diff --git a/blueprints/api.py b/blueprints/api.py
index 2fe03f6..cb71d39 100644
--- a/blueprints/api.py
+++ b/blueprints/api.py
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ from config import JWT
 from config import MEDIA_CACHE
 from config import _drop_db
 from core import feed
+from core.activitypub import accept_follow
 from core.activitypub import activity_url
 from core.activitypub import new_context
 from core.activitypub import post_to_outbox
@@ -353,6 +354,24 @@ def api_undo() -> _Response:
     return _user_api_response(activity=undo_id)
 
 
+@blueprint.route("/accept_follow", methods=["POST"])
+@api_required
+def api_accept_follow() -> _Response:
+    oid = _user_api_arg("id")
+    doc = DB.activities.find_one({"box": Box.INBOX.value, "remote_id": oid})
+    print(doc)
+    if not doc:
+        raise ActivityNotFoundError(f"cannot found {oid}")
+
+    obj = ap.parse_activity(doc.get("activity"))
+    if not obj.has_type(ap.ActivityType.FOLLOW):
+        raise ValueError(f"{obj} is not a Follow activity")
+
+    accept_id = accept_follow(obj)
+
+    return _user_api_response(activity=accept_id)
+
+
 @blueprint.route("/new_list", methods=["POST"])
 @api_required
 def api_new_list() -> _Response:
diff --git a/config.py b/config.py
index eefbf0b..8e93ca9 100644
--- a/config.py
+++ b/config.py
@@ -137,6 +137,8 @@ if PROFILE_METADATA:
             {"type": "PropertyValue", "name": key, "value": linkify(value)}
         )
 
+MANUALLY_APPROVES_FOLLOWERS = bool(conf.get("manually_approves_followers", False))
+
 ME = {
     "@context": DEFAULT_CTX,
     "type": "Person",
@@ -151,7 +153,7 @@ ME = {
     "summary": SUMMARY,
     "endpoints": {},
     "url": ID,
-    "manuallyApprovesFollowers": False,
+    "manuallyApprovesFollowers": MANUALLY_APPROVES_FOLLOWERS,
     "attachment": attachments,
     "icon": {
         "mediaType": mimetypes.guess_type(ICON_URL)[0],
diff --git a/core/activitypub.py b/core/activitypub.py
index ad0c74c..bd5ce4d 100644
--- a/core/activitypub.py
+++ b/core/activitypub.py
@@ -825,3 +825,24 @@ def handle_replies(create: ap.Create) -> None:
 
     # Spawn a task to process it (and determine if it needs to be saved)
     Tasks.process_reply(create.get_object_id())
+
+
+def accept_follow(activity: ap.BaseActivity) -> str:
+    actor_id = activity.get_actor().id
+    accept = ap.Accept(
+        actor=ID,
+        context=new_context(activity),
+        object={
+            "type": "Follow",
+            "id": activity.id,
+            "object": activity.get_object_id(),
+            "actor": actor_id,
+        },
+        to=[actor_id],
+        published=now(),
+    )
+    update_one_activity(
+        by_remote_id(activity.id),
+        upsert({MetaKey.FOLLOW_STATUS: FollowStatus.ACCEPTED.value}),
+    )
+    return post_to_outbox(accept)
diff --git a/core/inbox.py b/core/inbox.py
index 0a76fb6..9ebf78c 100644
--- a/core/inbox.py
+++ b/core/inbox.py
@@ -8,9 +8,8 @@ from little_boxes.errors import NotAnActivityError
 
 import config
 from core.activitypub import _answer_key
+from core.activitypub import accept_follow
 from core.activitypub import handle_replies
-from core.activitypub import new_context
-from core.activitypub import post_to_outbox
 from core.activitypub import update_cached_actor
 from core.db import DB
 from core.db import update_one_activity
@@ -23,7 +22,6 @@ from core.meta import in_inbox
 from core.meta import inc
 from core.meta import upsert
 from core.tasks import Tasks
-from utils import now
 
 _logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
@@ -179,21 +177,14 @@ def _like_process_inbox(like: ap.Like, new_meta: _NewMeta) -> None:
 @process_inbox.register
 def _follow_process_inbox(activity: ap.Follow, new_meta: _NewMeta) -> None:
     _logger.info(f"process_inbox activity={activity!r}")
-    # Reply to a Follow with an Accept
-    actor_id = activity.get_actor().id
-    accept = ap.Accept(
-        actor=config.ID,
-        context=new_context(activity),
-        object={
-            "type": "Follow",
-            "id": activity.id,
-            "object": activity.get_object_id(),
-            "actor": actor_id,
-        },
-        to=[actor_id],
-        published=now(),
-    )
-    post_to_outbox(accept)
+    # Reply to a Follow with an Accept if we're not manully approving them
+    if not config.MANUALLY_APPROVES_FOLLOWERS:
+        accept_follow(activity)
+    else:
+        update_one_activity(
+            by_remote_id(activity.id),
+            upsert({MetaKey.FOLLOW_STATUS: FollowStatus.WAITING.value}),
+        )
 
 
 def _update_follow_status(follow_id: str, status: FollowStatus) -> None:
diff --git a/core/migrations.py b/core/migrations.py
index 606f0f7..29e9758 100644
--- a/core/migrations.py
+++ b/core/migrations.py
@@ -349,3 +349,15 @@ class _20190906_InReplyToMigration(Migration):
                     )
             except Exception:
                 logger.exception(f"failed to process activity {data!r}")
+
+
+class _20191020_ManuallyApprovesFollowerSupportMigrationn(Migration):
+    def migrate(self) -> None:
+        DB.activities.update_many(
+            {
+                **by_type(ap.ActivityType.FOLLOW),
+                **in_inbox(),
+                "meta.follow_status": {"$exists": False},
+            },
+            {"$set": {"meta.follow_status": "accepted"}},
+        )
diff --git a/templates/stream.html b/templates/stream.html
index b473a8c..3e74b1b 100644
--- a/templates/stream.html
+++ b/templates/stream.html
@@ -176,6 +176,15 @@
 	{% if item | has_type('Follow') %}
     <div style="margin-left:70px;padding-bottom:5px;margin-bottom:15px;display:inline-block;">
     <span class="bar-item-no-hover">new follower</span>
+    <span class="bar-item-no-hover">{{ item.meta.follow_status }}</span>
+    {% if config.MANUALLY_APPROVES_FOLLOWERS and item.meta.follow_status != "accepted"  %}
+    <form action="/api/accept_follow" class="action-form"  method="POST">
+    <input type="hidden" name="redirect" value="{{ request.path }}"/>
+    <input type="hidden" name="id" value="{{ item.remote_id }}"/>
+    <input type="hidden" name="csrf_token" value="{{ csrf_token() }}"/>
+    <button type="submit" class="bar-item">approve follow request</button>
+    </form>
+    {% endif %}
     {% if item.meta.notification_unread %}<span class="bar-item-no-bg"><span class="pcolor">new</span></span>{% endif %}
     <span class="bar-item-no-bg">{{ (item.activity.published or item.meta.published) | format_timeago }}</span>
     <a class="bar-item" href="/admin/profile?actor_id={{item.meta.actor_id}}">profile</a>