diff --git a/app/controllers/api/v1/statuses_controller.rb b/app/controllers/api/v1/statuses_controller.rb
index 0a3a7a20..4f7c25c0 100644
--- a/app/controllers/api/v1/statuses_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/api/v1/statuses_controller.rb
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ class Api::V1::StatusesController < Api::BaseController
 
   before_action -> { authorize_if_got_token! :read, :'read:statuses' }, except: [:create, :update, :destroy]
   before_action -> { doorkeeper_authorize! :write, :'write:statuses' }, only:   [:create, :update, :destroy]
-  before_action :require_user!, except:  [:show, :comments, :context, :card]
+  before_action :require_user!, except:  [:show]
   before_action :set_status, only:       [:show, :comments, :context, :card, :update, :revisions]
 
   # This API was originally unlimited, pagination cannot be introduced without
diff --git a/app/javascript/gabsocial/actions/statuses.js b/app/javascript/gabsocial/actions/statuses.js
index 0a2f3a2c..03cdf83a 100644
--- a/app/javascript/gabsocial/actions/statuses.js
+++ b/app/javascript/gabsocial/actions/statuses.js
@@ -181,7 +181,7 @@ const deleteStatusFail = (id, error) => ({
  * 
  */
 export const fetchContext = (id, ensureIsReply) => (dispatch, getState) => {
-  if (!id) return
+  if (!id || !me) return
 
   if (ensureIsReply) {
     const isReply = !!getState().getIn(['statuses', id, 'in_reply_to_id'], null)
@@ -228,7 +228,7 @@ const fetchContextFail = (id, error) => ({
  * 
  */
 export const fetchComments = (id) => (dispatch, getState) => {
-  if (!id) return
+  if (!id || !me) return
   debouncedFetchComments(id, dispatch, getState)
 }
 
diff --git a/app/javascript/gabsocial/components/status.js b/app/javascript/gabsocial/components/status.js
index 4395e098..29506161 100644
--- a/app/javascript/gabsocial/components/status.js
+++ b/app/javascript/gabsocial/components/status.js
@@ -517,7 +517,16 @@ class Status extends ImmutablePureComponent {
                   }
                   
                   {
-                    status.get('replies_count') > 0 && !isChild && !isNotification && !commentsLimited &&
+                    !me && status.get('replies_count') > 0 && !isChild && !isNotification && !commentsLimited &&
+                    <div className={[_s.d, _s.mr10, _s.ml10, _s.mb10, _s.px15, _s.py15, _s.aiCenter, _s.jcCenter, _s.borderColorSecondary, _s.borderTop1PX].join(' ')}>
+                      <Text color='tertiary' className={[_s.d, _s.py15].join(' ')}>
+                        Sign up to view {status.get('replies_count')} comments.
+                      </Text>
+                    </div>
+                  }
+
+                  {
+                    !!me && status.get('replies_count') > 0 && !isChild && !isNotification && !commentsLimited &&
                     <React.Fragment>
                       <div className={[_s.d, _s.mr10, _s.ml10, _s.mb10, _s.borderColorSecondary, _s.borderBottom1PX].join(' ')} />