diff --git a/js/connection.js b/js/connection.js
index ce121b3..c6a60c9 100644
--- a/js/connection.js
+++ b/js/connection.js
@@ -267,7 +267,7 @@ weechat.factory('connection',
     };
 
     var sendHotlistClear = function() {
-        if (parseInt(models.version.charAt(0)) >= 1) {
+        if (models.version[0] >= 1) {
             // WeeChat >= 1 supports clearing hotlist with this command
             sendMessage('/buffer set hotlist -1');
             // Also move read marker
diff --git a/js/glowingbear.js b/js/glowingbear.js
index 3b85b75..f0242c6 100644
--- a/js/glowingbear.js
+++ b/js/glowingbear.js
@@ -452,7 +452,7 @@ weechat.controller('WeechatCtrl', ['$rootScope', '$scope', '$store', '$timeout',
         // the messages in this buffer before you switched to the new one
         // this is only needed with new type of clearing since in the old
         // way WeeChat itself takes care of that part
-        if (parseInt(models.version.charAt(0)) >= 1) {
+        if (models.version[0] >= 1) {
             connection.sendHotlistClear();
         }
 
@@ -464,9 +464,17 @@ weechat.controller('WeechatCtrl', ['$rootScope', '$scope', '$store', '$timeout',
         fullName = fullName.substring(0, fullName.lastIndexOf('.') + 1) + bufferName;  // substitute the last part
 
         if (!$scope.setActiveBuffer(fullName, 'fullName')) {
-            var command = 'join';
+            // WeeChat 0.4.0+ supports /join -noswitch
+            // As Glowing Bear requires 0.4.2+, we don't need to check the version
+            var command = 'join -noswitch';
+
+            // Check if it's a query and we need to use /query instead
             if (['#', '&', '+', '!'].indexOf(bufferName.charAt(0)) < 0) {  // these are the characters a channel name can start with (RFC 2813-2813)
                 command = 'query';
+                // WeeChat 1.2+ supports /query -noswitch. See also #577 (different context)
+                if ((models.version[0] == 1 && models.version[1] >= 2) || models.version[1] > 1) {
+                    command += " -noswitch";
+                }
             }
             connection.sendMessage('/' + command + ' ' + bufferName);
         }
diff --git a/js/handlers.js b/js/handlers.js
index 094279e..98f088c 100644
--- a/js/handlers.js
+++ b/js/handlers.js
@@ -9,7 +9,8 @@ weechat.factory('handlers', ['$rootScope', '$log', 'models', 'plugins', 'notific
         var content = message.objects[0].content;
         var version = content.value;
         // Store the WeeChat version in models
-        models.version = version;
+        // this eats things like 1.3-dev -> [1,3]
+        models.version = version.split(".").map(function(c) { return parseInt(c); });
     };
 
     var handleBufferClosing = function(message) {
diff --git a/js/inputbar.js b/js/inputbar.js
index 6fc4067..e57144a 100644
--- a/js/inputbar.js
+++ b/js/inputbar.js
@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@ weechat.directive('inputBar', function() {
                 }
 
                 // New style clearing requires this, old does not
-                if (parseInt(models.version.charAt(0)) >= 1) {
+                if (models.version[0] >= 1) {
                     connection.sendHotlistClear();
                 }
 
diff --git a/js/models.js b/js/models.js
index 58cb691..baa1aec 100644
--- a/js/models.js
+++ b/js/models.js
@@ -463,7 +463,7 @@ models.service('models', ['$rootScope', '$filter', function($rootScope, $filter)
      * @return active buffer pointer (WeeChat 1.0+) or fullname (older versions)
      */
     this.getActiveBufferReference = function() {
-        if (this.version !== null && parseInt(this.version.charAt(0)) >= 1) {
+        if (this.version !== null && this.version[0] >= 1) {
             // pointers are being validated, they're more reliable than
             // fullName (e.g. if fullName contains spaces)
             return "0x"+activeBuffer.id;