diff --git a/bookwyrm/templates/snippets/reading_modals/finish_reading_modal.html b/bookwyrm/templates/snippets/reading_modals/finish_reading_modal.html
index e79f0c5a3..ee720e448 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/templates/snippets/reading_modals/finish_reading_modal.html
+++ b/bookwyrm/templates/snippets/reading_modals/finish_reading_modal.html
@@ -14,7 +14,6 @@ Finish "<em>{{ book_title }}</em>"
 <input type="hidden" name="id" value="{{ readthrough.id }}">
 <input type="hidden" name="reading_status" value="read">
 <input type="hidden" name="shelf" value="{{ move_from }}">
-<input type="hidden" name="next" value="{{ request.path }}">
 {% endblock %}
 
 {% block reading-dates %}
diff --git a/bookwyrm/templates/snippets/reading_modals/progress_update_modal.html b/bookwyrm/templates/snippets/reading_modals/progress_update_modal.html
index 06dacda69..e0be1588d 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/templates/snippets/reading_modals/progress_update_modal.html
+++ b/bookwyrm/templates/snippets/reading_modals/progress_update_modal.html
@@ -11,7 +11,6 @@
 {% csrf_token %}
 <input type="hidden" name="id" value="{{ readthrough.id }}">
 <input type="hidden" name="start_date" value="{{ readthrough.start_date|date:'Y-m-d' }}">
-<input type="hidden" name="next" value="{{ request.path }}">
 {% endblock %}
 
 {% block reading-dates %}
diff --git a/bookwyrm/templates/snippets/reading_modals/start_reading_modal.html b/bookwyrm/templates/snippets/reading_modals/start_reading_modal.html
index 00962d7f8..d8331a281 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/templates/snippets/reading_modals/start_reading_modal.html
+++ b/bookwyrm/templates/snippets/reading_modals/start_reading_modal.html
@@ -13,7 +13,6 @@ Start "<em>{{ book_title }}</em>"
 {% csrf_token %}
 <input type="hidden" name="reading_status" value="reading">
 <input type="hidden" name="shelf" value="{{ move_from }}">
-<input type="hidden" name="next" value="{{ request.path }}">
 {% endblock %}
 
 {% block reading-dates %}
diff --git a/bookwyrm/templates/snippets/reading_modals/stop_reading_modal.html b/bookwyrm/templates/snippets/reading_modals/stop_reading_modal.html
index 37718134b..8e5ae7d65 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/templates/snippets/reading_modals/stop_reading_modal.html
+++ b/bookwyrm/templates/snippets/reading_modals/stop_reading_modal.html
@@ -14,7 +14,6 @@ Stop Reading "<em>{{ book_title }}</em>"
 <input type="hidden" name="id" value="{{ readthrough.id }}">
 <input type="hidden" name="reading_status" value="stopped-reading">
 <input type="hidden" name="shelf" value="{{ move_from }}">
-<input type="hidden" name="next" value="{{ request.path }}">
 {% endblock %}
 
 {% block reading-dates %}
diff --git a/bookwyrm/templates/snippets/reading_modals/want_to_read_modal.html b/bookwyrm/templates/snippets/reading_modals/want_to_read_modal.html
index f16c6d44a..80d67f79e 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/templates/snippets/reading_modals/want_to_read_modal.html
+++ b/bookwyrm/templates/snippets/reading_modals/want_to_read_modal.html
@@ -13,7 +13,6 @@ Want to Read "<em>{{ book_title }}</em>"
 {% csrf_token %}
 <input type="hidden" name="reading_status" value="to-read">
 <input type="hidden" name="shelf" value="{{ move_from }}"> 
-<input type="hidden" name="next" value="{{ request.path }}">
 {% endblock %}
 
 {% block form %}
diff --git a/bookwyrm/templates/snippets/shelf_selector.html b/bookwyrm/templates/snippets/shelf_selector.html
index c13c726e7..902a66196 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/templates/snippets/shelf_selector.html
+++ b/bookwyrm/templates/snippets/shelf_selector.html
@@ -22,7 +22,6 @@
         <input type="hidden" name="book" value="{{ book.id }}">
         <input type="hidden" name="change-shelf-from" value="{{ current.identifier }}">
         <input type="hidden" name="shelf" value="{{ shelf.identifier }}">
-        <input type="hidden" name="next" value="{{ request.path }}">
         <button class="button is-fullwidth is-small shelf-option is-radiusless has-background-body" type="submit" {% if shelf.identifier == current.identifier %}disabled{% endif %}>
             <span>
                 {% include "snippets/translated_shelf_name.html" with shelf=shelf %}
@@ -78,7 +77,6 @@
         {% csrf_token %}
         <input type="hidden" name="book" value="{{ book.id }}">
         <input type="hidden" name="shelf" value="{{ user_shelf.id }}">
-        <input type="hidden" name="next" value="{{ request.path }}">
         <button class="button is-fullwidth is-small is-radiusless is-danger is-light" type="submit">
             {% blocktrans with name=user_shelf|translate_shelf_name %}Remove from {{ name }}{% endblocktrans %}
         </button>
@@ -93,7 +91,6 @@
         {% csrf_token %}
         <input type="hidden" name="book" value="{{ book.id }}">
         <input type="hidden" name="shelf" value="{{ shelf.id }}">
-        <input type="hidden" name="next" value="{{ request.path }}">
         <button class="button is-fullwidth is-small is-radiusless is-danger is-light" type="submit">{% trans "Remove from" %} {{ shelf.name }}</button>
     </form>
 </li>
diff --git a/bookwyrm/templates/snippets/shelve_button/modal_button.html b/bookwyrm/templates/snippets/shelve_button/modal_button.html
index ef37f8872..a745b4fba 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/templates/snippets/shelve_button/modal_button.html
+++ b/bookwyrm/templates/snippets/shelve_button/modal_button.html
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 {% load utilities %}
 <form name="fallback_form_{{ 0|uuid }}" method="GET" action="{{ fallback_url }}" autocomplete="off">
-    <input type="hidden" name="next" value="{{ request.path }}">
     <button
         type="submit"
         class="button {{ class }}"
diff --git a/bookwyrm/templates/snippets/shelve_button/shelve_button_dropdown_options.html b/bookwyrm/templates/snippets/shelve_button/shelve_button_dropdown_options.html
index c6a334180..73381558c 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/templates/snippets/shelve_button/shelve_button_dropdown_options.html
+++ b/bookwyrm/templates/snippets/shelve_button/shelve_button_dropdown_options.html
@@ -45,7 +45,6 @@
             <form name="shelve-{{ uuid }}-{{ shelf.identifier }}" action="/shelve/" method="post" autocomplete="off">
                 {% csrf_token %}
                 <input type="hidden" name="book" value="{{ active_shelf.book.id }}">
-                <input type="hidden" name="next" value="{{ request.path }}">
                 <button class="button {{ class }}" name="shelf" type="submit" value="{{ shelf.identifier }}" {% if book|is_book_on_shelf:shelf %} disabled {% endif %}>
                     <span>{{ shelf.name }}</span>
                 </button>
@@ -70,7 +69,6 @@
         {% csrf_token %}
         <input type="hidden" name="book" value="{{ active_shelf.book.id }}">
         <input type="hidden" name="shelf" value="{{ active_shelf.shelf.id }}">
-        <input type="hidden" name="next" value="{{ request.path }}">
         <button class="button is-fullwidth is-small{% if dropdown %} is-radiusless{% endif %} is-danger is-light" type="submit">
             {% blocktrans with name=active_shelf.shelf|translate_shelf_name %}Remove from {{ name }}{% endblocktrans %}
         </button>
diff --git a/bookwyrm/templates/snippets/shelve_button/shelve_button_options.html b/bookwyrm/templates/snippets/shelve_button/shelve_button_options.html
index e254d46c3..53ff80bf7 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/templates/snippets/shelve_button/shelve_button_options.html
+++ b/bookwyrm/templates/snippets/shelve_button/shelve_button_options.html
@@ -62,7 +62,6 @@
         <form name="shelve-{{ uuid }}-{{ shelf.identifier }}" action="/shelve/" method="post">
             {% csrf_token %}
             <input type="hidden" name="book" value="{{ active_shelf.book.id }}">
-            <input type="hidden" name="next" value="{{ request.path }}">
             <button
                 class="button {{ class }}"
                 name="shelf"
diff --git a/bookwyrm/views/reading.py b/bookwyrm/views/reading.py
index 5b7efc50a..587c0d8d9 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/views/reading.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/views/reading.py
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ class ReadingStatus(View):
     @transaction.atomic
     def post(self, request, status, book_id):
         """Change the state of a book by shelving it and adding reading dates"""
-        next_step = request.POST.get("next", "/")
+        next_step = request.META.get('HTTP_REFERER')
         next_step = validate_url_domain(next_step, "/")
         identifier = {
             "want": models.Shelf.TO_READ,
diff --git a/bookwyrm/views/shelf/shelf_actions.py b/bookwyrm/views/shelf/shelf_actions.py
index 97fec52fb..da86cc853 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/views/shelf/shelf_actions.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/views/shelf/shelf_actions.py
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ def delete_shelf(request, shelf_id):
 @transaction.atomic
 def shelve(request):
     """put a book on a user's shelf"""
-    next_step = request.POST.get("next", "/")
+    next_step = request.META.get('HTTP_REFERER')
     next_step = validate_url_domain(next_step, "/")
     book = get_object_or_404(models.Edition, id=request.POST.get("book"))
     desired_shelf = get_object_or_404(
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ def shelve(request):
 @require_POST
 def unshelve(request, book_id=False):
     """remove a book from a user's shelf"""
-    next_step = request.POST.get("next", "/")
+    next_step = request.META.get('HTTP_REFERER')
     next_step = validate_url_domain(next_step, "/")
     identity = book_id if book_id else request.POST.get("book")
     book = get_object_or_404(models.Edition, id=identity)
diff --git a/bookwyrm/views/status.py b/bookwyrm/views/status.py
index a86f658bc..f703f8b77 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/views/status.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/views/status.py
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ class CreateStatus(View):
     # pylint: disable=too-many-branches
     def post(self, request, status_type, existing_status_id=None):
         """create status of whatever type"""
-        next_step = request.POST.get("next", "/")
+        next_step = request.META.get('HTTP_REFERER')
         next_step = validate_url_domain(next_step, "/")
         created = not existing_status_id
         existing_status = None
@@ -170,7 +170,7 @@ def update_progress(request, book_id):  # pylint: disable=unused-argument
 def edit_readthrough(request):
     """can't use the form because the dates are too finnicky"""
     # TODO: remove this, it duplicates the code in the ReadThrough view
-    next_step = request.POST.get("next", "/")
+    next_step = request.META.get('HTTP_REFERER')
     next_step = validate_url_domain(next_step, "/")
     readthrough = get_object_or_404(models.ReadThrough, id=request.POST.get("id"))