diff --git a/src/plugins/help/helpplugin.cpp b/src/plugins/help/helpplugin.cpp
index 27268f8fc53..0ae2a61db0e 100644
--- a/src/plugins/help/helpplugin.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/help/helpplugin.cpp
@@ -888,15 +888,9 @@ void HelpPlugin::activateContext()
     if (IContext *context = Core::ICore::currentContextObject()) {
         m_idFromContext = context->contextHelpId();
         links = HelpManager::linksForIdentifier(m_idFromContext);
-        if (links.isEmpty()) {
-            // Maybe this is already an URL...
-            // Require protocol specifier, otherwise most strings would be 'local file names'
-            if (m_idFromContext.contains(QLatin1Char(':'))) {
-                QUrl url(m_idFromContext);
-                if (url.isValid())
-                    links.insert(m_idFromContext, m_idFromContext);
-            }
-        }
+        // Maybe the id is already an URL
+        if (links.isEmpty() && LocalHelpManager::isValidUrl(m_idFromContext))
+            links.insert(m_idFromContext, m_idFromContext);
     }
 
     if (HelpViewer* viewer = viewerForContextMode()) {
diff --git a/src/plugins/help/localhelpmanager.cpp b/src/plugins/help/localhelpmanager.cpp
index 424bdbe52f4..94bcfe79070 100644
--- a/src/plugins/help/localhelpmanager.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/help/localhelpmanager.cpp
@@ -125,6 +125,24 @@ QVariant LocalHelpManager::engineFontSettings()
     return helpEngine().customValue(Constants::FontKey, QVariant());
 }
 
+/*!
+ * Checks if the string does contain a scheme, and if that scheme is a "sensible" scheme for
+ * opening in a internal or external browser (qthelp, about, file, http, https).
+ * This is necessary to avoid trying to open e.g. "Foo::bar" in a external browser.
+ */
+bool LocalHelpManager::isValidUrl(const QString &link)
+{
+    QUrl url(link);
+    if (!url.isValid())
+        return false;
+    const QString scheme = url.scheme();
+    return (scheme == QLatin1String("qthelp")
+            || scheme == QLatin1String("about")
+            || scheme == QLatin1String("file")
+            || scheme == QLatin1String("http")
+            || scheme == QLatin1String("https"));
+}
+
 QByteArray LocalHelpManager::helpData(const QUrl &url)
 {
     const QHelpEngineCore &engine = helpEngine();
diff --git a/src/plugins/help/localhelpmanager.h b/src/plugins/help/localhelpmanager.h
index 6712ae5f98b..7de812d615d 100644
--- a/src/plugins/help/localhelpmanager.h
+++ b/src/plugins/help/localhelpmanager.h
@@ -58,6 +58,7 @@ public:
     static BookmarkManager& bookmarkManager();
 
     static QVariant engineFontSettings();
+    static bool isValidUrl(const QString &link);
 
     Q_INVOKABLE QByteArray helpData(const QUrl &url);