diff --git a/src/lib/ui/Navigation.svelte b/src/lib/ui/Navigation.svelte
index 1abe696..6f580f4 100644
--- a/src/lib/ui/Navigation.svelte
+++ b/src/lib/ui/Navigation.svelte
@@ -30,7 +30,6 @@
     const VERSION = APP_VERSION;
     const COMMIT = APP_COMMIT;
     const lang = Lang();
-
     const dispatch = createEventDispatcher();
 
     function gotoProfile() {
@@ -63,9 +62,13 @@
         goto("/");
     }
 
-    onMount(async () => {
-        await fetchFollowRequests(true)
-    })
+    // fetch follow requests
+    let frqsFetched = false;
+    
+    $: if($account && !frqsFetched) {
+        fetchFollowRequests(true);
+        frqsFetched = true;
+    }
 </script>
 
 <div id="navigation">
@@ -98,7 +101,7 @@
                 </span>
             {/if}
         </Button>
-        {#if $followRequests.length > 0}
+        {#if $followRequests && $followRequests.length > 0}
             <Button label="{lang.string('navigation.follow_requests')}"
                     href="/follow-requests"}
                     active={$page.url.pathname === "/follow-requests"}>