diff --git a/src/matrix-to.js b/src/matrix-to.js
index 944446c4cc..b5827f671a 100644
--- a/src/matrix-to.js
+++ b/src/matrix-to.js
@@ -24,8 +24,14 @@ export const baseUrl = `https://${host}`;
 const MAX_SERVER_CANDIDATES = 3;
 
 export function makeEventPermalink(roomId, eventId) {
+    const permalinkBase = `${baseUrl}/#/${roomId}/${eventId}`;
+
+    // If the roomId isn't actually a room ID, don't try to list the servers.
+    // Aliases are already routable, and don't need extra information.
+    if (roomId[0] !== '!') return permalinkBase;
+
     const serverCandidates = pickServerCandidates(roomId);
-    return `${baseUrl}/#/${roomId}/${eventId}?${encodeServerCandidates(serverCandidates)}`;
+    return `${permalinkBase}${encodeServerCandidates(serverCandidates)}`;
 }
 
 export function makeUserPermalink(userId) {
@@ -33,8 +39,14 @@ export function makeUserPermalink(userId) {
 }
 
 export function makeRoomPermalink(roomId) {
+    const permalinkBase = `${baseUrl}/#/${roomId}`;
+
+    // If the roomId isn't actually a room ID, don't try to list the servers.
+    // Aliases are already routable, and don't need extra information.
+    if (roomId[0] !== '!') return permalinkBase;
+
     const serverCandidates = pickServerCandidates(roomId);
-    return `${baseUrl}/#/${roomId}?${encodeServerCandidates(serverCandidates)}`;
+    return `${permalinkBase}${encodeServerCandidates(serverCandidates)}`;
 }
 
 export function makeGroupPermalink(groupId) {
@@ -42,8 +54,8 @@ export function makeGroupPermalink(groupId) {
 }
 
 export function encodeServerCandidates(candidates) {
-    if (!candidates) return '';
-    return `via=${candidates.map(c => encodeURIComponent(c)).join("&via=")}`;
+    if (!candidates || candidates.length === 0) return '';
+    return `?via=${candidates.map(c => encodeURIComponent(c)).join("&via=")}`;
 }
 
 export function pickServerCandidates(roomId) {
diff --git a/test/matrix-to-test.js b/test/matrix-to-test.js
index d199588b9a..70533575c4 100644
--- a/test/matrix-to-test.js
+++ b/test/matrix-to-test.js
@@ -13,7 +13,13 @@ limitations under the License.
 
 import expect from 'expect';
 import peg from '../src/MatrixClientPeg';
-import {pickServerCandidates} from "../src/matrix-to";
+import {
+    makeEventPermalink,
+    makeGroupPermalink,
+    makeRoomPermalink,
+    makeUserPermalink,
+    pickServerCandidates,
+} from "../src/matrix-to";
 import * as testUtils from "./test-utils";
 
 
@@ -228,4 +234,116 @@ describe('matrix-to', function() {
         expect(pickedServers.length).toBe(1);
         expect(pickedServers[0]).toBe("example.org:8448");
     });
+
+    it('should generate an event permalink for room IDs with no candidate servers', function() {
+        peg.get().getRoom = () => null;
+        const result = makeEventPermalink("!somewhere:example.org", "$something:example.com");
+        expect(result).toBe("https://matrix.to/#/!somewhere:example.org/$something:example.com");
+    });
+
+    it('should generate an event permalink for room IDs with some candidate servers', function() {
+        peg.get().getRoom = () => {
+            return {
+                getJoinedMembers: () => [
+                    {
+                        userId: "@alice:first",
+                        powerLevel: 100,
+                    },
+                    {
+                        userId: "@bob:second",
+                        powerLevel: 0,
+                    },
+                ],
+            };
+        };
+        const result = makeEventPermalink("!somewhere:example.org", "$something:example.com");
+        expect(result).toBe("https://matrix.to/#/!somewhere:example.org/$something:example.com?via=first&via=second");
+    });
+
+    it('should generate a room permalink for room IDs with no candidate servers', function() {
+        peg.get().getRoom = () => null;
+        const result = makeRoomPermalink("!somewhere:example.org");
+        expect(result).toBe("https://matrix.to/#/!somewhere:example.org");
+    });
+
+    it('should generate a room permalink for room IDs with some candidate servers', function() {
+        peg.get().getRoom = () => {
+            return {
+                getJoinedMembers: () => [
+                    {
+                        userId: "@alice:first",
+                        powerLevel: 100,
+                    },
+                    {
+                        userId: "@bob:second",
+                        powerLevel: 0,
+                    },
+                ],
+            };
+        };
+        const result = makeRoomPermalink("!somewhere:example.org");
+        expect(result).toBe("https://matrix.to/#/!somewhere:example.org?via=first&via=second");
+    });
+
+    // Technically disallowed but we'll test it anyways
+    it('should generate an event permalink for room aliases with no candidate servers', function() {
+        peg.get().getRoom = () => null;
+        const result = makeEventPermalink("#somewhere:example.org", "$something:example.com");
+        expect(result).toBe("https://matrix.to/#/#somewhere:example.org/$something:example.com");
+    });
+
+    // Technically disallowed but we'll test it anyways
+    it('should generate an event permalink for room aliases without candidate servers', function() {
+        peg.get().getRoom = () => {
+            return {
+                getJoinedMembers: () => [
+                    {
+                        userId: "@alice:first",
+                        powerLevel: 100,
+                    },
+                    {
+                        userId: "@bob:second",
+                        powerLevel: 0,
+                    },
+                ],
+            };
+        };
+        const result = makeEventPermalink("#somewhere:example.org", "$something:example.com");
+        expect(result).toBe("https://matrix.to/#/#somewhere:example.org/$something:example.com");
+    });
+
+    it('should generate a room permalink for room aliases with no candidate servers', function() {
+        peg.get().getRoom = () => null;
+        const result = makeRoomPermalink("#somewhere:example.org");
+        expect(result).toBe("https://matrix.to/#/#somewhere:example.org");
+    });
+
+    it('should generate a room permalink for room aliases without candidate servers', function() {
+        peg.get().getRoom = () => {
+            return {
+                getJoinedMembers: () => [
+                    {
+                        userId: "@alice:first",
+                        powerLevel: 100,
+                    },
+                    {
+                        userId: "@bob:second",
+                        powerLevel: 0,
+                    },
+                ],
+            };
+        };
+        const result = makeRoomPermalink("#somewhere:example.org");
+        expect(result).toBe("https://matrix.to/#/#somewhere:example.org");
+    });
+
+    it('should generate a user permalink', function() {
+        const result = makeUserPermalink("@someone:example.org");
+        expect(result).toBe("https://matrix.to/#/@someone:example.org");
+    });
+
+    it('should generate a group permalink', function() {
+        const result = makeGroupPermalink("+community:example.org");
+        expect(result).toBe("https://matrix.to/#/+community:example.org");
+    });
 });