diff --git a/ckan/config/routing.py b/ckan/config/routing.py
index 3e79662c807..436942b6283 100644
--- a/ckan/config/routing.py
+++ b/ckan/config/routing.py
@@ -257,6 +257,7 @@ def make_map():
         # Note: openid users have slashes in their ids, so need the wildcard
         # in the route.
         m.connect('/user/dashboard', action='dashboard')
+        m.connect('/user/follow/{id}', action='follow')
         m.connect('/user/followers/{id:.*}', action='followers')
         m.connect('/user/edit/{id:.*}', action='edit')
         m.connect('/user/reset/{id:.*}', action='perform_reset')
diff --git a/ckan/controllers/user.py b/ckan/controllers/user.py
index f59273b92bb..122a45d3089 100644
--- a/ckan/controllers/user.py
+++ b/ckan/controllers/user.py
@@ -481,3 +481,20 @@ def dashboard(self, id=None):
         data_dict = {'id': id, 'user_obj': c.userobj}
         self._setup_template_variables(context, data_dict)
         return render('user/dashboard.html')
+
+    def follow(self, id):
+        '''Start following this user.'''
+        context = {'model': model,
+                   'session': model.Session,
+                   'user': c.user or c.author}
+        data_dict = {'id': id}
+        try:
+            get_action('follow_user')(context, data_dict)
+            h.flash_success(_("You are now following {0}").format(id))
+        except ValidationError as e:
+            error_message = (e.extra_msg or e.message or e.error_summary
+                    or e.error_dict)
+            h.flash_error(error_message)
+        except NotAuthorized as e:
+            h.flash_error(e.extra_msg)
+        h.redirect_to(controller='user', action='read', id=id)
diff --git a/ckan/logic/action/create.py b/ckan/logic/action/create.py
index 05068ac95ba..279d980836b 100644
--- a/ckan/logic/action/create.py
+++ b/ckan/logic/action/create.py
@@ -893,51 +893,53 @@ def follow_user(context, data_dict):
     :rtype: dictionary
 
     '''
-    if not context.has_key('user'):
-        raise logic.NotAuthorized
+    if 'user' not in context:
+        raise logic.NotAuthorized(_("You must be logged in to follow users"))
 
     model = context['model']
     session = context['session']
 
     userobj = model.User.get(context['user'])
     if not userobj:
-        raise logic.NotAuthorized
+        raise logic.NotAuthorized(_("You must be logged in to follow users"))
 
     schema = (context.get('schema')
             or ckan.logic.schema.default_follow_user_schema())
 
-    data_dict, errors = _validate(data_dict, schema, context)
+    validated_data_dict, errors = _validate(data_dict, schema, context)
 
     if errors:
         model.Session.rollback()
         raise ValidationError(errors)
 
     # Don't let a user follow herself.
-    if userobj.id == data_dict['id']:
+    if userobj.id == validated_data_dict['id']:
         message = _('You cannot follow yourself')
-        raise ValidationError({'message': message})
+        raise ValidationError({'message': message}, error_summary=message)
 
     # Don't let a user follow someone she is already following.
-    if model.UserFollowingUser.get(userobj.id, data_dict['id']) is not None:
+    if model.UserFollowingUser.is_following(userobj.id,
+            validated_data_dict['id']):
         message = _(
-                'You are already following {id}').format(id=data_dict['id'])
-        raise ValidationError({'message': message})
+                'You are already following {0}').format(data_dict['id'])
+        raise ValidationError({'message': message}, error_summary=message)
 
-    follower = model_save.user_following_user_dict_save(data_dict, context)
+    follower = model_save.user_following_user_dict_save(validated_data_dict,
+            context)
 
     activity_dict = {
             'user_id': userobj.id,
-            'object_id': data_dict['id'],
+            'object_id': validated_data_dict['id'],
             'activity_type': 'follow user',
             }
     activity_dict['data'] = {
             'user': ckan.lib.dictization.table_dictize(
-                model.User.get(data_dict['id']), context),
+                model.User.get(validated_data_dict['id']), context),
             }
     activity_create_context = {
         'model': model,
         'user': userobj,
-        'defer_commit':True,
+        'defer_commit': True,
         'session': session
     }
     logic.get_action('activity_create')(activity_create_context,
diff --git a/ckan/logic/schema.py b/ckan/logic/schema.py
index 97425021c5a..975d6009fe4 100644
--- a/ckan/logic/schema.py
+++ b/ckan/logic/schema.py
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@
                                    activity_type_exists,
                                    tag_not_in_vocabulary,
                                    url_validator)
+from ckan.logic.converters import (convert_user_name_or_id_to_id,)
 from formencode.validators import OneOf
 import ckan.model
 
@@ -418,7 +419,8 @@ def default_create_activity_schema():
     return schema
 
 def default_follow_user_schema():
-    schema = {'id': [not_missing, not_empty, unicode, user_id_or_name_exists]}
+    schema = {'id': [not_missing, not_empty, unicode,
+        convert_user_name_or_id_to_id]}
     return schema
 
 def default_follow_dataset_schema():