diff --git a/plugins/Alias.py b/plugins/Alias.py
index d96d6606f..48c618e19 100644
--- a/plugins/Alias.py
+++ b/plugins/Alias.py
@@ -276,6 +276,9 @@ class Alias(callbacks.Privmsg):
         arguments.
         """
         (name, alias) = privmsgs.getArgs(args, required=2)
+        if ' ' not in alias:
+            # If it's a single word, they probably want $*.
+            alias += ' $*'
         try:
             self.addAlias(irc, name, alias)
             self.log.info('Adding alias %r for %r (from %s)' %
diff --git a/test/test_Alias.py b/test/test_Alias.py
index 13321ee6b..7e7ef984f 100644
--- a/test/test_Alias.py
+++ b/test/test_Alias.py
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ class AliasTestCase(ChannelPluginTestCase, PluginDocumentation):
         
     def testAliasHelp(self):
         self.assertNotError('alias add slashdot foo')
-        self.assertRegexp('help slashdot', "Alias for 'foo'")
+        self.assertRegexp('help slashdot', "Alias for 'foo.*'")
 
     def testRemove(self):
         self.assertNotError('alias add foo echo bar')
@@ -151,6 +151,10 @@ class AliasTestCase(ChannelPluginTestCase, PluginDocumentation):
     def testNoExtraQuotes(self):
         self.assertNotError('alias add myre "echo s/$1/$2/g"')
         self.assertResponse('myre foo bar', 's/foo/bar/g')
+
+    def testSimpleAliasWithoutArgsImpliesDollarStar(self):
+        self.assertNotError('alias add exo echo')
+        self.assertResponse('exo foo bar baz', 'foo bar baz')