diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/protocols/steps.js.erb b/app/assets/javascripts/protocols/steps.js.erb
index 9dbb8b598..997b3a86b 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/protocols/steps.js.erb
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/protocols/steps.js.erb
@@ -80,6 +80,7 @@ function applyCancelCallBack() {
 
     setTimeout(function() {
       initStepsComments();
+      openLinksInNewTab();
     }, 1000);
 
   })
@@ -111,6 +112,7 @@ function applyEditCallBack() {
     $("#new-step-main-tab a").on("shown.bs.tab", function() {
       $("#step_name").focus();
     });
+    openLinksInNewTab();
   });
 }
 
@@ -181,6 +183,7 @@ function formCallback($form) {
 
     setTimeout(function() {
       initStepsComments();
+      openLinksInNewTab();
     }, 1000);
     return true;
   });
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/sitewide/quill_links.js b/app/assets/javascripts/sitewide/quill_links.js
index 870275010..c1bd7ffc7 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/sitewide/quill_links.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/sitewide/quill_links.js
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 //= require quill
 
+
 // Globally overwrite links handling in Quill rich text editor
 var Link = Quill.import('formats/link');
 Link.sanitize = function(url) {
@@ -8,3 +9,15 @@ Link.sanitize = function(url) {
   }
   return 'http://' + url;
 };
+
+function openLinksInNewTab() {
+  _.each($('.ql-editor a'), function(el) {
+    if ($(el).attr('target') !== '_blank') {
+      $(el).attr('target', '_blank');
+    }
+  });
+}
+
+$(document).ready(function(){
+  openLinksInNewTab();
+});