diff --git a/components/tools/OmeroWeb/omeroweb/settings.py b/components/tools/OmeroWeb/omeroweb/settings.py
index c2b374d113b..00bd6e5bd85 100644
--- a/components/tools/OmeroWeb/omeroweb/settings.py
+++ b/components/tools/OmeroWeb/omeroweb/settings.py
@@ -675,6 +675,13 @@ def leave_none_unset_int(s):
           " 'webtest/webclient_plugins/center_plugin.overlay.js.html',"
           " 'channel_overlay_panel']``. "
           "The javascript loads data into ``$('#div_id')``.")],
+    "omero.web.ui.external_link_baseurl":
+        ["WEB_EXTERNAL_LINK_BASEURL",
+         None,
+         identity,
+         ("Use this host (including protocol) for absolute HTML urls "
+          "in the client, such as social media links. This does not include "
+          "client-side generated URLs.")],
 }
 
 DEPRECATED_SETTINGS_MAPPINGS = {
diff --git a/components/tools/OmeroWeb/omeroweb/webclient/templates/webclient/annotations/includes/toolbar.html b/components/tools/OmeroWeb/omeroweb/webclient/templates/webclient/annotations/includes/toolbar.html
index 2e65d80f1cd..27a5415bd04 100644
--- a/components/tools/OmeroWeb/omeroweb/webclient/templates/webclient/annotations/includes/toolbar.html
+++ b/components/tools/OmeroWeb/omeroweb/webclient/templates/webclient/annotations/includes/toolbar.html
@@ -33,10 +33,12 @@
                     $(this).css('visibility', 'hidden');
                 }).hide();
 
+                {% if link_string %}
+                $("#link_info_popup_string").val(location.protocol + "//" + location.host + "{{ webclient_path }}?show={{ link_string }}");
+                {% endif %}
 
                 // We do this here and in batch_annotate panel
                 OME.initToolbarDropdowns();
-
             });
             
     </script>
@@ -54,11 +56,7 @@
         <table>
           <tr><td>
             <!-- In 'batch_annotate' panel we have 'link_string'. In 'metadata_general' we use js to get value -->
-            <input type="text" size="30"
-              {% if link_string %}
-              value="{{ webclient_path }}?show={{ link_string }}"
-              {% endif %}
-              />
+            <input type="text" size="30" id="link_info_popup_string" />
           </td><td>
             <img title="Close" src="{% static 'webgateway/img/close.gif' %}" />
           </td></tr>
diff --git a/components/tools/OmeroWeb/omeroweb/webclient/templates/webclient/annotations/metadata_general.html b/components/tools/OmeroWeb/omeroweb/webclient/templates/webclient/annotations/metadata_general.html
index f05d151a1b6..af2ba444603 100644
--- a/components/tools/OmeroWeb/omeroweb/webclient/templates/webclient/annotations/metadata_general.html
+++ b/components/tools/OmeroWeb/omeroweb/webclient/templates/webclient/annotations/metadata_general.html
@@ -103,12 +103,7 @@
                 // show a link to the current object
                 $("#show_link_btn").click(function(){
                     $("#link_info_popup").show();
-                {% if webclient_path %}
-                    var lnk = "{{ webclient_path }}";
-                {% else %}
-                    var lnk = location.href.substring(0,location.href.length - location.search.length);
-                    if (lnk.charAt( lnk.length-1 ) == "#") { lnk = lnk.substring(0, lnk.length-1)}
-                {% endif %}
+                    var lnk = location.protocol + "//" + location.host + "{{ webclient_path }}";
                     var obj_type = "{{manager.obj_type}}";
                     if (obj_type === "acquisition") {
                         obj_type = "run";
diff --git a/components/tools/OmeroWeb/omeroweb/webclient/views.py b/components/tools/OmeroWeb/omeroweb/webclient/views.py
index 3f24338d948..ce19f854f48 100755
--- a/components/tools/OmeroWeb/omeroweb/webclient/views.py
+++ b/components/tools/OmeroWeb/omeroweb/webclient/views.py
@@ -1566,8 +1566,7 @@ def load_metadata_details(request, c_type, c_id, conn=None, share_id=None,
 
     context['figScripts'] = figScripts
     context['template'] = template
-    context['webclient_path'] = request.build_absolute_uri(
-        reverse('webindex'))
+    context['webclient_path'] = reverse('webindex')
     return context
 
 
@@ -2095,7 +2094,7 @@ def batch_annotate(request, conn=None, **kwargs):
         context['differentGroups'] = True       # E.g. don't run scripts etc
     context['canDownload'] = manager.canDownload(objs)
     context['template'] = "webclient/annotations/batch_annotate.html"
-    context['webclient_path'] = request.build_absolute_uri(reverse('webindex'))
+    context['webclient_path'] = reverse('webindex')
     return context
 
 
diff --git a/components/tools/OmeroWeb/omeroweb/webgateway/views.py b/components/tools/OmeroWeb/omeroweb/webgateway/views.py
index 4059ef4d0ef..af4b77a9303 100644
--- a/components/tools/OmeroWeb/omeroweb/webgateway/views.py
+++ b/components/tools/OmeroWeb/omeroweb/webgateway/views.py
@@ -1974,12 +1974,16 @@ def full_viewer(request, iid, conn=None, **kwargs):
             prefix = kwargs.get(
                 'thumbprefix', 'webgateway.views.render_thumbnail')
 
-            def urlprefix(iid):
-                return reverse(prefix, args=(iid,))
+            def reverse_urlprefix(p, iid):
+                r = reverse(p, args=(iid,))
+                if settings.WEB_EXTERNAL_LINK_BASEURL:
+                    return "%s%s" % (
+                        settings.WEB_EXTERNAL_LINK_BASEURL, r)
+                else:
+                    return request.build_absolute_uri(r)
 
-            image_preview = request.build_absolute_uri(urlprefix(iid))
-            page_url = request.build_absolute_uri(reverse(
-                'webgateway.views.full_viewer', args=(iid,)))
+            image_preview = reverse_urlprefix(prefix, iid)
+            page_url = reverse_urlprefix('webgateway.views.full_viewer', iid)
 
         d = {'blitzcon': conn,
              'image': image,