diff --git a/guide/src/format/configuration/renderers.md b/guide/src/format/configuration/renderers.md
index b9c3086114..814990da4e 100644
--- a/guide/src/format/configuration/renderers.md
+++ b/guide/src/format/configuration/renderers.md
@@ -109,6 +109,7 @@ edit-url-template = "https://github.com/rust-lang/mdBook/edit/master/guide/{path
 site-url = "/example-book/"
 cname = "myproject.rs"
 input-404 = "not-found.md"
+use-site-url-as-root = false
 ```
 
 The following configuration options are available:
@@ -159,6 +160,7 @@ The following configuration options are available:
   navigation links and script/css imports in the 404 file work correctly, even when accessing
   urls in subdirectories. Defaults to `/`. If `site-url` is set,
   make sure to use document relative links for your assets, meaning they should not start with `/`.
+- **use-site-url-as-root:** Prepend the `site_url` in links with absolute path.
 - **cname:** The DNS subdomain or apex domain at which your book will be hosted.
   This string will be written to a file named CNAME in the root of your site, as
   required by GitHub Pages (see [*Managing a custom domain for your GitHub Pages
diff --git a/src/config.rs b/src/config.rs
index 6b8f141461..26b00b4b65 100644
--- a/src/config.rs
+++ b/src/config.rs
@@ -516,6 +516,8 @@ pub struct HtmlConfig {
     pub input_404: Option<String>,
     /// Absolute url to site, used to emit correct paths for the 404 page, which might be accessed in a deeply nested directory
     pub site_url: Option<String>,
+    /// Prepend the `site_url` in links with absolute path.
+    pub use_site_url_as_root: bool,
     /// The DNS subdomain or apex domain at which your book will be hosted. This
     /// string will be written to a file named CNAME in the root of your site,
     /// as required by GitHub Pages (see [*Managing a custom domain for your
@@ -562,6 +564,7 @@ impl Default for HtmlConfig {
             edit_url_template: None,
             input_404: None,
             site_url: None,
+            use_site_url_as_root: false,
             cname: None,
             live_reload_endpoint: None,
             redirect: HashMap::new(),
diff --git a/src/renderer/html_handlebars/hbs_renderer.rs b/src/renderer/html_handlebars/hbs_renderer.rs
index 710449af0d..1572e3a512 100644
--- a/src/renderer/html_handlebars/hbs_renderer.rs
+++ b/src/renderer/html_handlebars/hbs_renderer.rs
@@ -55,7 +55,16 @@ impl HtmlHandlebars {
         }
 
         let content = ch.content.clone();
-        let content = utils::render_markdown(&content, ctx.html_config.curly_quotes);
+        let content = if ctx.html_config.use_site_url_as_root {
+            utils::render_markdown_with_abs_path(
+                &content,
+                ctx.html_config.curly_quotes,
+                None,
+                ctx.html_config.site_url.as_ref(),
+            )
+        } else {
+            utils::render_markdown(&content, ctx.html_config.curly_quotes)
+        };
 
         let fixed_content =
             utils::render_markdown_with_path(&ch.content, ctx.html_config.curly_quotes, Some(path));
diff --git a/src/utils/mod.rs b/src/utils/mod.rs
index 9f67deda70..d4d83e05fa 100644
--- a/src/utils/mod.rs
+++ b/src/utils/mod.rs
@@ -92,12 +92,12 @@ pub fn unique_id_from_content(content: &str, id_counter: &mut HashMap<String, us
 /// page go to the original location. Normal page rendering sets `path` to
 /// None. Ideally, print page links would link to anchors on the print page,
 /// but that is very difficult.
-fn adjust_links<'a>(event: Event<'a>, path: Option<&Path>) -> Event<'a> {
+fn adjust_links<'a>(event: Event<'a>, path: Option<&Path>, abs_url: Option<&String>) -> Event<'a> {
     static SCHEME_LINK: Lazy<Regex> = Lazy::new(|| Regex::new(r"^[a-z][a-z0-9+.-]*:").unwrap());
     static MD_LINK: Lazy<Regex> =
         Lazy::new(|| Regex::new(r"(?P<link>.*)\.md(?P<anchor>#.*)?").unwrap());
 
-    fn fix<'a>(dest: CowStr<'a>, path: Option<&Path>) -> CowStr<'a> {
+    fn fix<'a>(dest: CowStr<'a>, path: Option<&Path>, abs_url: Option<&String>) -> CowStr<'a> {
         if dest.starts_with('#') {
             // Fragment-only link.
             if let Some(path) = path {
@@ -126,20 +126,32 @@ fn adjust_links<'a>(event: Event<'a>, path: Option<&Path>) -> Event<'a> {
             }
 
             if let Some(caps) = MD_LINK.captures(&dest) {
-                fixed_link.push_str(&caps["link"]);
+                fixed_link.push_str(&caps["link"].trim_start_matches('/'));
                 fixed_link.push_str(".html");
                 if let Some(anchor) = caps.name("anchor") {
                     fixed_link.push_str(anchor.as_str());
                 }
+            } else if !fixed_link.is_empty() {
+                // prevent links with double slashes
+                fixed_link.push_str(&dest.trim_start_matches('/'));
             } else {
                 fixed_link.push_str(&dest);
             };
-            return CowStr::from(fixed_link);
+            if dest.starts_with('/') || path.is_some() {
+                if let Some(abs_url) = abs_url {
+                    fixed_link = format!(
+                        "{}/{}",
+                        abs_url.trim_end_matches('/'),
+                        &fixed_link.trim_start_matches('/')
+                    );
+                }
+            }
+            return CowStr::from(format!("{}", fixed_link));
         }
         dest
     }
 
-    fn fix_html<'a>(html: CowStr<'a>, path: Option<&Path>) -> CowStr<'a> {
+    fn fix_html<'a>(html: CowStr<'a>, path: Option<&Path>, abs_url: Option<&String>) -> CowStr<'a> {
         // This is a terrible hack, but should be reasonably reliable. Nobody
         // should ever parse a tag with a regex. However, there isn't anything
         // in Rust that I know of that is suitable for handling partial html
@@ -153,7 +165,7 @@ fn adjust_links<'a>(event: Event<'a>, path: Option<&Path>) -> Event<'a> {
 
         HTML_LINK
             .replace_all(&html, |caps: &regex::Captures<'_>| {
-                let fixed = fix(caps[2].into(), path);
+                let fixed = fix(caps[2].into(), path, abs_url);
                 format!("{}{}\"", &caps[1], fixed)
             })
             .into_owned()
@@ -162,12 +174,12 @@ fn adjust_links<'a>(event: Event<'a>, path: Option<&Path>) -> Event<'a> {
 
     match event {
         Event::Start(Tag::Link(link_type, dest, title)) => {
-            Event::Start(Tag::Link(link_type, fix(dest, path), title))
+            Event::Start(Tag::Link(link_type, fix(dest, path, abs_url), title))
         }
         Event::Start(Tag::Image(link_type, dest, title)) => {
-            Event::Start(Tag::Image(link_type, fix(dest, path), title))
+            Event::Start(Tag::Image(link_type, fix(dest, path, abs_url), title))
         }
-        Event::Html(html) => Event::Html(fix_html(html, path)),
+        Event::Html(html) => Event::Html(fix_html(html, path, abs_url)),
         _ => event,
     }
 }
@@ -190,11 +202,22 @@ pub fn new_cmark_parser(text: &str, curly_quotes: bool) -> Parser<'_, '_> {
 }
 
 pub fn render_markdown_with_path(text: &str, curly_quotes: bool, path: Option<&Path>) -> String {
+    render_markdown_with_abs_path(text, curly_quotes, path, None)
+}
+
+pub fn render_markdown_with_abs_path(
+    text: &str,
+    curly_quotes: bool,
+    path: Option<&Path>,
+    abs_url: Option<&String>,
+) -> String {
+    // This function should be merged with `render_markdown_with_path`
+    // in the future. Currently, it is used not to break compatibility.
     let mut s = String::with_capacity(text.len() * 3 / 2);
     let p = new_cmark_parser(text, curly_quotes);
     let events = p
         .map(clean_codeblock_headers)
-        .map(|event| adjust_links(event, path))
+        .map(|event| adjust_links(event, path, abs_url))
         .flat_map(|event| {
             let (a, b) = wrap_tables(event);
             a.into_iter().chain(b)
@@ -399,6 +422,88 @@ more text with spaces
         }
     }
 
+    mod render_markdown_with_abs_path {
+        use super::super::render_markdown_with_abs_path;
+        use std::path::Path;
+
+        #[test]
+        fn preserves_external_links() {
+            assert_eq!(
+                render_markdown_with_abs_path(
+                    "[example](https://www.rust-lang.org/)",
+                    false,
+                    None,
+                    Some(&"ABS_PATH".to_string())
+                ),
+                "<p><a href=\"https://www.rust-lang.org/\">example</a></p>\n"
+            );
+        }
+
+        #[test]
+        fn replace_root_links() {
+            assert_eq!(
+                render_markdown_with_abs_path(
+                    "[example](/testing)",
+                    false,
+                    None,
+                    Some(&"ABS_PATH".to_string())
+                ),
+                "<p><a href=\"ABS_PATH/testing\">example</a></p>\n"
+            );
+        }
+
+        #[test]
+        fn replace_root_links_using_path() {
+            assert_eq!(
+                render_markdown_with_abs_path(
+                    "[example](bar.md)",
+                    false,
+                    Some(Path::new("foo/chapter.md")),
+                    Some(&"ABS_PATH".to_string())
+                ),
+                "<p><a href=\"ABS_PATH/foo/bar.html\">example</a></p>\n"
+            );
+            assert_eq!(
+                render_markdown_with_abs_path(
+                    "[example](/bar.md)",
+                    false,
+                    Some(Path::new("foo/chapter.md")),
+                    Some(&"ABS_PATH".to_string())
+                ),
+                "<p><a href=\"ABS_PATH/foo/bar.html\">example</a></p>\n"
+            );
+            assert_eq!(
+                render_markdown_with_abs_path(
+                    "[example](/bar.html)",
+                    false,
+                    Some(Path::new("foo/chapter.md")),
+                    None
+                ),
+                "<p><a href=\"foo/bar.html\">example</a></p>\n"
+            );
+        }
+
+        #[test]
+        fn preserves_relative_links() {
+            assert_eq!(
+                render_markdown_with_abs_path(
+                    "[example](../testing)",
+                    false,
+                    None,
+                    Some(&"ABS_PATH".to_string())
+                ),
+                "<p><a href=\"../testing\">example</a></p>\n"
+            );
+        }
+
+        #[test]
+        fn preserves_root_links() {
+            assert_eq!(
+                render_markdown_with_abs_path("[example](/testing)", false, None, None),
+                "<p><a href=\"/testing\">example</a></p>\n"
+            );
+        }
+    }
     #[allow(deprecated)]
     mod id_from_content {
         use super::super::id_from_content;