diff --git a/degesch.c b/degesch.c
index 86b9a0e..620e748 100644
--- a/degesch.c
+++ b/degesch.c
@@ -6818,9 +6818,15 @@ show_aliases_list (struct app_context *ctx)
 	log_global_indent (ctx, "");
 	log_global_indent (ctx, "Aliases:");
 
-	struct str_map_iter iter;
-	str_map_iter_init (&iter, get_aliases_config (ctx));
+	struct str_map *aliases = get_aliases_config (ctx);
+	if (!aliases->len)
+	{
+		log_global_indent (ctx, "  (none)");
+		return true;
+	}
 
+	struct str_map_iter iter;
+	str_map_iter_init (&iter, aliases);
 	struct config_item_ *alias;
 	while ((alias = str_map_iter_next (&iter)))
 	{
@@ -6839,15 +6845,22 @@ show_aliases_list (struct app_context *ctx)
 static bool
 handle_command_alias (struct handler_args *a)
 {
-	char *name = cut_word (&a->arguments);
-	if (!*name)
+	if (!*a->arguments)
 		return show_aliases_list (a->ctx);
 
-	char *definition = cut_word (&a->arguments);
-	if (!*definition)
+	// TODO: validate the name; maybe also while loading configuration
+	char *name = cut_word (&a->arguments);
+	if (!*a->arguments)
 		return false;
 
-	// TODO: set the alias "name" to "definition"
+	struct config_item_ *alias = config_item_string_from_cstr (a->arguments);
+
+	struct str definition;
+	str_init (&definition);
+	config_item_write_string (&definition, &alias->value.string);
+	str_map_set (get_aliases_config (a->ctx), name, alias);
+	log_global_status (a->ctx, "Created alias /#s: #s", name, definition.str);
+	str_free (&definition);
 	return true;
 }