diff --git a/models/fixtures/issue_watch.yml b/models/fixtures/issue_watch.yml
index 75351eb17f88..4bc3ff1b8b98 100644
--- a/models/fixtures/issue_watch.yml
+++ b/models/fixtures/issue_watch.yml
@@ -13,3 +13,19 @@
   is_watching: false
   created_unix: 946684800
   updated_unix: 946684800
+
+-
+  id: 3
+  user_id: 2
+  issue_id: 7
+  is_watching: true
+  created_unix: 946684800
+  updated_unix: 946684800
+
+-
+  id: 4
+  user_id: 1
+  issue_id: 7
+  is_watching: false
+  created_unix: 946684800
+  updated_unix: 946684800
diff --git a/models/issue_watch.go b/models/issue_watch.go
index 3d7d48a12524..e42e371a1fae 100644
--- a/models/issue_watch.go
+++ b/models/issue_watch.go
@@ -56,6 +56,7 @@ func getIssueWatch(e Engine, userID, issueID int64) (iw *IssueWatch, exists bool
 	exists, err = e.
 		Where("user_id = ?", userID).
 		And("issue_id = ?", issueID).
+		And("is_watching = ?", true).
 		Get(iw)
 	return
 }
@@ -80,6 +81,7 @@ func GetIssueWatchers(issueID int64) (IssueWatchList, error) {
 func getIssueWatchers(e Engine, issueID int64) (watches IssueWatchList, err error) {
 	err = e.
 		Where("`issue_watch`.issue_id = ?", issueID).
+		And("`issue_watch`.is_watching = ?", true).
 		And("`user`.is_active = ?", true).
 		And("`user`.prohibit_login = ?", false).
 		Join("INNER", "`user`", "`user`.id = `issue_watch`.user_id").
diff --git a/models/issue_watch_test.go b/models/issue_watch_test.go
index ce0d2045ca68..1d0473426e8d 100644
--- a/models/issue_watch_test.go
+++ b/models/issue_watch_test.go
@@ -15,26 +15,26 @@ func TestCreateOrUpdateIssueWatch(t *testing.T) {
 
 	assert.NoError(t, CreateOrUpdateIssueWatch(3, 1, true))
 	iw := AssertExistsAndLoadBean(t, &IssueWatch{UserID: 3, IssueID: 1}).(*IssueWatch)
-	assert.Equal(t, true, iw.IsWatching)
+	assert.True(t, iw.IsWatching)
 
 	assert.NoError(t, CreateOrUpdateIssueWatch(1, 1, false))
 	iw = AssertExistsAndLoadBean(t, &IssueWatch{UserID: 1, IssueID: 1}).(*IssueWatch)
-	assert.Equal(t, false, iw.IsWatching)
+	assert.False(t, iw.IsWatching)
 }
 
 func TestGetIssueWatch(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.NoError(t, PrepareTestDatabase())
 
 	_, exists, err := GetIssueWatch(9, 1)
-	assert.Equal(t, true, exists)
+	assert.True(t, exists)
 	assert.NoError(t, err)
 
 	_, exists, err = GetIssueWatch(2, 2)
-	assert.Equal(t, true, exists)
+	assert.False(t, exists)
 	assert.NoError(t, err)
 
 	_, exists, err = GetIssueWatch(3, 1)
-	assert.Equal(t, false, exists)
+	assert.False(t, exists)
 	assert.NoError(t, err)
 }
 
@@ -44,13 +44,20 @@ func TestGetIssueWatchers(t *testing.T) {
 	iws, err := GetIssueWatchers(1)
 	assert.NoError(t, err)
 	// Watcher is inactive, thus 0
-	assert.Equal(t, 0, len(iws))
+	assert.Len(t, iws, 0)
 
 	iws, err = GetIssueWatchers(2)
 	assert.NoError(t, err)
-	assert.Equal(t, 1, len(iws))
+	// Watcher is explicit not watching
+	assert.Len(t, iws, 0)
 
 	iws, err = GetIssueWatchers(5)
 	assert.NoError(t, err)
-	assert.Equal(t, 0, len(iws))
+	// Issue has no Watchers
+	assert.Len(t, iws, 0)
+
+	iws, err = GetIssueWatchers(7)
+	assert.NoError(t, err)
+	// Issue has one watcher
+	assert.Len(t, iws, 1)
 }
diff --git a/routers/api/v1/api.go b/routers/api/v1/api.go
index ec6ec191d74e..47c9c95c7fe0 100644
--- a/routers/api/v1/api.go
+++ b/routers/api/v1/api.go
@@ -691,9 +691,9 @@ func RegisterRoutes(m *macaron.Macaron) {
 							m.Post("/stop", reqToken(), repo.StopIssueStopwatch)
 						})
 						m.Group("/subscriptions", func() {
-							m.Get("", bind(api.User{}), repo.GetIssueSubscribers)
-							m.Put("/:user", repo.AddIssueSubscription)
-							m.Delete("/:user", repo.DelIssueSubscription)
+							m.Get("", repo.GetIssueSubscribers)
+							m.Put("/:user", reqToken(), repo.AddIssueSubscription)
+							m.Delete("/:user", reqToken(), repo.DelIssueSubscription)
 						})
 					})
 				}, mustEnableIssuesOrPulls)
diff --git a/routers/api/v1/repo/issue_subscription.go b/routers/api/v1/repo/issue_subscription.go
index 012dcda44fa8..2c5f75f1eca0 100644
--- a/routers/api/v1/repo/issue_subscription.go
+++ b/routers/api/v1/repo/issue_subscription.go
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@ package repo
 import (
 	"code.gitea.io/gitea/models"
 	"code.gitea.io/gitea/modules/context"
-	api "code.gitea.io/gitea/modules/structs"
 )
 
 // AddIssueSubscription Subscribe user to issue
@@ -48,40 +47,7 @@ func AddIssueSubscription(ctx *context.APIContext) {
 	//     description: User can only subscribe itself if he is no admin
 	//   "404":
 	//     description: Issue not found
-	issue, err := models.GetIssueByIndex(ctx.Repo.Repository.ID, ctx.ParamsInt64(":index"))
-	if err != nil {
-		if models.IsErrIssueNotExist(err) {
-			ctx.NotFound()
-		} else {
-			ctx.Error(500, "GetIssueByIndex", err)
-		}
-
-		return
-	}
-
-	user, err := models.GetUserByName(ctx.Params(":user"))
-	if err != nil {
-		if models.IsErrUserNotExist(err) {
-			ctx.NotFound()
-		} else {
-			ctx.Error(500, "GetUserByName", err)
-		}
-
-		return
-	}
-
-	//only admin and user for itself can change subscription
-	if user.ID != ctx.User.ID && !ctx.User.IsAdmin {
-		ctx.Error(403, "User", nil)
-		return
-	}
-
-	if err := models.CreateOrUpdateIssueWatch(user.ID, issue.ID, true); err != nil {
-		ctx.Error(500, "CreateOrUpdateIssueWatch", err)
-		return
-	}
-
-	ctx.Status(201)
+	setIssueSubscription(ctx, true)
 }
 
 // DelIssueSubscription Unsubscribe user from issue
@@ -122,6 +88,10 @@ func DelIssueSubscription(ctx *context.APIContext) {
 	//     description: User can only subscribe itself if he is no admin
 	//   "404":
 	//     description: Issue not found
+	setIssueSubscription(ctx, false)
+}
+
+func setIssueSubscription(ctx *context.APIContext, watch bool) {
 	issue, err := models.GetIssueByIndex(ctx.Repo.Repository.ID, ctx.ParamsInt64(":index"))
 	if err != nil {
 		if models.IsErrIssueNotExist(err) {
@@ -150,7 +120,7 @@ func DelIssueSubscription(ctx *context.APIContext) {
 		return
 	}
 
-	if err := models.CreateOrUpdateIssueWatch(user.ID, issue.ID, false); err != nil {
+	if err := models.CreateOrUpdateIssueWatch(user.ID, issue.ID, watch); err != nil {
 		ctx.Error(500, "CreateOrUpdateIssueWatch", err)
 		return
 	}
@@ -159,7 +129,7 @@ func DelIssueSubscription(ctx *context.APIContext) {
 }
 
 // GetIssueSubscribers return subscribers of an issue
-func GetIssueSubscribers(ctx *context.APIContext, form api.User) {
+func GetIssueSubscribers(ctx *context.APIContext) {
 	// swagger:operation GET /repos/{owner}/{repo}/issues/{index}/subscriptions issue issueSubscriptions
 	// ---
 	// summary: Get users who subscribed on an issue.
@@ -185,8 +155,8 @@ func GetIssueSubscribers(ctx *context.APIContext, form api.User) {
 	//   format: int64
 	//   required: true
 	// responses:
-	//   "201":
-	//     "$ref": "#/responses/empty"
+	//   "200":
+	//     "$ref": "#/responses/UserList"
 	//   "404":
 	//     description: Issue not found
 	issue, err := models.GetIssueByIndex(ctx.Repo.Repository.ID, ctx.ParamsInt64(":index"))
diff --git a/templates/swagger/v1_json.tmpl b/templates/swagger/v1_json.tmpl
index 4427c2874736..338ab104e9e9 100644
--- a/templates/swagger/v1_json.tmpl
+++ b/templates/swagger/v1_json.tmpl
@@ -3832,8 +3832,8 @@
           }
         ],
         "responses": {
-          "201": {
-            "$ref": "#/responses/empty"
+          "200": {
+            "$ref": "#/responses/UserList"
           },
           "404": {
             "description": "Issue not found"