diff --git a/plugins/Alias.py b/plugins/Alias.py
index 1312cb5ae..0804b23aa 100644
--- a/plugins/Alias.py
+++ b/plugins/Alias.py
@@ -189,6 +189,8 @@ class Alias(callbacks.Privmsg):
     def addAlias(self, irc, name, alias, freeze=False):
         if self._invalidCharsRe.search(name):
             raise AliasError, 'Names cannot contain spaces or square brackets.'
+        if conf.enablePipeSyntax and '|' in name:
+            raise AliasError, 'Names cannot contain pipes.'
         realName = callbacks.canonicalName(name)
         if name != realName:
             raise AliasError,'That name isn\'t valid.  Try %r instead'%realName
diff --git a/test/test_Alias.py b/test/test_Alias.py
index ea0ba2c2d..13f3260ad 100644
--- a/test/test_Alias.py
+++ b/test/test_Alias.py
@@ -98,6 +98,13 @@ class AliasTestCase(PluginTestCase, PluginDocumentation):
         self.assertError('alias FOO foo')
         self.assertError('alias [] foo')
         self.assertError('alias "foo bar" foo')
+        try:
+            conf.enablePipeSyntax = True
+            self.assertError('alias "foo|bar" foo')
+            conf.enablePipeSyntax = False
+            self.assertNotError('alias "foo|bar" foo')
+        finally:
+            conf.enablePipeSyntax = False
 
     def testNotCannotNestRaised(self):
         self.assertNotError('alias mytell "tell $channel $1"')