diff --git a/app/models/follow.rb b/app/models/follow.rb
index 70ff6188..cf1d5f17 100644
--- a/app/models/follow.rb
+++ b/app/models/follow.rb
@@ -10,7 +10,11 @@ class Follow < ApplicationRecord
   validates :user, uniqueness: { scope: :followed, message: 'This entity is already followed by this user' }
   
   after_create :add_subsetting
-  
+
+  scope :active, -> {
+    where(muted: false)
+  } 
+
   private
 
   def add_subsetting
diff --git a/app/models/user.rb b/app/models/user.rb
index feac3d08..d9e25cad 100644
--- a/app/models/user.rb
+++ b/app/models/user.rb
@@ -58,8 +58,8 @@ class User < ApplicationRecord
       admin: admin }
     if (_options[:follows])
       json['follows'] = {
-        topics: following.where(muted: false, followed_type: 'Topic').to_a.map(&:followed_id),
-        maps: following.where(muted: false, followed_type: 'Map').to_a.map(&:followed_id)
+        topics: following.active.where(followed_type: 'Topic').to_a.map(&:followed_id),
+        maps: following.active.where(followed_type: 'Map').to_a.map(&:followed_id)
       }
     end
     if (_options[:follow_settings])
diff --git a/app/services/follow_service.rb b/app/services/follow_service.rb
index be70cf84..87ac3be5 100644
--- a/app/services/follow_service.rb
+++ b/app/services/follow_service.rb
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 # frozen_string_literal: true
 class FollowService
-  class << self 
+  class << self
     def follow(entity, user, reason)
 
       return unless user
@@ -8,7 +8,9 @@ class FollowService
       return if (reason == 'created' || reason == 'contributed') && !should_auto_follow(entity, user, reason)
 
       follow = Follow.where(followed: entity, user: user).first_or_create
-      follow.update_attribute('muted', false)
+      unless follow.update(muted: false)
+        raise follow.errors.full_messages.join("\n")
+      end
       if FollowReason::REASONS.include?(reason) && !follow.follow_reason.read_attribute(reason)
         follow.follow_reason.update_attribute(reason, true)
       end
@@ -16,7 +18,11 @@ class FollowService
 
     def unfollow(entity, user)
       follow = Follow.where(followed: entity, user: user).first
-      follow.update_attribute('muted', true)
+      if follow
+        unless follow.update(muted: true)
+          raise follow.errors.full_messages.join("\n")
+        end
+      end
     end
 
     def remove_reason(entity, user, reason)
diff --git a/app/services/notification_service.rb b/app/services/notification_service.rb
index ba1203b8..7d7f0512 100644
--- a/app/services/notification_service.rb
+++ b/app/services/notification_service.rb
@@ -53,8 +53,7 @@ class NotificationService
   end
 
   def self.notify_followers(entity, event_type, event, reason_filter = nil, exclude_follows = nil)
-    follows = entity.follows.where.not(user_id: event.user.id)
-    follows = follows.where(muted: false)
+    follows = entity.follows.active.where.not(user_id: event.user.id)
 
     if !exclude_follows.nil?
       follows = follows.where.not(id: exclude_follows)
diff --git a/config/initializers/delayed_job.rb b/config/initializers/delayed_job.rb
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..d3132394
--- /dev/null
+++ b/config/initializers/delayed_job.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+Delayed::Worker.class_eval do
+
+    def handle_failed_job_with_notification(job, error)
+      handle_failed_job_without_notification(job, error)
+      ExceptionNotifier.notify_exception(error)
+    end
+    alias_method_chain :handle_failed_job, :notification
+
+end
diff --git a/lib/tasks/emails.rake b/lib/tasks/emails.rake
index b2a7303a..02e6e372 100644
--- a/lib/tasks/emails.rake
+++ b/lib/tasks/emails.rake
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ namespace :metamaps do
   end
 
   def summarize_map_activity
-    Follow.where(followed_type: 'Map').find_each do |follow|
+    Follow.active.where(followed_type: 'Map').find_each do |follow|
       map = follow.followed
       user = follow.user
       # add logging and rescue-ing