diff --git a/lua/zettelkasten/action.lua b/lua/zettelkasten/action.lua
index 353ee17..1d9d276 100644
--- a/lua/zettelkasten/action.lua
+++ b/lua/zettelkasten/action.lua
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ local A = {}
 
 local o = require 'zettelkasten.options'
 local link = require 'zettelkasten.link'
+local list = require 'zettelkasten.list'
 
 local BIGNUMBER = 10000000
 
@@ -9,8 +10,8 @@ local BIGNUMBER = 10000000
 -- Requires a link object passed in.
 function A.open(link)
     if not link or not link.ref then return end
-    -- TODO follow: go to anchor, fall back to filename
-    vim.api.nvim_command(string.format("edit %s", link.ref))
+    local fname = list.get_zettel(link.anchor) or link.ref
+    vim.api.nvim_command(string.format("edit %s", fname))
 end
 
 -- Gets the input at the current buffer cursor and opens it
diff --git a/lua/zettelkasten/action_spec.lua b/lua/zettelkasten/action_spec.lua
index 1c956f4..d04bf23 100644
--- a/lua/zettelkasten/action_spec.lua
+++ b/lua/zettelkasten/action_spec.lua
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 action = require 'zettelkasten.action'
 
-before_each(function() _G.vim = {g = {}, b = {}} end)
+before_each(function()
+    _G.vim = {g = {}, b = {}, loop = {fs_scandir = function() end}}
+end)
 after_each(function() _G.vim = nil end)
 
 describe("open", function()
@@ -15,6 +17,16 @@ describe("open", function()
         vim.fn = {expand = function() end}
         assert.is_not_error(action.open)
     end)
+    it("should use the anchor to open the corresponding zettel", function()
+        vim.api = {nvim_command = mock(function() end)}
+        ls = stub(require 'zettelkasten.list', "get_zettel")
+
+        action.open({
+            ref = "1910271456_link-to-my-file.md",
+            anchor = "1910271456"
+        })
+        assert.stub(ls).was_called_with("1910271456")
+    end)
 end)
 
 describe("open_selected", function()
diff --git a/lua/zettelkasten/link_spec.lua b/lua/zettelkasten/link_spec.lua
index f28033c..73e3d6c 100644
--- a/lua/zettelkasten/link_spec.lua
+++ b/lua/zettelkasten/link_spec.lua
@@ -94,7 +94,8 @@ end)
 
 describe("extract_all", function()
     it("should get all links input string", function()
-        local input = "[Some text](2003042042_my-link.md) and another, [with more text](2001261123 another-link.md), and done. "
+        local input =
+            "[Some text](2003042042_my-link.md) and another, [with more text](2001261123 another-link.md), and done. "
         local expected = {
             {
                 endpos = 34,
diff --git a/lua/zettelkasten/list.lua b/lua/zettelkasten/list.lua
index 6525498..a6bae7a 100644
--- a/lua/zettelkasten/list.lua
+++ b/lua/zettelkasten/list.lua
@@ -7,6 +7,11 @@ local function isDirectory(ftype)
     return false
 end
 
+local function cleanPath(path)
+    if path:match("^~") then path = os.getenv("HOME") .. path:sub(2) end
+    return path
+end
+
 -- TODO transform paths:
 --    * to absolute value (e.g. ~ to home, scandir needs absolute)
 --    * to ensure / at the end (or no /) gets taken into account
@@ -16,6 +21,8 @@ function ls.get_anchors_and_paths(path, recursive)
     local anchorreg = '^.*/?(' .. o.anchor().regex .. ')[^/]*%' ..
                           o.zettel().extension .. '$'
 
+    path = cleanPath(path)
+
     local handle = vim.loop.fs_scandir(path)
     while handle do
         local name, ftype = vim.loop.fs_scandir_next(handle)
@@ -27,7 +34,7 @@ function ls.get_anchors_and_paths(path, recursive)
         end
 
         local anchor = string.match(name, anchorreg)
-        if anchor then zettel[tostring(anchor)] = name end
+        if anchor then zettel[tostring(anchor)] = path .. "/" .. name end
     end
     return zettel
 end
diff --git a/lua/zettelkasten/list_spec.lua b/lua/zettelkasten/list_spec.lua
index e97c42d..07e3299 100644
--- a/lua/zettelkasten/list_spec.lua
+++ b/lua/zettelkasten/list_spec.lua
@@ -27,7 +27,9 @@ describe("get_anchors_and_paths", function()
         local file_list = {"1910291645 this-is-a-testfile.md"}
         _G.vim = get_api_mock(file_list)
 
-        local expected = {["1910291645"] = "1910291645 this-is-a-testfile.md"}
+        local expected = {
+            ["1910291645"] = "someDir/1910291645 this-is-a-testfile.md"
+        }
         assert.same(expected, ls.get_anchors_and_paths("someDir"))
     end)
 
@@ -40,8 +42,8 @@ describe("get_anchors_and_paths", function()
         _G.vim = get_api_mock(file_list)
 
         local expected = {
-            ["1910291645"] = "1910291645 this-is-a-testfile.md",
-            ["2010261208"] = "2010261208 this-should-be-picked-up.md"
+            ["1910291645"] = "someDir/1910291645 this-is-a-testfile.md",
+            ["2010261208"] = "someDir/2010261208 this-should-be-picked-up.md"
         }
         assert.same(expected, ls.get_anchors_and_paths("someDir"))
     end)
@@ -112,10 +114,10 @@ describe("get_anchors_and_paths", function()
         }
         _G.vim = vim_api_mock
         local expected = {
-            ["1234567890"] = "1234567890 myfile.md",
-            ["2345678901"] = "2345678901 another.md",
-            ["2222222222"] = "2222222222 should-be-present.md",
-            ["3333333333"] = "3333333333 should-also-be-present.md"
+            ["1234567890"] = "mydirectory/1234567890 myfile.md",
+            ["2345678901"] = "mydirectory/2345678901 another.md",
+            ["2222222222"] = "mydirectory/subdir/2222222222 should-be-present.md",
+            ["3333333333"] = "mydirectory/subdir/3333333333 should-also-be-present.md"
         }
         assert.same(expected, ls.get_anchors_and_paths('mydirectory', true))
     end)
@@ -126,8 +128,8 @@ describe("get_anchors_and_paths", function()
         vim.g['zettel_extension'] = '.wiki'
 
         local expected = {
-            ["1910291645"] = "1910291645 myfile.wiki",
-            ["2345678901"] = "2345678901 another.wiki"
+            ["1910291645"] = "mydirectory/1910291645 myfile.wiki",
+            ["2345678901"] = "mydirectory/2345678901 another.wiki"
         }
 
         assert.same(expected,