diff --git a/src/navigation/nav-controller-base.ts b/src/navigation/nav-controller-base.ts
index 41fae526faf..446cf2326f3 100644
--- a/src/navigation/nav-controller-base.ts
+++ b/src/navigation/nav-controller-base.ts
@@ -752,7 +752,7 @@ export class NavControllerBase extends Ion implements NavController {
       // it's safe to enable the app again
       this._app.setEnabled(true);
 
-      if (opts.updateUrl !== false) {
+      if (!this.hasChildren() && opts.updateUrl !== false) {
         // notify deep linker of the nav change
         // if a direction was provided and should update url
         this._linker.navChange(opts.direction);
@@ -924,6 +924,10 @@ export class NavControllerBase extends Ion implements NavController {
     this._app.viewWillUnload.emit(view);
   }
 
+  hasChildren(): boolean {
+    return this._children.length > 0;
+  }
+
   getActiveChildNav(): any {
     return this._children[this._children.length - 1];
   }