diff --git a/exampleSite/content/basics/configuration/_index.en.md b/exampleSite/content/basics/configuration/_index.en.md
index a7b4f403fa..f894055f70 100644
--- a/exampleSite/content/basics/configuration/_index.en.md
+++ b/exampleSite/content/basics/configuration/_index.en.md
@@ -86,6 +86,8 @@ Note that some of these parameters are explained in details in other sections of
   # If set to true, no index.html will be appended to prettyURLs; this will cause pages not
   # to be servable from the file system
   disableExplicitIndexURLs = false
+  # For external links you can define how they are opened in your browser; this setting will only be applied to the content area but not the shortcut menu
+  externalLinkTarget = "_blank"
 ```
 
 ## Serving your page from a subfolder
diff --git a/exampleSite/content/basics/migration/_index.en.md b/exampleSite/content/basics/migration/_index.en.md
index 5c0496125d..0ad22f1f79 100644
--- a/exampleSite/content/basics/migration/_index.en.md
+++ b/exampleSite/content/basics/migration/_index.en.md
@@ -22,6 +22,9 @@ This document shows you what's new in the latest release. For a detailed list of
 
   This added unnessessary complexity. So attachments for leaf bundles in non-multilang setups can now also reside in a `index.files` directory. Although the old `files` directory is now deprecated, if both directories are present, only the old `files` directory will be used for compatiblity.
 
+  You can revert back to the old behavior by defining `externalLinkTarget="_self"` in your in the `params` section of your `config.toml`.
+
+
 - {{% badge style="note" title=" " %}}Change{{% /badge %}} Absolute links prefixed with `http://` or `https://` are now opened in a separate browser tab.
 
 - {{% badge style="info" icon="plus-circle" title=" " %}}New{{% /badge %}} The theme now supports [Hugo's module system](https://gohugo.io/hugo-modules/).
diff --git a/layouts/partials/header.html b/layouts/partials/header.html
index b8093d5c86..28941fcd9d 100644
--- a/layouts/partials/header.html
+++ b/layouts/partials/header.html
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@
         {{- if and (eq $outputFormat "html") .Site.Params.editURL $File }}
           {{- with $File.Path }}
           <div id="top-github-link">
-            <a class="github-link" title='{{ T "Edit-this-page" }} (CTRL+ALT+w)' href="{{ $Site.Params.editURL }}{{ replace $File.Dir "\\" "/" }}{{ $File.LogicalName }}" target="blank">
+            <a class="github-link" title='{{ T "Edit-this-page" }} (CTRL+ALT+w)' href="{{ $Site.Params.editURL }}{{ replace $File.Dir "\\" "/" }}{{ $File.LogicalName }}" target="_blank">
               <i class="fas fa-pen fa-fw"></i>
             </a>
           </div>
diff --git a/layouts/partials/shortcodes/button.html b/layouts/partials/shortcodes/button.html
index 8621481a10..31d8b5acbf 100644
--- a/layouts/partials/shortcodes/button.html
+++ b/layouts/partials/shortcodes/button.html
@@ -13,6 +13,9 @@
   {{- end }}
 {{- else if and (eq (len $target) 0) (or (strings.HasPrefix $href "http://") (strings.HasPrefix $href "https://") ) }}
   {{- $target = "_blank" }}
+  {{- if isset $context.Site.Params "externallinktarget" }}
+    {{- $target = $context.Site.Params.externalLinkTarget }}
+  {{- end }}
 {{- end }}
 {{- $title := .title | default ($content) | default ($style | T) }}
 {{- $title = trim $title " " }}
@@ -33,7 +36,7 @@
   {{- if $isButton }}
   <button{{ if $href }} onclick="{{ $href | safeJS }}"{{ end }}{{ if gt (len $type) 0 }} type="{{ $type }}"{{ end }}>
   {{- else }}
-  <a{{ if $href }} href="{{ $href }}"{{ if gt (len $target) 0 }} target="{{ $target }}" rel="noopener"{{ end }}{{ end }}>
+  <a{{ if $href }} href="{{ $href }}"{{ if gt (len $target) 0 }} target="{{ $target }}"{{ end }}{{ end }}>
   {{- end }}
     {{- if and $icon (eq $iconposition "left") }}
     <i class="{{ $icon }}"></i>
diff --git a/layouts/partials/shortcodes/link.html b/layouts/partials/shortcodes/link.html
index faf18543a6..913cfcda0e 100644
--- a/layouts/partials/shortcodes/link.html
+++ b/layouts/partials/shortcodes/link.html
@@ -6,5 +6,8 @@
 {{- $target := .target | default "" }}
 {{- if and (eq (len $target) 0) (or (strings.HasPrefix $url "http://") (strings.HasPrefix $url "https://") ) }}
   {{- $target = "_blank" }}
+  {{- if isset $context.Page.Site.Params "externallinktarget" }}
+    {{- $target = $context.Page.Site.Params.externalLinkTarget }}
+  {{- end }}
 {{- end -}}
-<a href="{{ $url | safeURL }}"{{ if $title }} title="{{ $title }}"{{ end }}{{ if gt (len $target) 0 }} target="{{ $target }}" rel="noopener"{{ end }}>{{ $content | safeHTML }}</a>
\ No newline at end of file
+<a href="{{ $url | safeURL }}"{{ if $title }} title="{{ $title }}"{{ end }}{{ if gt (len $target) 0 }} target="{{ $target }}"{{ end }}>{{ $content | safeHTML }}</a>
\ No newline at end of file