diff --git a/models/user/search.go b/models/user/search.go
index 45b051187ea07..20b789b50e0a1 100644
--- a/models/user/search.go
+++ b/models/user/search.go
@@ -160,6 +160,11 @@ func BuildCanSeeUserCondition(actor *User) builder.Cond {
 			if !actor.IsRestricted {
 				// Not-Restricted users can see public and limited users/organizations
 				cond = cond.Or(builder.In("`user`.visibility", structs.VisibleTypePublic, structs.VisibleTypeLimited))
+				// or private users who do follow them
+				cond = cond.Or(builder.Eq{
+					"`user`.visibility": structs.VisibleTypePrivate,
+					"`user`.id":         builder.Select("follow.user_id").From("follow").Where(builder.Eq{"follow.follow_id": actor.ID}),
+				})
 			}
 			// Don't forget about self
 			return cond.Or(builder.Eq{"`user`.id": actor.ID})
diff --git a/models/user/search_test.go b/models/user/search_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..6699f88cde1bf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/models/user/search_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,72 @@
+// Copyright 2021 The Gitea Authors. All rights reserved.
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
+
+package user_test
+
+import (
+	"testing"
+
+	"code.gitea.io/gitea/models/db"
+	"code.gitea.io/gitea/models/unittest"
+	"code.gitea.io/gitea/models/user"
+
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
+	"xorm.io/builder"
+)
+
+func TestBuildCanSeeUserCondition(t *testing.T) {
+	assert.NoError(t, unittest.PrepareTestDatabase())
+
+	getIDs := func(cond builder.Cond) (ids []int64) {
+		db.GetEngine(db.DefaultContext).Select("id").Table(`user`).
+			Where(builder.Eq{"is_active": true}.And(cond)).Asc("id").Find(&ids)
+		return ids
+	}
+
+	getUser := func(t *testing.T, id int64) *user.User {
+		user, err := user.GetUserByID(db.DefaultContext, id)
+		assert.NoError(t, err)
+		if !assert.NotNil(t, user) {
+			t.FailNow()
+		}
+		return user
+	}
+
+	// no login
+	cond := user.BuildCanSeeUserCondition(nil)
+	assert.NotNil(t, cond)
+	ids := getIDs(cond)
+	assert.Len(t, ids, 24)
+	assert.EqualValues(t, []int64{1, 2, 4, 5, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 24, 27, 28, 29, 30, 32, 34}, ids)
+
+	// normal user
+	cond = user.BuildCanSeeUserCondition(getUser(t, 5))
+	ids = getIDs(cond)
+	assert.Len(t, ids, 28)
+	assert.EqualValues(t, []int64{1, 2, 4, 5, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 27, 28, 29, 30, 32, 33, 34, 36}, ids)
+
+	// admin
+	cond = user.BuildCanSeeUserCondition(getUser(t, 1))
+	assert.Nil(t, cond)
+	ids = getIDs(cond)
+	assert.Len(t, ids, 30)
+	assert.EqualValues(t, []int64{1, 2, 4, 5, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36}, ids)
+
+	// private user
+	cond = user.BuildCanSeeUserCondition(getUser(t, 31))
+	ids = getIDs(cond)
+	assert.Len(t, ids, 28)
+	assert.EqualValues(t, []int64{1, 2, 4, 5, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 24, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 36}, ids)
+
+	// limited user who is followed by private user
+	cond = user.BuildCanSeeUserCondition(getUser(t, 33))
+	ids = getIDs(cond)
+	assert.Len(t, ids, 28)
+	assert.EqualValues(t, []int64{1, 2, 4, 5, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 24, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 36}, ids)
+
+	// restricted user
+	cond = user.BuildCanSeeUserCondition(getUser(t, 29))
+	ids = getIDs(cond)
+	assert.Len(t, ids, 2)
+	assert.EqualValues(t, []int64{17, 29}, ids)
+}