diff --git a/IPython/html/notebook/handlers.py b/IPython/html/notebook/handlers.py
index 42feea6..c3777ec 100644
--- a/IPython/html/notebook/handlers.py
+++ b/IPython/html/notebook/handlers.py
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ from zmq.utils import jsonapi
 
 
 from ..base.handlers import IPythonHandler
+from ..services.notebooks.handlers import _notebook_path_regex, _path_regex
 from ..utils import url_path_join
 from urllib import quote
 
@@ -51,32 +52,31 @@ class NotebookHandler(IPythonHandler):
 class NamedNotebookHandler(IPythonHandler):
 
     @web.authenticated
-    def get(self, notebook_path):
+    def get(self, path='', name=None):
         """get renders the notebook template if a name is given, or 
         redirects to the '/files/' handler if the name is not given."""
         nbm = self.notebook_manager
-        name, path = nbm.named_notebook_path(notebook_path)
-        if name is not None:
-            # a .ipynb filename was given
-            if not nbm.notebook_exists(name, path):
-                raise web.HTTPError(404, u'Notebook does not exist: %s' % name)
-            name = nbm.url_encode(name)
-            path = nbm.url_encode(path)
-            self.write(self.render_template('notebook.html',
-                project=self.project_dir,
-                notebook_path=path,
-                notebook_name=name,
-                kill_kernel=False,
-                mathjax_url=self.mathjax_url,
-                )
-            )
-        else:
-            url = "/files/" + notebook_path
+        if name is None:
+            url = url_path_join(self.base_project_url, 'files', path)
             self.redirect(url)
+            return
             
+        # a .ipynb filename was given
+        if not nbm.notebook_exists(name, path):
+            raise web.HTTPError(404, u'Notebook does not exist: %s/%s' % (path, name))
+        name = nbm.url_encode(name)
+        path = nbm.url_encode(path)
+        self.write(self.render_template('notebook.html',
+            project=self.project_dir,
+            notebook_path=path,
+            notebook_name=name,
+            kill_kernel=False,
+            mathjax_url=self.mathjax_url,
+            )
+        )
 
     @web.authenticated
-    def post(self, notebook_path):
+    def post(self, path='', name=None):
         """post either creates a new notebook if no json data is
         sent to the server, or copies the data and returns a 
         copied notebook in the location given by 'notebook_path."""
@@ -95,10 +95,9 @@ class NamedNotebookHandler(IPythonHandler):
 #-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 
-_notebook_path_regex = r"(?P<notebook_path>.+)"
-
 default_handlers = [
-    (r"/notebooks/%s" % _notebook_path_regex, NamedNotebookHandler),
-    (r"/notebooks/", NotebookHandler),
+    (r"/notebooks/?%s" % _notebook_path_regex, NamedNotebookHandler),
+    (r"/notebooks/?%s" % _path_regex, NamedNotebookHandler),
+    (r"/notebooks/?", NotebookHandler),
 ]
 
diff --git a/IPython/html/notebookapp.py b/IPython/html/notebookapp.py
index 98a8a5a..51b52ed 100644
--- a/IPython/html/notebookapp.py
+++ b/IPython/html/notebookapp.py
@@ -734,10 +734,9 @@ class NotebookApp(BaseIPythonApplication):
                 browser = None
 
             if self.file_to_run:
-                name, _ = os.path.splitext(os.path.basename(self.file_to_run))
-                url = 'notebooks/' + self.entry_path + name + _
+                url = url_path_join('notebooks', self.entry_path, self.file_to_run)
             else:
-                url = 'tree/' + self.entry_path
+                url = url_path_join('tree', self.entry_path)
             if browser:
                 b = lambda : browser.open("%s://%s:%i%s%s" % (proto, ip,
                     self.port, self.base_project_url, url), new=2)
diff --git a/IPython/html/services/notebooks/filenbmanager.py b/IPython/html/services/notebooks/filenbmanager.py
index b5693e1..b01c3a7 100644
--- a/IPython/html/services/notebooks/filenbmanager.py
+++ b/IPython/html/services/notebooks/filenbmanager.py
@@ -73,14 +73,14 @@ class FileNotebookManager(NotebookManager):
             except:
                 raise TraitError("Couldn't create checkpoint dir %r" % new)
 
-    def get_notebook_names(self, path='/'):
+    def get_notebook_names(self, path=''):
         """List all notebook names in the notebook dir and path."""
         names = glob.glob(self.get_os_path('*'+self.filename_ext, path))
         names = [os.path.basename(name)
                  for name in names]
         return names
 
-    def increment_filename(self, basename, path='/'):
+    def increment_filename(self, basename, path=''):
         """Return a non-used filename of the form basename<int>."""
         i = 0
         while True:
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ class FileNotebookManager(NotebookManager):
         if os.path.exists(path) is False:
             raise web.HTTPError(404, "No file or directory found.")
         
-    def notebook_exists(self, name, path='/'):
+    def notebook_exists(self, name, path=''):
         """Returns a True if the notebook exists. Else, returns False.
 
         Parameters
@@ -111,8 +111,8 @@ class FileNotebookManager(NotebookManager):
         -------
         bool
         """
-        path = self.get_os_path(name, path='/')
-        return os.path.isfile(path)
+        nbpath = self.get_os_path(name, path=path)
+        return os.path.isfile(nbpath)
 
     def list_notebooks(self, path):
         """Returns a list of dictionaries that are the standard model
@@ -137,7 +137,7 @@ class FileNotebookManager(NotebookManager):
         notebooks = sorted(notebooks, key=lambda item: item['name'])
         return notebooks
 
-    def get_notebook_model(self, name, path='/', content=True):
+    def get_notebook_model(self, name, path='', content=True):
         """ Takes a path and name for a notebook and returns it's model
         
         Parameters
@@ -173,13 +173,13 @@ class FileNotebookManager(NotebookManager):
             model['content'] = nb
         return model
 
-    def save_notebook_model(self, model, name, path='/'):
+    def save_notebook_model(self, model, name, path=''):
         """Save the notebook model and return the model with no content."""
 
         if 'content' not in model:
             raise web.HTTPError(400, u'No notebook JSON data provided')
 
-        new_path = model.get('path', path)
+        new_path = model.get('path', path).strip('/')
         new_name = model.get('name', name)
 
         if path != new_path or name != new_name:
diff --git a/IPython/html/services/notebooks/handlers.py b/IPython/html/services/notebooks/handlers.py
index 40ae7e3..f834d95 100644
--- a/IPython/html/services/notebooks/handlers.py
+++ b/IPython/html/services/notebooks/handlers.py
@@ -20,10 +20,10 @@ import json
 
 from tornado import web
 
-from ...utils import url_path_join
+from IPython.html.utils import url_path_join
 from IPython.utils.jsonutil import date_default
 
-from ...base.handlers import IPythonHandler, json_errors
+from IPython.html.base.handlers import IPythonHandler, json_errors
 
 #-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 # Notebook web service handlers
@@ -34,31 +34,32 @@ class NotebookHandler(IPythonHandler):
 
     SUPPORTED_METHODS = (u'GET', u'PUT', u'PATCH', u'POST', u'DELETE')
 
-    def notebook_location(self, name, path):
+    def notebook_location(self, name, path=''):
         """Return the full URL location of a notebook based.
         
         Parameters
         ----------
         name : unicode
-            The name of the notebook like "foo.ipynb".
+            The base name of the notebook, such as "foo.ipynb".
         path : unicode
             The URL path of the notebook.
         """
-        return url_path_join(self.base_project_url, u'/api/notebooks', path, name)
+        return url_path_join(self.base_project_url, 'api', 'notebooks', path, name)
 
     @web.authenticated
     @json_errors
-    def get(self, notebook_path):
-        """get checks if a notebook is not named, an returns a list of notebooks
+    def get(self, path='', name=None):
+        """
+        GET with path and no notebook lists notebooks in a directory
+        GET with path and notebook name 
+        
+        GET get checks if a notebook is not named, an returns a list of notebooks
         in the notebook path given. If a name is given, return 
         the notebook representation"""
         nbm = self.notebook_manager
-        # path will have leading and trailing slashes, such as '/foo/bar/'
-        name, path = nbm.named_notebook_path(notebook_path)
-        
         # Check to see if a notebook name was given
         if name is None:
-            # List notebooks in 'notebook_path'
+            # List notebooks in 'path'
             notebooks = nbm.list_notebooks(path)
             self.finish(json.dumps(notebooks, default=date_default))
         else:
@@ -68,13 +69,11 @@ class NotebookHandler(IPythonHandler):
             self.finish(json.dumps(model, default=date_default))
 
     @web.authenticated
-   # @json_errors
-    def patch(self, notebook_path):
+    @json_errors
+    def patch(self, path='', name=None):
         """patch is currently used strictly for notebook renaming.
         Changes the notebook name to the name given in data."""
         nbm = self.notebook_manager
-        # path will have leading and trailing slashes, such as '/foo/bar/'
-        name, path = nbm.named_notebook_path(notebook_path)
         if name is None:
             raise web.HTTPError(400, u'Notebook name missing')
         model = self.get_json_body()
@@ -90,11 +89,9 @@ class NotebookHandler(IPythonHandler):
 
     @web.authenticated
     @json_errors
-    def post(self, notebook_path):
+    def post(self, path='', name=None):
         """Create a new notebook in the location given by 'notebook_path'."""
         nbm = self.notebook_manager
-        # path will have leading and trailing slashes, such as '/foo/bar/'
-        name, path = nbm.named_notebook_path(notebook_path)
         model = self.get_json_body()
         if name is not None:
             raise web.HTTPError(400, 'No name can be provided when POSTing a new notebook.')
@@ -108,11 +105,9 @@ class NotebookHandler(IPythonHandler):
 
     @web.authenticated
     @json_errors
-    def put(self, notebook_path):
+    def put(self, path='', name=None):
         """saves the notebook in the location given by 'notebook_path'."""
         nbm = self.notebook_manager
-        # path will have leading and trailing slashes, such as '/foo/bar/'
-        name, path = nbm.named_notebook_path(notebook_path)
         model = self.get_json_body()
         if model is None:
             raise web.HTTPError(400, u'JSON body missing')
@@ -121,11 +116,9 @@ class NotebookHandler(IPythonHandler):
 
     @web.authenticated
     @json_errors
-    def delete(self, notebook_path):
+    def delete(self, path='', name=None):
         """delete the notebook in the given notebook path"""
         nbm = self.notebook_manager
-        # path will have leading and trailing slashes, such as '/foo/bar/'
-        name, path = nbm.named_notebook_path(notebook_path)
         nbm.delete_notebook_model(name, path)
         self.set_status(204)
         self.finish()
@@ -137,26 +130,22 @@ class NotebookCheckpointsHandler(IPythonHandler):
     
     @web.authenticated
     @json_errors
-    def get(self, notebook_path):
+    def get(self, path='', name=None):
         """get lists checkpoints for a notebook"""
         nbm = self.notebook_manager
-        # path will have leading and trailing slashes, such as '/foo/bar/'
-        name, path = nbm.named_notebook_path(notebook_path)
         checkpoints = nbm.list_checkpoints(name, path)
         data = json.dumps(checkpoints, default=date_default)
         self.finish(data)
     
     @web.authenticated
     @json_errors
-    def post(self, notebook_path):
+    def post(self, path='', name=None):
         """post creates a new checkpoint"""
         nbm = self.notebook_manager
-        name, path = nbm.named_notebook_path(notebook_path)
-        # path will have leading and trailing slashes, such as '/foo/bar/'
         checkpoint = nbm.create_checkpoint(name, path)
         data = json.dumps(checkpoint, default=date_default)
         location = url_path_join(self.base_project_url, u'/api/notebooks',
-            path, name, '/checkpoints', checkpoint[u'checkpoint_id'])
+            path, name, 'checkpoints', checkpoint[u'checkpoint_id'])
         self.set_header(u'Location', location)
         self.finish(data)
 
@@ -167,22 +156,18 @@ class ModifyNotebookCheckpointsHandler(IPythonHandler):
     
     @web.authenticated
     @json_errors
-    def post(self, notebook_path, checkpoint_id):
+    def post(self, path, name, checkpoint_id):
         """post restores a notebook from a checkpoint"""
         nbm = self.notebook_manager
-        # path will have leading and trailing slashes, such as '/foo/bar/'
-        name, path = nbm.named_notebook_path(notebook_path)
         nbm.restore_checkpoint(checkpoint_id, name, path)
         self.set_status(204)
         self.finish()
     
     @web.authenticated
     @json_errors
-    def delete(self, notebook_path, checkpoint_id):
+    def delete(self, path, name, checkpoint_id):
         """delete clears a checkpoint for a given notebook"""
         nbm = self.notebook_manager
-        # path will have leading and trailing slashes, such as '/foo/bar/'
-        name, path = nbm.named_notebook_path(notebook_path)
         nbm.delete_checkpoint(checkpoint_id, name, path)
         self.set_status(204)
         self.finish()
@@ -192,14 +177,17 @@ class ModifyNotebookCheckpointsHandler(IPythonHandler):
 #-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 
-_notebook_path_regex = r"(?P<notebook_path>.*)"
+_path_regex = r"(?P<path>.*)"
 _checkpoint_id_regex = r"(?P<checkpoint_id>[\w-]+)"
+_notebook_name_regex = r"(?P<name>[^/]+\.ipynb)"
+_notebook_path_regex = "%s/%s" % (_path_regex, _notebook_name_regex)
 
 default_handlers = [
-    (r"/api/notebooks/%s/checkpoints" % _notebook_path_regex, NotebookCheckpointsHandler),
-    (r"/api/notebooks/%s/checkpoints/%s" % (_notebook_path_regex, _checkpoint_id_regex),
+    (r"/api/notebooks/?%s/checkpoints" % _notebook_path_regex, NotebookCheckpointsHandler),
+    (r"/api/notebooks/?%s/checkpoints/%s" % (_notebook_path_regex, _checkpoint_id_regex),
         ModifyNotebookCheckpointsHandler),
-    (r"/api/notebooks%s" % _notebook_path_regex, NotebookHandler),
+    (r"/api/notebooks/?%s" % _notebook_path_regex, NotebookHandler),
+    (r"/api/notebooks/?%s/?" % _path_regex, NotebookHandler),
 ]
 
 
diff --git a/IPython/html/services/notebooks/nbmanager.py b/IPython/html/services/notebooks/nbmanager.py
index ad5a7b1..c17f420 100644
--- a/IPython/html/services/notebooks/nbmanager.py
+++ b/IPython/html/services/notebooks/nbmanager.py
@@ -45,45 +45,33 @@ class NotebookManager(LoggingConfigurable):
             """)
 
     filename_ext = Unicode(u'.ipynb')
-
-    def named_notebook_path(self, notebook_path):
-        """Given notebook_path (*always* a URL path to notebook), returns a 
-        (name, path) tuple, where name is a .ipynb file, and path is the 
-        URL path that describes the file system path for the file. 
-        It *always* starts *and* ends with a '/' character.
-
+    
+    def path_exists(self, path):
+        """Does the API-style path (directory) actually exist?
+        
+        Override this method for non-filesystem-based notebooks.
+        
         Parameters
         ----------
-        notebook_path : string
-            A path that may be a .ipynb name or a directory
-
+        path : string
+            The 
+        
         Returns
         -------
-        name : string or None
-            the filename of the notebook, or None if not a .ipynb extension
-        path : string
-            the path to the directory which contains the notebook
+        exists : bool
+            Whether the path does indeed exist.
         """
-        names = notebook_path.split('/')
-        names = [n for n in names if n != ''] # remove duplicate splits
-
-        names = [''] + names
-
-        if names and names[-1].endswith(".ipynb"):
-            name = names[-1]
-            path = "/".join(names[:-1]) + '/'
-        else:
-            name = None
-            path = "/".join(names) + '/'
-        return name, path
+        os_path = self.get_os_path(name, path)
+        return os.path.exists(os_path)
         
-    def get_os_path(self, fname=None, path='/'):
+    
+    def get_os_path(self, name=None, path=''):
         """Given a notebook name and a URL path, return its file system
         path.
 
         Parameters
         ----------
-        fname : string
+        name : string
             The name of a notebook file with the .ipynb extension
         path : string
             The relative URL path (with '/' as separator) to the named
@@ -96,10 +84,10 @@ class NotebookManager(LoggingConfigurable):
             server started), the relative path, and the filename with the
             current operating system's url.
         """
-        parts = path.split('/')
+        parts = path.strip('/').split('/')
         parts = [p for p in parts if p != ''] # remove duplicate splits
-        if fname is not None:
-            parts += [fname]
+        if name is not None:
+            parts.append(name)
         path = os.path.join(self.notebook_dir, *parts)
         return path
 
@@ -132,7 +120,7 @@ class NotebookManager(LoggingConfigurable):
 
     # Main notebook API
 
-    def increment_filename(self, basename, path='/'):
+    def increment_filename(self, basename, path=''):
         """Increment a notebook filename without the .ipynb to make it unique.
         
         Parameters
@@ -157,15 +145,15 @@ class NotebookManager(LoggingConfigurable):
         """
         raise NotImplementedError('must be implemented in a subclass')
 
-    def get_notebook_model(self, name, path='/', content=True):
+    def get_notebook_model(self, name, path='', content=True):
         """Get the notebook model with or without content."""
         raise NotImplementedError('must be implemented in a subclass')
 
-    def save_notebook_model(self, model, name, path='/'):
+    def save_notebook_model(self, model, name, path=''):
         """Save the notebook model and return the model with no content."""
         raise NotImplementedError('must be implemented in a subclass')
 
-    def update_notebook_model(self, model, name, path='/'):
+    def update_notebook_model(self, model, name, path=''):
         """Update the notebook model and return the model with no content."""
         raise NotImplementedError('must be implemented in a subclass')
 
@@ -173,7 +161,7 @@ class NotebookManager(LoggingConfigurable):
         """Delete notebook by name and path."""
         raise NotImplementedError('must be implemented in a subclass')
 
-    def create_notebook_model(self, model=None, path='/'):
+    def create_notebook_model(self, model=None, path=''):
         """Create a new untitled notebook and return its model with no content."""
         name = self.increment_filename('Untitled', path)
         if model is None:
diff --git a/IPython/html/services/notebooks/tests/test_nbmanager.py b/IPython/html/services/notebooks/tests/test_nbmanager.py
index 9ae9f0a..cf65fbf 100644
--- a/IPython/html/services/notebooks/tests/test_nbmanager.py
+++ b/IPython/html/services/notebooks/tests/test_nbmanager.py
@@ -67,48 +67,6 @@ class TestNotebookManager(TestCase):
         except OSError:
             print "Directory already exists."
 
-    def test_named_notebook_path(self):
-        """the `named_notebook_path` method takes a URL path to
-        a notebook and returns a url path split into nb and path"""
-        nm = NotebookManager()
-
-        # doesn't end with ipynb, should just be path
-        name, path = nm.named_notebook_path('hello')
-        self.assertEqual(name, None)
-        self.assertEqual(path, '/hello/')
-
-        # Root path returns just the root slash
-        name, path = nm.named_notebook_path('/')
-        self.assertEqual(name, None)
-        self.assertEqual(path, '/')
-
-        # get notebook, and return the path as '/'
-        name, path = nm.named_notebook_path('notebook.ipynb')
-        self.assertEqual(name, 'notebook.ipynb')
-        self.assertEqual(path, '/')
-
-        # Test a notebook name with leading slash returns
-        # the same as above
-        name, path = nm.named_notebook_path('/notebook.ipynb')
-        self.assertEqual(name, 'notebook.ipynb')
-        self.assertEqual(path, '/')
-
-        # Multiple path arguments splits the notebook name
-        # and returns path with leading and trailing '/'
-        name, path = nm.named_notebook_path('/this/is/a/path/notebook.ipynb')
-        self.assertEqual(name, 'notebook.ipynb')
-        self.assertEqual(path, '/this/is/a/path/')
-
-        # path without leading slash is returned with leading slash
-        name, path = nm.named_notebook_path('path/without/leading/slash/notebook.ipynb')
-        self.assertEqual(name, 'notebook.ipynb')
-        self.assertEqual(path, '/path/without/leading/slash/')
-
-        # path with spaces and no leading or trailing '/'
-        name, path = nm.named_notebook_path('foo / bar% path& to# @/ notebook name.ipynb')
-        self.assertEqual(name, ' notebook name.ipynb')
-        self.assertEqual(path, '/foo / bar% path& to# @/')
-
     def test_url_encode(self):
         nm = NotebookManager()
 
diff --git a/IPython/html/tree/handlers.py b/IPython/html/tree/handlers.py
index b7d7614..01b23cd 100644
--- a/IPython/html/tree/handlers.py
+++ b/IPython/html/tree/handlers.py
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ import os
 from tornado import web
 from ..base.handlers import IPythonHandler
 from ..utils import url_path_join, path2url, url2path
+from ..services.notebooks.handlers import _notebook_path_regex, _path_regex
 
 #-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 # Handlers
@@ -30,23 +31,19 @@ class TreeHandler(IPythonHandler):
     """Render the tree view, listing notebooks, clusters, etc."""
 
     @web.authenticated
-    def get(self, notebook_path=""):
+    def get(self, path='', name=None):
         nbm = self.notebook_manager
-        name, path = nbm.named_notebook_path(notebook_path)
         if name is not None:
             # is a notebook, redirect to notebook handler
             url = url_path_join(self.base_project_url, 'notebooks', path, name)
             self.redirect(url)
         else:
-            location = nbm.get_os_path(path=path)
-            
-            if not os.path.exists(location):
+            if not nbm.path_exists(path=path):
                 # no such directory, 404
                 raise web.HTTPError(404)
-            
             self.write(self.render_template('tree.html',
                 project=self.project_dir,
-                tree_url_path=path2url(location),
+                tree_url_path=path,
                 notebook_path=path,
             ))
 
@@ -55,8 +52,8 @@ class TreeRedirectHandler(IPythonHandler):
     """Redirect a request to the corresponding tree URL"""
 
     @web.authenticated
-    def get(self, notebook_path=''):
-        url = url_path_join(self.base_project_url, 'tree', notebook_path)
+    def get(self, path=''):
+        url = url_path_join(self.base_project_url, 'tree', path).rstrip('/')
         self.log.debug("Redirecting %s to %s", self.request.uri, url)
         self.redirect(url)
 
@@ -66,11 +63,10 @@ class TreeRedirectHandler(IPythonHandler):
 #-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 
-_notebook_path_regex = r"(?P<notebook_path>.+)"
-
 default_handlers = [
-    (r"/tree/%s/" % _notebook_path_regex, TreeRedirectHandler),
-    (r"/tree/%s" % _notebook_path_regex, TreeHandler),
+    (r"/tree/(.*)/", TreeRedirectHandler),
+    (r"/tree/?%s" % _notebook_path_regex, TreeHandler),
+    (r"/tree/?%s" % _path_regex, TreeHandler),
     (r"/tree/", TreeRedirectHandler),
     (r"/tree", TreeHandler),
     (r"/", TreeRedirectHandler),