diff --git a/syweb/webclient/components/matrix/event-handler-service.js b/syweb/webclient/components/matrix/event-handler-service.js
index f51031f4cd..7b2a75507d 100644
--- a/syweb/webclient/components/matrix/event-handler-service.js
+++ b/syweb/webclient/components/matrix/event-handler-service.js
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ function(matrixService, $rootScope, $q, $timeout, $filter, mPresence, notificati
     };
 
     var handleRoomAliases = function(event, isLiveEvent) {
-        matrixService.createRoomIdToAliasMapping(event.room_id, event.content.aliases[0]);
+        modelService.createRoomIdToAliasMapping(event.room_id, event.content.aliases[0]);
     };
     
     var displayNotification = function(event) {
diff --git a/syweb/webclient/components/matrix/matrix-filter.js b/syweb/webclient/components/matrix/matrix-filter.js
index 69de97b055..20a29c4ab1 100644
--- a/syweb/webclient/components/matrix/matrix-filter.js
+++ b/syweb/webclient/components/matrix/matrix-filter.js
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ function($rootScope, matrixService, eventHandlerService, modelService) {
 
         // If there is an alias, use it
         // TODO: only one alias is managed for now
-        var alias = matrixService.getRoomIdToAliasMapping(room_id);
+        var alias = modelService.getRoomIdToAliasMapping(room_id);
         var room = modelService.getRoom(room_id).current_room_state;
         
         var room_name_event = room.state("m.room.name");
diff --git a/syweb/webclient/components/matrix/matrix-service.js b/syweb/webclient/components/matrix/matrix-service.js
index 63051c4f47..70747155f9 100644
--- a/syweb/webclient/components/matrix/matrix-service.js
+++ b/syweb/webclient/components/matrix/matrix-service.js
@@ -36,9 +36,6 @@ angular.module('matrixService', [])
     */    
     var config;
     
-    var roomIdToAlias = {};
-    var aliasToRoomId = {};
-    
     // Current version of permanent storage
     var configVersion = 0;
     var prefixPath = "/_matrix/client/api/v1";
@@ -671,63 +668,6 @@ angular.module('matrixService', [])
             config.version = configVersion;
             localStorage.setItem("config", JSON.stringify(config));
         },
-
-
-        /****** Room aliases management ******/
-
-        /**
-         * Get the room_alias & room_display_name which are computed from data 
-         * already retrieved from the server.
-         * @param {Room object} room one element of the array returned by the response
-         *  of rooms() and publicRooms()
-         * @returns {Object} {room_alias: "...", room_display_name: "..."}
-         */
-        getRoomAliasAndDisplayName: function(room) {
-            var result = {
-                room_alias: undefined,
-                room_display_name: undefined
-            };
-            var alias = this.getRoomIdToAliasMapping(room.room_id);
-            if (alias) {
-                // use the existing alias from storage
-                result.room_alias = alias;
-                result.room_display_name = alias;
-            }
-            // XXX: this only lets us learn aliases from our local HS - we should
-            // make the client stop returning this if we can trust m.room.aliases state events
-            else if (room.aliases && room.aliases[0]) {
-                // save the mapping
-                // TODO: select the smarter alias from the array
-                this.createRoomIdToAliasMapping(room.room_id, room.aliases[0]);
-                result.room_display_name = room.aliases[0];
-                result.room_alias = room.aliases[0];
-            }
-            else if (room.membership === "invite" && "inviter" in room) {
-                result.room_display_name = room.inviter + "'s room";
-            }
-            else {
-                // last resort use the room id
-                result.room_display_name = room.room_id;
-            }
-            return result;
-        },
-        
-        createRoomIdToAliasMapping: function(roomId, alias) {
-            roomIdToAlias[roomId] = alias;
-            aliasToRoomId[alias] = roomId;
-        },
-        
-        getRoomIdToAliasMapping: function(roomId) {
-            var alias = roomIdToAlias[roomId];
-            //console.log("looking for alias for " + roomId + "; found: " + alias);
-            return alias;
-        },
-
-        getAliasToRoomIdMapping: function(alias) {
-            var roomId = aliasToRoomId[alias];
-            //console.log("looking for roomId for " + alias + "; found: " + roomId);
-            return roomId;
-        },
             
         /**
          * Change or reset the power level of a user
diff --git a/syweb/webclient/components/matrix/model-service.js b/syweb/webclient/components/matrix/model-service.js
index 8e0ce8d1a9..c6f0defb61 100644
--- a/syweb/webclient/components/matrix/model-service.js
+++ b/syweb/webclient/components/matrix/model-service.js
@@ -27,6 +27,10 @@ dependency.
 //     $rootScope.
 angular.module('modelService', [])
 .factory('modelService', ['matrixService', function(matrixService) {
+
+    // alias / id lookups
+    var roomIdToAlias = {};
+    var aliasToRoomId = {};
     
     /***** Room Object *****/
     var Room = function Room(room_id) {
@@ -166,7 +170,61 @@ angular.module('modelService', [])
         getMember: function(room_id, user_id) {
             var room = this.getRoom(room_id);
             return room.current_room_state.members[user_id];
-        }
+        },
+        
+        /**
+         * Get the room_alias & room_display_name which are computed from data 
+         * already retrieved from the server.
+         * @param {Room object} room one element of the array returned by the response
+         *  of rooms() and publicRooms()
+         * @returns {Object} {room_alias: "...", room_display_name: "..."}
+         */
+        getRoomAliasAndDisplayName: function(room) {
+            var result = {
+                room_alias: undefined,
+                room_display_name: undefined
+            };
+            var alias = this.getRoomIdToAliasMapping(room.room_id);
+            if (alias) {
+                // use the existing alias from storage
+                result.room_alias = alias;
+                result.room_display_name = alias;
+            }
+            // XXX: this only lets us learn aliases from our local HS - we should
+            // make the client stop returning this if we can trust m.room.aliases state events
+            else if (room.aliases && room.aliases[0]) {
+                // save the mapping
+                // TODO: select the smarter alias from the array
+                this.createRoomIdToAliasMapping(room.room_id, room.aliases[0]);
+                result.room_display_name = room.aliases[0];
+                result.room_alias = room.aliases[0];
+            }
+            else if (room.membership === "invite" && "inviter" in room) {
+                result.room_display_name = room.inviter + "'s room";
+            }
+            else {
+                // last resort use the room id
+                result.room_display_name = room.room_id;
+            }
+            return result;
+        },
+        
+        createRoomIdToAliasMapping: function(roomId, alias) {
+            roomIdToAlias[roomId] = alias;
+            aliasToRoomId[alias] = roomId;
+        },
+        
+        getRoomIdToAliasMapping: function(roomId) {
+            var alias = roomIdToAlias[roomId];
+            //console.log("looking for alias for " + roomId + "; found: " + alias);
+            return alias;
+        },
+
+        getAliasToRoomIdMapping: function(alias) {
+            var roomId = aliasToRoomId[alias];
+            //console.log("looking for roomId for " + alias + "; found: " + roomId);
+            return roomId;
+        },
     
     };
 }]);
diff --git a/syweb/webclient/home/home-controller.js b/syweb/webclient/home/home-controller.js
index 3a48e64ab4..467db09b3a 100644
--- a/syweb/webclient/home/home-controller.js
+++ b/syweb/webclient/home/home-controller.js
@@ -17,8 +17,8 @@ limitations under the License.
 'use strict';
 
 angular.module('HomeController', ['matrixService', 'eventHandlerService', 'RecentsController'])
-.controller('HomeController', ['$scope', '$location', 'matrixService', 'eventHandlerService', 
-                               function($scope, $location, matrixService, eventHandlerService) {
+.controller('HomeController', ['$scope', '$location', 'matrixService', 'eventHandlerService', 'modelService',
+                               function($scope, $location, matrixService, eventHandlerService, modelService) {
 
     $scope.config = matrixService.config();
     $scope.public_rooms = [];
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ angular.module('HomeController', ['matrixService', 'eventHandlerService', 'Recen
                     var room = $scope.public_rooms[i];
 
                     // Add room_alias & room_display_name members
-                    angular.extend(room, matrixService.getRoomAliasAndDisplayName(room));
+                    angular.extend(room, modelService.getRoomAliasAndDisplayName(room));
                     
                 }
             }
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ angular.module('HomeController', ['matrixService', 'eventHandlerService', 'Recen
                 // This room has been created. Refresh the rooms list
                 console.log("Created room " + response.data.room_alias + " with id: "+
                 response.data.room_id);
-                matrixService.createRoomIdToAliasMapping(
+                modelService.createRoomIdToAliasMapping(
                     response.data.room_id, response.data.room_alias);
             },
             function(error) {
diff --git a/syweb/webclient/room/room-controller.js b/syweb/webclient/room/room-controller.js
index be433d6e80..2a79fbfbbc 100644
--- a/syweb/webclient/room/room-controller.js
+++ b/syweb/webclient/room/room-controller.js
@@ -490,7 +490,7 @@ angular.module('RoomController', ['ngSanitize', 'matrixFilter', 'mFileInput', 'a
                                 // with or without port as is appropriate and append it at this point
                             }
                             
-                            var room_id = matrixService.getAliasToRoomIdMapping(room_alias);
+                            var room_id = modelService.getAliasToRoomIdMapping(room_alias);
                             console.log("joining " + room_alias + " id=" + room_id);
                             if ($scope.room) { // TODO actually check that you = join
                                 // don't send a join event for a room you're already in.
@@ -677,7 +677,7 @@ angular.module('RoomController', ['ngSanitize', 'matrixFilter', 'mFileInput', 'a
         if (room_id_or_alias && '!' === room_id_or_alias[0]) {
             // Yes. We can go on right now
             $scope.room_id = room_id_or_alias;
-            $scope.room_alias = matrixService.getRoomIdToAliasMapping($scope.room_id);
+            $scope.room_alias = modelService.getRoomIdToAliasMapping($scope.room_id);
             onInit2();
         }
         else {
diff --git a/syweb/webclient/test/unit/filters.spec.js b/syweb/webclient/test/unit/filters.spec.js
index 7324a8e028..ef33812939 100644
--- a/syweb/webclient/test/unit/filters.spec.js
+++ b/syweb/webclient/test/unit/filters.spec.js
@@ -8,10 +8,6 @@ describe('mRoomName filter', function() {
     
     // mocked services which return the test values above.
     var matrixService = {
-        getRoomIdToAliasMapping: function(room_id) {
-            return testAlias;
-        },
-        
         config: function() {
             return {
                 user_id: testUserId
@@ -33,7 +29,11 @@ describe('mRoomName filter', function() {
             return {
                 current_room_state: testRoomState
             };
-        }
+        },
+        
+        getRoomIdToAliasMapping: function(room_id) {
+            return testAlias;
+        },
     };
     
     beforeEach(function() {