diff --git a/src/admin.ts b/src/admin.ts
index 638400d..6d3ac53 100644
--- a/src/admin.ts
+++ b/src/admin.ts
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ import { idsFromValue } from "./activitypub"
 import * as db from "./db"
 import { ACTOR, ADMIN_PASSWORD, ADMIN_USERNAME, BASE_URL } from "./env"
 import outbox from "./outbox"
-import { fetchObject } from "./request"
+import { activityMimeTypes, fetchObject } from "./request"
 
 export default (req: Request): Response | Promise<Response> | undefined => {
   const url = new URL(req.url)
@@ -78,13 +78,31 @@ const create = async (req:Request, inReplyTo:string|null = null):Promise<Respons
 }
 
 const follow = async (req:Request, handle:string):Promise<Response> => {
+  let url
+  if(handle.startsWith('@')) handle = handle.substring(1)
+  try { 
+    url = new URL(handle).href
+  }
+  catch {
+    // this is not a valid url. Probably a someone@domain.tld format
+    const [user, host] = handle.split('@')
+    const res = await fetch(`https://${host}/.well-known/webfinger/?resource=acct:${handle}`)
+    const webfinger = await res.json()
+    if(!webfinger.links) return new Response("", { status: 404 })
+    const links:any[] = webfinger.links
+    const actorLink = links.find(l => l.rel === "self" && (activityMimeTypes.includes(l.type)))
+    if(!actorLink) return new Response("", { status: 404 })
+    url = actorLink.href
+  }
+  console.log(`Follow ${url}`)
+
   // send the follow request to the supplied actor
   return await outbox({
     "@context": "https://www.w3.org/ns/activitystreams",
     type: "Follow",
     actor: ACTOR,
-    object: handle,
-    to: [handle, "https://www.w3.org/ns/activitystreams#Public"]
+    object: url,
+    to: [url, "https://www.w3.org/ns/activitystreams#Public"]
   })
 }