diff --git a/gramps/gen/mime/_pythonmime.py b/gramps/gen/mime/_pythonmime.py
index 979f3b86c..dc32e7881 100644
--- a/gramps/gen/mime/_pythonmime.py
+++ b/gramps/gen/mime/_pythonmime.py
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ _type_map = {
     'image/png' : 'PNG image',
     'application/pdf' : 'PDF document',
     'text/rtf' : 'Rich Text File',
+    'text/html' : 'Web page',
 }
 
 mimetypes.add_type('application/x-gramps','.grdb')
diff --git a/gramps/gen/utils/file.py b/gramps/gen/utils/file.py
index 52bcecf32..c9009a021 100644
--- a/gramps/gen/utils/file.py
+++ b/gramps/gen/utils/file.py
@@ -202,6 +202,8 @@ def media_path_full(db, filename):
     Given a database and a filename of a media, return the media filename
     is full form, eg 'graves/tomb.png' becomes '/home/me/genea/graves/tomb.png
     """
+    if filename.startswith(("http://", "https://", "ftp://")):
+        return filename
     if os.path.isabs(filename):
         return filename
     mpath = media_path(db)
diff --git a/gramps/gen/utils/thumbnails.py b/gramps/gen/utils/thumbnails.py
index 3d3548f3a..a9ec82693 100644
--- a/gramps/gen/utils/thumbnails.py
+++ b/gramps/gen/utils/thumbnails.py
@@ -243,7 +243,10 @@ def get_thumbnail_path(src_file, mtype=None, rectangle=None, size=SIZE_NORMAL):
     """
     filename = __build_thumb_path(src_file, rectangle, size)
     if not os.path.isfile(src_file):
-        return os.path.join(IMAGE_DIR, "image-missing.png")
+        if src_file.startswith(("http://", "https://", "ftp://")):
+            return os.path.join(IMAGE_DIR, "gramps-url.png")
+        else:
+            return os.path.join(IMAGE_DIR, "image-missing.png")
     else:
         if (not os.path.isfile(filename)) or (
                 os.path.getmtime(src_file) > os.path.getmtime(filename)):
diff --git a/gramps/gui/editors/editmedia.py b/gramps/gui/editors/editmedia.py
index f874f699f..055ba3944 100644
--- a/gramps/gui/editors/editmedia.py
+++ b/gramps/gui/editors/editmedia.py
@@ -27,6 +27,9 @@
 #
 #-------------------------------------------------------------------------
 import os
+from urllib.request import urlopen, Request
+from urllib.error import HTTPError
+
 #-------------------------------------------------------------------------
 #
 # GTK/Gnome modules
@@ -307,18 +310,43 @@ class EditMedia(EditPrimary):
             return
 
         path = self.file_path.get_text()
-        full_path = media_path_full(self.db, path)
-        if os.path.isfile(full_path):
-            self.determine_mime()
+        if path.startswith(("http://", "https://", "ftp://")):
+            request = Request(path, headers={'User-Agent': 'Mozilla/5.0'})
+            try:
+                response = urlopen(request)
+                status = response.status
+                reason = response.reason
+            except HTTPError as error:
+                status = error.code
+                reason = error.reason
+
+            if status == 200:
+                mime_type = response.getheader('Content-Type', default='')
+                offset = mime_type.find(';')
+                if offset != -1:
+                    mime_type = mime_type[:offset]
+                self.obj.set_mime_type(mime_type)
+            else:
+                msg1 = _("Invalid url!")
+                msg2 = _("The url '{url}' is not valid.\n"
+                         "Error: {error}").format(url=path, error=reason)
+                ErrorDialog(msg1, msg2, parent=self.window)
+                self.ok_button.set_sensitive(True)
+                return
         else:
-            msg1 = _("There is no media matching the current path value!")
-            msg2 = _("You have attempted to use the path with "
-                            "value '%(path)s'. This path does not exist!"
-                            " Please enter a different path") % {
-                            'path' : path }
-            ErrorDialog(msg1, msg2, parent=self.window)
-            self.ok_button.set_sensitive(True)
-            return
+
+            full_path = media_path_full(self.db, path)
+            if os.path.isfile(full_path):
+                self.determine_mime()
+            else:
+                msg1 = _("There is no media matching the current path value!")
+                msg2 = _("You have attempted to use the path with "
+                                "value '%(path)s'. This path does not exist!"
+                                " Please enter a different path") % {
+                                'path' : path }
+                ErrorDialog(msg1, msg2, parent=self.window)
+                self.ok_button.set_sensitive(True)
+                return
 
         self.obj.set_path(path)
 
diff --git a/gramps/gui/utils.py b/gramps/gui/utils.py
index c8cd36692..6c8605fa4 100644
--- a/gramps/gui/utils.py
+++ b/gramps/gui/utils.py
@@ -395,28 +395,27 @@ def open_file_with_default_application(path, uistate):
     :type file_path: string
     :return: nothing
     """
-
-    norm_path = os.path.normpath(path)
-    if not os.path.exists(norm_path):
-        display_error_dialog(0, _("File %s does not exist") % norm_path,
-                             uistate)
-        return
+    if path.startswith(("http://", "https://", "ftp://")):
+        norm_path = path
+    else:
+        norm_path = os.path.normpath(path)
+        if not os.path.exists(norm_path):
+            display_error_dialog(0, _("File %s does not exist") % norm_path,
+                                 uistate)
+            return
 
     if win():
         try:
             os.startfile(norm_path)
         except WindowsError as msg:
-            display_error_dialog(0, str(msg),
-                             uistate)
-
-        return
-
-    if not norm_path.startswith('file://'):
-        norm_path = 'file://' + norm_path
-    try:
-        Gio.AppInfo.launch_default_for_uri(norm_path)
-    except GLib.Error as error:
-        display_error_dialog(0, str(error), uistate)
+            display_error_dialog(0, str(msg), uistate)
+    else:
+        if not norm_path.startswith(("http://", "https://", "ftp://", "file://")):
+            norm_path = 'file://' + norm_path
+        try:
+            Gio.AppInfo.launch_default_for_uri(norm_path)
+        except GLib.Error as error:
+            display_error_dialog(0, str(error), uistate)
 
 def process_pending_events(max_count=20):
     """