diff --git a/bookwyrm/templates/ostatus/remote_follow.html b/bookwyrm/templates/ostatus/remote_follow.html
index 96c7f9452..ca47c529b 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/templates/ostatus/remote_follow.html
+++ b/bookwyrm/templates/ostatus/remote_follow.html
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@
     </div>
 </div>
 <div class="block">
-    <p>{% blocktrans with username=user.display_name %}Follow {{ username }} from another Fediverse account like Bookwyrm, Mastodon, or Pleroma.{% endblocktrans %}</p>
+    <p>{% blocktrans with username=user.display_name %}Follow {{ username }} from another Fediverse account like BookWyrm, Mastodon, or Pleroma.{% endblocktrans %}</p>
 </div>
 <div class="card">
     <section class="card-content content">
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@
             {% csrf_token %}
             <input type="hidden" name="user" value="{{ user.id }}">
             <label class="label" for="remote_user">{% trans 'User handle to follow from:' %}</label>
-            <input class="input" type="text" name="remote_user" id="remote_user" placeholder="user@example.social">
+            <input class="input" type="text" name="remote_user" id="remote_user" placeholder="user@example.social" required>
             <button class="button mt-1 is-primary" type="submit">{% trans 'Follow!' %}</button>
         </form>
     </section>
diff --git a/bookwyrm/views/follow.py b/bookwyrm/views/follow.py
index 7af8b0db7..7a9d7bad1 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/views/follow.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/views/follow.py
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ def ostatus_follow_request(request):
         error = "ostatus_subscribe"
 
     # don't do these checks for AnonymousUser before they sign in
-    if request.user.id:
+    if request.user.is_authenticated:
 
         # you have blocked them so you probably don't want to follow
         if hasattr(request.user, "blocks") and user in request.user.blocks.all():