diff --git a/web/app/assets/javascripts/acceptFriendRequestDialog.js b/web/app/assets/javascripts/acceptFriendRequestDialog.js
index 4706105ca..66a4fe2f2 100644
--- a/web/app/assets/javascripts/acceptFriendRequestDialog.js
+++ b/web/app/assets/javascripts/acceptFriendRequestDialog.js
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@
     var user = null;
     var sending = false;
     var friendRequest = null;
+    var sidebar = null;
 
     function reset() {
       sending = false;
@@ -52,6 +53,7 @@
         rest.acceptFriendRequest(buildAcceptRequest())
         .done(function() {
             app.layout.closeDialog('accept-friend-request')
+            sidebar.refreshFriends();
         })
         .fail(function(jqXHR) {
           app.notifyServerError(jqXHR, 'Unable to Accept Friend Request');
@@ -167,7 +169,7 @@
       reset();
     }
 
-    function initialize() {
+    function initialize(sidebarInstance) {
       var dialogBindings = {
         'beforeShow' : beforeShow,
         'afterHide': afterHide
@@ -176,6 +178,7 @@
 
       app.bindDialog('accept-friend-request', dialogBindings);
 
+      sidebar = sidebarInstance;
       $dialog = $('#accept-friend-request-dialog');
       $dialogContents = $dialog.find('.dialog-inner');
       $notFriendsTemplate = $('#template-friend-request-not-friends');
diff --git a/web/app/assets/javascripts/sidebar.js b/web/app/assets/javascripts/sidebar.js
index 6e4f49831..00807f517 100644
--- a/web/app/assets/javascripts/sidebar.js
+++ b/web/app/assets/javascripts/sidebar.js
@@ -22,48 +22,20 @@
         emptySearchResults();
       }
 
+      function refreshFriends() {
+        rest.getFriends().
+          done(function(response) {
+            friends = response;
+            updateFriendList(response);
+            // set friend count
+            $('#sidebar-friend-count').html(response.length);
+          })
+      }
+
       function initializeFriendsPanel() {
 
-          /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
-          // THIS IS TEST CODE TO GENERATE BACK TO BACK NOTIFICATIONS
-          // app.notify({
-          //   "title": "TEST 1",
-          //   "text": "Test 1",
-          //   "icon_url": context.JK.resolveAvatarUrl("")
-          // });
-
-          // app.notify({
-          //   "title": "TEST 2",
-          //   "text": "Test 2",
-          //   "icon_url": context.JK.resolveAvatarUrl("")
-          // });
-
-          // app.notify({
-          //   "title": "TEST 3",
-          //   "text": "Test 3",
-          //   "icon_url": context.JK.resolveAvatarUrl("")
-          // });
-          /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
-
           $('#sidebar-search-header').hide();
-
-          var url = "/api/users/" + context.JK.currentUserId + "/friends"
-          $.ajax({
-              type: "GET",
-              dataType: "json",
-              contentType: 'application/json',
-              url: url,
-              processData: false,
-              success: function(response) {
-                friends = response;
-                updateFriendList(response);
-
-                // set friend count
-                $('#sidebar-friend-count').html(response.length);
-              },
-              error: app.ajaxError
-          });
-
+          refreshFriends();
           return false;
       }
 
@@ -1182,5 +1154,7 @@
         invitationDialog = invitationDialogInstance;
         textMessageDialog = textMessageDialogInstance;
       };
+
+      this.refreshFriends = refreshFriends;
   }
 })(window,jQuery);
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/web/app/views/clients/index.html.erb b/web/app/views/clients/index.html.erb
index d28fd6ae5..68b765856 100644
--- a/web/app/views/clients/index.html.erb
+++ b/web/app/views/clients/index.html.erb
@@ -135,7 +135,6 @@
             textMessageDialog.initialize();
 
             var acceptFriendRequestDialog = new JK.AcceptFriendRequestDialog(JK.app);
-            acceptFriendRequestDialog.initialize();
 
             var localRecordingsDialog = new JK.LocalRecordingsDialog(JK.app);
             localRecordingsDialog.initialize();
@@ -155,6 +154,7 @@
             header.initialize();
 
             var sidebar = new JK.Sidebar(JK.app);
+            acceptFriendRequestDialog.initialize(sidebar);
             sidebar.initialize(invitationDialog, textMessageDialog);
 
             var homeScreen = new JK.HomeScreen(JK.app);
diff --git a/web/spec/features/accept_friend_request_dialog_spec.rb b/web/spec/features/accept_friend_request_dialog_spec.rb
index dd9376da5..6fdc81b64 100644
--- a/web/spec/features/accept_friend_request_dialog_spec.rb
+++ b/web/spec/features/accept_friend_request_dialog_spec.rb
@@ -30,6 +30,9 @@ describe "Accept Friend Request", :js => true, :type => :feature, :capybara_feat
         page.should_not have_selector('h1', text: 'friend request')
         friend_request.reload
         friend_request.status.should == 'accept'
+
+        # make sure the friend list is refreshed
+        find("[layout-id=\"panelFriends\"] .friend-name[user-id=\"#{@user2.id}\"]", visible: false)
       end
 
       it "already accepted" do