diff --git a/app/javascript/mastodon/features/follow_requests/index.js b/app/javascript/mastodon/features/follow_requests/index.js
index bef56fab5f..7078e4e6cc 100644
--- a/app/javascript/mastodon/features/follow_requests/index.js
+++ b/app/javascript/mastodon/features/follow_requests/index.js
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import ColumnBackButtonSlim from '../../components/column_back_button_slim';
 import AccountAuthorizeContainer from './containers/account_authorize_container';
 import { fetchFollowRequests, expandFollowRequests } from '../../actions/accounts';
 import ScrollableList from '../../components/scrollable_list';
+import { me } from '../../initial_state';
 
 const messages = defineMessages({
   heading: { id: 'column.follow_requests', defaultMessage: 'Follow requests' },
@@ -19,6 +20,8 @@ const messages = defineMessages({
 const mapStateToProps = state => ({
   accountIds: state.getIn(['user_lists', 'follow_requests', 'items']),
   hasMore: !!state.getIn(['user_lists', 'follow_requests', 'next']),
+  locked: !!state.getIn(['accounts', me, 'locked']),
+  domain: state.getIn(['meta', 'domain']),
 });
 
 export default @connect(mapStateToProps)
@@ -31,6 +34,8 @@ class FollowRequests extends ImmutablePureComponent {
     shouldUpdateScroll: PropTypes.func,
     hasMore: PropTypes.bool,
     accountIds: ImmutablePropTypes.list,
+    locked: PropTypes.bool,
+    domain: PropTypes.string,
     intl: PropTypes.object.isRequired,
     multiColumn: PropTypes.bool,
   };
@@ -44,7 +49,7 @@ class FollowRequests extends ImmutablePureComponent {
   }, 300, { leading: true });
 
   render () {
-    const { intl, shouldUpdateScroll, accountIds, hasMore, multiColumn } = this.props;
+    const { intl, shouldUpdateScroll, accountIds, hasMore, multiColumn, locked, domain } = this.props;
 
     if (!accountIds) {
       return (
@@ -55,6 +60,15 @@ class FollowRequests extends ImmutablePureComponent {
     }
 
     const emptyMessage = <FormattedMessage id='empty_column.follow_requests' defaultMessage="You don't have any follow requests yet. When you receive one, it will show up here." />;
+    const unlockedPrependMessage = locked ? null : (
+      <div className='follow_requests-unlocked_explanation'>
+        <FormattedMessage
+          id='follow_requests.unlocked_explanation'
+          defaultMessage='Even though your account is not locked, the {domain} staff thought you might want to review follow requests from these accounts manually.'
+          values={{ domain: domain }}
+        />
+      </div>
+    );
 
     return (
       <Column bindToDocument={!multiColumn} icon='user-plus' heading={intl.formatMessage(messages.heading)}>
@@ -66,6 +80,7 @@ class FollowRequests extends ImmutablePureComponent {
           shouldUpdateScroll={shouldUpdateScroll}
           emptyMessage={emptyMessage}
           bindToDocument={!multiColumn}
+          prepend={unlockedPrependMessage}
         >
           {accountIds.map(id =>
             <AccountAuthorizeContainer key={id} id={id} />,
diff --git a/app/javascript/mastodon/locales/defaultMessages.json b/app/javascript/mastodon/locales/defaultMessages.json
index 3142487eaa..284232c202 100644
--- a/app/javascript/mastodon/locales/defaultMessages.json
+++ b/app/javascript/mastodon/locales/defaultMessages.json
@@ -1532,6 +1532,10 @@
       {
         "defaultMessage": "You don't have any follow requests yet. When you receive one, it will show up here.",
         "id": "empty_column.follow_requests"
+      },
+      {
+        "defaultMessage": "Even though your account is not locked, the {domain} staff thought you might want to review follow requests from these accounts manually.",
+        "id": "follow_requests.unlocked_explanation"
       }
     ],
     "path": "app/javascript/mastodon/features/follow_requests/index.json"
@@ -2948,4 +2952,4 @@
     ],
     "path": "app/javascript/mastodon/features/video/index.json"
   }
-]
\ No newline at end of file
+]
diff --git a/app/javascript/mastodon/locales/en.json b/app/javascript/mastodon/locales/en.json
index 5d0b71f592..616780785c 100644
--- a/app/javascript/mastodon/locales/en.json
+++ b/app/javascript/mastodon/locales/en.json
@@ -164,6 +164,7 @@
   "errors.unexpected_crash.report_issue": "Report issue",
   "follow_request.authorize": "Authorize",
   "follow_request.reject": "Reject",
+  "follow_requests.unlocked_explanation": "Even though your account is not locked, the {domain} staff thought you might want to review follow requests from these accounts manually.",
   "getting_started.developers": "Developers",
   "getting_started.directory": "Profile directory",
   "getting_started.documentation": "Documentation",
diff --git a/app/javascript/styles/mastodon/components.scss b/app/javascript/styles/mastodon/components.scss
index 3b68766a8b..26774ab43f 100644
--- a/app/javascript/styles/mastodon/components.scss
+++ b/app/javascript/styles/mastodon/components.scss
@@ -3800,7 +3800,8 @@ a.status-card.compact:hover {
 }
 
 .empty-column-indicator,
-.error-column {
+.error-column,
+.follow_requests-unlocked_explanation {
   color: $dark-text-color;
   background: $ui-base-color;
   text-align: center;
@@ -3831,6 +3832,11 @@ a.status-card.compact:hover {
   }
 }
 
+.follow_requests-unlocked_explanation {
+  background: darken($ui-base-color, 4%);
+  contain: initial;
+}
+
 .error-column {
   flex-direction: column;
 }