diff --git a/r2/r2/controllers/front.py b/r2/r2/controllers/front.py
index a20eda772..961dc2cdd 100755
--- a/r2/r2/controllers/front.py
+++ b/r2/r2/controllers/front.py
@@ -35,11 +35,11 @@ from r2.models import *
 from r2.config.extensions import is_api
 from r2.lib import recommender
 from r2.lib.pages import *
-from r2.lib.pages.things import wrap_links
+from r2.lib.pages.things import hot_links_by_url_listing
 from r2.lib.pages import trafficpages
 from r2.lib.menus import *
 from r2.lib.utils import to36, sanitize_url, check_cheating, title_to_url
-from r2.lib.utils import query_string, UrlParser, link_from_url, url_links_builder
+from r2.lib.utils import query_string, UrlParser, url_links_builder
 from r2.lib.template_helpers import get_domain
 from r2.lib.filters import unsafe, _force_unicode, _force_utf8
 from r2.lib.emailer import Email
@@ -990,14 +990,16 @@ class FrontController(RedditController, OAuth2ResourceController):
         resubmit = request.GET.get('resubmit')
         if url and not resubmit:
             # check to see if the url has already been submitted
-            links = link_from_url(url)
+            listing = hot_links_by_url_listing(url, sr=c.site)
+            links = listing.things
+
             if links and len(links) == 1:
                 return self.redirect(links[0].already_submitted_link)
             elif links:
                 infotext = (strings.multiple_submitted
                             % links[0].resubmit_link())
                 res = BoringPage(_("seen it"),
-                                 content=wrap_links(links),
+                                 content=listing,
                                  infotext=infotext).render()
                 return res
 
diff --git a/r2/r2/controllers/toolbar.py b/r2/r2/controllers/toolbar.py
index 4dead31be..c8522ebbc 100644
--- a/r2/r2/controllers/toolbar.py
+++ b/r2/r2/controllers/toolbar.py
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@
 from reddit_base import RedditController
 from r2.lib.pages import *
 from r2.models import *
-from r2.lib.pages.things import wrap_links
+from r2.lib.pages.things import hot_links_by_url_listing, wrap_links
 from r2.lib.menus import CommentSortMenu
 from r2.lib.filters import spaceCompress, safemarkdown
 from r2.lib.memoize import memoize
@@ -152,7 +152,8 @@ class ToolbarController(RedditController):
         if is_shamed_domain(path)[0]:
             self.abort404()
 
-        link = utils.link_from_url(path, multiple = False)
+        listing = hot_links_by_url_listing(path, sr=c.site, num=1)
+        link = listing.things[0] if listing.things else None
 
         if c.cname and not c.authorized_cname:
             # In this case, we make some bad guesses caused by the
@@ -229,25 +230,24 @@ class ToolbarController(RedditController):
               url = nop('url'))
     def GET_toolbar(self, link, url):
         """The visible toolbar, with voting buttons and all"""
-        if not link:
-            link = utils.link_from_url(url, multiple = False)
-
         if link:
-            link = list(wrap_links(link, wrapper = FrameToolbar))
-        if link:
-            res = link[0]
+            listing = wrap_links(link, wrapper=FrameToolbar, skip=True, num=1)
         elif url:
-            url = demangle_url(url)
-            if not url:  # also check for validity
-                return self.abort404()
-
-            res = FrameToolbar(link = None,
-                               title = None,
-                               url = url,
-                               expanded = False)
+            listing = hot_links_by_url_listing(url, sr=c.site, num=1, skip=True)
+        else:
+            return self.abort404()
+
+        url = demangle_url(url)
+        res = None
+        if listing.things:
+            res = listing.things[0]
+        elif url:
+            res = FrameToolbar(link=None, title=None, url=url, expanded=False)
+
+        if res:
+            return spaceCompress(res.render())
         else:
             return self.abort404()
-        return spaceCompress(res.render())
 
     @validate(link = VByName('id'))
     def GET_inner(self, link):
diff --git a/r2/r2/lib/pages/things.py b/r2/r2/lib/pages/things.py
index a084c86e4..421dd9bc9 100644
--- a/r2/r2/lib/pages/things.py
+++ b/r2/r2/lib/pages/things.py
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
 # Inc. All Rights Reserved.
 ###############################################################################
 
+from r2.lib.db.thing import NotFound
 from r2.lib.menus import Styled
 from r2.lib.wrapped import Wrapped
 from r2.models import LinkListing, Link, PromotedLink
@@ -235,6 +236,17 @@ def wrap_links(links, wrapper = default_thing_wrapper(),
     return l.listing()
 
 
+def hot_links_by_url_listing(url, sr=None, num=None, **kw):
+    try:
+        links_for_url = Link._by_url(url, sr)
+    except NotFound:
+        links_for_url = []
+
+    links_for_url.sort(key=lambda link: link._hot, reverse=True)
+    listing = wrap_links(links_for_url, num=num, **kw)
+    return listing
+
+
 def wrap_things(*things):
     """Instantiate Wrapped for each thing, calling add_props if available."""
     if not things: