diff --git a/includes/model/class-follower.php b/includes/model/class-follower.php
index 9e85cd6..7b41bb0 100644
--- a/includes/model/class-follower.php
+++ b/includes/model/class-follower.php
@@ -367,7 +367,10 @@ class Follower {
 	 * @return void
 	 */
 	public function update() {
-		$this->updated_at = \time();
+		if ( ! $this->updated_at ) {
+			$this->updated_at = \time();
+		}
+
 		$this->save();
 	}
 
diff --git a/tests/test-class-db-activitypub-followers.php b/tests/test-class-db-activitypub-followers.php
index a04145a..e660c00 100644
--- a/tests/test-class-db-activitypub-followers.php
+++ b/tests/test-class-db-activitypub-followers.php
@@ -109,7 +109,8 @@ class Test_Db_Activitypub_Followers extends WP_UnitTestCase {
 
 		$follower = new \Activitypub\Model\Follower( 'https://example.com/author/jon' );
 
-		update_term_meta( $follower->get_id(), 'updated_at', \time() - 804800 );
+		$follower->set_updates_at( \time() - 804800 );
+		$follower->update();
 
 		$followers = \Activitypub\Collection\Followers::get_outdated_followers();
 		$this->assertEquals( 1, count( $followers ) );
@@ -129,7 +130,7 @@ class Test_Db_Activitypub_Followers extends WP_UnitTestCase {
 		$follower = new \Activitypub\Model\Follower( 'http://sally.example.org' );
 
 		for ( $i = 1; $i <= 15; $i++ ) {
-			add_term_meta( $follower->get_id(), 'errors', 'error ' . $i );
+			add_post_meta( $follower->get_id(), 'errors', 'error ' . $i );
 		}
 
 		$follower = new \Activitypub\Model\Follower( 'http://sally.example.org' );