diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 11caa9c..ced81b7 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 # Changes
 
 * 2.6.next in progress
+  * Address [#529](https://github.com/seancorfield/honeysql/issues/529) by fixing `:join` special syntax to support aliases and to handle expressions the same way `select` / `from` etc handle them (extra `[...]` nesting).
   * Address [#527](https://github.com/seancorfield/honeysql/issues/527) by adding tests and more documentation for `:composite`.
   * Add example of mixed `DO UPDATE SET` with `EXCLUDED` and regular SQL expressions.
   * Improve exception message when un-`lift`-ed JSON expressions are used in the DSL.
diff --git a/doc/special-syntax.md b/doc/special-syntax.md
index c910e52..8e5378b 100644
--- a/doc/special-syntax.md
+++ b/doc/special-syntax.md
@@ -369,6 +369,20 @@ a `JOIN` clause.
 ;;=> ["INNER JOIN (tbl1 LEFT JOIN tbl2 USING (id))"]
 ```
 
+An alias can be provided:
+
+```clojure
+(sql/format {:join [[[:join [:tbl1 :t] {:left-join [:tbl2 [:using :id]]}]]]})
+;;=> ["INNER JOIN (tbl1 AS t LEFT JOIN tbl2 USING (id))"]
+```
+
+To provide an expression, an extra level of `[...]` is needed:
+
+```clojure
+(sql/format {:join [[[:join [[:make_thing 42] :t] {:left-join [:tbl2 [:using :id]]}]]]})
+;;=> ["INNER JOIN (MAKE_THING(?) AS t LEFT JOIN tbl2 USING (id))" 42]
+```
+
 ## lateral
 
 Accepts a single argument that can be a (`SELECT`) clause or
diff --git a/src/honey/sql.cljc b/src/honey/sql.cljc
index d528fe6..95af3ee 100644
--- a/src/honey/sql.cljc
+++ b/src/honey/sql.cljc
@@ -1839,7 +1839,7 @@
     :interval format-interval
     :join
     (fn [_ [e & js]]
-      (let [[sqls params] (reduce-sql (cons (format-expr e)
+      (let [[sqls params] (reduce-sql (cons (format-selectable-dsl e {:as true})
                                             (map format-dsl js)))]
         (into [(str "(" (str/join " " sqls) ")")] params)))
     :lateral
diff --git a/test/honey/sql/helpers_test.cljc b/test/honey/sql/helpers_test.cljc
index b551a6e..b48d153 100644
--- a/test/honey/sql/helpers_test.cljc
+++ b/test/honey/sql/helpers_test.cljc
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-;; copyright (c) 2020-2022 sean corfield, all rights reserved
+;; copyright (c) 2020-2024 sean corfield, all rights reserved
 
 (ns honey.sql.helpers-test
   (:refer-clojure :exclude [filter for group-by partition-by set update])
@@ -981,3 +981,14 @@
            (sql/format (create-index [:unique :my-column-idx :if-not-exists] [:my-table :my-column]))))
     (is (= ["CREATE INDEX my_column_idx ON my_table (LOWER(my_column))"]
            (sql/format (create-index :my-column-idx [:my-table :%lower.my-column]))))))
+
+(deftest join-with-alias
+  (is (= ["SELECT * FROM foo LEFT JOIN (populatons AS pm INNER JOIN customers AS pc ON (pm.id = pc.id) AND (pm.other_id = pc.other_id)) ON foo.fk_id = pm.id"]
+         (sql/format {:select    :*
+                      :from      :foo
+                      :left-join [[[:join [:populatons :pm]
+                                    {:join [[:customers :pc]
+                                            [:and
+                                             [:= :pm/id :pc/id]
+                                             [:= :pm/other-id :pc/other-id]]]}]]
+                                  [:= :foo/fk-id :pm/id]]}))))