diff --git a/bookwyrm/tests/test_outgoing.py b/bookwyrm/tests/test_outgoing.py
index 78caa93a3..6cd84070c 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/tests/test_outgoing.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/tests/test_outgoing.py
@@ -112,66 +112,6 @@ class Outgoing(TestCase):
         self.assertEqual(data['totalItems'], 1)
 
 
-    def test_handle_follow(self):
-        ''' send a follow request '''
-        self.assertEqual(models.UserFollowRequest.objects.count(), 0)
-
-        with patch('bookwyrm.broadcast.broadcast_task.delay'):
-            outgoing.handle_follow(self.local_user, self.remote_user)
-
-        rel = models.UserFollowRequest.objects.get()
-
-        self.assertEqual(rel.user_subject, self.local_user)
-        self.assertEqual(rel.user_object, self.remote_user)
-        self.assertEqual(rel.status, 'follow_request')
-
-
-    def test_handle_unfollow(self):
-        ''' send an unfollow '''
-        self.remote_user.followers.add(self.local_user)
-        self.assertEqual(self.remote_user.followers.count(), 1)
-        with patch('bookwyrm.broadcast.broadcast_task.delay'):
-            outgoing.handle_unfollow(self.local_user, self.remote_user)
-
-        self.assertEqual(self.remote_user.followers.count(), 0)
-
-
-    def test_handle_accept(self):
-        ''' accept a follow request '''
-        rel = models.UserFollowRequest.objects.create(
-            user_subject=self.local_user,
-            user_object=self.remote_user
-        )
-        rel_id = rel.id
-
-        with patch('bookwyrm.broadcast.broadcast_task.delay'):
-            outgoing.handle_accept(rel)
-        # request should be deleted
-        self.assertEqual(
-            models.UserFollowRequest.objects.filter(id=rel_id).count(), 0
-        )
-        # follow relationship should exist
-        self.assertEqual(self.remote_user.followers.first(), self.local_user)
-
-
-    def test_handle_reject(self):
-        ''' reject a follow request '''
-        rel = models.UserFollowRequest.objects.create(
-            user_subject=self.local_user,
-            user_object=self.remote_user
-        )
-        rel_id = rel.id
-
-        with patch('bookwyrm.broadcast.broadcast_task.delay'):
-            outgoing.handle_reject(rel)
-        # request should be deleted
-        self.assertEqual(
-            models.UserFollowRequest.objects.filter(id=rel_id).count(), 0
-        )
-        # follow relationship should not exist
-        self.assertEqual(
-            models.UserFollows.objects.filter(id=rel_id).count(), 0
-        )
 
     def test_existing_user(self):
         ''' simple database lookup by username '''
diff --git a/bookwyrm/tests/views/test_follow.py b/bookwyrm/tests/views/test_follow.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..9bbf67fbb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bookwyrm/tests/views/test_follow.py
@@ -0,0 +1,108 @@
+''' test for app action functionality '''
+from unittest.mock import patch
+from django.contrib.auth.models import Group, Permission
+from django.contrib.contenttypes.models import ContentType
+from django.test import TestCase
+from django.test.client import RequestFactory
+
+from bookwyrm import models, views
+
+
+class BookViews(TestCase):
+    ''' books books books '''
+    def setUp(self):
+        ''' we need basic test data and mocks '''
+        self.factory = RequestFactory()
+        self.local_user = models.User.objects.create_user(
+            'mouse@local.com', 'mouse@mouse.com', 'mouseword',
+            local=True, localname='mouse',
+            remote_id='https://example.com/users/mouse',
+        )
+        with patch('bookwyrm.models.user.set_remote_server'):
+            self.remote_user = models.User.objects.create_user(
+                'rat', 'rat@email.com', 'ratword',
+                local=False,
+                remote_id='https://example.com/users/rat',
+                inbox='https://example.com/users/rat/inbox',
+                outbox='https://example.com/users/rat/outbox',
+            )
+        self.group = Group.objects.create(name='editor')
+        self.group.permissions.add(
+            Permission.objects.create(
+                name='edit_book',
+                codename='edit_book',
+                content_type=ContentType.objects.get_for_model(models.User)).id
+        )
+        self.work = models.Work.objects.create(title='Test Work')
+        self.book = models.Edition.objects.create(
+            title='Example Edition',
+            remote_id='https://example.com/book/1',
+            parent_work=self.work
+        )
+
+    def test_handle_follow(self):
+        ''' send a follow request '''
+        request = self.factory.post('', {'user': self.remote_user.username})
+        request.user = self.local_user
+        self.assertEqual(models.UserFollowRequest.objects.count(), 0)
+
+        with patch('bookwyrm.broadcast.broadcast_task.delay'):
+            views.follow(request)
+
+        rel = models.UserFollowRequest.objects.get()
+
+        self.assertEqual(rel.user_subject, self.local_user)
+        self.assertEqual(rel.user_object, self.remote_user)
+        self.assertEqual(rel.status, 'follow_request')
+
+
+    def test_handle_unfollow(self):
+        ''' send an unfollow '''
+        request = self.factory.post('', {'user': self.remote_user.username})
+        request.user = self.local_user
+        self.remote_user.followers.add(self.local_user)
+        self.assertEqual(self.remote_user.followers.count(), 1)
+        with patch('bookwyrm.broadcast.broadcast_task.delay'):
+            views.unfollow(request)
+
+        self.assertEqual(self.remote_user.followers.count(), 0)
+
+
+    def test_handle_accept(self):
+        ''' accept a follow request '''
+        request = self.factory.post('', {'user': self.remote_user.username})
+        request.user = self.local_user
+        rel = models.UserFollowRequest.objects.create(
+            user_subject=self.remote_user,
+            user_object=self.local_user
+        )
+
+        with patch('bookwyrm.broadcast.broadcast_task.delay'):
+            views.accept_follow_request(request)
+        # request should be deleted
+        self.assertEqual(
+            models.UserFollowRequest.objects.filter(id=rel.id).count(), 0
+        )
+        # follow relationship should exist
+        self.assertEqual(self.local_user.followers.first(), self.remote_user)
+
+
+    def test_handle_reject(self):
+        ''' reject a follow request '''
+        request = self.factory.post('', {'user': self.remote_user.username})
+        request.user = self.local_user
+        rel = models.UserFollowRequest.objects.create(
+            user_subject=self.remote_user,
+            user_object=self.local_user
+        )
+
+        with patch('bookwyrm.broadcast.broadcast_task.delay'):
+            views.delete_follow_request(request)
+        # request should be deleted
+        self.assertEqual(
+            models.UserFollowRequest.objects.filter(id=rel.id).count(), 0
+        )
+        # follow relationship should not exist
+        self.assertEqual(
+            models.UserFollows.objects.filter(id=rel.id).count(), 0
+        )
diff --git a/bookwyrm/tests/test_view_actions.py b/bookwyrm/tests/views/test_reading.py
similarity index 71%
rename from bookwyrm/tests/test_view_actions.py
rename to bookwyrm/tests/views/test_reading.py
index 11fefae4e..f5e4cd526 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/tests/test_view_actions.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/tests/views/test_reading.py
@@ -1,32 +1,27 @@
 ''' test for app action functionality '''
 from unittest.mock import patch
-
 import dateutil
-from django.contrib.auth.models import Group, Permission
-from django.contrib.contenttypes.models import ContentType
 from django.test import TestCase
 from django.test.client import RequestFactory
 from django.utils import timezone
 
-from bookwyrm import models, view_actions as actions
+from bookwyrm import models, views
 
-
-#pylint: disable=too-many-public-methods
-class ViewActions(TestCase):
-    ''' a lot here: all handlers for receiving activitypub requests '''
+class ReadingViews(TestCase):
+    ''' viewing and creating statuses '''
     def setUp(self):
-        ''' we need basic things, like users '''
+        ''' we need basic test data and mocks '''
+        self.factory = RequestFactory()
         self.local_user = models.User.objects.create_user(
-            'mouse', 'mouse@mouse.com', 'mouseword',
-            local=True, localname='mouse')
-        self.local_user.remote_id = 'https://example.com/user/mouse'
-        self.local_user.save()
-        self.group = Group.objects.create(name='editor')
-        self.group.permissions.add(
-            Permission.objects.create(
-                name='edit_book',
-                codename='edit_book',
-                content_type=ContentType.objects.get_for_model(models.User)).id
+            'mouse@local.com', 'mouse@mouse.com', 'mouseword',
+            local=True, localname='mouse',
+            remote_id='https://example.com/users/mouse',
+        )
+        self.work = models.Work.objects.create(title='Test Work')
+        self.book = models.Edition.objects.create(
+            title='Test Book',
+            remote_id='https://example.com/book/1',
+            parent_work=self.work
         )
         with patch('bookwyrm.models.user.set_remote_server.delay'):
             self.remote_user = models.User.objects.create_user(
@@ -36,17 +31,6 @@ class ViewActions(TestCase):
                 inbox='https://example.com/users/rat/inbox',
                 outbox='https://example.com/users/rat/outbox',
             )
-        self.status = models.Status.objects.create(
-            user=self.local_user,
-            content='Test status',
-            remote_id='https://example.com/status/1',
-        )
-        self.work = models.Work.objects.create(title='Test Work')
-        self.book = models.Edition.objects.create(
-            title='Test Book', parent_work=self.work)
-        self.settings = models.SiteSettings.objects.create(id=1)
-        self.factory = RequestFactory()
-
 
     def test_edit_readthrough(self):
         ''' adding dates to an ongoing readthrough '''
@@ -62,7 +46,7 @@ class ViewActions(TestCase):
             })
         request.user = self.local_user
 
-        actions.edit_readthrough(request)
+        views.edit_readthrough(request)
         readthrough.refresh_from_db()
         self.assertEqual(readthrough.start_date.year, 2017)
         self.assertEqual(readthrough.start_date.month, 1)
@@ -85,7 +69,7 @@ class ViewActions(TestCase):
             })
         request.user = self.local_user
 
-        actions.delete_readthrough(request)
+        views.delete_readthrough(request)
         self.assertFalse(
             models.ReadThrough.objects.filter(id=readthrough.id).exists())
 
@@ -101,7 +85,7 @@ class ViewActions(TestCase):
             })
         request.user = self.local_user
 
-        actions.create_readthrough(request)
+        views.create_readthrough(request)
         readthrough = models.ReadThrough.objects.get()
         self.assertEqual(readthrough.start_date.year, 2017)
         self.assertEqual(readthrough.start_date.month, 1)
diff --git a/bookwyrm/urls.py b/bookwyrm/urls.py
index 96fcd2c52..c6ada37f6 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/urls.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/urls.py
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@ from django.contrib import admin
 from django.urls import path, re_path
 
 from bookwyrm import incoming, outgoing, settings, views, wellknown
-from bookwyrm import view_actions as actions
 from bookwyrm.utils import regex
 
 user_path = r'^user/(?P<username>%s)' % regex.username
@@ -128,8 +127,8 @@ urlpatterns = [
     re_path(r'^finish-reading/(?P<book_id>\d+)/?$', views.finish_reading),
 
     # following
-    re_path(r'^follow/?$', actions.follow),
-    re_path(r'^unfollow/?$', actions.unfollow),
-    re_path(r'^accept-follow-request/?$', actions.accept_follow_request),
-    re_path(r'^delete-follow-request/?$', actions.delete_follow_request),
+    re_path(r'^follow/?$', views.follow),
+    re_path(r'^unfollow/?$', views.unfollow),
+    re_path(r'^accept-follow-request/?$', views.accept_follow_request),
+    re_path(r'^delete-follow-request/?$', views.delete_follow_request),
 ] + static(settings.MEDIA_URL, document_root=settings.MEDIA_ROOT)
diff --git a/bookwyrm/view_actions.py b/bookwyrm/view_actions.py
index 505062033..e69de29bb 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/view_actions.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/view_actions.py
@@ -1,99 +0,0 @@
-''' views for actions you can take in the application '''
-from django.contrib.auth.decorators import login_required
-from django.http import HttpResponseBadRequest, HttpResponseNotFound
-from django.shortcuts import get_object_or_404, redirect
-from django.views.decorators.http import require_POST
-
-from bookwyrm import models, outgoing
-
-def get_edition(book_id):
-    ''' look up a book in the db and return an edition '''
-    book = models.Book.objects.select_subclasses().get(id=book_id)
-    if isinstance(book, models.Work):
-        book = book.get_default_edition()
-    return book
-
-def get_user_from_username(username):
-    ''' helper function to resolve a localname or a username to a user '''
-    # raises DoesNotExist if user is now found
-    try:
-        return models.User.objects.get(localname=username)
-    except models.User.DoesNotExist:
-        return models.User.objects.get(username=username)
-
-@login_required
-@require_POST
-def follow(request):
-    ''' follow another user, here or abroad '''
-    username = request.POST['user']
-    try:
-        to_follow = get_user_from_username(username)
-    except models.User.DoesNotExist:
-        return HttpResponseBadRequest()
-
-    outgoing.handle_follow(request.user, to_follow)
-    user_slug = to_follow.localname if to_follow.localname \
-        else to_follow.username
-    return redirect('/user/%s' % user_slug)
-
-
-@login_required
-@require_POST
-def unfollow(request):
-    ''' unfollow a user '''
-    username = request.POST['user']
-    try:
-        to_unfollow = get_user_from_username(username)
-    except models.User.DoesNotExist:
-        return HttpResponseBadRequest()
-
-    outgoing.handle_unfollow(request.user, to_unfollow)
-    user_slug = to_unfollow.localname if to_unfollow.localname \
-        else to_unfollow.username
-    return redirect('/user/%s' % user_slug)
-
-
-@login_required
-@require_POST
-def accept_follow_request(request):
-    ''' a user accepts a follow request '''
-    username = request.POST['user']
-    try:
-        requester = get_user_from_username(username)
-    except models.User.DoesNotExist:
-        return HttpResponseBadRequest()
-
-    try:
-        follow_request = models.UserFollowRequest.objects.get(
-            user_subject=requester,
-            user_object=request.user
-        )
-    except models.UserFollowRequest.DoesNotExist:
-        # Request already dealt with.
-        pass
-    else:
-        outgoing.handle_accept(follow_request)
-
-    return redirect('/user/%s' % request.user.localname)
-
-
-@login_required
-@require_POST
-def delete_follow_request(request):
-    ''' a user rejects a follow request '''
-    username = request.POST['user']
-    try:
-        requester = get_user_from_username(username)
-    except models.User.DoesNotExist:
-        return HttpResponseBadRequest()
-
-    try:
-        follow_request = models.UserFollowRequest.objects.get(
-            user_subject=requester,
-            user_object=request.user
-        )
-    except models.UserFollowRequest.DoesNotExist:
-        return HttpResponseBadRequest()
-
-    outgoing.handle_reject(follow_request)
-    return redirect('/user/%s' % request.user.localname)
diff --git a/bookwyrm/views/__init__.py b/bookwyrm/views/__init__.py
index 38b03f48d..7c050339a 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/views/__init__.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/views/__init__.py
@@ -5,6 +5,8 @@ from .books import Book, EditBook, Editions
 from .books import upload_cover, add_description, switch_edition, resolve_book
 from .direct_message import DirectMessage
 from .error import not_found_page, server_error_page
+from .follow import follow, unfollow
+from .follow import accept_follow_request, delete_follow_request
 from .import_data import Import, ImportStatus
 from .interaction import Favorite, Unfavorite, Boost, Unboost
 from .invite import ManageInvites, Invite
diff --git a/bookwyrm/views/reading.py b/bookwyrm/views/reading.py
index 51fb2419b..51c3217e4 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/views/reading.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/views/reading.py
@@ -10,7 +10,8 @@ from django.views.decorators.http import require_POST
 
 from bookwyrm import models
 from bookwyrm.broadcast import broadcast
-from .helpers import get_edition, handle_reading_status, handle_unshelve
+from .helpers import get_edition, handle_reading_status
+from .shelf import handle_unshelve
 
 
 # pylint: disable= no-self-use