diff --git a/src/renderer/page/channel/view.jsx b/src/renderer/page/channel/view.jsx
index c70b4de6c..5638c4172 100644
--- a/src/renderer/page/channel/view.jsx
+++ b/src/renderer/page/channel/view.jsx
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ class ChannelPage extends React.PureComponent<Props> {
           </h1>
         </section>
         <div className="card__actions">
-          <SubscribeButton uri={permanentUrl} channelName={name} />
+          <SubscribeButton uri={`lbry://${permanentUrl}`} channelName={name} />
           <ViewOnWebButton claimId={claimId} claimName={name} />
         </div>
         <section className="card__content">{contentList}</section>
diff --git a/src/renderer/redux/actions/subscriptions.js b/src/renderer/redux/actions/subscriptions.js
index 465b0faa2..2149db924 100644
--- a/src/renderer/redux/actions/subscriptions.js
+++ b/src/renderer/redux/actions/subscriptions.js
@@ -315,6 +315,13 @@ export const doChannelSubscribe = (subscription: Subscription) => (
   } = getState();
   const { share_usage_data: isSharingData } = daemonSettings;
 
+  const subscriptionUri = subscription.uri;
+  if (!subscriptionUri.startsWith('lbry://')) {
+    throw Error(
+      `Subscription uris must inclue the "lbry://" prefix.\nTried to subscribe to ${subscriptionUri}`
+    );
+  }
+
   dispatch({
     type: ACTIONS.CHANNEL_SUBSCRIBE,
     data: subscription,