diff --git a/bookwyrm/templates/snippets/follow_request_buttons.html b/bookwyrm/templates/snippets/follow_request_buttons.html
index 42e691538..d91018027 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/templates/snippets/follow_request_buttons.html
+++ b/bookwyrm/templates/snippets/follow_request_buttons.html
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 {% load i18n %}
-{% load bookwyrm_tags %}
-{% if request.user|follow_request_exists:user %}
+{% if request.user in user.follow_requests.all %}
 <div class="field is-grouped">
     <form action="/accept-follow-request/" method="POST">
         {% csrf_token %}
diff --git a/bookwyrm/templatetags/bookwyrm_tags.py b/bookwyrm/templatetags/bookwyrm_tags.py
index fa2998e6f..81019fe54 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/templatetags/bookwyrm_tags.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/templatetags/bookwyrm_tags.py
@@ -79,19 +79,6 @@ def get_user_boosted(user, status):
     return user.id in status.boosters.all().values_list("user", flat=True)
 
 
-@register.filter(name="follow_request_exists")
-def follow_request_exists(user, requester):
-    """see if there is a pending follow request for a user"""
-    try:
-        models.UserFollowRequest.objects.filter(
-            user_subject=requester,
-            user_object=user,
-        ).get()
-        return True
-    except models.UserFollowRequest.DoesNotExist:
-        return False
-
-
 @register.filter(name="boosted_status")
 def get_boosted(boost):
     """load a boosted status. have to do this or it wont get foregin keys"""
diff --git a/bookwyrm/tests/test_templatetags.py b/bookwyrm/tests/test_templatetags.py
index df4df6713..3e2ecf37e 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/tests/test_templatetags.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/tests/test_templatetags.py
@@ -113,24 +113,6 @@ class TemplateTags(TestCase):
             models.Boost.objects.create(user=self.user, boosted_status=status)
         self.assertTrue(bookwyrm_tags.get_user_boosted(self.user, status))
 
-    def test_follow_request_exists(self, _):
-        """does a user want to follow"""
-        self.assertFalse(
-            bookwyrm_tags.follow_request_exists(self.user, self.remote_user)
-        )
-
-        with patch("bookwyrm.models.activitypub_mixin.broadcast_task.delay"):
-            models.UserFollowRequest.objects.create(
-                user_subject=self.user, user_object=self.remote_user
-            )
-
-        self.assertFalse(
-            bookwyrm_tags.follow_request_exists(self.user, self.remote_user)
-        )
-        self.assertTrue(
-            bookwyrm_tags.follow_request_exists(self.remote_user, self.user)
-        )
-
     def test_get_boosted(self, _):
         """load a boosted status"""
         with patch("bookwyrm.models.activitypub_mixin.broadcast_task.delay"):