diff --git a/activitypub.c b/activitypub.c
index d54e5ba..3ea05f5 100644
--- a/activitypub.c
+++ b/activitypub.c
@@ -380,6 +380,34 @@ d_char *msg_create(snac *snac, char *object)
 }
 
 
+d_char *msg_follow(snac *snac, char *actor)
+/* creates a 'Follow' message */
+{
+    d_char *actor_o = NULL;
+    d_char *msg = NULL;
+    int status;
+
+    /* request the actor */
+    status = actor_request(snac, actor, &actor_o);
+
+    if (valid_status(status)) {
+        /* check if the actor is an alias */
+        char *r_actor = xs_dict_get(actor_o, "id");
+
+        if (r_actor && strcmp(actor, r_actor) != 0) {
+            snac_log(snac, xs_fmt("actor to follow is an alias %s -> %s", actor, r_actor));
+            actor = r_actor;
+        }
+
+        msg = msg_base(snac, "Follow", "@dummy", snac->actor, NULL, actor);
+    }
+    else
+        snac_log(snac, xs_fmt("cannot get actor to follow %s %d", actor, status));
+
+    return msg;
+}
+
+
 d_char *msg_note(snac *snac, char *content, char *rcpts, char *in_reply_to)
 /* creates a 'Note' message */
 {
diff --git a/main.c b/main.c
index c8cba6f..39164d1 100644
--- a/main.c
+++ b/main.c
@@ -19,13 +19,14 @@ int usage(void)
     printf("httpd {basedir}                  Starts the HTTPD daemon\n");
     printf("webfinger {basedir} {user}       Queries about a @user@host or actor\n");
     printf("queue {basedir} {uid}            Processes a user queue\n");
+    printf("follow {basedir} {uid} {actor}   Follows an actor\n");
+
 //    printf("check {basedir} [{uid}]          Checks the database\n");
 //    printf("purge {basedir} [{uid}]          Purges old data\n");
 //    printf("adduser {basedir} [{uid}]        Adds a new user\n");
 
 //    printf("update {basedir} {uid}           Sends a user update to followers\n");
 //    printf("passwd {basedir} {uid}           Sets the password for {uid}\n");
-//    printf("follow {basedir} {uid} {actor}   Follows an actor\n");
 //    printf("unfollow {basedir} {uid} {actor} Unfollows an actor\n");
 //    printf("mute {basedir} {uid} {actor}     Mutes an actor\n");
 //    printf("unmute {basedir} {uid} {actor}   Unmutes an actor\n");
@@ -124,8 +125,29 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
         if (msg != NULL) {
             post(&snac, msg);
 
-            xs *j = xs_json_dumps_pp(msg, 4);
-            printf("%s\n", j);
+            if (dbglevel) {
+                xs *j = xs_json_dumps_pp(msg, 4);
+                printf("%s\n", j);
+            }
+        }
+
+        return 0;
+    }
+
+    if (strcmp(cmd, "follow") == 0) {
+        xs *msg = msg_follow(&snac, url);
+
+        if (msg != NULL) {
+            char *actor = xs_dict_get(msg, "object");
+
+            following_add(&snac, actor, msg);
+
+            enqueue_output(&snac, msg, actor, 0);
+
+            if (dbglevel) {
+                xs *j = xs_json_dumps_pp(msg, 4);
+                printf("%s\n", j);
+            }
         }
 
         return 0;
@@ -164,7 +186,6 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
     }
 
     if (strcmp(cmd, "note") == 0) {
-        int status;
         xs *content = NULL;
         xs *msg = NULL;
         xs *c_msg = NULL;
@@ -194,7 +215,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 
         c_msg = msg_create(&snac, msg);
 
-        {
+        if (dbglevel) {
             xs *j = xs_json_dumps_pp(c_msg, 4);
             printf("%s\n", j);
         }
diff --git a/snac.h b/snac.h
index 7d671db..3e83be0 100644
--- a/snac.h
+++ b/snac.h
@@ -89,6 +89,7 @@ int webfinger_get_handler(d_char *req, char *q_path,
 
 d_char *msg_admiration(snac *snac, char *object, char *type);
 d_char *msg_create(snac *snac, char *object);
+d_char *msg_follow(snac *snac, char *actor);
 d_char *msg_note(snac *snac, char *content, char *rcpts, char *in_reply_to);
 
 int activitypub_request(snac *snac, char *url, d_char **data);