diff --git a/app/controllers/comments_controller.rb b/app/controllers/comments_controller.rb
index 99e3af8ac..906890818 100644
--- a/app/controllers/comments_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/comments_controller.rb
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ class CommentsController < ApplicationController
   before_action :check_lock_thread_access, only: [:lock_thread]
   before_action :check_thread_access, only: [:thread, :thread_content, :thread_followers]
   before_action :check_unrestrict_access, only: [:thread_unrestrict]
-  before_action :check_if_target_post_locked, only: [:create, :post_follow]
+  before_action :check_if_target_post_locked, only: [:create, :create_thread]
   before_action :check_if_parent_post_locked, only: [:update, :destroy]
   before_action :verify_moderator, only: [:thread_followers]
 
@@ -56,12 +56,9 @@ def create_thread
 
     if success
       notification = "New comment thread on #{@comment.root.title}: #{@comment_thread.title}"
-      unless @comment.post.user.same_as?(current_user)
-        @comment.post.user.create_notification(notification, helpers.comment_link(@comment))
-      end
 
       NewThreadFollower.where(post: @post).each do |ntf|
-        unless ntf.user.same_as?(current_user) || ntf.user.same_as?(@comment.post.user)
+        unless ntf.user.same_as?(current_user)
           ntf.user.create_notification(notification, helpers.comment_link(@comment))
         end
         ThreadFollower.create(user: ntf.user, comment_thread: @comment_thread)
diff --git a/app/controllers/posts_controller.rb b/app/controllers/posts_controller.rb
index a7f653d15..8202bcaf7 100644
--- a/app/controllers/posts_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/posts_controller.rb
@@ -110,6 +110,7 @@ def create
 
     if @post.save
       @post.update(last_activity: @post.created_at, last_activity_by: current_user)
+      NewThreadFollower.create user: @post.user, post: @post
       if @post_type.has_parent?
         unless @post.user_id == @post.parent.user_id
           @post.parent.user.create_notification("New response to your post #{@post.parent.title}",
diff --git a/app/models/comment_thread.rb b/app/models/comment_thread.rb
index 68d40af67..eb58e1c79 100644
--- a/app/models/comment_thread.rb
+++ b/app/models/comment_thread.rb
@@ -14,8 +14,6 @@ class CommentThread < ApplicationRecord
   validate :maximum_title_length
   validates :title, presence: { message: I18n.t('comments.errors.title_presence') }
 
-  after_create :create_follower
-
   before_save :bump_last_activity
 
   # Gets threads appropriately scoped for a given user & post
@@ -121,15 +119,4 @@ def remove_follower(user)
 
     ThreadFollower.where(comment_thread: self, user: user).destroy_all.any?
   end
-
-  private
-
-  # Comment author and post author are automatically followed to the thread. Question author is NOT
-  # automatically followed on new answer comment threads. Comment author follower creation is done
-  # on the Comment model.
-  def create_follower
-    if post.user.preference('auto_follow_comment_threads') == 'true'
-      ThreadFollower.create comment_thread: self, user: post.user
-    end
-  end
 end
diff --git a/config/config/preferences.yml b/config/config/preferences.yml
index c860403b0..240b901ba 100644
--- a/config/config/preferences.yml
+++ b/config/config/preferences.yml
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ display_import_labels:
 auto_follow_comment_threads:
   type: boolean
   description: >
-    Automatically follow any comment thread you participate in.
+    Automatically follow any comment thread you create or participate in.
   default: 'true'
   global: true
 
diff --git a/db/migrate/20260208223211_follow_own_posts.rb b/db/migrate/20260208223211_follow_own_posts.rb
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..98847d109
--- /dev/null
+++ b/db/migrate/20260208223211_follow_own_posts.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+class FollowOwnPosts < ActiveRecord::Migration[7.2]
+  def change
+    to_insert = Post.where.not(post_type_id: [PolicyDoc.post_type_id, HelpDoc.post_type_id])
+                    .where.not(user_id: nil)
+                    .pluck(:id, :user_id)
+                    .map { |post_id, user_id| { post_id: post_id, user_id: user_id } }
+
+    NewThreadFollower.insert_all(to_insert)
+  end
+end
diff --git a/test/controllers/comments/post_follow_test.rb b/test/controllers/comments/post_follow_test.rb
index bd2932b16..2479fc49b 100644
--- a/test/controllers/comments/post_follow_test.rb
+++ b/test/controllers/comments/post_follow_test.rb
@@ -49,4 +49,25 @@ class CommentsControllerTest < ActionController::TestCase
     # Assert user still only follows post once
     assert_equal 1, NewThreadFollower.where(['post_id = ? AND user_id = ?', question, user]).count
   end
+
+  test 'post author can unfollow post then follow' do
+    user = users(:standard_user)
+    sign_in user
+    question = posts(:question_one)
+
+    # Assert user follows post
+    assert_equal 1, NewThreadFollower.where(['post_id = ? AND user_id = ?', question, user]).count
+
+    try_post_unfollow(question)
+    assert_response(:found)
+
+    # Assert user does not follow post
+    assert_equal 0, NewThreadFollower.where(['post_id = ? AND user_id = ?', question, user]).count
+
+    try_post_follow(question)
+    assert_response(:found)
+
+    # Assert user follows post
+    assert_equal 1, NewThreadFollower.where(['post_id = ? AND user_id = ?', question, user]).count
+  end
 end
diff --git a/test/controllers/posts/create_test.rb b/test/controllers/posts/create_test.rb
index 3f53dd5e3..ff88b9053 100644
--- a/test/controllers/posts/create_test.rb
+++ b/test/controllers/posts/create_test.rb
@@ -132,6 +132,16 @@ class PostsControllerTest < ActionController::TestCase
     assert_redirected_to_sign_in
   end
 
+  test 'should make post author a thread follower of the post' do
+    user = users(:standard_user)
+    sign_in user
+    try_create_post
+    assert_response(:found)
+
+    # Assert user follows post
+    assert_equal 1, NewThreadFollower.where(['post_id = ? AND user_id = ?', assigns(:post), user]).count
+  end
+
   private
 
   # Attempts to create a post