diff --git a/CHANGES.rst b/CHANGES.rst
index 4a6e35c30..50d4404b8 100644
--- a/CHANGES.rst
+++ b/CHANGES.rst
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ Bug fix:
  * Use white scroll bar on dark themes (#2158).
  * Registration: fix tap gesture on checkboxes in the terms screen.
  * Registration: improve validation UX on the terms screen (#2164).
+ * Infinite loading wheel when taping on a fake room alias (#679).
 
 Changes in 0.7.11 (2019-01-08)
 ===============================================
diff --git a/Riot/AppDelegate.h b/Riot/AppDelegate.h
index 2f04960be..811161010 100644
--- a/Riot/AppDelegate.h
+++ b/Riot/AppDelegate.h
@@ -90,6 +90,7 @@ extern NSString *const kAppDelegateNetworkStatusDidChangeNotification;
 - (void)restoreEmptyDetailsViewController;
 
 - (UIAlertController*)showErrorAsAlert:(NSError*)error;
+- (UIAlertController*)showAlertWithTitle:(NSString*)title message:(NSString*)message;
 
 #pragma mark - Matrix Sessions handling
 
diff --git a/Riot/AppDelegate.m b/Riot/AppDelegate.m
index 0f6ccb1f4..3132f6db6 100644
--- a/Riot/AppDelegate.m
+++ b/Riot/AppDelegate.m
@@ -871,9 +871,7 @@ NSString *const kAppDelegateNetworkStatusDidChangeNotification = @"kAppDelegateN
             return nil;
         }
     }
-    
-    [_errorNotification dismissViewControllerAnimated:NO completion:nil];
-    
+
     NSString *title = [error.userInfo valueForKey:NSLocalizedFailureReasonErrorKey];
     NSString *msg = [error.userInfo valueForKey:NSLocalizedDescriptionKey];
     if (!title)
@@ -889,13 +887,26 @@ NSString *const kAppDelegateNetworkStatusDidChangeNotification = @"kAppDelegateN
         }
     }
     
-    _errorNotification = [UIAlertController alertControllerWithTitle:title message:msg preferredStyle:UIAlertControllerStyleAlert];
+    // Switch in offline mode in case of network reachability error
+    if ([error.domain isEqualToString:NSURLErrorDomain] && error.code == NSURLErrorNotConnectedToInternet)
+    {
+        self.isOffline = YES;
+    }
+    
+    return [self showAlertWithTitle:title message:msg];
+}
+
+- (UIAlertController*)showAlertWithTitle:(NSString*)title message:(NSString*)message
+{
+    [_errorNotification dismissViewControllerAnimated:NO completion:nil];
+
+    _errorNotification = [UIAlertController alertControllerWithTitle:title message:message preferredStyle:UIAlertControllerStyleAlert];
     [_errorNotification addAction:[UIAlertAction actionWithTitle:[NSBundle mxk_localizedStringForKey:@"ok"]
                                                            style:UIAlertActionStyleDefault
                                                          handler:^(UIAlertAction * action) {
-                                                             
+
                                                              [AppDelegate theDelegate].errorNotification = nil;
-                                                             
+
                                                          }]];
     // Display the error notification
     if (!isErrorNotificationSuspended)
@@ -903,13 +914,7 @@ NSString *const kAppDelegateNetworkStatusDidChangeNotification = @"kAppDelegateN
         [_errorNotification mxk_setAccessibilityIdentifier:@"AppDelegateErrorAlert"];
         [self showNotificationAlert:_errorNotification];
     }
-    
-    // Switch in offline mode in case of network reachability error
-    if ([error.domain isEqualToString:NSURLErrorDomain] && error.code == NSURLErrorNotConnectedToInternet)
-    {
-        self.isOffline = YES;
-    }
-    
+
     return self.errorNotification;
 }
 
@@ -1917,6 +1922,12 @@ NSString *const kAppDelegateNetworkStatusDidChangeNotification = @"kAppDelegateN
                                 
                             } failure:^(NSError *error) {
                                 NSLog(@"[AppDelegate] Universal link: Error: The home server failed to resolve the room alias (%@)", roomIdOrAlias);
+
+                                [homeViewController stopActivityIndicator];
+
+                                NSString *errorMessage = [NSString stringWithFormat:NSLocalizedStringFromTable(@"room_does_not_exist", @"Vector", nil), roomIdOrAlias];
+
+                                [self showAlertWithTitle:nil message:errorMessage];
                             }];
                         }
                         else if ([roomIdOrAlias hasPrefix:@"!"] && ((MXKAccount*)accountManager.activeAccounts.firstObject).mxSession.state != MXSessionStateRunning)
@@ -3452,22 +3463,12 @@ NSString *const kAppDelegateNetworkStatusDidChangeNotification = @"kAppDelegateN
 
             _jitsiViewController = nil;
 
-            NSError *theError = [NSError errorWithDomain:@""
-                                                    code:0
-                                                userInfo:@{
-                                                        NSLocalizedDescriptionKey: NSLocalizedStringFromTable(@"call_jitsi_error", @"Vector", nil)
-                                                        }];
-            [self showErrorAsAlert:theError];
+            [self showAlertWithTitle:nil message:NSLocalizedStringFromTable(@"call_jitsi_error", @"Vector", nil)];
         }];
     }
     else
     {
-        NSError *error = [NSError errorWithDomain:@""
-                                    code:0
-                                userInfo:@{
-                                           NSLocalizedDescriptionKey: NSLocalizedStringFromTable(@"call_already_displayed", @"Vector", nil)
-                                           }];
-        [self showErrorAsAlert:error];
+        [self showAlertWithTitle:nil message:NSLocalizedStringFromTable(@"call_already_displayed", @"Vector", nil)];
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/Riot/Assets/en.lproj/Vector.strings b/Riot/Assets/en.lproj/Vector.strings
index 7f168d5a6..f6ab41dfa 100644
--- a/Riot/Assets/en.lproj/Vector.strings
+++ b/Riot/Assets/en.lproj/Vector.strings
@@ -553,6 +553,7 @@
 "do_not_ask_again" = "Do not ask again";
 "camera_access_not_granted" = "%@ doesn't have permission to use Camera, please change privacy settings";
 "large_badge_value_k_format" = "%.1fK";
+"room_does_not_exist" = "%@ does not exist";
 
 // Call
 "call_incoming_voice_prompt" = "Incoming voice call from %@";
diff --git a/Riot/Generated/Strings.swift b/Riot/Generated/Strings.swift
index 1b1ab9bf4..ccdfdc3b3 100644
--- a/Riot/Generated/Strings.swift
+++ b/Riot/Generated/Strings.swift
@@ -614,6 +614,10 @@ internal enum VectorL10n {
   internal static let roomDirectoryNoPublicRoom = VectorL10n.tr("Vector", "room_directory_no_public_room")
   /// You do not have permission to post to this room
   internal static let roomDoNotHavePermissionToPost = VectorL10n.tr("Vector", "room_do_not_have_permission_to_post")
+  /// %@ does not exist
+  internal static func roomDoesNotExist(_ p1: String) -> String {
+    return VectorL10n.tr("Vector", "room_does_not_exist", p1)
+  }
   /// Reason for banning this user
   internal static let roomEventActionBanPromptReason = VectorL10n.tr("Vector", "room_event_action_ban_prompt_reason")
   /// Cancel Download