diff --git a/docs/configuration.md b/docs/configuration.md
index aef9879bd..985391416 100644
--- a/docs/configuration.md
+++ b/docs/configuration.md
@@ -330,3 +330,13 @@ window.$docsify = {
   }
 }
 ```
+
+## external-link-target
+
+Currently it defaults to _blank, would be nice if configurable:
+
+```js
+window.$docsify = {
+  externalLinkTarget: '_self' // default: '_blank'
+}
+```
diff --git a/docs/de-de/configuration.md b/docs/de-de/configuration.md
index 12495290e..1cd539bbc 100644
--- a/docs/de-de/configuration.md
+++ b/docs/de-de/configuration.md
@@ -330,3 +330,13 @@ window.$docsify = {
   }
 }
 ```
+
+## external-link-target
+
+Currently it defaults to _blank, would be nice if configurable:
+
+```js
+window.$docsify = {
+  externalLinkTarget: '_self' // default: '_blank'
+}
+```
diff --git a/docs/zh-cn/configuration.md b/docs/zh-cn/configuration.md
index 39388d820..903e31855 100644
--- a/docs/zh-cn/configuration.md
+++ b/docs/zh-cn/configuration.md
@@ -339,4 +339,14 @@ window.$docsify = {
     return time
   }
 }
-```
\ No newline at end of file
+```
+
+## external-link-target
+
+Currently it defaults to _blank, would be nice if configurable:
+
+```js
+window.$docsify = {
+  externalLinkTarget: '_self' // default: '_blank'
+}
+```
diff --git a/src/core/config.js b/src/core/config.js
index ecec037e2..8b03c7df1 100644
--- a/src/core/config.js
+++ b/src/core/config.js
@@ -19,7 +19,8 @@ const config = merge({
   noEmoji: false,
   ga: '',
   mergeNavbar: false,
-  formatUpdated: ''
+  formatUpdated: '',
+  externalLinkTarget: '_blank'
 }, window.$docsify)
 
 const script = document.currentScript ||
diff --git a/src/core/render/compiler.js b/src/core/render/compiler.js
index 4c7c04522..26ae4a4a7 100644
--- a/src/core/render/compiler.js
+++ b/src/core/render/compiler.js
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import { isFn, merge, cached } from '../util/core'
 let markdownCompiler = marked
 let contentBase = ''
 let currentPath = ''
+let linkTarget = '_blank'
 let renderer = new marked.Renderer()
 const cacheTree = {}
 let toc = []
@@ -32,8 +33,12 @@ export const markdown = cached(text => {
 
 markdown.renderer = renderer
 
-markdown.init = function (config = {}, base = window.location.pathname) {
+markdown.init = function (config = {}, {
+  base = window.location.pathname,
+  externalLinkTarget
+}) {
   contentBase = getBasePath(base)
+  linkTarget = externalLinkTarget || linkTarget
 
   if (isFn(config)) {
     markdownCompiler = config(marked, renderer)
@@ -84,7 +89,7 @@ renderer.link = function (href, title, text) {
   if (!/:|(\/{2})/.test(href)) {
     href = toURL(href, null, currentPath)
   } else {
-    blank = ' target="_blank"'
+    blank = ` target="${linkTarget}"`
   }
   if (title) {
     title = ` title="${title}"`
diff --git a/src/core/render/index.js b/src/core/render/index.js
index 648751b4b..c4bd4201c 100644
--- a/src/core/render/index.js
+++ b/src/core/render/index.js
@@ -160,7 +160,7 @@ export function initRender (vm) {
   const config = vm.config
 
   // Init markdown compiler
-  markdown.init(config.markdown, config.basePath)
+  markdown.init(config.markdown, config)
 
   const id = config.el || '#app'
   const navEl = dom.find('nav') || dom.create('nav')