diff --git a/addons/links/package.json b/addons/links/package.json
index 64cc9cc660d1..03fa11b56f19 100644
--- a/addons/links/package.json
+++ b/addons/links/package.json
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@
   },
   "dependencies": {
     "@storybook/addons": "5.3.0-alpha.1",
+    "@storybook/client-logger": "5.3.0-alpha.1",
     "@storybook/core-events": "5.3.0-alpha.1",
     "@storybook/router": "5.3.0-alpha.1",
     "common-tags": "^1.8.0",
diff --git a/addons/links/src/preview.test.js b/addons/links/src/preview.test.js
index 2f9ba57677f6..49fa1bba24c6 100644
--- a/addons/links/src/preview.test.js
+++ b/addons/links/src/preview.test.js
@@ -1,8 +1,35 @@
 import addons from '@storybook/addons';
 import { SELECT_STORY } from '@storybook/core-events';
+
+import { __STORYBOOK_STORY_STORE__ } from 'global';
 import { linkTo, hrefTo } from './preview';
 
 jest.mock('@storybook/addons');
+jest.mock('global', () => ({
+  document: global.document,
+  __STORYBOOK_STORY_STORE__: {
+    getSelection: jest.fn(() => ({
+      storyId: 'name',
+      kind: 'kind',
+    })),
+    fromId: jest.fn(() => ({
+      story: 'name',
+      kind: 'kind',
+    })),
+  },
+  __STORYBOOK_CLIENT_API__: {
+    raw: jest.fn(() => [
+      {
+        story: 'name',
+        kind: 'kind',
+      },
+      {
+        story: 'namekind',
+        kind: 'kindname',
+      },
+    ]),
+  },
+}));
 
 export const mockChannel = () => {
   return {
@@ -27,9 +54,67 @@ describe('preview', () => {
       });
     });
 
+    it('should select the kind (only) provided', () => {
+      const channel = { emit: jest.fn() };
+      addons.getChannel.mockReturnValue(channel);
+      __STORYBOOK_STORY_STORE__.fromId.mockImplementation(input => null);
+
+      const handler = linkTo('kind');
+      handler();
+
+      expect(channel.emit).toHaveBeenCalledWith(SELECT_STORY, {
+        kind: 'kind',
+        story: 'name',
+      });
+    });
+
+    it('should select the story (only) provided', () => {
+      const channel = { emit: jest.fn() };
+      addons.getChannel.mockReturnValue(channel);
+      // simulate a currently selected, but not found as ID
+      __STORYBOOK_STORY_STORE__.fromId.mockImplementation(input =>
+        !input
+          ? {
+              kind: 'kind',
+              story: 'name',
+            }
+          : null
+      );
+
+      const handler = linkTo(undefined, 'kind');
+      handler();
+
+      expect(channel.emit).toHaveBeenCalledWith(SELECT_STORY, {
+        kind: 'kind',
+        story: 'name',
+      });
+    });
+
+    it('should select the id provided', () => {
+      const channel = { emit: jest.fn() };
+      addons.getChannel.mockReturnValue(channel);
+      __STORYBOOK_STORY_STORE__.fromId.mockImplementation(input =>
+        input === 'kind--story'
+          ? {
+              story: 'name',
+              kind: 'kind',
+            }
+          : null
+      );
+
+      const handler = linkTo('kind--story');
+      handler();
+
+      expect(channel.emit).toHaveBeenCalledWith(SELECT_STORY, {
+        kind: 'kind',
+        story: 'name',
+      });
+    });
+
     it('should handle functions returning strings', () => {
       const channel = { emit: jest.fn() };
       addons.getChannel.mockReturnValue(channel);
+      __STORYBOOK_STORY_STORE__.fromId.mockImplementation(input => null);
 
       const handler = linkTo((a, b) => a + b, (a, b) => b + a);
       handler('kind', 'name');
diff --git a/addons/links/src/preview.ts b/addons/links/src/preview.ts
index 3a80caedcc9d..5fc7eb652bc6 100644
--- a/addons/links/src/preview.ts
+++ b/addons/links/src/preview.ts
@@ -1,8 +1,14 @@
-import { document, HTMLElement } from 'global';
+import {
+  document,
+  HTMLElement,
+  __STORYBOOK_STORY_STORE__ as storyStore,
+  __STORYBOOK_CLIENT_API__ as clientApi,
+} from 'global';
 import qs from 'qs';
 import addons from '@storybook/addons';
 import { STORY_CHANGED, SELECT_STORY } from '@storybook/core-events';
 import { toId } from '@storybook/router/utils';
+import { logger } from '@storybook/client-logger';
 
 interface ParamsId {
   storyId: string;
@@ -27,19 +33,50 @@ const generateUrl = (id: string) => {
 const valueOrCall = (args: string[]) => (value: string | ((...args: string[]) => string)) =>
   typeof value === 'function' ? value(...args) : value;
 
-export const linkTo = (kind: string, story?: string) => (...args: string[]) => {
+export const linkTo = (idOrKindInput: string, storyInput?: string) => (...args: string[]) => {
   const resolver = valueOrCall(args);
+  const { storyId } = storyStore.getSelection();
+  const current = storyStore.fromId(storyId) || {};
+  const kindVal = resolver(idOrKindInput);
+  const storyVal = resolver(storyInput);
 
-  navigate({
-    kind: resolver(kind),
-    story: resolver(story),
-  });
+  const fromid = storyStore.fromId(kindVal);
+
+  const item =
+    fromid ||
+    clientApi.raw().find((i: any) => {
+      if (kindVal && storyVal) {
+        return i.kind === kindVal && i.story === storyVal;
+      }
+      if (!kindVal && storyVal) {
+        return i.kind === current.kind && i.story === storyVal;
+      }
+      if (kindVal && !storyVal) {
+        return i.kind === kindVal;
+      }
+      if (!kindVal && !storyVal) {
+        return i.kind === current.kind;
+      }
+      return false;
+    });
+
+  if (item) {
+    navigate({
+      kind: item.kind,
+      story: item.story,
+    });
+  } else {
+    logger.error('could not navigate to provided story');
+  }
 };
 
-export const hrefTo = (kind: string, name: string): Promise<string> =>
-  new Promise(resolve => {
-    resolve(generateUrl(toId(kind, name)));
+export const hrefTo = (kind: string, name: string): Promise<string> => {
+  return new Promise(resolve => {
+    const { storyId } = storyStore.getSelection();
+    const current = storyStore.fromId(storyId);
+    resolve(generateUrl(toId(kind || current.kind, name)));
   });
+};
 
 const linksListener = (e: Event) => {
   const { target } = e;