protocol.php
+++ b/src/Core/Protocol.php
@@ -21,7 +21,9 @@
 
 namespace Friendica\Core;
 
+use Friendica\Database\DBA;
 use Friendica\DI;
+use Friendica\Model\User;
 use Friendica\Network\HTTPException;
 use Friendica\Protocol\Activity;
 use Friendica\Protocol\ActivityPub;
@@ -208,6 +210,59 @@ class Protocol
 		return $display_name . ' (' . self::getAddrFromProfileUrl($profile_url) . ')';
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * Send a follow message to a remote server.
+	 *
+	 * @param int     $uid      User Id
+	 * @param array   $contact  Contact being followed
+	 * @param ?string $protocol Expected protocol
+	 * @return bool Only returns false in the unlikely case an ActivityPub contact ID doesn't exist (???)
+	 * @throws HTTPException\InternalServerErrorException
+	 * @throws \ImagickException
+	 */
+	public static function follow(int $uid, array $contact, ?string $protocol = null): bool
+	{
+		$owner = User::getOwnerDataById($uid);
+		if (!DBA::isResult($owner)) {
+			return true;
+		}
+
+		$protocol = $protocol ?? $contact['protocol'];
+
+		if (in_array($protocol, [Protocol::OSTATUS, Protocol::DFRN])) {
+			// create a follow slap
+			$item = [
+				'verb'    => Activity::FOLLOW,
+				'gravity' => GRAVITY_ACTIVITY,
+				'follow'  => $contact['url'],
+				'body'    => '',
+				'title'   => '',
+				'guid'    => '',
+				'uri-id'  => 0,
+			];
+
+			$slap = OStatus::salmon($item, $owner);
+
+			if (!empty($contact['notify'])) {
+				Salmon::slapper($owner, $contact['notify'], $slap);
+			}
+		} elseif ($protocol == Protocol::DIASPORA) {
+			$contact = Diaspora::sendShare($owner, $contact);
+			Logger::notice('share returns: ' . $contact);
+		} elseif ($protocol == Protocol::ACTIVITYPUB) {
+			$activity_id = ActivityPub\Transmitter::activityIDFromContact($contact['id']);
+			if (empty($activity_id)) {
+				// This really should never happen
+				return false;
+			}
+
+			$success = ActivityPub\Transmitter::sendActivity('Follow', $contact['url'], $owner['uid'], $activity_id);
+			Logger::notice('Follow returns: ' . $success);
+		}
+
+		return true;
+	}
+
 	/**
 	 * Sends an unfriend message. Does not remove the contact
 	 *
diff --git a/src/Model/Contact.php b/src/Model/Contact.php
index 50ae42418..4898ec567 100644
--- a/src/Model/Contact.php
+++ b/src/Model/Contact.php
@@ -2508,61 +2508,11 @@ class Contact
 			Worker::add(PRIORITY_HIGH, 'UpdateContact', $contact_id);
 		}
 
-		$owner = User::getOwnerDataById($uid);
+		$result['success'] = Protocol::follow($uid, $contact, $protocol);
 
-		if (DBA::isResult($owner)) {
-			if (in_array($protocol, [Protocol::OSTATUS, Protocol::DFRN])) {
-				// create a follow slap
-				$item = [];
-				$item['verb'] = Activity::FOLLOW;
-				$item['gravity'] = GRAVITY_ACTIVITY;
-				$item['follow'] = $contact["url"];
-				$item['body'] = '';
-				$item['title'] = '';
-				$item['guid'] = '';
-				$item['uri-id'] = 0;
-
-				$slap = OStatus::salmon($item, $owner);
-
-				if (!empty($contact['notify'])) {
-					Salmon::slapper($owner, $contact['notify'], $slap);
-				}
-			} elseif ($protocol == Protocol::DIASPORA) {
-				$ret = Diaspora::sendShare($owner, $contact);
-				Logger::notice('share returns: ' . $ret);
-			} elseif ($protocol == Protocol::ACTIVITYPUB) {
-				$activity_id = ActivityPub\Transmitter::activityIDFromContact($contact_id);
-				if (empty($activity_id)) {
-					// This really should never happen
-					return false;
-				}
-
-				$ret = ActivityPub\Transmitter::sendActivity('Follow', $contact['url'], $uid, $activity_id);
-				Logger::notice('Follow returns: ' . $ret);
-			}
-		}
-
-		$result['success'] = true;
 		return $result;
 	}
 
-	/**
-	 * Follow a contact
-	 *
-	 * @param int $cid Public contact id
-	 * @param int $uid  User ID
-	 *
-	 * @return bool "true" if following had been successful
-	 */
-	public static function follow(int $cid, int $uid)
-	{
-		$contact = self::getById($cid, ['url']);
-
-		$result = self::createFromProbeForUser($uid, $contact['url']);
-
-		return $result['cid'];
-	}
-
 	/**
 	 * Unfollow a contact
 	 *
diff --git a/src/Module/Api/Mastodon/Accounts/Follow.php b/src/Module/Api/Mastodon/Accounts/Follow.php
index 86b932421..2076d3307 100644
--- a/src/Module/Api/Mastodon/Accounts/Follow.php
+++ b/src/Module/Api/Mastodon/Accounts/Follow.php
@@ -40,8 +40,14 @@ class Follow extends BaseApi
 			DI::mstdnError()->UnprocessableEntity();
 		}
 
-		$cid = Contact::follow($this->parameters['id'], $uid);
+		$contact = Contact::getById($this->parameters['id'], ['url']);
 
-		System::jsonExit(DI::mstdnRelationship()->createFromContactId($cid, $uid)->toArray());
+		$result = Contact::createFromProbeForUser($uid, $contact['url']);
+
+		if (!$result['success']) {
+			DI::mstdnError()->UnprocessableEntity($result['message']);
+		}
+
+		System::jsonExit(DI::mstdnRelationship()->createFromContactId($result['cid'], $uid)->toArray());
 	}
 }