diff --git a/addons/mail/static/src/js/followers.js b/addons/mail/static/src/js/followers.js
index 651165dde30..5859d632fea 100644
--- a/addons/mail/static/src/js/followers.js
+++ b/addons/mail/static/src/js/followers.js
@@ -203,7 +203,9 @@ var Followers = AbstractField.extend({
         return $.when(def).then(function (results) {
             if (results) {
                 self.followers = _.uniq(results.followers.concat(self.followers), 'id');
-                self.subtypes = results.subtypes;
+                if (results.subtypes) { //read_followers will return False if current user is not in the list
+                    self.subtypes = results.subtypes;
+                }
             }
             // filter out previously fetched followers that are no longer following
             self.followers = _.filter(self.followers, function (follower) {
@@ -290,6 +292,15 @@ var Followers = AbstractField.extend({
             });
         } else {
             var kwargs = _.extend({}, ids);
+            if (follower_id === undefined || follower_id === this.partnerID) {
+                //this.subtypes will only be updated if the current user
+                //just added himself to the followers. We need to update
+                //the subtypes manually when editing subtypes
+                //for current user
+                _.each(this.subtypes, function (subtype) {
+                    subtype.followed = checklist.indexOf(subtype.id) > -1;
+                });
+            }
             kwargs.subtype_ids = checklist;
             kwargs.context = {}; // FIXME
             this._rpc({
diff --git a/addons/mail/static/tests/chatter_tests.js b/addons/mail/static/tests/chatter_tests.js
index a2b6566f4d0..a8b8a3adadf 100644
--- a/addons/mail/static/tests/chatter_tests.js
+++ b/addons/mail/static/tests/chatter_tests.js
@@ -1449,11 +1449,6 @@ QUnit.test('followers widget: follow/unfollow, edit subtypes', function (assert)
                     _.each(subtypes, function (subtype) {
                         subtype.followed = _.contains(args.kwargs.subtype_ids, subtype.id);
                     });
-                    // hack: the server creates a new follower each time the subtypes are updated
-                    // so we need here to mock that weird behavior here, as the followers widget
-                    // relies on that behavior
-                    this.data.partner.records[0].message_follower_ids = [2];
-                    followers[0].id = 2;
                 } else {
                     // follow
                     this.data.partner.records[0].message_follower_ids = [1];
@@ -1472,6 +1467,7 @@ QUnit.test('followers widget: follow/unfollow, edit subtypes', function (assert)
                 return $.when({
                     followers: followers,
                     subtypes: subtypes,
+                    // caution, subtype will only be returned if current user is in args follower list
                 });
             }
             if (route === '/web/dataset/call_kw/partner/message_unsubscribe') {