diff --git a/lib/pleroma/web/mastodon_api/controllers/account_controller.ex b/lib/pleroma/web/mastodon_api/controllers/account_controller.ex
index 31d75ba85..50dd0e4c2 100644
--- a/lib/pleroma/web/mastodon_api/controllers/account_controller.ex
+++ b/lib/pleroma/web/mastodon_api/controllers/account_controller.ex
@@ -479,9 +479,12 @@ def remove_from_followers(%{assigns: %{user: %{id: id}, account: %{id: id}}}, _p
     {:error, "Can not unfollow yourself"}
   end
 
-  def remove_from_followers(%{assigns: %{user: follower, account: followed}} = conn, _params) do
-    with {:ok, follower} <- CommonAPI.unfollow(followed, follower) do
+  def remove_from_followers(%{assigns: %{user: followed, account: follower}} = conn, _params) do
+    with {:ok, follower} <- CommonAPI.reject_follow_request(follower, followed) do
       render(conn, "relationship.json", user: follower, target: followed)
+    else
+      nil ->
+        render_error(conn, :not_found, "Record not found")
     end
   end
 
diff --git a/test/pleroma/web/mastodon_api/controllers/account_controller_test.exs b/test/pleroma/web/mastodon_api/controllers/account_controller_test.exs
index b9ee173d6..f38ebdd75 100644
--- a/test/pleroma/web/mastodon_api/controllers/account_controller_test.exs
+++ b/test/pleroma/web/mastodon_api/controllers/account_controller_test.exs
@@ -1985,7 +1985,7 @@ test "removing user from followers", %{conn: conn, user: user} do
 
       CommonAPI.follow(other_user, user)
 
-      assert %{"id" => _id, "followed_by" => false} =
+      assert %{"id" => other_user_id, "followed_by" => false} =
                conn
                |> post("/api/v1/accounts/#{other_user_id}/remove_from_followers")
                |> json_response_and_validate_schema(200)