diff --git a/app/models/issue.rb b/app/models/issue.rb
index 1d61be583..4e1ec3e1b 100644
--- a/app/models/issue.rb
+++ b/app/models/issue.rb
@@ -67,6 +67,17 @@ class Issue < ActiveRecord::Base
     recipients
   end
 
+  def self.find_by_hash_tag hash_tag, current_ability, project, delimiter = '#'
+    hash_tag =~ /([a-zA-Z0-9\-_]*\/)?([a-zA-Z0-9\-_]*)?#{delimiter}([0-9]+)/
+    owner_uname = Regexp.last_match[1].presence || Regexp.last_match[2].presence || project.owner.uname
+    project_name = Regexp.last_match[1] ? Regexp.last_match[2] : project.name
+    serial_id = Regexp.last_match[3]
+    project = Project.find_by_owner_and_name(owner_uname.chomp('/'), project_name)
+    return nil unless project
+    return nil unless current_ability.can? :show, project
+    project.issues.where(:serial_id => serial_id).first
+  end
+
   protected
 
   def set_serial_id
diff --git a/lib/modules/models/markdown.rb b/lib/modules/models/markdown.rb
index 743976da1..1890b5923 100644
--- a/lib/modules/models/markdown.rb
+++ b/lib/modules/models/markdown.rb
@@ -9,8 +9,14 @@ module Modules
     #
     # Supported reference formats are:
     #   * @foo for team members
-    #   * #123 for issues
-    #   * !123 for pull requests
+    #   * for issues:
+    #   * #123
+    #   * abf#123
+    #   * abf/rosa-build#123
+    #   * for pull requests:
+    #   * !123
+    #   * abf!123
+    #   * abf/rosa-build!123
     #   * 123456 for commits
     #
     # It also parses Emoji codes to insert images. See
@@ -96,14 +102,14 @@ module Modules
       end
 
       REFERENCE_PATTERN = %r{
-        (?<prefix>\W)?                         # Prefix
-        (                                      # Reference
-           @(?<user>[a-zA-Z][a-zA-Z0-9_\-\.]*) # User uname
-          |\#(?<issue>\d+)                     # Issue ID
-          |!(?<pull_request>\d+)              # PR ID
-          |(?<commit>[\h]{6,40})               # Commit ID
+        (?<prefix>[\W\/])?                                                     # Prefix
+        (                                                                      # Reference
+           @(?<user>[a-zA-Z][a-zA-Z0-9_\-\.]*)                                 # User uname
+          |(?<issue>(?:[a-zA-Z0-9\-_]*\/)?(?:[a-zA-Z0-9\-_]*)?\#[0-9]+)        # Issue ID
+          |(?<pull_request>(?:[a-zA-Z0-9\-_]*\/)?(?:[a-zA-Z0-9\-_]*)?\![0-9]+) # PR ID
+          |(?<commit>[\h]{6,40})                                               # Commit ID
         )
-        (?<suffix>\W)?                         # Suffix
+        (?<suffix>\W)?                                                         # Suffix
       }x.freeze
 
       TYPES = [:user, :issue, :pull_request, :commit].freeze
@@ -166,17 +172,18 @@ module Modules
       end
 
       def reference_issue(identifier)
-        if issue = @project.issues.where(serial_id: identifier).first
+        if issue = Issue.find_by_hash_tag(identifier, current_ability, @project)
           url = project_issue_path(@project.owner, @project.name, issue.serial_id)
           title = "#{Issue.model_name.human}: #{issue.title}"
-          link_to("##{identifier}", url, html_options.merge(title: title, class: "gfm gfm-issue #{html_options[:class]}"))
+          link_to(identifier, url, html_options.merge(title: title, class: "gfm gfm-issue #{html_options[:class]}"))
         end
       end
 
       def reference_pull_request(identifier)
-        if pull_request = @project.pull_requests.includes(:issue).where(issues: {serial_id: identifier}).first
+        issue = Issue.find_by_hash_tag(identifier, current_ability, @project, '!')
+        if pull_request = issue.pull_request
           title = "#{PullRequest.model_name.human}: #{pull_request.title}"
-          link_to("!#{identifier}", project_pull_request_path(@project, pull_request), html_options.merge(title: title, class: "gfm gfm-pull_request #{html_options[:class]}"))
+          link_to(identifier, project_pull_request_path(@project, pull_request), html_options.merge(title: title, class: "gfm gfm-pull_request #{html_options[:class]}"))
         end
       end
 
@@ -189,4 +196,4 @@ module Modules
       end
     end
   end
-end
\ No newline at end of file
+end