diff --git a/packages/grafana-data/src/utils/location.test.ts b/packages/grafana-data/src/utils/location.test.ts
index d297507b554..174a505601d 100644
--- a/packages/grafana-data/src/utils/location.test.ts
+++ b/packages/grafana-data/src/utils/location.test.ts
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ describe('locationUtil', () => {
     });
     test('absolute url with subdirectory subUrl', () => {
       const urlWithoutMaster = locationUtil.stripBaseFromUrl('http://www.domain.com:9877/thisShouldRemain/subUrl/');
-      expect(urlWithoutMaster).toBe('/thisShouldRemain/subUrl/');
+      expect(urlWithoutMaster).toBe('http://www.domain.com:9877/thisShouldRemain/subUrl/');
     });
   });
 
diff --git a/packages/grafana-data/src/utils/location.ts b/packages/grafana-data/src/utils/location.ts
index 55f9c658f0a..ac07baa4d94 100644
--- a/packages/grafana-data/src/utils/location.ts
+++ b/packages/grafana-data/src/utils/location.ts
@@ -17,16 +17,10 @@ const stripBaseFromUrl = (url: string): string => {
   const isAbsoluteUrl = url.startsWith('http');
   let segmentToStrip = appSubUrl;
 
-  if (!url.startsWith('/')) {
+  if (!url.startsWith('/') || isAbsoluteUrl) {
     segmentToStrip = `${window.location.origin}${appSubUrl}`;
   }
 
-  if (isAbsoluteUrl) {
-    segmentToStrip = url.startsWith(`${window.location.origin}${appSubUrl}`)
-      ? `${window.location.origin}${appSubUrl}`
-      : `${window.location.origin}`;
-  }
-
   return url.length > 0 && url.indexOf(segmentToStrip) === 0 ? url.slice(segmentToStrip.length - stripExtraChars) : url;
 };
 
diff --git a/public/app/core/navigation/patch/interceptLinkClicks.ts b/public/app/core/navigation/patch/interceptLinkClicks.ts
index bbb509df3f3..a7a3e6db78f 100644
--- a/public/app/core/navigation/patch/interceptLinkClicks.ts
+++ b/public/app/core/navigation/patch/interceptLinkClicks.ts
@@ -18,20 +18,18 @@ export function interceptLinkClicks(e: MouseEvent) {
       e.preventDefault();
 
       href = locationUtil.stripBaseFromUrl(href);
+
       // Ensure old angular urls with no starting '/' are handled the same as before
       // Make sure external links are handled correctly
       // That is they where seen as being absolute from app root
       if (href[0] !== '/') {
-        try {
-          const external = new URL(href);
-          if (external.origin !== window.location.origin) {
-            window.location.href = external.toString();
-            return;
-          }
-        } catch (e) {
-          console.warn(e);
+        // if still contains protocol it's an absolute link to another domain or web application
+        if (href.indexOf('://')) {
+          window.location.href = href;
+          return;
+        } else {
+          href = `/${href}`;
         }
-        href = `/${href}`;
       }
       locationService.push(href);
     }