diff --git a/src/Content/Widget.php b/src/Content/Widget.php
index 863399287..1b2502d2d 100644
--- a/src/Content/Widget.php
+++ b/src/Content/Widget.php
@@ -25,12 +25,14 @@ use Friendica\Core\Addon;
 use Friendica\Core\Cache\Enum\Duration;
 use Friendica\Core\Protocol;
 use Friendica\Core\Renderer;
+use Friendica\Core\Search;
 use Friendica\Database\DBA;
 use Friendica\DI;
 use Friendica\Model\Contact;
 use Friendica\Model\Group;
 use Friendica\Model\Item;
 use Friendica\Model\Post;
+use Friendica\Model\Profile;
 use Friendica\Util\DateTimeFormat;
 use Friendica\Util\Temporal;
 
@@ -59,7 +61,7 @@ class Widget
 	 */
 	public static function findPeople()
 	{
-		$global_dir = DI::config()->get('system', 'directory');
+		$global_dir = Search::getGlobalDirectory();
 
 		if (DI::config()->get('system', 'invitation_only')) {
 			$x = intval(DI::pConfig()->get(local_user(), 'system', 'invites_remaining'));
@@ -81,7 +83,7 @@ class Widget
 		$nv['random'] = DI::l10n()->t('Random Profile');
 		$nv['inv'] = DI::l10n()->t('Invite Friends');
 		$nv['directory'] = DI::l10n()->t('Global Directory');
-		$nv['global_dir'] = $global_dir;
+		$nv['global_dir'] = Profile::zrl($global_dir, true);
 		$nv['local_directory'] = DI::l10n()->t('Local Directory');
 
 		$aside = [];
diff --git a/src/Core/Search.php b/src/Core/Search.php
index 17b9eeb8f..41c75ad32 100644
--- a/src/Core/Search.php
+++ b/src/Core/Search.php
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ class Search
 	 */
 	public static function getContactsFromGlobalDirectory($search, $type = self::TYPE_ALL, $page = 1)
 	{
-		$server = DI::config()->get('system', 'directory', self::DEFAULT_DIRECTORY);
+		$server = self::getGlobalDirectory();
 
 		$searchUrl = $server . '/search';
 
diff --git a/src/Model/Contact.php b/src/Model/Contact.php
index acb4bc10e..2204b6c6e 100644
--- a/src/Model/Contact.php
+++ b/src/Model/Contact.php
@@ -2781,6 +2781,7 @@ class Contact
 			self::remove($contact['id']);
 		} else {
 			DI::logger()->info('Couldn\'t remove follower because of invalid contact array', ['contact' => $contact, 'callstack' => System::callstack()]);
+			return;
 		}
 
 		$cdata = Contact::getPublicAndUserContactID($contact['id'], $contact['uid']);
diff --git a/src/Model/User.php b/src/Model/User.php
index 500b63658..71e2c8a81 100644
--- a/src/Model/User.php
+++ b/src/Model/User.php
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ use Friendica\Core\Hook;
 use Friendica\Core\L10n;
 use Friendica\Core\Logger;
 use Friendica\Core\Protocol;
+use Friendica\Core\Search;
 use Friendica\Core\System;
 use Friendica\Core\Worker;
 use Friendica\Database\DBA;
@@ -1287,7 +1288,7 @@ class User
 
 		$profile = DBA::selectFirst('profile', ['net-publish'], ['uid' => $register['uid']]);
 
-		if (DBA::isResult($profile) && $profile['net-publish'] && DI::config()->get('system', 'directory')) {
+		if (DBA::isResult($profile) && $profile['net-publish'] && Search::getGlobalDirectory()) {
 			$url = DI::baseUrl() . '/profile/' . $user['nickname'];
 			Worker::add(PRIORITY_LOW, "Directory", $url);
 		}
diff --git a/src/Module/Api/Friendica/Profile/Show.php b/src/Module/Api/Friendica/Profile/Show.php
index 2d686d9ca..67f4e22ed 100644
--- a/src/Module/Api/Friendica/Profile/Show.php
+++ b/src/Module/Api/Friendica/Profile/Show.php
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ namespace Friendica\Module\Api\Friendica\Profile;
 
 use Friendica\Profile\ProfileField\Collection\ProfileFields;
 use Friendica\Content\Text\BBCode;
+use Friendica\Core\Search;
 use Friendica\DI;
 use Friendica\Model\Profile;
 use Friendica\Module\BaseApi;
@@ -39,7 +40,7 @@ class Show extends BaseApi
 		$uid = self::getCurrentUserID();
 
 		// retrieve general information about profiles for user
-		$directory = DI::config()->get('system', 'directory');
+		$directory = Search::getGlobalDirectory();
 
 		$profile = Profile::getByUID($uid);
 		
diff --git a/src/Module/Api/Mastodon/Accounts/Search.php b/src/Module/Api/Mastodon/Accounts/Search.php
index cec6cc0d9..60db5b057 100644
--- a/src/Module/Api/Mastodon/Accounts/Search.php
+++ b/src/Module/Api/Mastodon/Accounts/Search.php
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ class Search extends BaseApi
 			if (empty($results)) {
 				if (DI::config()->get('system', 'poco_local_search')) {
 					$results = CoreSearch::getContactsFromLocalDirectory($request['q'], CoreSearch::TYPE_ALL, 0, $request['limit']);
-				} elseif (!empty(DI::config()->get('system', 'directory'))) {
+				} elseif (CoreSearch::getGlobalDirectory()) {
 					$results = CoreSearch::getContactsFromGlobalDirectory($request['q'], CoreSearch::TYPE_ALL, 1);
 				}
 			}
diff --git a/src/Module/Api/Mastodon/Search.php b/src/Module/Api/Mastodon/Search.php
index 691594477..e3f462325 100644
--- a/src/Module/Api/Mastodon/Search.php
+++ b/src/Module/Api/Mastodon/Search.php
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ class Search extends BaseApi
 			if (empty($results)) {
 				if (DI::config()->get('system', 'poco_local_search')) {
 					$results = CoreSearch::getContactsFromLocalDirectory($q, CoreSearch::TYPE_ALL, 0, $limit);
-				} elseif (!empty(DI::config()->get('system', 'directory'))) {
+				} elseif (CoreSearch::getGlobalDirectory()) {
 					$results = CoreSearch::getContactsFromGlobalDirectory($q, CoreSearch::TYPE_ALL, 1);
 				}
 			}
diff --git a/src/Module/BaseSearch.php b/src/Module/BaseSearch.php
index 3abc92318..ca5bb7612 100644
--- a/src/Module/BaseSearch.php
+++ b/src/Module/BaseSearch.php
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ class BaseSearch extends BaseModule
 		if ($localSearch && empty($results)) {
 			$pager->setItemsPerPage(80);
 			$results = Search::getContactsFromLocalDirectory($search, $type, $pager->getStart(), $pager->getItemsPerPage());
-		} elseif (strlen($config->get('system', 'directory')) && empty($results)) {
+		} elseif (Search::getGlobalDirectory() && empty($results)) {
 			$results = Search::getContactsFromGlobalDirectory($search, $type, $pager->getPage());
 			$pager->setItemsPerPage($results->getItemsPage());
 		}
diff --git a/src/Module/Directory.php b/src/Module/Directory.php
index 8d7b8611b..b79e7b149 100644
--- a/src/Module/Directory.php
+++ b/src/Module/Directory.php
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ use Friendica\Content\Widget;
 use Friendica\Core\Hook;
 use Friendica\Core\Session;
 use Friendica\Core\Renderer;
+use Friendica\Core\Search;
 use Friendica\DI;
 use Friendica\Model;
 use Friendica\Model\Profile;
@@ -61,7 +62,7 @@ class Directory extends BaseModule
 		$search = trim(rawurldecode($_REQUEST['search'] ?? ''));
 
 		$gDirPath = '';
-		$dirURL = $config->get('system', 'directory');
+		$dirURL = Search::getGlobalDirectory();
 		if (strlen($dirURL)) {
 			$gDirPath = Profile::zrl($dirURL, true);
 		}
diff --git a/src/Module/Invite.php b/src/Module/Invite.php
index 1ce970069..77a7585bd 100644
--- a/src/Module/Invite.php
+++ b/src/Module/Invite.php
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ namespace Friendica\Module;
 
 use Friendica\BaseModule;
 use Friendica\Core\Renderer;
+use Friendica\Core\Search;
 use Friendica\DI;
 use Friendica\Model;
 use Friendica\Model\User;
@@ -143,7 +144,7 @@ class Invite extends BaseModule
 			}
 		}
 
-		$dirLocation = $config->get('system', 'directory');
+		$dirLocation = Search::getGlobalDirectory();
 		if (strlen($dirLocation)) {
 			if ($config->get('config', 'register_policy') === Register::CLOSED) {
 				$linkTxt = DI::l10n()->t('Visit %s for a list of public sites that you can join. Friendica members on other sites can all connect with each other, as well as with members of many other social networks.', $dirLocation . '/servers');
diff --git a/src/Module/Settings/Account.php b/src/Module/Settings/Account.php
index d991fd89e..bba8e1941 100644
--- a/src/Module/Settings/Account.php
+++ b/src/Module/Settings/Account.php
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ use Exception;
 use Friendica\Core\ACL;
 use Friendica\Core\Logger;
 use Friendica\Core\Renderer;
+use Friendica\Core\Search;
 use Friendica\Core\Worker;
 use Friendica\Database\DBA;
 use Friendica\DI;
@@ -516,8 +517,8 @@ class Account extends BaseSettings
 		}
 
 		$net_pub_desc = '';
-		if (strlen(DI::config()->get('system', 'directory'))) {
-			$net_pub_desc = ' ' . DI::l10n()->t('Your profile will also be published in the global friendica directories (e.g. <a href="%s">%s</a>).', DI::config()->get('system', 'directory'), DI::config()->get('system', 'directory'));
+		if (Search::getGlobalDirectory()) {
+			$net_pub_desc = ' ' . DI::l10n()->t('Your profile will also be published in the global friendica directories (e.g. <a href="%s">%s</a>).', Search::getGlobalDirectory(), Search::getGlobalDirectory());
 		}
 
 		/* Installed langs */
diff --git a/src/Worker/Directory.php b/src/Worker/Directory.php
index 65034a44a..d6294d049 100644
--- a/src/Worker/Directory.php
+++ b/src/Worker/Directory.php
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ namespace Friendica\Worker;
 
 use Friendica\Core\Hook;
 use Friendica\Core\Logger;
+use Friendica\Core\Search;
 use Friendica\Core\Worker;
 use Friendica\Database\DBA;
 use Friendica\DI;
@@ -35,7 +36,7 @@ class Directory
 {
 	public static function execute($url = '')
 	{
-		$dir = DI::config()->get('system', 'directory');
+		$dir = Search::getGlobalDirectory();
 
 		if (!strlen($dir)) {
 			return;
diff --git a/src/Worker/PullDirectory.php b/src/Worker/PullDirectory.php
index 2cf084124..8a22e504c 100644
--- a/src/Worker/PullDirectory.php
+++ b/src/Worker/PullDirectory.php
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@
 namespace Friendica\Worker;
 
 use Friendica\Core\Logger;
+use Friendica\Core\Search;
 use Friendica\DI;
 use Friendica\Model\Contact;
 use Friendica\Network\HTTPClient\Client\HttpClientAccept;
@@ -38,7 +39,7 @@ class PullDirectory
 			return;
 		}
 
-		$directory = DI::config()->get('system', 'directory');
+		$directory = Search::getGlobalDirectory();
 		if (empty($directory)) {
 			Logger::info('No directory configured');
 			return;