diff --git a/app/models/account.rb b/app/models/account.rb
index b0652278a4..a74438b64a 100644
--- a/app/models/account.rb
+++ b/app/models/account.rb
@@ -265,8 +265,14 @@ class Account < ApplicationRecord
     last_webfingered_at.nil? || last_webfingered_at <= STALE_THRESHOLD.ago
   end
 
+  def needs_background_refresh?
+    return false if local?
+
+    last_webfingered_at.blank? || last_webfingered_at <= BACKGROUND_REFRESH_INTERVAL.ago
+  end
+
   def schedule_refresh_if_stale!
-    return unless last_webfingered_at.present? && last_webfingered_at <= BACKGROUND_REFRESH_INTERVAL.ago
+    return unless needs_background_refresh?
 
     AccountRefreshWorker.perform_in(rand(REFRESH_DEADLINE), id)
   end
diff --git a/app/workers/account_refresh_worker.rb b/app/workers/account_refresh_worker.rb
index 08b5bab8da..b129a14226 100644
--- a/app/workers/account_refresh_worker.rb
+++ b/app/workers/account_refresh_worker.rb
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ class AccountRefreshWorker
 
   def perform(account_id)
     account = Account.find_by(id: account_id)
-    return if account.nil? || account.last_webfingered_at > Account::BACKGROUND_REFRESH_INTERVAL.ago
+    return unless account&.needs_background_refresh?
 
     ResolveAccountService.new.call(account)
   end
diff --git a/spec/models/account_spec.rb b/spec/models/account_spec.rb
index 0d76b26887..e449dfcbe8 100644
--- a/spec/models/account_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/account_spec.rb
@@ -840,4 +840,36 @@ RSpec.describe Account do
       end
     end
   end
+
+  describe '#needs_background_refresh?' do
+    subject { account.needs_background_refresh? }
+
+    context 'when account is local' do
+      let(:account) { Fabricate(:account) }
+
+      it { is_expected.to be false }
+    end
+
+    context 'when account is remote' do
+      let(:account) { Fabricate(:remote_account, last_webfingered_at:) }
+
+      context 'when account has never been updated or last update is unknown' do
+        let(:last_webfingered_at) { nil }
+
+        it { is_expected.to be true }
+      end
+
+      context 'when account has not been updated for over a week' do
+        let(:last_webfingered_at) { 8.days.ago }
+
+        it { is_expected.to be true }
+      end
+
+      context 'when account has been updated in the last week' do
+        let(:last_webfingered_at) { 4.days.ago }
+
+        it { is_expected.to be false }
+      end
+    end
+  end
 end
diff --git a/spec/workers/account_refresh_worker_spec.rb b/spec/workers/account_refresh_worker_spec.rb
index 4408ef77a9..cbd2620e66 100644
--- a/spec/workers/account_refresh_worker_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/workers/account_refresh_worker_spec.rb
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ RSpec.describe AccountRefreshWorker do
 
     context 'when account exists' do
       context 'when account does not need refreshing' do
-        let(:account) { Fabricate(:account, last_webfingered_at: recent_webfinger_at) }
+        let(:account) { Fabricate(:remote_account, last_webfingered_at: recent_webfinger_at) }
 
         it 'returns immediately without processing' do
           worker.perform(account.id)
@@ -29,9 +29,9 @@ RSpec.describe AccountRefreshWorker do
       end
 
       context 'when account needs refreshing' do
-        let(:account) { Fabricate(:account, last_webfingered_at: outdated_webfinger_at) }
+        let(:account) { Fabricate(:remote_account, last_webfingered_at: outdated_webfinger_at) }
 
-        it 'schedules an account update' do
+        it 'performs an account update' do
           worker.perform(account.id)
 
           expect(service).to have_received(:call)