diff --git a/src/display/annotation_helper.js b/src/display/annotation_helper.js
index 323617657a713..a64ee35f78291 100644
--- a/src/display/annotation_helper.js
+++ b/src/display/annotation_helper.js
@@ -217,6 +217,9 @@ var AnnotationUtils = (function AnnotationUtilsClosure() {
 
     var link = document.createElement('a');
     link.href = link.title = item.url || '';
+    if (item.url && PDFJS.openExternalLinksInNewWindow) {
+      link.target = '_blank';
+    }
 
     container.appendChild(link);
 
diff --git a/src/display/api.js b/src/display/api.js
index 547fe6d8a1a9d..7cd8c57736e0a 100644
--- a/src/display/api.js
+++ b/src/display/api.js
@@ -160,6 +160,15 @@ PDFJS.verbosity = (PDFJS.verbosity === undefined ?
 PDFJS.maxCanvasPixels = (PDFJS.maxCanvasPixels === undefined ?
                          16777216 : PDFJS.maxCanvasPixels);
 
+/**
+ * Opens external links in a new window if enabled. The default behavior opens
+ * external links in the PDF.js window.
+ * @var {boolean}
+ */
+PDFJS.openExternalLinksInNewWindow = (
+  PDFJS.openExternalLinksInNewWindow === undefined ?
+    false : PDFJS.openExternalLinksInNewWindow);
+
 /**
  * Document initialization / loading parameters object.
  *