diff --git a/bramble-api/src/main/java/org/briarproject/bramble/api/contact/event/ContactAliasChangedEvent.java b/bramble-api/src/main/java/org/briarproject/bramble/api/contact/event/ContactAliasChangedEvent.java
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..5972e4113
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bramble-api/src/main/java/org/briarproject/bramble/api/contact/event/ContactAliasChangedEvent.java
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+package org.briarproject.bramble.api.contact.event;
+
+import org.briarproject.bramble.api.contact.ContactId;
+import org.briarproject.bramble.api.event.Event;
+import org.briarproject.bramble.api.nullsafety.NotNullByDefault;
+
+import javax.annotation.Nullable;
+import javax.annotation.concurrent.Immutable;
+
+/**
+ * An event that is broadcast when the alias for a contact changed.
+ */
+@Immutable
+@NotNullByDefault
+public class ContactAliasChangedEvent extends Event {
+
+	private final ContactId contactId;
+	@Nullable
+	private final String alias;
+
+	public ContactAliasChangedEvent(ContactId contactId,
+			@Nullable String alias) {
+		this.contactId = contactId;
+		this.alias = alias;
+	}
+
+	public ContactId getContactId() {
+		return contactId;
+	}
+
+	@Nullable
+	public String getAlias() {
+		return alias;
+	}
+}
diff --git a/bramble-core/src/main/java/org/briarproject/bramble/db/DatabaseComponentImpl.java b/bramble-core/src/main/java/org/briarproject/bramble/db/DatabaseComponentImpl.java
index 9b7ac74fa..3bb052fe9 100644
--- a/bramble-core/src/main/java/org/briarproject/bramble/db/DatabaseComponentImpl.java
+++ b/bramble-core/src/main/java/org/briarproject/bramble/db/DatabaseComponentImpl.java
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import org.briarproject.bramble.api.contact.ContactId;
 import org.briarproject.bramble.api.contact.PendingContact;
 import org.briarproject.bramble.api.contact.PendingContactId;
 import org.briarproject.bramble.api.contact.event.ContactAddedEvent;
+import org.briarproject.bramble.api.contact.event.ContactAliasChangedEvent;
 import org.briarproject.bramble.api.contact.event.ContactRemovedEvent;
 import org.briarproject.bramble.api.contact.event.ContactVerifiedEvent;
 import org.briarproject.bramble.api.contact.event.PendingContactAddedEvent;
@@ -1013,6 +1014,7 @@ class DatabaseComponentImpl<T> implements DatabaseComponent {
 		T txn = unbox(transaction);
 		if (!db.containsContact(txn, c))
 			throw new NoSuchContactException();
+		transaction.attach(new ContactAliasChangedEvent(c, alias));
 		db.setContactAlias(txn, c, alias);
 	}
 
diff --git a/briar-android/src/main/java/org/briarproject/briar/android/contact/ContactListAdapter.java b/briar-android/src/main/java/org/briarproject/briar/android/contact/ContactListAdapter.java
index 103bc46c4..e6d38054b 100644
--- a/briar-android/src/main/java/org/briarproject/briar/android/contact/ContactListAdapter.java
+++ b/briar-android/src/main/java/org/briarproject/briar/android/contact/ContactListAdapter.java
@@ -48,6 +48,10 @@ public class ContactListAdapter extends
 			if (c1.isConnected() != c2.isConnected()) {
 				return false;
 			}
+			if (!NullSafety.equals(c1.getContact().getAlias(),
+					c2.getContact().getAlias())) {
+				return false;
+			}
 			return NullSafety.equals(c1.getAuthorInfo().getAvatarHeader(),
 					c2.getAuthorInfo().getAvatarHeader());
 		}
diff --git a/briar-android/src/main/java/org/briarproject/briar/android/contact/ContactListItem.java b/briar-android/src/main/java/org/briarproject/briar/android/contact/ContactListItem.java
index 8ca5cd004..d2d8758e4 100644
--- a/briar-android/src/main/java/org/briarproject/briar/android/contact/ContactListItem.java
+++ b/briar-android/src/main/java/org/briarproject/briar/android/contact/ContactListItem.java
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import org.briarproject.briar.api.client.MessageTracker.GroupCount;
 import org.briarproject.briar.api.conversation.ConversationMessageHeader;
 import org.briarproject.briar.api.identity.AuthorInfo;
 
+import javax.annotation.Nullable;
 import javax.annotation.concurrent.Immutable;
 
 @Immutable
@@ -45,12 +46,24 @@ public class ContactListItem extends ContactItem
 				Math.max(h.getTimestamp(), item.timestamp));
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * Creates a new copy of the given item with a new alias set.
+	 */
+	ContactListItem(ContactListItem item, @Nullable String alias) {
+		this(update(item.getContact(), alias), item.getAuthorInfo(),
+				item.isConnected(), item.empty, item.unread, item.timestamp);
+	}
+
+	private static Contact update(Contact c, @Nullable String alias) {
+		return new Contact(c.getId(), c.getAuthor(), c.getLocalAuthorId(),
+				alias, c.getHandshakePublicKey(), c.isVerified());
+	}
+
 	/**
 	 * Creates a new copy of the given item with a new avatar
 	 * referenced by the given attachment header.
 	 */
-	ContactListItem(ContactListItem item,
-			AttachmentHeader attachmentHeader) {
+	ContactListItem(ContactListItem item, AttachmentHeader attachmentHeader) {
 		this(item.getContact(), new AuthorInfo(item.getAuthorInfo().getStatus(),
 						item.getAuthorInfo().getAlias(), attachmentHeader),
 				item.isConnected(), item.empty, item.unread, item.timestamp);
diff --git a/briar-android/src/main/java/org/briarproject/briar/android/contact/ContactsViewModel.java b/briar-android/src/main/java/org/briarproject/briar/android/contact/ContactsViewModel.java
index 6d11e8e06..51381c49d 100644
--- a/briar-android/src/main/java/org/briarproject/briar/android/contact/ContactsViewModel.java
+++ b/briar-android/src/main/java/org/briarproject/briar/android/contact/ContactsViewModel.java
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import org.briarproject.bramble.api.contact.Contact;
 import org.briarproject.bramble.api.contact.ContactId;
 import org.briarproject.bramble.api.contact.ContactManager;
 import org.briarproject.bramble.api.contact.event.ContactAddedEvent;
+import org.briarproject.bramble.api.contact.event.ContactAliasChangedEvent;
 import org.briarproject.bramble.api.contact.event.ContactRemovedEvent;
 import org.briarproject.bramble.api.db.DatabaseExecutor;
 import org.briarproject.bramble.api.db.DbException;
@@ -141,6 +142,10 @@ public class ContactsViewModel extends DbViewModel implements EventListener {
 			AvatarUpdatedEvent a = (AvatarUpdatedEvent) e;
 			updateItem(a.getContactId(), item -> new ContactListItem(item,
 					a.getAttachmentHeader()), false);
+		} else if (e instanceof ContactAliasChangedEvent) {
+			ContactAliasChangedEvent c = (ContactAliasChangedEvent) e;
+			updateItem(c.getContactId(),
+					item -> new ContactListItem(item, c.getAlias()), false);
 		}
 	}