diff --git a/gitk b/gitk
index a14d7a16b2..5b1d8987eb 100755
--- a/gitk
+++ b/gitk
@@ -7016,6 +7016,7 @@ proc commit_descriptor {p} {
 
 # append some text to the ctext widget, and make any SHA1 ID
 # that we know about be a clickable link.
+# Also look for URLs of the form "http[s]://..." and make them web links.
 proc appendwithlinks {text tags} {
     global ctext linknum curview
 
@@ -7032,6 +7033,18 @@ proc appendwithlinks {text tags} {
 	setlink $linkid link$linknum
 	incr linknum
     }
+    set wlinks [regexp -indices -all -inline -line \
+		    {https?://[^[:space:]]+} $text]
+    foreach l $wlinks {
+	set s2 [lindex $l 0]
+	set e2 [lindex $l 1]
+	set url [string range $text $s2 $e2]
+	incr e2
+	$ctext tag delete link$linknum
+	$ctext tag add link$linknum "$start + $s2 c" "$start + $e2 c"
+	setwlink $url link$linknum
+	incr linknum
+    }
 }
 
 proc setlink {id lk} {
@@ -7064,6 +7077,18 @@ proc setlink {id lk} {
     }
 }
 
+proc setwlink {url lk} {
+    global ctext
+    global linkfgcolor
+    global web_browser
+
+    if {$web_browser eq {}} return
+    $ctext tag conf $lk -foreground $linkfgcolor -underline 1
+    $ctext tag bind $lk <1> [list browseweb $url]
+    $ctext tag bind $lk <Enter> {linkcursor %W 1}
+    $ctext tag bind $lk <Leave> {linkcursor %W -1}
+}
+
 proc appendshortlink {id {pre {}} {post {}}} {
     global ctext linknum
 
@@ -7098,6 +7123,16 @@ proc linkcursor {w inc} {
     }
 }
 
+proc browseweb {url} {
+    global web_browser
+
+    if {$web_browser eq {}} return
+    # Use eval here in case $web_browser is a command plus some arguments
+    if {[catch {eval exec $web_browser [list $url] &} err]} {
+	error_popup "[mc "Error starting web browser:"] $err"
+    }
+}
+
 proc viewnextline {dir} {
     global canv linespc
 
@@ -11488,7 +11523,7 @@ proc create_prefs_page {w} {
 proc prefspage_general {notebook} {
     global NS maxwidth maxgraphpct showneartags showlocalchanges
     global tabstop limitdiffs autoselect autosellen extdifftool perfile_attrs
-    global hideremotes want_ttk have_ttk maxrefs
+    global hideremotes want_ttk have_ttk maxrefs web_browser
 
     set page [create_prefs_page $notebook.general]
 
@@ -11539,6 +11574,13 @@ proc prefspage_general {notebook} {
     pack configure $page.extdifff.l -padx 10
     grid x $page.extdifff $page.extdifft -sticky ew
 
+    ${NS}::entry $page.webbrowser -textvariable web_browser
+    ${NS}::frame $page.webbrowserf
+    ${NS}::label $page.webbrowserf.l -text [mc "Web browser" ]
+    pack $page.webbrowserf.l -side left
+    pack configure $page.webbrowserf.l -padx 10
+    grid x $page.webbrowserf $page.webbrowser -sticky ew
+
     ${NS}::label $page.lgen -text [mc "General options"]
     grid $page.lgen - -sticky w -pady 10
     ${NS}::checkbutton $page.want_ttk -variable want_ttk \
@@ -12310,6 +12352,7 @@ if {[tk windowingsystem] eq "win32"} {
     set bgcolor SystemWindow
     set fgcolor SystemWindowText
     set selectbgcolor SystemHighlight
+    set web_browser "cmd /c start"
 } else {
     set uicolor grey85
     set uifgcolor black
@@ -12317,6 +12360,11 @@ if {[tk windowingsystem] eq "win32"} {
     set bgcolor white
     set fgcolor black
     set selectbgcolor gray85
+    if {[tk windowingsystem] eq "aqua"} {
+	set web_browser "open"
+    } else {
+	set web_browser "xdg-open"
+    }
 }
 set diffcolors {red "#00a000" blue}
 set diffcontext 3
@@ -12390,6 +12438,7 @@ set config_variables {
     filesepbgcolor filesepfgcolor linehoverbgcolor linehoverfgcolor
     linehoveroutlinecolor mainheadcirclecolor workingfilescirclecolor
     indexcirclecolor circlecolors linkfgcolor circleoutlinecolor
+    web_browser
 }
 foreach var $config_variables {
     config_init_trace $var