diff --git a/mod/follow.php b/mod/follow.php
index e4aecb8a2d..97bf9fcf9a 100644
--- a/mod/follow.php
+++ b/mod/follow.php
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ use Friendica\Model\Profile;
 use Friendica\Model\Item;
 use Friendica\Network\Probe;
 use Friendica\Database\DBA;
+use Friendica\Model\User;
 use Friendica\Util\Strings;
 
 function follow_post(App $a)
@@ -94,88 +95,63 @@ function follow_content(App $a)
 	$submit = DI::l10n()->t('Submit Request');
 
 	// Don't try to add a pending contact
-	$r = q("SELECT `pending` FROM `contact` WHERE `uid` = %d AND ((`rel` != %d) OR (`network` = '%s')) AND
-		(`nurl` = '%s' OR `alias` = '%s' OR `alias` = '%s') AND
-		`network` != '%s' LIMIT 1",
-		intval(local_user()), DBA::escape(Contact::FOLLOWER), DBA::escape(Protocol::DFRN), DBA::escape(Strings::normaliseLink($url)),
-		DBA::escape(Strings::normaliseLink($url)), DBA::escape($url), DBA::escape(Protocol::STATUSNET));
+	$user_contact = DBA::selectFirst('contact', ['pending'], ["`uid` = ? AND ((`rel` != ?) OR (`network` = ?)) AND
+		(`nurl` = ? OR `alias` = ? OR `alias` = ?) AND `network` != ?", 
+		$uid, Contact::FOLLOWER, Protocol::DFRN, Strings::normaliseLink($url),
+		Strings::normaliseLink($url), $url, Protocol::STATUSNET]);
 
-	if ($r) {
-		if ($r[0]['pending']) {
+	if (DBA::isResult($user_contact)) {
+		if ($user_contact['pending']) {
 			notice(DI::l10n()->t('You already added this contact.'));
 			$submit = '';
-			//$a->internalRedirect($_SESSION['return_path']);
-			// NOTREACHED
 		}
 	}
 
-	$ret = Probe::uri($url);
+	$contact = Contact::getByURL($url, 0, [], true);
+	if (empty($contact)) {
+		// Possibly it is a remote item and not an account
+		follow_remote_item($url);
 
-	$protocol = Contact::getProtocol($ret['url'], $ret['network']);
+		notice(DI::l10n()->t("The network type couldn't be detected. Contact can't be added."));
+		$submit = '';
+		$contact = ['url' => $url, 'network' => Protocol::PHANTOM, 'name' => $url, 'keywords' => ''];
+	}
+
+	$protocol = Contact::getProtocol($contact['url'], $contact['network']);
 
 	if (($protocol == Protocol::DIASPORA) && !DI::config()->get('system', 'diaspora_enabled')) {
 		notice(DI::l10n()->t("Diaspora support isn't enabled. Contact can't be added."));
 		$submit = '';
-		//$a->internalRedirect($_SESSION['return_path']);
-		// NOTREACHED
 	}
 
 	if (($protocol == Protocol::OSTATUS) && DI::config()->get('system', 'ostatus_disabled')) {
 		notice(DI::l10n()->t("OStatus support is disabled. Contact can't be added."));
 		$submit = '';
-		//$a->internalRedirect($_SESSION['return_path']);
-		// NOTREACHED
-	}
-
-	if ($protocol == Protocol::PHANTOM) {
-		// Possibly it is a remote item and not an account
-		follow_remote_item($ret['url']);
-
-		notice(DI::l10n()->t("The network type couldn't be detected. Contact can't be added."));
-		$submit = '';
-		//$a->internalRedirect($_SESSION['return_path']);
-		// NOTREACHED
 	}
 
 	if ($protocol == Protocol::MAIL) {
-		$ret['url'] = $ret['addr'];
+		$contact['url'] = $contact['addr'];
 	}
 
-	if (($protocol === Protocol::DFRN) && !DBA::isResult($r)) {
-		$request = $ret['request'];
+	if (($protocol === Protocol::DFRN) && !DBA::isResult($contact)) {
+		$request = $contact['request'];
 		$tpl = Renderer::getMarkupTemplate('dfrn_request.tpl');
 	} else {
 		$request = DI::baseUrl() . '/follow';
 		$tpl = Renderer::getMarkupTemplate('auto_request.tpl');
 	}
 
-	$r = q("SELECT `url` FROM `contact` WHERE `uid` = %d AND `self` LIMIT 1", intval($uid));
-
-	if (!$r) {
+	$owner = User::getOwnerDataById($uid);
+	if (empty($owner)) {
 		notice(DI::l10n()->t('Permission denied.'));
 		DI::baseUrl()->redirect($return_path);
 		// NOTREACHED
 	}
 
-	$myaddr = $r[0]['url'];
-	$gcontact_id = 0;
+	$myaddr = $owner['url'];
 
 	// Makes the connection request for friendica contacts easier
-	$_SESSION['fastlane'] = $ret['url'];
-
-	$r = q("SELECT `id`, `location`, `about`, `keywords` FROM `gcontact` WHERE `nurl` = '%s'",
-		Strings::normaliseLink($ret['url']));
-
-	if (!$r) {
-		$r = [['location' => '', 'about' => '', 'keywords' => '']];
-	} else {
-		$gcontact_id = $r[0]['id'];
-	}
-
-	if ($protocol === Protocol::DIASPORA) {
-		$r[0]['location'] = '';
-		$r[0]['about'] = '';
-	}
+	$_SESSION['fastlane'] = $contact['url'];
 
 	$o = Renderer::replaceMacros($tpl, [
 		'$header'        => DI::l10n()->t('Connect/Follow'),
@@ -187,30 +163,27 @@ function follow_content(App $a)
 		'$cancel'        => DI::l10n()->t('Cancel'),
 
 		'$request'       => $request,
-		'$name'          => $ret['name'],
-		'$url'           => $ret['url'],
-		'$zrl'           => Profile::zrl($ret['url']),
+		'$name'          => $contact['name'],
+		'$url'           => $contact['url'],
+		'$zrl'           => Profile::zrl($contact['url']),
 		'$myaddr'        => $myaddr,
-		'$keywords'      => $r[0]['keywords'],
+		'$keywords'      => $contact['keywords'],
 
-		'$does_know_you' => ['knowyou', DI::l10n()->t('%s knows you', $ret['name'])],
+		'$does_know_you' => ['knowyou', DI::l10n()->t('%s knows you', $contact['name'])],
 		'$addnote_field' => ['dfrn-request-message', DI::l10n()->t('Add a personal note:')],
 	]);
 
 	DI::page()['aside'] = '';
 
-	$profiledata = Contact::getDetailsByURL($ret['url']);
-	if ($profiledata) {
-		Profile::load($a, '', $profiledata, false);
-	}
+	if ($protocol != Protocol::PHANTOM) {
+		Profile::load($a, '', $contact, false);
 
-	if ($gcontact_id <> 0) {
 		$o .= Renderer::replaceMacros(Renderer::getMarkupTemplate('section_title.tpl'),
 			['$title' => DI::l10n()->t('Status Messages and Posts')]
 		);
 
 		// Show last public posts
-		$o .= Contact::getPostsFromUrl($ret['url']);
+		$o .= Contact::getPostsFromUrl($contact['url']);
 	}
 
 	return $o;