diff --git a/angular/src/directives/navigation/router-link-delegate.ts b/angular/src/directives/navigation/router-link-delegate.ts
index 31bcf9c8e3..40a2a395a8 100644
--- a/angular/src/directives/navigation/router-link-delegate.ts
+++ b/angular/src/directives/navigation/router-link-delegate.ts
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ import { NavController } from '../../providers/nav-controller';
  * animation so that the routing integration will transition correctly.
  */
 @Directive({
-  selector: '[routerLink]',
+  selector: ':not(a):not(area)[routerLink]',
 })
 export class RouterLinkDelegateDirective implements OnInit, OnChanges {
   @Input()
@@ -37,9 +37,56 @@ export class RouterLinkDelegateDirective implements OnInit, OnChanges {
     this.updateTargetUrlAndHref();
   }
 
-  @HostListener('click')
-  onClick(): void {
+  private updateTargetUrlAndHref() {
+    if (this.routerLink?.urlTree) {
+      const href = this.locationStrategy.prepareExternalUrl(this.router.serializeUrl(this.routerLink.urlTree));
+      this.elementRef.nativeElement.href = href;
+    }
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * @internal
+   */
+  @HostListener('click', ['$event'])
+  onClick(ev: UIEvent): void {
     this.navCtrl.setDirection(this.routerDirection, undefined, undefined, this.routerAnimation);
+
+    /**
+     * This prevents the browser from
+     * performing a page reload when pressing
+     * an Ionic component with routerLink.
+     * The page reload interferes with routing
+     * and causes ion-back-button to disappear
+     * since the local history is wiped on reload.
+     */
+    ev.preventDefault();
+  }
+}
+
+@Directive({
+  selector: 'a[routerLink],area[routerLink]',
+})
+export class RouterLinkWithHrefDelegateDirective implements OnInit, OnChanges {
+  @Input()
+  routerDirection: RouterDirection = 'forward';
+
+  @Input()
+  routerAnimation?: AnimationBuilder;
+
+  constructor(
+    private locationStrategy: LocationStrategy,
+    private navCtrl: NavController,
+    private elementRef: ElementRef,
+    private router: Router,
+    @Optional() private routerLink?: RouterLink
+  ) {}
+
+  ngOnInit(): void {
+    this.updateTargetUrlAndHref();
+  }
+
+  ngOnChanges(): void {
+    this.updateTargetUrlAndHref();
   }
 
   private updateTargetUrlAndHref() {
@@ -48,4 +95,12 @@ export class RouterLinkDelegateDirective implements OnInit, OnChanges {
       this.elementRef.nativeElement.href = href;
     }
   }
+
+  /**
+   * @internal
+   */
+  @HostListener('click')
+  onClick(): void {
+    this.navCtrl.setDirection(this.routerDirection, undefined, undefined, this.routerAnimation);
+  }
 }
diff --git a/angular/src/index.ts b/angular/src/index.ts
index 12f9f34c9e..1ad3660a2e 100644
--- a/angular/src/index.ts
+++ b/angular/src/index.ts
@@ -8,7 +8,11 @@ export { IonTabs } from './directives/navigation/ion-tabs';
 export { IonBackButtonDelegateDirective as IonBackButtonDelegate } from './directives/navigation/ion-back-button';
 export { NavDelegate } from './directives/navigation/nav-delegate';
 export { IonRouterOutlet } from './directives/navigation/ion-router-outlet';
-export { RouterLinkDelegateDirective as RouterLinkDelegate } from './directives/navigation/router-link-delegate';
+export {
+  RouterLinkDelegateDirective as RouterLinkDelegate,
+  RouterLinkWithHrefDelegateDirective as RouterLinkWithHrefDelegate,
+} from './directives/navigation/router-link-delegate';
+
 export { NavParams } from './directives/navigation/nav-params';
 export { IonVirtualScroll } from './directives/virtual-scroll/virtual-scroll';
 export { VirtualItem } from './directives/virtual-scroll/virtual-item';
diff --git a/angular/src/ionic-module.ts b/angular/src/ionic-module.ts
index 28986acd97..2e58b0ba1c 100644
--- a/angular/src/ionic-module.ts
+++ b/angular/src/ionic-module.ts
@@ -12,7 +12,10 @@ import { IonBackButtonDelegateDirective } from './directives/navigation/ion-back
 import { IonRouterOutlet } from './directives/navigation/ion-router-outlet';
 import { IonTabs } from './directives/navigation/ion-tabs';
 import { NavDelegate } from './directives/navigation/nav-delegate';
-import { RouterLinkDelegateDirective } from './directives/navigation/router-link-delegate';
+import {
+  RouterLinkDelegateDirective,
+  RouterLinkWithHrefDelegateDirective,
+} from './directives/navigation/router-link-delegate';
 import { IonModal } from './directives/overlays/modal';
 import { IonPopover } from './directives/overlays/popover';
 import {
@@ -195,6 +198,7 @@ const DECLARATIONS = [
   IonBackButtonDelegateDirective,
   NavDelegate,
   RouterLinkDelegateDirective,
+  RouterLinkWithHrefDelegateDirective,
 
   // virtual scroll
   VirtualFooter,