diff --git a/plugins/Alias.py b/plugins/Alias.py
index 019a4ed5f..1ddc34b78 100644
--- a/plugins/Alias.py
+++ b/plugins/Alias.py
@@ -93,7 +93,8 @@ class RecursiveAlias(Exception):
     pass
 
 def findAliasCommand(s, alias):
-    r = re.compile(r'(^|\[)\s*%s' % re.escape(s))
+    s = re.escape(s)
+    r = re.compile(r'(?:(^|\[)\s*%s|\|\s*%s)' % (s, s))
     return bool(r.search(alias))
 
 dollarRe = re.compile(r'\$(\d+)')
diff --git a/test/test_Alias.py b/test/test_Alias.py
index 3c5eb0a64..946921ba0 100644
--- a/test/test_Alias.py
+++ b/test/test_Alias.py
@@ -47,6 +47,8 @@ class FunctionsTest(unittest.TestCase):
         self.failUnless(Alias.findAliasCommand(s, '[ %s]' % s))
         self.failUnless(Alias.findAliasCommand(s, 'foo bar [%s]' % s))
         self.failUnless(Alias.findAliasCommand(s, 'foo bar [ %s]' % s))
+        self.failUnless(Alias.findAliasCommand(s, 'foo | %s' % s))
+        self.failUnless(Alias.findAliasCommand(s, 'foo |%s' % s))
 
     def testFindBiggestDollar(self):
         self.assertEqual(Alias.findBiggestDollar(''), None)