diff --git a/client/views/comments/comment_item.js b/client/views/comments/comment_item.js
index 676ce7f0f..d551d8816 100644
--- a/client/views/comments/comment_item.js
+++ b/client/views/comments/comment_item.js
@@ -152,7 +152,7 @@ Template[getTemplate('comment_item')].events({
   'click .not-upvoted .upvote': function(e, instance){
     e.preventDefault();
     if(!Meteor.user()){
-      Router.go(getSigninUrl());
+      Router.go('atSignIn');
       flashMessage(i18n.t("please_log_in_first"), "info");
     }
     Meteor.call('upvoteComment', this, function(error, result){
@@ -162,7 +162,7 @@ Template[getTemplate('comment_item')].events({
   'click .upvoted .upvote': function(e, instance){
     e.preventDefault();
     if(!Meteor.user()){
-      Router.go(getSigninUrl());
+      Router.go('atSignIn');
       flashMessage(i18n.t("please_log_in_first"), "info");
     }
     Meteor.call('cancelUpvoteComment', this, function(error, result){
@@ -172,7 +172,7 @@ Template[getTemplate('comment_item')].events({
   'click .not-downvoted .downvote': function(e, instance){
     e.preventDefault();
     if(!Meteor.user()){
-      Router.go(getSigninUrl());
+      Router.go('atSignIn');
       flashMessage(i18n.t("please_log_in_first"), "info");
     }
     Meteor.call('downvoteComment', this, function(error, result){
@@ -182,7 +182,7 @@ Template[getTemplate('comment_item')].events({
   'click .downvoted .downvote': function(e, instance){
     e.preventDefault();
     if(!Meteor.user()){
-      Router.go(getSigninUrl());
+      Router.go('atSignIn');
       flashMessage(i18n.t("please_log_in_first"), "info");
     }
     Meteor.call('cancelDownvoteComment', this, function(error, result){
diff --git a/client/views/nav/user_menu.js b/client/views/nav/user_menu.js
index af059208d..cdff2ee8c 100644
--- a/client/views/nav/user_menu.js
+++ b/client/views/nav/user_menu.js
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ Template[getTemplate('userMenu')].helpers({
     return getDisplayName(Meteor.user());
   },
   profileUrl: function () {
-    return getProfileUrl(Meteor.user());
+    return Router.routes['user_profile'].path({_idOrSlug: Meteor.user().slug});
   },
   userEditUrl: function () {
     return Router.routes['user_edit'].path(Meteor.user());
diff --git a/client/views/posts/modules/post_upvote.js b/client/views/posts/modules/post_upvote.js
index f077be090..07466caca 100644
--- a/client/views/posts/modules/post_upvote.js
+++ b/client/views/posts/modules/post_upvote.js
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 Template[getTemplate('postUpvote')].helpers({
   upvoted: function(){
     var user = Meteor.user();
-    if(!user) return false; 
+    if(!user) return false;
     return _.include(this.upvoters, user._id);
   },
   oneBasedRank: function(){
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ Template[getTemplate('postUpvote')].events({
     var post = this;
     e.preventDefault();
     if(!Meteor.user()){
-      Router.go(getSigninUrl());
+      Router.go('atSignIn');
       flashMessage(i18n.t("please_log_in_first"), "info");
     }
     Meteor.call('upvotePost', post, function(error, result){
diff --git a/lib/helpers.js b/lib/helpers.js
index c6ae4a5e0..8e71bcf92 100644
--- a/lib/helpers.js
+++ b/lib/helpers.js
@@ -5,9 +5,6 @@ cl = function(something){
 getCurrentTemplate = function() {
   return Router.current().lookupTemplate();
 };
-getCurrentRoute = function() {
-  return Router.current().url;
-};
 t=function(message){
   var d=new Date();
   console.log("### "+message+" rendered at "+d.getHours()+":"+d.getMinutes()+":"+d.getSeconds());
@@ -46,25 +43,37 @@ goTo = function(url){
   Router.go(url);
 };
 
+// This function should only ever really be necessary server side
+// Client side using .path() is a better option since it's relative
+// and shouldn't care about the siteUrl.
+getRouteUrl = function (routeName, params, options) {
+  options = options || {};
+  options.host = getSiteUrl();
+  return Router.routes[routeName].url(
+    params || {},
+    options
+  );
+};
+
 getSignupUrl = function(){
-  return Router.routes['atSignUp'].url();
+  return getRouteUrl('atSignUp');
 };
 getSigninUrl = function(){
-  return Router.routes['atSignIn'].url();
+  return getRouteUrl('atSignIn');
 };
 getPostUrl = function(id){
-  return Router.routes['post_page'].url({_id: id});
+  return getRouteUrl('post_page', {_id: id});
 };
 getPostEditUrl = function(id){
-  return Router.routes['post_edit'].url({_id: id});
+  return getRouteUrl('post_edit', {_id: id});
 };
 
 getCommentUrl = function(id){
-  return Router.routes['comment_reply'].url({_id: id});
+  return getRouteUrl('comment_reply', {_id: id});
 };
 getPostCommentUrl = function(postId, commentId){
   // get link to a comment on a post page
-  return Router.routes['post_page_comment'].url({
+  return getRouteUrl('post_page_comment', {
     _id: postId,
     commentId: commentId
   });
@@ -88,9 +97,7 @@ invitesEnabled = function () {
   return getSetting("requireViewInvite") || getSetting("requirePostInvite");
 };
 getOutgoingUrl = function(url){
-  // we don't use IR's url() function here in case ROOT_URL hasn't been set
-  var cleanUrl = encodeURIComponent(url);
-  return getSetting('siteUrl', Meteor.absoluteUrl()) + 'out?url=' + cleanUrl;
+  return getRouteUrl('out', {}, {query: {url: url}});
 };
 // ---------------------------------- String Helper Functions ----------------------------------- //
 cleanUp = function(s){
diff --git a/lib/users.js b/lib/users.js
index 1d03c1625..5ae5957b4 100644
--- a/lib/users.js
+++ b/lib/users.js
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ getProfileUrl = function(user) {
   return getProfileUrlBySlugOrId(user.slug);
 };
 getProfileUrlBySlugOrId = function(slugOrId) {
-  return Router.routes['user_profile'].url({_idOrSlug: slugOrId});
+  return getRouteUrl('user_profile', {_idOrSlug: slugOrId});
 };
 hasPassword = function(user) {
   return !!user.services.password;
diff --git a/packages/telescope-notifications/lib/server/notifications-server.js b/packages/telescope-notifications/lib/server/notifications-server.js
index 45cff0b33..3ad11cbfb 100644
--- a/packages/telescope-notifications/lib/server/notifications-server.js
+++ b/packages/telescope-notifications/lib/server/notifications-server.js
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 getUnsubscribeLink = function(user){
-  return Router.routes['unsubscribe'].url({hash: user.email_hash});
+  return getRouteUrl('unsubscribe', {hash: user.email_hash});
 };
 
 // given a notification, return the correct subject and html to send an email