diff --git a/lib/alias.js b/lib/alias.js
index 5f510c7..82bfa56 100644
--- a/lib/alias.js
+++ b/lib/alias.js
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import retry from 'async-retry';
 import Now from '../lib';
 import toHost from './to-host';
+import chalk from 'chalk';
 
 export default class Alias extends Now {
 
@@ -48,10 +49,14 @@ export default class Alias extends Now {
       key = 'uid';
     }
 
-    const id = list.find((d) => d[key] === val);
+    const id = list.find((d) => {
+      return d[key] === val || // match entire host / uid
+        // match prefix
+        val + '.now.sh' === d.url;
+    });
 
     if (!id) {
-      const err = new Error(`Deployment not found by ${key} "${deployment}"`);
+      const err = new Error(`Deployment not found by "${deployment}". Run ${chalk.dim('`now ls`')} to see your deployments.`);
       err.userError = true;
       throw err;
     }