diff --git a/instaloader/instaloader.py b/instaloader/instaloader.py
index 6a668fb..f0a0a21 100644
--- a/instaloader/instaloader.py
+++ b/instaloader/instaloader.py
@@ -701,7 +701,7 @@ class Instaloader:
 
         # Download stories, if requested
         if download_stories or download_stories_only:
-            if profile.has_highlight_reel:
+            if profile.has_viewable_story:
                 with self.context.error_catcher("Download stories of {}".format(profile_name)):
                     self.download_stories(userids=[profile.userid], filename_target=profile_name,
                                           fast_update=fast_update, storyitem_filter=storyitem_filter)
diff --git a/instaloader/instaloadercontext.py b/instaloader/instaloadercontext.py
index 8611eff..decaa5e 100644
--- a/instaloader/instaloadercontext.py
+++ b/instaloader/instaloadercontext.py
@@ -69,6 +69,16 @@ class InstaloaderContext:
         # Can be set to True for testing, disables supression of InstaloaderContext._error_catcher
         self.raise_all_errors = False
 
+    @contextmanager
+    def anonymous_copy(self):
+        session = self._session
+        username = self.username
+        self._session = self.get_anonymous_session()
+        self.username = None
+        yield self
+        self.username = username
+        self._session = session
+
     @property
     def is_logged_in(self) -> bool:
         """True, if this Instaloader instance is logged in."""
@@ -212,7 +222,10 @@ class InstaloaderContext:
                 return 0
             return round(min(self.query_timestamps) + sliding_window - current_time) + 6
         is_graphql_query = 'query_hash' in params and 'graphql/query' in path
-        if is_graphql_query:
+        # some queries are not rate limited if invoked anonymously:
+        query_not_limited = is_graphql_query and not self.is_logged_in \
+                            and params['query_hash'] in ['9ca88e465c3f866a76f7adee3871bdd8']
+        if is_graphql_query and not query_not_limited:
             waittime = graphql_query_waittime()
             if waittime > 0:
                 self.log('\nToo many queries in the last time. Need to wait {} seconds.'.format(waittime))
@@ -228,7 +241,7 @@ class InstaloaderContext:
             while resp.is_redirect:
                 redirect_url = resp.headers['location']
                 self.log('\nHTTP redirect from https://{0}/{1} to {2}'.format(host, path, redirect_url))
-                if redirect_url.index('https://{}/'.format(host)) == 0:
+                if redirect_url.startswith('https://{}/'.format(host)):
                     resp = sess.get(redirect_url if redirect_url.endswith('/') else redirect_url + '/',
                                     params=params, allow_redirects=False)
                 else:
diff --git a/instaloader/structures.py b/instaloader/structures.py
index 137305b..4ae6592 100644
--- a/instaloader/structures.py
+++ b/instaloader/structures.py
@@ -358,6 +358,8 @@ class Profile:
     def __init__(self, context: InstaloaderContext, node: Dict[str, Any]):
         assert 'username' in node
         self._context = context
+        self._has_highlight_reels = None
+        self._has_public_story = None
         self._node = node
         self._rhx_gis = None
 
@@ -484,8 +486,42 @@ class Profile:
         return self._metadata('has_blocked_viewer')
 
     @property
-    def has_highlight_reel(self) -> bool:
-        return self._metadata('has_highlight_reel')
+    def has_highlight_reels(self) -> bool:
+        """
+        This becomes `True` if the :class:`Profile` has any stories currently available,
+        even if not viewable by the viewer.
+        """
+        if not self._has_highlight_reels:
+            with self._context.anonymous_copy() as anonymous_context:
+                data = anonymous_context.get_json(path='api/v1/users/{}/info/'.format(self.userid),
+                                                  params={}, host='i.instagram.com')
+            self._has_highlight_reels = data['user']['has_highlight_reels']
+        return self._has_highlight_reels
+
+    @property
+    def has_public_story(self) -> bool:
+        if not self._has_public_story:
+            self._obtain_metadata()
+            # query not rate limited if invoked anonymously:
+            with self._context.anonymous_copy() as anonymous_context:
+                data = anonymous_context.graphql_query('9ca88e465c3f866a76f7adee3871bdd8',
+                                                       {'user_id': self.userid, 'include_chaining': False,
+                                                        'include_reel': False, 'include_suggested_users': False,
+                                                        'include_logged_out_extras': True,
+                                                        'include_highlight_reels': False},
+                                                       'https://www.instagram.com/{}/'.format(self.username),
+                                                       self._rhx_gis)
+            self._has_public_story = data['data']['user']['has_public_story']
+        return self._has_public_story
+
+    @property
+    def has_viewable_story(self) -> bool:
+        """
+        Some stories are private. This property determines if the :class:`Profile`
+        has at least one story which can be viewed using the associated :class:`InstaloaderContext`,
+        i.e. the viewer has privileges to view it.
+        """
+        return self.has_public_story or self.followed_by_viewer and self.has_highlight_reels
 
     @property
     def has_requested_viewer(self) -> bool: