diff --git a/src/services/mcp/tools/actions.ts b/src/services/mcp/tools/actions.ts
index 195e64a..487a5d2 100644
--- a/src/services/mcp/tools/actions.ts
+++ b/src/services/mcp/tools/actions.ts
@@ -2,11 +2,12 @@ import z from "zod";
 import server from "../server.js";
 import { ownerActions, ownerPublish } from "../../owner.js";
 import { FollowUser, UnfollowUser } from "applesauce-actions/actions";
+import { normalizeToHexPubkey } from "../../../helpers/nip19.js";
 
 server.tool(
   "Follow user",
   "Adds another users pubkey to the owners following list",
-  { pubkey: z.string() },
+  { pubkey: z.string().transform((hex) => normalizeToHexPubkey(hex, true)) },
   async ({ pubkey }) => {
     try {
       await ownerActions.exec(FollowUser, pubkey).forEach(ownerPublish);
@@ -20,7 +21,7 @@ server.tool(
 server.tool(
   "Unfollow user",
   "Removes another users pubkey from the owners following list",
-  { pubkey: z.string() },
+  { pubkey: z.string().transform((hex) => normalizeToHexPubkey(hex, true)) },
   async ({ pubkey }) => {
     try {
       await ownerActions.exec(UnfollowUser, pubkey).forEach(ownerPublish);