diff --git a/mod/follow.php b/mod/follow.php
index 4f0c3fc6fe..d47cec76de 100644
--- a/mod/follow.php
+++ b/mod/follow.php
@@ -41,7 +41,9 @@ function follow_post(App $a)
 		DI::baseUrl()->redirect('contact');
 	}
 
-	follow_process($a);
+	$url = Probe::cleanURI($_REQUEST['url']);
+
+	follow_process($a, $url);
 }
 
 function follow_content(App $a)
@@ -68,10 +70,6 @@ function follow_content(App $a)
 		DI::baseUrl()->redirect($return_path);
 	}
 
-	if (!empty($_REQUEST['auto'])) {
-		follow_process($a);
-	}
-
 	$submit = DI::l10n()->t('Submit Request');
 
 	// Don't try to add a pending contact
@@ -139,6 +137,10 @@ function follow_content(App $a)
 	// Makes the connection request for friendica contacts easier
 	$_SESSION['fastlane'] = $contact['url'];
 
+	if (!empty($_REQUEST['auto'])) {
+		follow_process($a, $contact['url']);
+	}
+
 	$o = Renderer::replaceMacros($tpl, [
 		'$header'        => DI::l10n()->t('Connect/Follow'),
 		'$pls_answer'    => DI::l10n()->t('Please answer the following:'),
@@ -175,9 +177,8 @@ function follow_content(App $a)
 	return $o;
 }
 
-function follow_process(App $a)
+function follow_process(App $a, string $url)
 {
-	$url = Probe::cleanURI($_REQUEST['url']);
 	$return_path = 'follow?url=' . urlencode($url);
 
 	// Makes the connection request for friendica contacts easier
diff --git a/mod/unfollow.php b/mod/unfollow.php
index d24745c8bb..54e015cf52 100644
--- a/mod/unfollow.php
+++ b/mod/unfollow.php
@@ -37,7 +37,9 @@ function unfollow_post(App $a)
 		// NOTREACHED
 	}
 
-	unfollow_process();
+	$url = Strings::escapeTags(trim($_REQUEST['url'] ?? ''));
+
+	unfollow_process($url);
 }
 
 function unfollow_content(App $a)
@@ -50,10 +52,6 @@ function unfollow_content(App $a)
 		// NOTREACHED
 	}
 
-	if (!empty($_REQUEST['auto'])) {
-		unfollow_process();
-	}
-
 	$uid = local_user();
 	$url = Strings::escapeTags(trim($_REQUEST['url']));
 
@@ -89,6 +87,10 @@ function unfollow_content(App $a)
 	// Makes the connection request for friendica contacts easier
 	$_SESSION['fastlane'] = $contact['url'];
 
+	if (!empty($_REQUEST['auto'])) {
+		unfollow_process($contact['url']);
+	}
+
 	$o = Renderer::replaceMacros($tpl, [
 		'$header'        => DI::l10n()->t('Disconnect/Unfollow'),
 		'$page_desc'     => '',
@@ -116,12 +118,11 @@ function unfollow_content(App $a)
 	return $o;
 }
 
-function unfollow_process()
+function unfollow_process(string $url)
 {
 	$base_return_path = 'contact';
 
 	$uid = local_user();
-	$url = Strings::escapeTags(trim($_REQUEST['url'] ?? ''));
 
 	$condition = ["`uid` = ? AND (`rel` = ? OR `rel` = ?) AND (`nurl` = ? OR `alias` = ? OR `alias` = ?)",
 		$uid, Contact::SHARING, Contact::FRIEND, Strings::normaliseLink($url),