diff --git a/api/follow_startup.php b/api/follow_startup.php
index 4745b9d..0fbce00 100644
--- a/api/follow_startup.php
+++ b/api/follow_startup.php
@@ -10,7 +10,6 @@ if (!$user_id) {
 }
 
 $startup_id = $_POST['startup_id'] ?? null;
-$action = $_POST['action'] ?? 'follow'; // 'follow' or 'unfollow'
 
 if (!$startup_id) {
     echo json_encode(['success' => false, 'error' => 'Startup ID is required']);
@@ -18,28 +17,38 @@ if (!$startup_id) {
 }
 
 try {
-    if ($action === 'follow') {
+    // Check if already following
+    $stmt = db()->prepare("SELECT 1 FROM startup_followers WHERE startup_id = ? AND user_id = ?");
+    $stmt->execute([$startup_id, $user_id]);
+    $is_following = (bool)$stmt->fetch();
+
+    if (!$is_following) {
+        // Follow
         $stmt = db()->prepare("INSERT IGNORE INTO startup_followers (startup_id, user_id) VALUES (?, ?)");
         $stmt->execute([$startup_id, $user_id]);
-        
-        // Update denormalized count
-        $stmt = db()->prepare("UPDATE startups SET followers_count = (SELECT COUNT(*) FROM startup_followers WHERE startup_id = ?) WHERE id = ?");
-        $stmt->execute([$startup_id, $startup_id]);
+        $action_result = 'followed';
     } else {
+        // Unfollow
         $stmt = db()->prepare("DELETE FROM startup_followers WHERE startup_id = ? AND user_id = ?");
         $stmt->execute([$startup_id, $user_id]);
-        
-        // Update denormalized count
-        $stmt = db()->prepare("UPDATE startups SET followers_count = (SELECT COUNT(*) FROM startup_followers WHERE startup_id = ?) WHERE id = ?");
-        $stmt->execute([$startup_id, $startup_id]);
+        $action_result = 'unfollowed';
     }
+
+    // Update denormalized count
+    $stmt = db()->prepare("UPDATE startups SET followers_count = (SELECT COUNT(*) FROM startup_followers WHERE startup_id = ?) WHERE id = ?");
+    $stmt->execute([$startup_id, $startup_id]);
     
     // Get new count
     $stmt = db()->prepare("SELECT followers_count FROM startups WHERE id = ?");
     $stmt->execute([$startup_id]);
     $new_count = $stmt->fetchColumn();
     
-    echo json_encode(['success' => true, 'new_count' => $new_count]);
+    echo json_encode([
+        'success' => true, 
+        'action' => $action_result,
+        'new_count' => (int)$new_count,
+        'followers_count' => (int)$new_count // redundancy for both frontend versions
+    ]);
 } catch (Exception $e) {
     echo json_encode(['success' => false, 'error' => $e->getMessage()]);
 }
diff --git a/startup_details.php b/startup_details.php
index 402bb53..5812b5c 100644
--- a/startup_details.php
+++ b/startup_details.php
@@ -254,14 +254,19 @@ function getNextDividendInfo($createdAt) {
             display: inline-flex;
             align-items: center;
             gap: 10px;
-            border: 1px solid var(--accent-primary);
+            border: 1px solid var(--border-color);
         }
         .follow-btn.following {
             background: var(--accent-primary);
             color: #000;
+            border-color: var(--accent-primary);
         }
         .follow-btn.not-following {
             background: transparent;
+            color: var(--text-primary);
+        }
+        .follow-btn.not-following:hover {
+            border-color: var(--accent-primary);
             color: var(--accent-primary);
         }
         .follow-btn:hover {
@@ -688,12 +693,12 @@ function toggleFollow(startupId) {
     const span = btn.querySelector('span');
     const countSpan = document.getElementById('follower-count');
     
+    const formData = new FormData();
+    formData.append('startup_id', startupId);
+
     fetch('api/follow_startup.php', {
         method: 'POST',
-        headers: {
-            'Content-Type': 'application/x-www-form-urlencoded',
-        },
-        body: 'startup_id=' + startupId
+        body: formData
     })
     .then(response => response.json())
     .then(data => {
@@ -711,8 +716,8 @@ function toggleFollow(startupId) {
                 icon.classList.add('fa-plus');
                 span.innerText = 'Follow';
             }
-            if (countSpan) {
-                countSpan.innerText = data.followers_count.toLocaleString();
+            if (countSpan && (data.new_count !== undefined)) {
+                countSpan.innerText = data.new_count.toLocaleString();
             }
         } else {
             alert('Error: ' + data.error);