diff --git a/config/config.exs b/config/config.exs
index 0d3419102..f00191a6d 100644
--- a/config/config.exs
+++ b/config/config.exs
@@ -250,13 +250,7 @@
   skip_thread_containment: true,
   limit_to_local_content: :unauthenticated,
   dynamic_configuration: false,
-  external_user_synchronization: [
-    enabled: false,
-    # every 2 hours
-    interval: 60 * 60 * 2,
-    max_retries: 3,
-    limit: 500
-  ]
+  external_user_synchronization: false
 
 config :pleroma, :markup,
   # XXX - unfortunately, inline images must be enabled by default right now, because
diff --git a/docs/config.md b/docs/config.md
index 01730ec16..140789d87 100644
--- a/docs/config.md
+++ b/docs/config.md
@@ -126,11 +126,7 @@ config :pleroma, Pleroma.Emails.Mailer,
 * `skip_thread_containment`: Skip filter out broken threads. The default is `false`.
 * `limit_to_local_content`: Limit unauthenticated users to search for local statutes and users only. Possible values: `:unauthenticated`, `:all` and `false`. The default is `:unauthenticated`.
 * `dynamic_configuration`: Allow transferring configuration to DB with the subsequent customization from Admin api.
-* `external_user_synchronization`: Following/followers counters synchronization settings.
-  * `enabled`: Enables synchronization
-  * `interval`: Interval between synchronization.
-  * `max_retries`: Max rettries for host. After exceeding the limit, the check will not be carried out for users from this host.
-  * `limit`: Users batch size for processing in one time.
+* `external_user_synchronization`: Enabling following/followers counters synchronization for external users.
 
 
 
diff --git a/lib/pleroma/application.ex b/lib/pleroma/application.ex
index 86c348a0d..ba4cf8486 100644
--- a/lib/pleroma/application.ex
+++ b/lib/pleroma/application.ex
@@ -151,11 +151,7 @@ def start(_type, _args) do
             start: {Pleroma.Web.Endpoint, :start_link, []},
             type: :supervisor
           },
-          %{id: Pleroma.Gopher.Server, start: {Pleroma.Gopher.Server, :start_link, []}},
-          %{
-            id: Pleroma.User.SynchronizationWorker,
-            start: {Pleroma.User.SynchronizationWorker, :start_link, []}
-          }
+          %{id: Pleroma.Gopher.Server, start: {Pleroma.Gopher.Server, :start_link, []}}
         ]
 
     # See http://elixir-lang.org/docs/stable/elixir/Supervisor.html
diff --git a/lib/pleroma/user.ex b/lib/pleroma/user.ex
index 81efb4f13..e5a6c2529 100644
--- a/lib/pleroma/user.ex
+++ b/lib/pleroma/user.ex
@@ -108,6 +108,10 @@ def ap_id(%User{nickname: nickname}) do
   def ap_followers(%User{follower_address: fa}) when is_binary(fa), do: fa
   def ap_followers(%User{} = user), do: "#{ap_id(user)}/followers"
 
+  @spec ap_following(User.t()) :: Sring.t()
+  def ap_following(%User{following_address: fa}) when is_binary(fa), do: fa
+  def ap_following(%User{} = user), do: "#{ap_id(user)}/following"
+
   def user_info(%User{} = user, args \\ %{}) do
     following_count =
       if args[:following_count], do: args[:following_count], else: following_count(user)
@@ -129,6 +133,7 @@ def set_info_cache(user, args) do
     Cachex.put(:user_cache, "user_info:#{user.id}", user_info(user, args))
   end
 
+  @spec restrict_deactivated(Ecto.Query.t()) :: Ecto.Query.t()
   def restrict_deactivated(query) do
     from(u in query,
       where: not fragment("? \\? 'deactivated' AND ?->'deactivated' @> 'true'", u.info, u.info)
@@ -1021,33 +1026,6 @@ def perform(:follow_import, %User{} = follower, followed_identifiers)
     )
   end
 
-  @spec sync_follow_counter() :: :ok
-  def sync_follow_counter,
-    do: PleromaJobQueue.enqueue(:background, __MODULE__, [:sync_follow_counters])
-
-  @spec perform(:sync_follow_counters) :: :ok
-  def perform(:sync_follow_counters) do
-    {:ok, _pid} = Agent.start_link(fn -> %{} end, name: :domain_errors)
-    config = Pleroma.Config.get([:instance, :external_user_synchronization])
-
-    :ok = sync_follow_counters(config)
-    Agent.stop(:domain_errors)
-  end
-
-  @spec sync_follow_counters(keyword()) :: :ok
-  def sync_follow_counters(opts \\ []) do
-    users = external_users(opts)
-
-    if length(users) > 0 do
-      errors = Agent.get(:domain_errors, fn state -> state end)
-      {last, updated_errors} = User.Synchronization.call(users, errors, opts)
-      Agent.update(:domain_errors, fn _state -> updated_errors end)
-      sync_follow_counters(max_id: last.id, limit: opts[:limit])
-    else
-      :ok
-    end
-  end
-
   @spec external_users_query() :: Ecto.Query.t()
   def external_users_query do
     User.Query.build(%{
diff --git a/lib/pleroma/user/synchronization.ex b/lib/pleroma/user/synchronization.ex
deleted file mode 100644
index 93660e08c..000000000
--- a/lib/pleroma/user/synchronization.ex
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,60 +0,0 @@
-# Pleroma: A lightweight social networking server
-# Copyright © 2017-2018 Pleroma Authors <https://pleroma.social/>
-# SPDX-License-Identifier: AGPL-3.0-only
-
-defmodule Pleroma.User.Synchronization do
-  alias Pleroma.HTTP
-  alias Pleroma.User
-
-  @spec call([User.t()], map(), keyword()) :: {User.t(), map()}
-  def call(users, errors, opts \\ []) do
-    do_call(users, errors, opts)
-  end
-
-  defp do_call([user | []], errors, opts) do
-    updated = fetch_counters(user, errors, opts)
-    {user, updated}
-  end
-
-  defp do_call([user | others], errors, opts) do
-    updated = fetch_counters(user, errors, opts)
-    do_call(others, updated, opts)
-  end
-
-  defp fetch_counters(user, errors, opts) do
-    %{host: host} = URI.parse(user.ap_id)
-
-    info = %{}
-    {following, errors} = fetch_counter(user.ap_id <> "/following", host, errors, opts)
-    info = if following, do: Map.put(info, :following_count, following), else: info
-
-    {followers, errors} = fetch_counter(user.ap_id <> "/followers", host, errors, opts)
-    info = if followers, do: Map.put(info, :follower_count, followers), else: info
-
-    User.set_info_cache(user, info)
-    errors
-  end
-
-  defp available_domain?(domain, errors, opts) do
-    max_retries = Keyword.get(opts, :max_retries, 3)
-    not (Map.has_key?(errors, domain) && errors[domain] >= max_retries)
-  end
-
-  defp fetch_counter(url, host, errors, opts) do
-    with true <- available_domain?(host, errors, opts),
-         {:ok, %{body: body, status: code}} when code in 200..299 <-
-           HTTP.get(
-             url,
-             [{:Accept, "application/activity+json"}]
-           ),
-         {:ok, data} <- Jason.decode(body) do
-      {data["totalItems"], errors}
-    else
-      false ->
-        {nil, errors}
-
-      _ ->
-        {nil, Map.update(errors, host, 1, &(&1 + 1))}
-    end
-  end
-end
diff --git a/lib/pleroma/user/synchronization_worker.ex b/lib/pleroma/user/synchronization_worker.ex
deleted file mode 100644
index ba9cc3556..000000000
--- a/lib/pleroma/user/synchronization_worker.ex
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,32 +0,0 @@
-# Pleroma: A lightweight social networking server
-# Copyright © 2017-2018 Pleroma Authors <https://pleroma.social/>
-# SPDX-License-Identifier: AGPL-3.0-onl
-
-defmodule Pleroma.User.SynchronizationWorker do
-  use GenServer
-
-  def start_link do
-    config = Pleroma.Config.get([:instance, :external_user_synchronization])
-
-    if config[:enabled] do
-      GenServer.start_link(__MODULE__, interval: config[:interval])
-    else
-      :ignore
-    end
-  end
-
-  def init(opts) do
-    schedule_next(opts)
-    {:ok, opts}
-  end
-
-  def handle_info(:sync_follow_counters, opts) do
-    Pleroma.User.sync_follow_counter()
-    schedule_next(opts)
-    {:noreply, opts}
-  end
-
-  defp schedule_next(opts) do
-    Process.send_after(self(), :sync_follow_counters, opts[:interval])
-  end
-end
diff --git a/lib/pleroma/web/activity_pub/transmogrifier.ex b/lib/pleroma/web/activity_pub/transmogrifier.ex
index e34fe6611..d14490bb5 100644
--- a/lib/pleroma/web/activity_pub/transmogrifier.ex
+++ b/lib/pleroma/web/activity_pub/transmogrifier.ex
@@ -1087,6 +1087,10 @@ def upgrade_user_from_ap_id(ap_id) do
         PleromaJobQueue.enqueue(:transmogrifier, __MODULE__, [:user_upgrade, user])
       end
 
+      if Pleroma.Config.get([:instance, :external_user_synchronization]) do
+        update_following_followers_counters(user)
+      end
+
       {:ok, user}
     else
       %User{} = user -> {:ok, user}
@@ -1119,4 +1123,27 @@ def maybe_fix_user_object(data) do
     data
     |> maybe_fix_user_url
   end
+
+  def update_following_followers_counters(user) do
+    info = %{}
+
+    following = fetch_counter(user.following_address)
+    info = if following, do: Map.put(info, :following_count, following), else: info
+
+    followers = fetch_counter(user.follower_address)
+    info = if followers, do: Map.put(info, :follower_count, followers), else: info
+
+    User.set_info_cache(user, info)
+  end
+
+  defp fetch_counter(url) do
+    with {:ok, %{body: body, status: code}} when code in 200..299 <-
+           Pleroma.HTTP.get(
+             url,
+             [{:Accept, "application/activity+json"}]
+           ),
+         {:ok, data} <- Jason.decode(body) do
+      data["totalItems"]
+    end
+  end
 end
diff --git a/test/support/factory.ex b/test/support/factory.ex
index a9f750eec..531eb81e4 100644
--- a/test/support/factory.ex
+++ b/test/support/factory.ex
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ def user_factory do
       user
       | ap_id: User.ap_id(user),
         follower_address: User.ap_followers(user),
+        following_address: User.ap_following(user),
         following: [User.ap_id(user)]
     }
   end
diff --git a/test/user/synchronization_test.exs b/test/user/synchronization_test.exs
deleted file mode 100644
index 67b669431..000000000
--- a/test/user/synchronization_test.exs
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,104 +0,0 @@
-# Pleroma: A lightweight social networking server
-# Copyright © 2017-2018 Pleroma Authors <https://pleroma.social/>
-# SPDX-License-Identifier: AGPL-3.0-only
-
-defmodule Pleroma.User.SynchronizationTest do
-  use Pleroma.DataCase
-  import Pleroma.Factory
-  alias Pleroma.User
-  alias Pleroma.User.Synchronization
-
-  setup do
-    Tesla.Mock.mock(fn env -> apply(HttpRequestMock, :request, [env]) end)
-    :ok
-  end
-
-  test "update following/followers counters" do
-    user1 =
-      insert(:user,
-        local: false,
-        ap_id: "http://localhost:4001/users/masto_closed"
-      )
-
-    user2 = insert(:user, local: false, ap_id: "http://localhost:4001/users/fuser2")
-
-    users = User.external_users()
-    assert length(users) == 2
-    {user, %{}} = Synchronization.call(users, %{})
-    assert user == List.last(users)
-
-    %{follower_count: followers, following_count: following} = User.get_cached_user_info(user1)
-    assert followers == 437
-    assert following == 152
-
-    %{follower_count: followers, following_count: following} = User.get_cached_user_info(user2)
-
-    assert followers == 527
-    assert following == 267
-  end
-
-  test "don't check host if errors exist" do
-    user1 = insert(:user, local: false, ap_id: "http://domain-with-errors:4001/users/fuser1")
-
-    user2 = insert(:user, local: false, ap_id: "http://domain-with-errors:4001/users/fuser2")
-
-    users = User.external_users()
-    assert length(users) == 2
-
-    {user, %{"domain-with-errors" => 2}} =
-      Synchronization.call(users, %{"domain-with-errors" => 2}, max_retries: 2)
-
-    assert user == List.last(users)
-
-    %{follower_count: followers, following_count: following} = User.get_cached_user_info(user1)
-    assert followers == 0
-    assert following == 0
-
-    %{follower_count: followers, following_count: following} = User.get_cached_user_info(user2)
-
-    assert followers == 0
-    assert following == 0
-  end
-
-  test "don't check host if errors appeared" do
-    user1 = insert(:user, local: false, ap_id: "http://domain-with-errors:4001/users/fuser1")
-
-    user2 = insert(:user, local: false, ap_id: "http://domain-with-errors:4001/users/fuser2")
-
-    users = User.external_users()
-    assert length(users) == 2
-
-    {user, %{"domain-with-errors" => 2}} = Synchronization.call(users, %{}, max_retries: 2)
-
-    assert user == List.last(users)
-
-    %{follower_count: followers, following_count: following} = User.get_cached_user_info(user1)
-    assert followers == 0
-    assert following == 0
-
-    %{follower_count: followers, following_count: following} = User.get_cached_user_info(user2)
-
-    assert followers == 0
-    assert following == 0
-  end
-
-  test "other users after error appeared" do
-    user1 = insert(:user, local: false, ap_id: "http://domain-with-errors:4001/users/fuser1")
-    user2 = insert(:user, local: false, ap_id: "http://localhost:4001/users/fuser2")
-
-    users = User.external_users()
-    assert length(users) == 2
-
-    {user, %{"domain-with-errors" => 2}} = Synchronization.call(users, %{}, max_retries: 2)
-    assert user == List.last(users)
-
-    %{follower_count: followers, following_count: following} = User.get_cached_user_info(user1)
-    assert followers == 0
-    assert following == 0
-
-    %{follower_count: followers, following_count: following} = User.get_cached_user_info(user2)
-
-    assert followers == 527
-    assert following == 267
-  end
-end
diff --git a/test/user/synchronization_worker_test.exs b/test/user/synchronization_worker_test.exs
deleted file mode 100644
index 835c5327f..000000000
--- a/test/user/synchronization_worker_test.exs
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,49 +0,0 @@
-# Pleroma: A lightweight social networking server
-# Copyright © 2017-2018 Pleroma Authors <https://pleroma.social/>
-# SPDX-License-Identifier: AGPL-3.0-only
-
-defmodule Pleroma.User.SynchronizationWorkerTest do
-  use Pleroma.DataCase
-  import Pleroma.Factory
-
-  setup do
-    Tesla.Mock.mock_global(fn env -> apply(HttpRequestMock, :request, [env]) end)
-
-    config = Pleroma.Config.get([:instance, :external_user_synchronization])
-
-    for_update = [enabled: true, interval: 1000]
-
-    Pleroma.Config.put([:instance, :external_user_synchronization], for_update)
-
-    on_exit(fn ->
-      Pleroma.Config.put([:instance, :external_user_synchronization], config)
-    end)
-
-    :ok
-  end
-
-  test "sync follow counters" do
-    user1 =
-      insert(:user,
-        local: false,
-        ap_id: "http://localhost:4001/users/masto_closed"
-      )
-
-    user2 = insert(:user, local: false, ap_id: "http://localhost:4001/users/fuser2")
-
-    {:ok, _} = Pleroma.User.SynchronizationWorker.start_link()
-    :timer.sleep(1500)
-
-    %{follower_count: followers, following_count: following} =
-      Pleroma.User.get_cached_user_info(user1)
-
-    assert followers == 437
-    assert following == 152
-
-    %{follower_count: followers, following_count: following} =
-      Pleroma.User.get_cached_user_info(user2)
-
-    assert followers == 527
-    assert following == 267
-  end
-end
diff --git a/test/user_test.exs b/test/user_test.exs
index 62be79b4f..7c3fe976d 100644
--- a/test/user_test.exs
+++ b/test/user_test.exs
@@ -54,6 +54,14 @@ test "ap_followers returns the followers collection for the user" do
     assert expected_followers_collection == User.ap_followers(user)
   end
 
+  test "ap_following returns the following collection for the user" do
+    user = UserBuilder.build()
+
+    expected_followers_collection = "#{User.ap_id(user)}/following"
+
+    assert expected_followers_collection == User.ap_following(user)
+  end
+
   test "returns all pending follow requests" do
     unlocked = insert(:user)
     locked = insert(:user, %{info: %{locked: true}})
@@ -1240,52 +1248,6 @@ test "external_users/1 external active users with limit", %{user1: user1, user2:
 
       assert User.external_users(max_id: fdb_user2.id, limit: 1) == []
     end
-
-    test "sync_follow_counters/1", %{user1: user1, user2: user2} do
-      {:ok, _pid} = Agent.start_link(fn -> %{} end, name: :domain_errors)
-
-      :ok = User.sync_follow_counters()
-
-      %{follower_count: followers, following_count: following} = User.get_cached_user_info(user1)
-      assert followers == 437
-      assert following == 152
-
-      %{follower_count: followers, following_count: following} = User.get_cached_user_info(user2)
-
-      assert followers == 527
-      assert following == 267
-
-      Agent.stop(:domain_errors)
-    end
-
-    test "sync_follow_counters/1 in separate batches", %{user1: user1, user2: user2} do
-      {:ok, _pid} = Agent.start_link(fn -> %{} end, name: :domain_errors)
-
-      :ok = User.sync_follow_counters(limit: 1)
-
-      %{follower_count: followers, following_count: following} = User.get_cached_user_info(user1)
-      assert followers == 437
-      assert following == 152
-
-      %{follower_count: followers, following_count: following} = User.get_cached_user_info(user2)
-
-      assert followers == 527
-      assert following == 267
-
-      Agent.stop(:domain_errors)
-    end
-
-    test "perform/1 with :sync_follow_counters", %{user1: user1, user2: user2} do
-      :ok = User.perform(:sync_follow_counters)
-      %{follower_count: followers, following_count: following} = User.get_cached_user_info(user1)
-      assert followers == 437
-      assert following == 152
-
-      %{follower_count: followers, following_count: following} = User.get_cached_user_info(user2)
-
-      assert followers == 527
-      assert following == 267
-    end
   end
 
   describe "set_info_cache/2" do
diff --git a/test/web/activity_pub/transmogrifier_test.exs b/test/web/activity_pub/transmogrifier_test.exs
index 6d05138fb..b896a532b 100644
--- a/test/web/activity_pub/transmogrifier_test.exs
+++ b/test/web/activity_pub/transmogrifier_test.exs
@@ -1359,4 +1359,32 @@ test "removes recipient's follower collection from cc", %{user: user} do
       refute recipient.follower_address in fixed_object["to"]
     end
   end
+
+  test "update_following_followers_counters/1" do
+    user1 =
+      insert(:user,
+        local: false,
+        follower_address: "http://localhost:4001/users/masto_closed/followers",
+        following_address: "http://localhost:4001/users/masto_closed/following"
+      )
+
+    user2 =
+      insert(:user,
+        local: false,
+        follower_address: "http://localhost:4001/users/fuser2/followers",
+        following_address: "http://localhost:4001/users/fuser2/following"
+      )
+
+    Transmogrifier.update_following_followers_counters(user1)
+    Transmogrifier.update_following_followers_counters(user2)
+
+    %{follower_count: followers, following_count: following} = User.get_cached_user_info(user1)
+    assert followers == 437
+    assert following == 152
+
+    %{follower_count: followers, following_count: following} = User.get_cached_user_info(user2)
+
+    assert followers == 527
+    assert following == 267
+  end
 end