diff --git a/lib/alias.js b/lib/alias.js
index 38d1fb6..9c4e8ad 100644
--- a/lib/alias.js
+++ b/lib/alias.js
@@ -9,29 +9,75 @@ export default class Alias extends Now {
   async ls (deployment) {
     if (deployment) {
       const target = await this.findDeployment(deployment);
-      const res = await this._fetch(`/now/deployments/${target.uid}/aliases`);
-      const body = await res.json();
-      return body.aliases;
+
+      return this.retry(async (bail, attempt) => {
+        const res = await this._fetch(`/now/deployments/${target.uid}/aliases`);
+        const body = await res.json();
+        return body.aliases;
+      });
     }
 
-    const res = await this._fetch('/now/aliases');
-    const body = await res.json();
-    return body.aliases;
+    return this.retry(async (bail, attempt) => {
+      const res = await this._fetch('/now/aliases');
+      const body = await res.json();
+      return body.aliases;
+    });
   }
 
   async rm (alias) {
-    const res = await this._fetch(`/now/aliases/${alias}`, {
-      method: 'DELETE'
-    });
-    const body = await res.json();
-
-    if (res.status !== 200) {
-      const err = new Error('Deletion failed ' + body);
+    const _alias = await this.findAlias(alias);
+    if (!_alias) {
+      const err = new Error(`Alias not found by "${alias}". Run ${chalk.dim('`now alias ls`')} to see your aliases.`);
       err.userError = true;
       throw err;
     }
 
-    console.log(`${chalk.cyan('> Success!')}`);
+    return this.retry(async (bail, attempt) => {
+      const res = await this._fetch(`/now/aliases/${_alias.uid}`, {
+        method: 'DELETE'
+      });
+
+      if (403 === res.status) {
+        bail(new Error('Unauthorized'));
+      }
+
+      if (res.status !== 200) {
+        const err = new Error('Deletion failed. Try again later.');
+        throw err;
+      }
+
+      console.log(`${chalk.cyan('> Success!')}`);
+    });
+  }
+
+  async findAlias (alias) {
+    const list = await this.ls();
+
+    let key, val;
+    if (/\./.test(alias)) {
+      val = toHost(alias);
+      key = 'alias';
+    } else {
+      val = alias;
+      key = 'uid';
+    }
+
+    const _alias = list.find((d) => {
+      if (d[key] === val) {
+        if (this._debug) console.log(`> [debug] matched alias ${d.uid} by ${key} ${val}`);
+        return true;
+      }
+
+      // match prefix
+      if (`${val}.now.sh` === d.alias) {
+        if (this._debug) console.log(`> [debug] matched alias ${d.uid} by url ${d.host}`);
+        return true;
+      }
+
+      return false;
+    });
+
+    return _alias;
   }
 
   async findDeployment (deployment) {