diff --git a/public/js/directives/directives.js b/public/js/directives/directives.js
index ce068984b9..d808790b7a 100644
--- a/public/js/directives/directives.js
+++ b/public/js/directives/directives.js
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ habitrpg.directive('habitrpgSortable', ['User', function(User) {
           .replace(/'/g, ''');
       };
       if (cap[0].charAt(0) !== '!') {
-        return '<a target="_blank" class="markdown-link" href="'
+        return '<a class="markdown-link" href="'
           + escape(link.href)
           + '"'
           + (link.title
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@ habitrpg.directive('habitrpgSortable', ['User', function(User) {
       } else {
         return '<a class="markdown-img-link" href="'
           + escape(link.href)
-          + '" target="_blank"'
+          + '"'
           + (link.title
           ? ' title="'
           + escape(link.title)
@@ -147,7 +147,9 @@ habitrpg.directive('habitrpgSortable', ['User', function(User) {
       link: function(scope, element, attrs) {
         scope.$watch(attrs.ngModel, function(value, oldValue) {
           var markdown = value;
+          var linktarget = attrs.target || '_self';
           var html = md.toHtml(markdown);
+          html = html.replace(' href','target="'+linktarget+'" href');
           element.html(html);
         });
       }
diff --git a/views/options/social/chat-message.jade b/views/options/social/chat-message.jade
index 9271b75c15..20c014985f 100644
--- a/views/options/social/chat-message.jade
+++ b/views/options/social/chat-message.jade
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ li(bindonce='group.chat', ng-repeat='message in group.chat', bo-class='{highligh
     a.label.chat-message(class='hidden-label')
       span {{message.user}}&nbsp;
     | &nbsp;
-    markdown(ng-model='message.text')
+    markdown(ng-model='message.text',target='_blank')
     | &nbsp;-&nbsp;
     span.muted.time(from-now='message.timestamp')
     a(bo-show='user.contributor.admin || message.uuid == user.id', ng-click='deleteChatMessage(group, message)')