diff --git a/.github/workflows/backend_test.yml b/.github/workflows/backend_test.yml
index d6dd3e3b..d134bcf2 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/backend_test.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/backend_test.yml
@@ -23,4 +23,4 @@ jobs:
         uses: actions/checkout@v4
 
       - name: Test with Maven
-        run: docker compose -f dev.yml run --rm backend mvn test
+        run: docker compose -f dev.yml run --rm backend sh -c "mvn clean install -q && mvn test -B"
diff --git a/.github/workflows/validate_pr.yml b/.github/workflows/validate_pr.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e2f571b7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/validate_pr.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+name: Validate PR to main
+
+on:
+  pull_request:
+    branches:
+      - main
+
+jobs:
+  validate_pr_source:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    steps:
+      - name: Check PR source branch
+        run: |
+          if [ "${{ github.head_ref }}" != "develop" ]; then
+            echo "Error: Pull requests to main are only allowed from the develop branch."
+            echo "Current branch: ${{ github.head_ref }}"
+            exit 1
+          fi
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/backend/src/main/java/com/group1/programminglanguagesforum/Controllers/UserController.java b/backend/src/main/java/com/group1/programminglanguagesforum/Controllers/UserController.java
index 7c943189..46e1ceaa 100644
--- a/backend/src/main/java/com/group1/programminglanguagesforum/Controllers/UserController.java
+++ b/backend/src/main/java/com/group1/programminglanguagesforum/Controllers/UserController.java
@@ -67,6 +67,8 @@ public ResponseEntity<GenericApiResponse<UserProfileResponseDto>> getUserById(@P
             Optional<User> user = userService.getUserById(id);
             if (user.isPresent()) {
                 UserProfileResponseDto userProfileResponseDto = modelMapper.map(user.get(), UserProfileResponseDto.class);
+                userProfileResponseDto.setSelfFollowing(userService.selfFollowing(user.get()));
+
                 GenericApiResponse<UserProfileResponseDto> response = ApiResponseBuilder.buildSuccessResponse(
                         userProfileResponseDto.getClass(),
                         "User retrieved successfully",
@@ -152,6 +154,8 @@ public ResponseEntity<GenericApiResponse<UserProfileResponseDto>> followUser(@Pa
             User user = userContextService.getCurrentUser();
             User followedUser = userService.followUser(user, id);
             UserProfileResponseDto updatedUserProfileResponseDto = modelMapper.map(followedUser, UserProfileResponseDto.class);
+            updatedUserProfileResponseDto.setSelfFollowing(userService.selfFollowing(followedUser));
+
             GenericApiResponse<UserProfileResponseDto> response = ApiResponseBuilder.buildSuccessResponse(
                     updatedUserProfileResponseDto.getClass(),
                     "User followed successfully",
@@ -195,6 +199,8 @@ public ResponseEntity<GenericApiResponse<UserProfileResponseDto>> unfollowUser(@
             User user = userContextService.getCurrentUser();
             User unfollowedUser = userService.unfollowUser(user, id);
             UserProfileResponseDto updatedUserProfileResponseDto = modelMapper.map(unfollowedUser, UserProfileResponseDto.class);
+            updatedUserProfileResponseDto.setSelfFollowing(userService.selfFollowing(unfollowedUser));
+
             GenericApiResponse<UserProfileResponseDto> response = ApiResponseBuilder.buildSuccessResponse(
                     updatedUserProfileResponseDto.getClass(),
                     "User unfollowed successfully",
diff --git a/backend/src/main/java/com/group1/programminglanguagesforum/DTOs/Responses/UserProfileResponseDto.java b/backend/src/main/java/com/group1/programminglanguagesforum/DTOs/Responses/UserProfileResponseDto.java
index 9d3fd249..47df028a 100644
--- a/backend/src/main/java/com/group1/programminglanguagesforum/DTOs/Responses/UserProfileResponseDto.java
+++ b/backend/src/main/java/com/group1/programminglanguagesforum/DTOs/Responses/UserProfileResponseDto.java
@@ -16,5 +16,6 @@ public class UserProfileResponseDto {
     private Long answerCount;
     private int followersCount;
     private int followingCount;
+    private boolean selfFollowing;
     private int reputationPoints;
 }
diff --git a/backend/src/main/java/com/group1/programminglanguagesforum/Services/UserService.java b/backend/src/main/java/com/group1/programminglanguagesforum/Services/UserService.java
index 404cc441..28242082 100644
--- a/backend/src/main/java/com/group1/programminglanguagesforum/Services/UserService.java
+++ b/backend/src/main/java/com/group1/programminglanguagesforum/Services/UserService.java
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 
 import com.group1.programminglanguagesforum.DTOs.Requests.UserProfileUpdateRequestDto;
 import com.group1.programminglanguagesforum.Entities.User;
+import com.group1.programminglanguagesforum.Exceptions.UnauthorizedAccessException;
 import com.group1.programminglanguagesforum.Exceptions.UserNotFoundException;
 import com.group1.programminglanguagesforum.Repositories.UserRepository;
 import lombok.RequiredArgsConstructor;
@@ -15,6 +16,8 @@
 @RequiredArgsConstructor
 public class UserService {
     private final UserRepository userRepository;
+    private final UserContextService userContextService;
+
     public Optional<User> getUserById(Long id) {
         return userRepository.findById(id);
     }
@@ -59,6 +62,14 @@ public User unfollowUser(User user, Long id) throws UserNotFoundException {
         return userRepository.save(userToUnfollow);
     }
 
+    public boolean selfFollowing(User userToCheck) {
+        try {
+            return userContextService.getCurrentUser().getFollowing().contains(userToCheck);
+        } catch (UnauthorizedAccessException e) {
+            return false;
+        }
+    }
+
     public List<User> getFollowers(User user) {
         return user.getFollowers().stream().toList();
     }
diff --git a/compose.yml b/compose.yml
index c1db9285..cf1bc670 100644
--- a/compose.yml
+++ b/compose.yml
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ services:
     ports:
       - "8080:8080"
     environment:
-      DB_HOST: db
+      DB_HOST: db:3306
       DB_NAME: programmingforum-test
       DB_USER: root
       DB_PASSWORD: admin