diff --git a/src/activitypub/inbox.js b/src/activitypub/inbox.js
index 33a6f6f83b..d2c117fd44 100644
--- a/src/activitypub/inbox.js
+++ b/src/activitypub/inbox.js
@@ -376,11 +376,11 @@ inbox.accept = async (req) => {
 				if (await db.isSortedSetMember(`followingRemote:${id}`, actor)) return; // already following
 				return reject('Accept', req.body, actor); // not following, not requested, so reject to hopefully stop retries
 			}
-			const now = Date.now();
+			const timestamp = await db.sortedSetScore(`followRequests:uid.${id}`, actor);
 			await Promise.all([
 				db.sortedSetRemove(`followRequests:uid.${id}`, actor),
-				db.sortedSetAdd(`followingRemote:${id}`, now, actor),
-				db.sortedSetAdd(`followersRemote:${actor}`, now, id), // for followers backreference and notes assertion checking
+				db.sortedSetAdd(`followingRemote:${id}`, timestamp, actor),
+				db.sortedSetAdd(`followersRemote:${actor}`, timestamp, id), // for followers backreference and notes assertion checking
 			]);
 			const followingRemoteCount = await db.sortedSetCard(`followingRemote:${id}`);
 			await user.setUserField(id, 'followingRemoteCount', followingRemoteCount);
@@ -389,11 +389,11 @@ inbox.accept = async (req) => {
 				if (await db.isSortedSetMember(`cid:${id}:following`, actor)) return; // already following
 				return reject('Accept', req.body, actor); // not following, not requested, so reject to hopefully stop retries
 			}
-			const now = Date.now();
+			const timestamp = await db.sortedSetScore(`followRequests:cid.${id}`, actor);
 			await Promise.all([
 				db.sortedSetRemove(`followRequests:cid.${id}`, actor),
-				db.sortedSetAdd(`cid:${id}:following`, now, actor),
-				db.sortedSetAdd(`followersRemote:${actor}`, now, `cid|${id}`), // for notes assertion checking
+				db.sortedSetAdd(`cid:${id}:following`, timestamp, actor),
+				db.sortedSetAdd(`followersRemote:${actor}`, timestamp, `cid|${id}`), // for notes assertion checking
 			]);
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/src/api/activitypub.js b/src/api/activitypub.js
index 0008dc82f8..a7362056db 100644
--- a/src/api/activitypub.js
+++ b/src/api/activitypub.js
@@ -42,14 +42,15 @@ activitypubApi.follow = enabledCheck(async (caller, { type, id, actor } = {}) =>
 
 	actor = actor.includes('@') ? await user.getUidByUserslug(actor) : actor;
 	const handle = await user.getUserField(actor, 'username');
+	const timestamp = Date.now();
 
 	await activitypub.send(type, id, [actor], {
-		id: `${nconf.get('url')}/${type}/${id}#activity/follow/${handle}/${Date.now()}`,
+		id: `${nconf.get('url')}/${type}/${id}#activity/follow/${handle}/${timestamp}`,
 		type: 'Follow',
 		object: actor,
 	});
 
-	await db.sortedSetAdd(`followRequests:${type}.${id}`, Date.now(), actor);
+	await db.sortedSetAdd(`followRequests:${type}.${id}`, timestamp, actor);
 });
 
 // should be .undo.follow
@@ -61,9 +62,14 @@ activitypubApi.unfollow = enabledCheck(async (caller, { type, id, actor }) => {
 
 	actor = actor.includes('@') ? await user.getUidByUserslug(actor) : actor;
 	const handle = await user.getUserField(actor, 'username');
+	const timestamps = await db.sortedSetsScore([
+		`followRequests:${type}.${id}`,
+		type === 'uid' ? `followingRemote:${id}` : `cid:${id}:following`,
+	], actor);
+	const timestamp = timestamps[0] || timestamps[1];
 
 	const object = {
-		id: `${nconf.get('url')}/${type}/${id}#activity/follow/${handle}`,
+		id: `${nconf.get('url')}/${type}/${id}#activity/follow/${handle}/${timestamp}`,
 		type: 'Follow',
 		object: actor,
 	};
@@ -74,7 +80,7 @@ activitypubApi.unfollow = enabledCheck(async (caller, { type, id, actor }) => {
 	}
 
 	await activitypub.send(type, id, [actor], {
-		id: `${nconf.get('url')}/${type}/${id}#activity/undo:follow/${handle}/${Date.now()}`,
+		id: `${nconf.get('url')}/${type}/${id}#activity/undo:follow/${handle}/${timestamp}`,
 		type: 'Undo',
 		object,
 	});