diff --git a/app/controllers/requests_controller.rb b/app/controllers/requests_controller.rb
index 6087ebe85..2a8090c9e 100644
--- a/app/controllers/requests_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/requests_controller.rb
@@ -47,8 +47,8 @@ class RequestsController < ApplicationController
     begin
       @request = current_user.send_friend_request_to(rel_hash[:friend], aspect)
     rescue Exception => e
-      raise e unless e.message.include? "already friends"
-      flash[:notice] = "You are already friends with #{params[:request][:destination_url]}!"
+      raise e unless e.message.include? "already"
+      flash[:notice] = "#{e.message} #{params[:request][:destination_url]}"
       respond_with :location => aspect
       return
     end
diff --git a/lib/diaspora/user/friending.rb b/lib/diaspora/user/friending.rb
index a4dcdd38d..f3b30f9b3 100644
--- a/lib/diaspora/user/friending.rb
+++ b/lib/diaspora/user/friending.rb
@@ -8,6 +8,9 @@ module Diaspora
   module UserModules
     module Friending
       def send_friend_request_to(desired_friend, aspect)
+        # should have different exception types for these?
+        raise "You have already sent a friend request to that person!" if self.pending_requests.detect{ 
+          |x| x.destination_url == desired_friend.receive_url }
         raise "You are already friends with that person!" if self.friends.detect{
           |x| x.receive_url == desired_friend.receive_url}
         request = Request.instantiate(