diff --git a/src/models/notifications/queries.rs b/src/models/notifications/queries.rs
index b9f36cb..fb84611 100644
--- a/src/models/notifications/queries.rs
+++ b/src/models/notifications/queries.rs
@@ -5,34 +5,15 @@ use uuid::Uuid;
 
 use crate::errors::DatabaseError;
 use crate::models::posts::helpers::get_actions_for_posts;
-use crate::models::posts::types::DbPost;
 use super::types::{EventType, Notification};
 
-pub async fn create_notification(
+async fn create_notification(
     db_client: &impl GenericClient,
     sender_id: &Uuid,
     recipient_id: &Uuid,
+    post_id: Option<&Uuid>,
     event_type: EventType,
 ) -> Result<(), DatabaseError> {
-    db_client.execute(
-        "
-        INSERT INTO notification (
-            sender_id,
-            recipient_id,
-            event_type
-        )
-        VALUES ($1, $2, $3)
-        ",
-        &[&sender_id, &recipient_id, &i16::from(event_type)],
-    ).await?;
-    Ok(())
-}
-
-pub async fn create_reply_notification(
-    db_client: &impl GenericClient,
-    reply: &DbPost,
-) -> Result<(), DatabaseError> {
-    let event_type: i16 = EventType::Reply.into();
     db_client.execute(
         "
         INSERT INTO notification (
@@ -41,19 +22,36 @@ pub async fn create_reply_notification(
             post_id,
             event_type
         )
-        SELECT $1, post.author_id, $2, $3
-        FROM post WHERE id = $4
+        VALUES ($1, $2, $3, $4)
         ",
-        &[
-            &reply.author_id,
-            &reply.id,
-            &event_type,
-            &reply.in_reply_to_id,
-        ],
+        &[&sender_id, &recipient_id, &post_id, &i16::from(event_type)],
     ).await?;
     Ok(())
 }
 
+pub async fn create_follow_notification(
+    db_client: &impl GenericClient,
+    sender_id: &Uuid,
+    recipient_id: &Uuid,
+) -> Result<(), DatabaseError> {
+    create_notification(
+        db_client, sender_id, recipient_id, None,
+        EventType::Follow,
+    ).await
+}
+
+pub async fn create_reply_notification(
+    db_client: &impl GenericClient,
+    sender_id: &Uuid,
+    recipient_id: &Uuid,
+    post_id: &Uuid,
+) -> Result<(), DatabaseError> {
+    create_notification(
+        db_client, sender_id, recipient_id, Some(post_id),
+        EventType::Reply,
+    ).await
+}
+
 pub async fn get_notifications(
     db_client: &impl GenericClient,
     recipient_id: &Uuid,
diff --git a/src/models/posts/queries.rs b/src/models/posts/queries.rs
index c2cc731..7b4caa4 100644
--- a/src/models/posts/queries.rs
+++ b/src/models/posts/queries.rs
@@ -126,7 +126,15 @@ pub async fn create_post(
     let author = update_post_count(&transaction, &db_post.author_id, 1).await?;
     if let Some(in_reply_to_id) = &db_post.in_reply_to_id {
         update_reply_count(&transaction, in_reply_to_id, 1).await?;
-        create_reply_notification(&transaction, &db_post).await?;
+        let in_reply_to = get_post_by_id(&transaction, in_reply_to_id).await?;
+        if in_reply_to.author.is_local() {
+            create_reply_notification(
+                &transaction,
+                &db_post.author_id,
+                &in_reply_to.author.id,
+                &db_post.id,
+            ).await?;
+        }
     }
 
     transaction.commit().await?;
@@ -292,7 +300,6 @@ pub async fn update_reply_count(
         UPDATE post
         SET reply_count = reply_count + $1
         WHERE id = $2
-        RETURNING post
         ",
         &[&change, &post_id],
     ).await?;
diff --git a/src/models/relationships/queries.rs b/src/models/relationships/queries.rs
index 80efe10..ba64ed8 100644
--- a/src/models/relationships/queries.rs
+++ b/src/models/relationships/queries.rs
@@ -4,8 +4,7 @@ use tokio_postgres::GenericClient;
 use uuid::Uuid;
 
 use crate::errors::DatabaseError;
-use crate::models::notifications::queries::create_notification;
-use crate::models::notifications::types::EventType;
+use crate::models::notifications::queries::create_follow_notification;
 use crate::models::profiles::queries::{
     update_follower_count,
     update_following_count,
@@ -99,14 +98,11 @@ pub async fn follow(
         log::info!("{}", err);
         return Err(DatabaseError::AlreadyExists("relationship"));
     };
-    update_follower_count(&transaction, target_id, 1).await?;
+    let target_profile = update_follower_count(&transaction, target_id, 1).await?;
     update_following_count(&transaction, source_id, 1).await?;
-    create_notification(
-        &transaction,
-        source_id,
-        target_id,
-        EventType::Follow,
-    ).await?;
+    if target_profile.is_local() {
+        create_follow_notification(&transaction, source_id, target_id).await?;
+    }
     let relationship = get_relationship(&transaction, source_id, target_id).await?;
     transaction.commit().await?;
     Ok(relationship)