diff --git a/storage/models.py b/storage/models.py
index 2333e4e..9d8134a 100644
--- a/storage/models.py
+++ b/storage/models.py
@@ -63,6 +63,10 @@ class Item(models.Model, TreeModelMixin):
 
     objects = hstore.HStoreManager()
 
+    def short_id(self):
+        # let's just hope we never have 4 294 967 296 things :)
+        return str(self.pk)[:8] # collisions? what collisions?
+
     def __str__(self):
         return '- ' * (self.get_level() or 0) + self.name
 
diff --git a/storage/views.py b/storage/views.py
index 0138eb0..b827f77 100644
--- a/storage/views.py
+++ b/storage/views.py
@@ -98,8 +98,16 @@ def item_display(request, pk):
 
 
 def label_lookup(request, pk):
-    label = get_object_or_404(Label, pk=pk)
-    return redirect(label.item)
+    try:
+        label = Label.objects.get(pk=pk)
+        return redirect(label.item)
+    except Label.DoesNotExist:
+        try:
+            # look up by short id
+            item = Item.objects.get(uuid__startswith=pk)
+            return redirect(item)
+        except Item.DoesNotExist:
+            raise Http404("Very sad to say, I could not find this thing")
 
 
 @login_required