diff --git a/app/soapbox/actions/auth.js b/app/soapbox/actions/auth.js
index 8f6345508..bc714be39 100644
--- a/app/soapbox/actions/auth.js
+++ b/app/soapbox/actions/auth.js
@@ -190,8 +190,8 @@ export function logOut() {
   };
 }
 
-export function switchAccount(accountId, reload = true) {
-  return { type: SWITCH_ACCOUNT, accountId, reload };
+export function switchAccount(accountId, background = false) {
+  return { type: SWITCH_ACCOUNT, accountId, background };
 }
 
 export function fetchOwnAccounts() {
diff --git a/app/soapbox/features/ui/components/profile_dropdown.js b/app/soapbox/features/ui/components/profile_dropdown.js
index b63502694..d73005da3 100644
--- a/app/soapbox/features/ui/components/profile_dropdown.js
+++ b/app/soapbox/features/ui/components/profile_dropdown.js
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ class ProfileDropdown extends React.PureComponent {
 
   handleMiddleClick = account => {
     return e => {
-      this.props.dispatch(switchAccount(account.get('id'), false));
+      this.props.dispatch(switchAccount(account.get('id'), true));
       window.open('/', '_blank', 'noopener,noreferrer');
       e.preventDefault();
     };
diff --git a/app/soapbox/reducers/auth.js b/app/soapbox/reducers/auth.js
index 4c3af84c7..5be27ac1a 100644
--- a/app/soapbox/reducers/auth.js
+++ b/app/soapbox/reducers/auth.js
@@ -154,7 +154,6 @@ const userSwitched = (oldState, state) => {
 };
 
 const maybeReload = (oldState, state, action) => {
-  if (action.reload === false) return;
   if (userSwitched(oldState, state)) {
     reload(state);
   }
@@ -167,7 +166,9 @@ export default function auth(oldState = initialState, action) {
     // Persist the state in localStorage
     persistAuth(state);
 
-    if (action.reload === false) {
+    // When middle-clicking a profile, we want to save the
+    // user in localStorage, but not update the reducer
+    if (action.background === true) {
       return oldState;
     }