diff --git a/public/src/client/topic/threadTools.js b/public/src/client/topic/threadTools.js
index 6388aacf3c..4e86cf1763 100644
--- a/public/src/client/topic/threadTools.js
+++ b/public/src/client/topic/threadTools.js
@@ -107,31 +107,27 @@ define('forum/topic/threadTools', [
 			changeWatching('follow');
 		});
 		topicContainer.on('click', '[component="topic/not-following"]', function () {
-			changeWatching('unfollow');
+			changeWatching('follow', 0);
 		});
 		topicContainer.on('click', '[component="topic/ignoring"]', function () {
 			changeWatching('ignore');
 		});
 
-		function changeWatching(type) {
-			socket.emit('topics.changeWatching', { tid: tid, type: type }, function (err) {
-				if (err) {
-					return app.alert({
-						type: 'danger',
-						alert_id: 'topic_follow',
-						title: '[[global:please_log_in]]',
-						message: '[[topic:login_to_subscribe]]',
-						timeout: 5000,
-					});
-				}
+		function changeWatching(type, state = 1) {
+			const method = state ? 'put' : 'del';
+			api[method](`/topics/${tid}/${type}`, {}, () => {
 				var message = '';
 				if (type === 'follow') {
-					message = '[[topic:following_topic.message]]';
-				} else if (type === 'unfollow') {
-					message = '[[topic:not_following_topic.message]]';
+					message = state ? '[[topic:following_topic.message]]' : '[[topic:not_following_topic.message]]';
 				} else if (type === 'ignore') {
-					message = '[[topic:ignoring_topic.message]]';
+					message = state ? '[[topic:ignoring_topic.message]]' : '[[topic:not_following_topic.message]]';
+				}
+
+				// From here on out, type changes to 'unfollow' if state is falsy
+				if (!state) {
+					type = 'unfollow';
 				}
+
 				setFollowState(type);
 
 				app.alert({
@@ -142,6 +138,14 @@ define('forum/topic/threadTools', [
 				});
 
 				$(window).trigger('action:topics.changeWatching', { tid: tid, type: type });
+			}, () => {
+				app.alert({
+					type: 'danger',
+					alert_id: 'topic_follow',
+					title: '[[global:please_log_in]]',
+					message: '[[topic:login_to_subscribe]]',
+					timeout: 5000,
+				});
 			});
 
 			return false;
diff --git a/src/controllers/write/topics.js b/src/controllers/write/topics.js
index 3d174367b7..c90dadfef0 100644
--- a/src/controllers/write/topics.js
+++ b/src/controllers/write/topics.js
@@ -123,6 +123,21 @@ Topics.unlock = async (req, res) => {
 	helpers.formatApiResponse(200, res);
 };
 
+Topics.follow = async (req, res) => {
+	await topics.follow(req.params.tid, req.user.uid);
+	helpers.formatApiResponse(200, res);
+};
+
+Topics.ignore = async (req, res) => {
+	await topics.ignore(req.params.tid, req.user.uid);
+	helpers.formatApiResponse(200, res);
+};
+
+Topics.unfollow = async (req, res) => {
+	await topics.unfollow(req.params.tid, req.user.uid);
+	helpers.formatApiResponse(200, res);
+};
+
 async function doTopicAction(action, event, socket, { tids }) {
 	if (!Array.isArray(tids)) {
 		throw new Error('[[error:invalid-tid]]');
diff --git a/src/routes/write/topics.js b/src/routes/write/topics.js
index 1e805f4df6..6e11b5a8e9 100644
--- a/src/routes/write/topics.js
+++ b/src/routes/write/topics.js
@@ -23,6 +23,10 @@ module.exports = function () {
 	setupApiRoute(router, '/:tid/lock', middleware, [...middlewares, middleware.assertTopic], 'put', controllers.write.topics.lock);
 	setupApiRoute(router, '/:tid/lock', middleware, [...middlewares, middleware.assertTopic], 'delete', controllers.write.topics.unlock);
 
+	setupApiRoute(router, '/:tid/follow', middleware, [...middlewares, middleware.assertTopic], 'put', controllers.write.topics.follow);
+	setupApiRoute(router, '/:tid/follow', middleware, [...middlewares, middleware.assertTopic], 'delete', controllers.write.topics.unfollow);
+	setupApiRoute(router, '/:tid/ignore', middleware, [...middlewares, middleware.assertTopic], 'put', controllers.write.topics.ignore);
+	setupApiRoute(router, '/:tid/ignore', middleware, [...middlewares, middleware.assertTopic], 'delete', controllers.write.topics.unfollow);	// intentional, unignore == unfollow
 
 	// app.route('/:tid/follow')
 	// 	.put(apiMiddleware.requireUser, apiMiddleware.validateTid, function(req, res) {
diff --git a/src/socket.io/topics.js b/src/socket.io/topics.js
index 56e33266b7..c0dcd81a97 100644
--- a/src/socket.io/topics.js
+++ b/src/socket.io/topics.js
@@ -82,10 +82,13 @@ SocketTopics.changeWatching = async function (socket, data) {
 	if (!commands.includes(data.type)) {
 		throw new Error('[[error:invalid-command]]');
 	}
+
+	sockets.warnDeprecated(socket, 'PUT/DELETE /api/v1/topics/:tid/(follow|ignore)');
 	await followCommand(topics[data.type], socket, data.tid);
 };
 
 SocketTopics.follow = async function (socket, tid) {
+	sockets.warnDeprecated(socket, 'PUT /api/v1/topics/:tid/follow');
 	await followCommand(topics.follow, socket, tid);
 };