diff --git a/bookwyrm/templates/user.html b/bookwyrm/templates/user.html
index a41623a8..69b762b0 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/templates/user.html
+++ b/bookwyrm/templates/user.html
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@
 </div>
 
 {% include 'snippets/user_header.html' with user=user %}
-
+{% if user.bookwyrm_user %}
 <div class="block">
     <h2 class="title">Shelves</h2>
     <div class="columns">
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@
     </div>
     <small><a href="{{ user.local_path }}/shelves">See all {{ shelf_count }} shelves</a></small>
 </div>
+{% endif %}
 
 {% if goal %}
 <div class="block">
diff --git a/bookwyrm/tests/views/test_helpers.py b/bookwyrm/tests/views/test_helpers.py
index 5e42b378..50c3cfc5 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/tests/views/test_helpers.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/tests/views/test_helpers.py
@@ -154,6 +154,34 @@ class ViewsHelpers(TestCase):
         self.assertEqual(statuses[0], rat_mention)
 
 
+    def test_get_activity_feed_blocks(self):
+        ''' feed generation with blocked users '''
+        rat = models.User.objects.create_user(
+            'rat', 'rat@rat.rat', 'password', local=True)
+
+        public_status = models.Comment.objects.create(
+            content='public status', book=self.book, user=self.local_user)
+        rat_public = models.Status.objects.create(
+            content='blah blah', user=rat)
+
+        statuses = views.helpers.get_activity_feed(
+            self.local_user, ['public'])
+        self.assertEqual(len(statuses), 2)
+
+        # block relationship
+        rat.blocks.add(self.local_user)
+        statuses = views.helpers.get_activity_feed(
+            self.local_user, ['public'])
+        self.assertEqual(len(statuses), 1)
+        self.assertEqual(statuses[0], public_status)
+
+        statuses = views.helpers.get_activity_feed(
+            rat, ['public'])
+        self.assertEqual(len(statuses), 1)
+        self.assertEqual(statuses[0], rat_public)
+
+
+
     def test_is_bookwyrm_request(self):
         ''' checks if a request came from a bookwyrm instance '''
         request = self.factory.get('', {'q': 'Test Book'})
diff --git a/bookwyrm/views/helpers.py b/bookwyrm/views/helpers.py
index f899680f..b0f867b7 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/views/helpers.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/views/helpers.py
@@ -71,6 +71,11 @@ def get_activity_feed(
     # exclude deleted
     queryset = queryset.exclude(deleted=True).order_by('-published_date')
 
+    # exclude blocks from both directions
+    blocked = models.User.objects.filter(id__in=user.blocks.all()).all()
+    queryset = queryset.exclude(
+        Q(user__in=blocked) | Q(user__blocks=user))
+
     # you can't see followers only or direct messages if you're not logged in
     if user.is_anonymous:
         privacy = [p for p in privacy if not p in ['followers', 'direct']]