diff --git a/bot.py b/bot.py
index 8d7a1fe..b9516f8 100644
--- a/bot.py
+++ b/bot.py
@@ -5036,11 +5036,16 @@ async def warn(ctx, user: discord.User, reason: str = "No reason provided", mess
             try:
                 if is_slash_command:
                     # Since we deferred with ephemeral=silent, use followup
-                    if hasattr(ctx, 'followup') and ctx.followup:
+                    # Make sure followup is available and properly initialized
+                    if hasattr(ctx, 'followup') and ctx.followup is not None:
                         await ctx.followup.send(embed=silent_embed, ephemeral=True)
                         logger.info(f"Silent warning sent via ctx.followup.send (ephemeral)")
+                    elif hasattr(ctx, 'interaction') and ctx.interaction:
+                        # Direct interaction followup as fallback
+                        await ctx.interaction.followup.send(embed=silent_embed, ephemeral=True)
+                        logger.info(f"Silent warning sent via ctx.interaction.followup.send (ephemeral)")
                     else:
-                        logger.error(f"Silent warning failed: No followup available after defer")
+                        logger.error(f"Silent warning failed: No followup available - ctx.followup: {getattr(ctx, 'followup', None)}")
                         raise Exception("No followup available after defer")
                 else:
                     # For prefix commands, we can't do true ephemeral, so log error instead
@@ -6634,11 +6639,16 @@ async def mute(ctx, user: discord.User, duration: str, reason: str = "No reason
             try:
                 if is_slash_command:
                     # Since we deferred with ephemeral=silent, use followup
-                    if hasattr(ctx, 'followup') and ctx.followup:
+                    # Make sure followup is available and properly initialized
+                    if hasattr(ctx, 'followup') and ctx.followup is not None:
                         await ctx.followup.send(embed=silent_embed, ephemeral=True)
                         logger.info(f"Silent mute sent via ctx.followup.send (ephemeral)")
+                    elif hasattr(ctx, 'interaction') and ctx.interaction:
+                        # Direct interaction followup as fallback
+                        await ctx.interaction.followup.send(embed=silent_embed, ephemeral=True)
+                        logger.info(f"Silent mute sent via ctx.interaction.followup.send (ephemeral)")
                     else:
-                        logger.error(f"Silent mute failed: No followup available after defer")
+                        logger.error(f"Silent mute failed: No followup available - ctx.followup: {getattr(ctx, 'followup', None)}")
                         raise Exception("No followup available after defer")
                 else:
                     # For prefix commands, we can't do true ephemeral, so log error instead