diff --git a/libraries/sanitizing.lib.php b/libraries/sanitizing.lib.php
index 241af1cf1d..2d2cff48d2 100644
--- a/libraries/sanitizing.lib.php
+++ b/libraries/sanitizing.lib.php
@@ -17,8 +17,8 @@ function PMA_checkLink($url)
     $valid_starts = array(
         'http://',
         'https://',
-        'http%3A%2F%2F',
-        'https%3A%2F%2F',
+        './url.php?url=http%3A%2F%2F',
+        './url.php?url=https%3A%2F%2F',
     );
     if (defined('PMA_SETUP')) {
         $valid_starts[] = '../Documentation.html';
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ function PMA_replaceBBLink($found)
     }
 
     /* Construct url */
-    if (preg_match('/^https?:\/\//', $found[1])) {
+    if (substr($found[1], 0, 4) == 'http') {
         $url = PMA_linkURL($found[1]);
     } else {
         $url = $found[1];