diff --git a/src/MatrixTools.js b/src/MatrixTools.js
index 5c6dca8b33..6c7a9ee9ba 100644
--- a/src/MatrixTools.js
+++ b/src/MatrixTools.js
@@ -31,6 +31,31 @@ module.exports = {
             }
         }
         return null;
+    },
+
+    /**
+     * Given a list of room objects, return the room which has the given alias,
+     * else null.
+     */
+    getRoomForAlias: function(rooms, room_alias) {
+        var room;
+        for (var i = 0; i < rooms.length; i++) {
+            var aliasEvents = rooms[i].currentState.getStateEvents(
+                "m.room.aliases"
+            );
+            for (var j = 0; j < aliasEvents.length; j++) {
+                var aliases = aliasEvents[j].getContent().aliases || [];
+                for (var k = 0; k < aliases.length; k++) {
+                    if (aliases[k] === room_alias) {
+                        room = rooms[i];
+                        break;
+                    }
+                }
+                if (room) { break; }
+            }
+            if (room) { break; }
+        }
+        return room || null;
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/SlashCommands.js b/src/SlashCommands.js
index 08d68331f8..e6ea7533dc 100644
--- a/src/SlashCommands.js
+++ b/src/SlashCommands.js
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ limitations under the License.
 */
 
 var MatrixClientPeg = require("./MatrixClientPeg");
+var MatrixTools = require("./MatrixTools");
 var dis = require("./dispatcher");
 var encryption = require("./encryption");
 
@@ -98,28 +99,14 @@ var commands = {
                 }
 
                 // Try to find a room with this alias
-                var rooms = MatrixClientPeg.get().getRooms();
-                var roomId;
-                for (var i = 0; i < rooms.length; i++) {
-                    var aliasEvents = rooms[i].currentState.getStateEvents(
-                        "m.room.aliases"
-                    );
-                    for (var j = 0; j < aliasEvents.length; j++) {
-                        var aliases = aliasEvents[j].getContent().aliases || [];
-                        for (var k = 0; k < aliases.length; k++) {
-                            if (aliases[k] === room_alias) {
-                                roomId = rooms[i].roomId;
-                                break;
-                            }
-                        }
-                        if (roomId) { break; }
-                    }
-                    if (roomId) { break; }
-                }
-                if (roomId) { // we've already joined this room, view it.
+                var foundRoom = MatrixTools.getRoomForAlias(
+                    MatrixClientPeg.get().getRooms(),
+                    room_alias
+                );
+                if (foundRoom) { // we've already joined this room, view it.
                     dis.dispatch({
                         action: 'view_room',
-                        room_id: roomId
+                        room_id: foundRoom.roomId
                     });
                     return success();
                 }
diff --git a/src/controllers/pages/MatrixChat.js b/src/controllers/pages/MatrixChat.js
index 2a712b22f6..e1f6afb95e 100644
--- a/src/controllers/pages/MatrixChat.js
+++ b/src/controllers/pages/MatrixChat.js
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ var dis = require("../../dispatcher");
 
 var sdk = require('../../index');
 var MatrixTools = require('../../MatrixTools');
+var linkifyMatrix = require("../../linkify-matrix");
 
 var Cas = require("../../CasLogic");
 
@@ -66,6 +67,15 @@ module.exports = {
         } else {
             this.notifyNewScreen('login');
         }
+
+        // this can technically be done anywhere but doing this here keeps all
+        // the routing url path logic together.
+        if (this.onAliasClick) {
+            linkifyMatrix.onAliasClick = this.onAliasClick;
+        }
+        if (this.onUserClick) {
+            linkifyMatrix.onUserClick = this.onUserClick;
+        }
     },
 
     componentWillUnmount: function() {
@@ -212,7 +222,19 @@ module.exports = {
                 }
                 break;
             case 'view_room_alias':
-                MatrixClientPeg.get().getRoomIdForAlias(payload.room_alias).done(function(result) {
+                var foundRoom = MatrixTools.getRoomForAlias(
+                    MatrixClientPeg.get().getRooms(), payload.room_alias
+                );
+                if (foundRoom) {
+                    dis.dispatch({
+                        action: 'view_room',
+                        room_id: foundRoom.roomId
+                    });
+                    return;
+                }
+                // resolve the alias and *then* view it
+                MatrixClientPeg.get().getRoomIdForAlias(payload.room_alias).done(
+                function(result) {
                     dis.dispatch({
                         action: 'view_room',
                         room_id: result.room_id
diff --git a/src/linkify-matrix.js b/src/linkify-matrix.js
index e92a3efc91..90b1938d51 100644
--- a/src/linkify-matrix.js
+++ b/src/linkify-matrix.js
@@ -95,17 +95,26 @@ function matrixLinkify(linkify) {
     S_AT_NAME_COLON_DOMAIN_DOT.on(TT.TLD, S_USERID);
 }
 
+matrixLinkify.onUserClick = function(e, userId) { e.preventDefault(); };
+matrixLinkify.onAliasClick = function(e, roomAlias) { e.preventDefault(); };
+
 matrixLinkify.options = {
-    formatHref: function (href, type) {
+    events: function (href, type) {
         switch (type) {
-            case 'roomalias':
-                return '#';
-            case 'userid':
-                return '#';
-            default:
-                return href;
+            case "userid":
+                return {
+                    click: function(e) {
+                        matrixLinkify.onUserClick(e, href);
+                    }
+                };
+            case "roomalias":
+                return {
+                    click: function(e) {
+                        matrixLinkify.onAliasClick(e, href);
+                    }
+                };
         }
     }
-}
+};
 
 module.exports = matrixLinkify;