diff --git a/ui/component/markdownLink/view.jsx b/ui/component/markdownLink/view.jsx
index e2cefa0e7..5b4d205f6 100644
--- a/ui/component/markdownLink/view.jsx
+++ b/ui/component/markdownLink/view.jsx
@@ -40,14 +40,15 @@ function MarkdownLink(props: Props) {
   const protocolRegex = new RegExp('^(https?|lbry|mailto)+:', 'i');
   const protocol = href ? protocolRegex.exec(href) : null;
 
-  // Return plain text if no valid url
-  // Return external link if protocol is http or https
-  // Return local link if protocol is lbry uri
-  if (!simpleLinks && protocol && protocol[0] === 'lbry:' && isURIValid(decodedUri)) {
-    const linkUrlObject = new URL(decodedUri);
+  let linkUrlObject;
+  try {
+    linkUrlObject = new URL(decodedUri);
+  } catch (e) {}
+
+  let lbryUrlFromLink;
+  if (linkUrlObject) {
     const linkDomain = linkUrlObject.host;
     const isKnownAppDomainLink = KNOWN_APP_DOMAINS.includes(linkDomain);
-    let lbryUrlFromLink;
     if (isKnownAppDomainLink) {
       const linkPathname = decodeURIComponent(
         linkUrlObject.pathname.startsWith('//') ? linkUrlObject.pathname.slice(2) : linkUrlObject.pathname.slice(1)
@@ -58,7 +59,12 @@ function MarkdownLink(props: Props) {
         lbryUrlFromLink = possibleLbryUrl;
       }
     }
+  }
 
+  // Return plain text if no valid url
+  // Return external link if protocol is http or https
+  // Return local link if protocol is lbry uri
+  if ((protocol && protocol[0] === 'lbry:' && isURIValid(decodedUri)) || lbryUrlFromLink) {
     element = (
       <ClaimLink
         uri={lbryUrlFromLink || decodedUri}