diff --git a/contrib/samples/gizmos/dynsash/dynsash.bkl b/contrib/samples/gizmos/dynsash/dynsash.bkl
index 640ba00078..ab6cddf118 100644
--- a/contrib/samples/gizmos/dynsash/dynsash.bkl
+++ b/contrib/samples/gizmos/dynsash/dynsash.bkl
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
         <wx-lib>gizmos</wx-lib>
         <wx-lib>html</wx-lib>
         <wx-lib>core</wx-lib>
+        <wx-lib>net</wx-lib>
         <wx-lib>base</wx-lib>
     </exe>
 
diff --git a/contrib/samples/ogl/studio/studio.bkl b/contrib/samples/ogl/studio/studio.bkl
index 7f8acf13a5..48a1737a63 100644
--- a/contrib/samples/ogl/studio/studio.bkl
+++ b/contrib/samples/ogl/studio/studio.bkl
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
         <wx-lib>adv</wx-lib>
         <wx-lib>html</wx-lib>
         <wx-lib>core</wx-lib>
+        <wx-lib>net</wx-lib>
         <wx-lib>base</wx-lib>
         <win32-res>studio.rc</win32-res>
     </exe>
diff --git a/contrib/utils/wxrcedit/wxrcedit.bkl b/contrib/utils/wxrcedit/wxrcedit.bkl
index 804ac66a57..cd1d2f0572 100644
--- a/contrib/utils/wxrcedit/wxrcedit.bkl
+++ b/contrib/utils/wxrcedit/wxrcedit.bkl
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
         <wx-lib>html</wx-lib>
         <wx-lib>core</wx-lib>
         <wx-lib>xml</wx-lib>
+        <wx-lib>net</wx-lib>
         <wx-lib>base</wx-lib>
         <win32-res>wxrcedit.rc</win32-res>
         <ldlibs>$(EXTRALIBS_XML)</ldlibs>
diff --git a/demos/dbbrowse/dbbrowse.bkl b/demos/dbbrowse/dbbrowse.bkl
index e00c06a951..53ea35bf66 100644
--- a/demos/dbbrowse/dbbrowse.bkl
+++ b/demos/dbbrowse/dbbrowse.bkl
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@
         <wx-lib>odbc</wx-lib>
         <wx-lib>html</wx-lib>
         <wx-lib>core</wx-lib>
+        <wx-lib>net</wx-lib>
         <wx-lib>base</wx-lib>
         <win32-res>dbbrowse.rc</win32-res>
     </exe>
diff --git a/demos/forty/forty.bkl b/demos/forty/forty.bkl
index 3296588c40..cc5ac9a99a 100644
--- a/demos/forty/forty.bkl
+++ b/demos/forty/forty.bkl
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
         <wx-lib>html</wx-lib>
         <wx-lib>adv</wx-lib>
         <wx-lib>core</wx-lib>
+        <wx-lib>net</wx-lib>
         <wx-lib>base</wx-lib>
         <win32-res>forty.rc</win32-res>
     </exe>
diff --git a/demos/poem/poem.bkl b/demos/poem/poem.bkl
index 546b1165e1..8143cf0b69 100644
--- a/demos/poem/poem.bkl
+++ b/demos/poem/poem.bkl
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
         <sources>wxpoem.cpp</sources>
         <wx-lib>html</wx-lib>
         <wx-lib>core</wx-lib>
+        <wx-lib>net</wx-lib>
         <wx-lib>base</wx-lib>
         <win32-res>wxpoem.rc</win32-res>
     </exe>
diff --git a/samples/help/help.bkl b/samples/help/help.bkl
index fa12112403..edb5d35d4d 100644
--- a/samples/help/help.bkl
+++ b/samples/help/help.bkl
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
         <sources>demo.cpp</sources>
         <wx-lib>html</wx-lib>
         <wx-lib>core</wx-lib>
+        <wx-lib>net</wx-lib>
         <wx-lib>base</wx-lib>
         <win32-res>demo.rc</win32-res>
     </exe>
diff --git a/samples/htlbox/htlbox.bkl b/samples/htlbox/htlbox.bkl
index 3105bc4d6b..5c417b995c 100644
--- a/samples/htlbox/htlbox.bkl
+++ b/samples/htlbox/htlbox.bkl
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
         <sources>htlbox.cpp</sources>
         <wx-lib>html</wx-lib>
         <wx-lib>core</wx-lib>
+        <wx-lib>net</wx-lib>
         <wx-lib>base</wx-lib>
         <win32-res>htlbox.rc</win32-res>
     </exe>
diff --git a/samples/html/about/about.bkl b/samples/html/about/about.bkl
index 473530efee..11b5b7fff9 100644
--- a/samples/html/about/about.bkl
+++ b/samples/html/about/about.bkl
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
         <sources>about.cpp</sources>
         <wx-lib>html</wx-lib>
         <wx-lib>core</wx-lib>
+        <wx-lib>net</wx-lib>
         <wx-lib>base</wx-lib>
         <win32-res>about.rc</win32-res>
     </exe>
diff --git a/samples/html/help/help.bkl b/samples/html/help/help.bkl
index 6bc0a74eb0..771ea1978a 100644
--- a/samples/html/help/help.bkl
+++ b/samples/html/help/help.bkl
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
         <sources>help.cpp</sources>
         <wx-lib>html</wx-lib>
         <wx-lib>core</wx-lib>
+        <wx-lib>net</wx-lib>
         <wx-lib>base</wx-lib>
         <win32-res>help.rc</win32-res>
     </exe>
diff --git a/samples/html/helpview/helpview.bkl b/samples/html/helpview/helpview.bkl
index a04699656e..5edc6d4d36 100644
--- a/samples/html/helpview/helpview.bkl
+++ b/samples/html/helpview/helpview.bkl
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
         <sources>helpview.cpp</sources>
         <wx-lib>html</wx-lib>
         <wx-lib>core</wx-lib>
+        <wx-lib>net</wx-lib>
         <wx-lib>base</wx-lib>
         <win32-res>helpview.rc</win32-res>
     </exe>
diff --git a/samples/html/printing/printing.bkl b/samples/html/printing/printing.bkl
index 37e7f0ad19..5115f0f724 100644
--- a/samples/html/printing/printing.bkl
+++ b/samples/html/printing/printing.bkl
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
         <sources>printing.cpp</sources>
         <wx-lib>html</wx-lib>
         <wx-lib>core</wx-lib>
+        <wx-lib>net</wx-lib>
         <wx-lib>base</wx-lib>
         <wx-lib>adv</wx-lib>
         <win32-res>printing.rc</win32-res>
diff --git a/samples/html/test/test.cpp b/samples/html/test/test.cpp
index 50e10402e4..d3efde3d9e 100644
--- a/samples/html/test/test.cpp
+++ b/samples/html/test/test.cpp
@@ -44,6 +44,20 @@ public:
     virtual bool OnInit();
 };
 
+// Define a new html window type: this is a wrapper for handling wxHtmlWindow events
+class MyHtmlWindow : public wxHtmlWindow
+{
+public:
+    MyHtmlWindow(wxWindow *parent) : wxHtmlWindow( parent ) { }
+
+    virtual wxHtmlOpeningStatus OnOpeningURL(wxHtmlURLType WXUNUSED(type),
+                                             const wxString& WXUNUSED(url),
+                                             wxString *WXUNUSED(redirect)) const;
+
+private:
+    DECLARE_NO_COPY_CLASS(MyHtmlWindow)
+};
+
 // Define a new frame type: this is going to be our main frame
 class MyFrame : public wxFrame
 {
@@ -59,7 +73,7 @@ public:
     void OnProcessor(wxCommandEvent& event);
 
 private:
-    wxHtmlWindow *m_Html;
+    MyHtmlWindow *m_Html;
     wxHtmlProcessor *m_Processor;
 
     // Any class wishing to process wxWidgets events must use this macro
@@ -185,12 +199,12 @@ MyFrame::MyFrame(const wxString& title, const wxPoint& pos, const wxSize& size)
 #endif // wxUSE_ACCEL
 
 #if wxUSE_STATUSBAR
-    CreateStatusBar(1);
+    CreateStatusBar(2);
 #endif // wxUSE_STATUSBAR
 
     m_Processor = new BoldProcessor;
     m_Processor->Enable(false);
-    m_Html = new wxHtmlWindow(this);
+    m_Html = new MyHtmlWindow(this);
     m_Html->SetRelatedFrame(this, _("HTML : %s"));
 #if wxUSE_STATUSBAR
     m_Html->SetRelatedStatusBar(0);
@@ -242,3 +256,11 @@ void MyFrame::OnProcessor(wxCommandEvent& WXUNUSED(event))
     m_Processor->Enable(!m_Processor->IsEnabled());
     m_Html->LoadPage(m_Html->GetOpenedPage());
 }
+
+wxHtmlOpeningStatus MyHtmlWindow::OnOpeningURL(wxHtmlURLType WXUNUSED(type),
+                                               const wxString& url,
+                                               wxString *WXUNUSED(redirect)) const
+{
+    GetRelatedFrame()->SetStatusText(url + _T(" lately opened"),1);
+    return wxHTML_OPEN;
+}
diff --git a/samples/html/virtual/virtual.bkl b/samples/html/virtual/virtual.bkl
index 10c045e6a6..fc8ea5eca0 100644
--- a/samples/html/virtual/virtual.bkl
+++ b/samples/html/virtual/virtual.bkl
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
         <sources>virtual.cpp</sources>
         <wx-lib>html</wx-lib>
         <wx-lib>core</wx-lib>
+        <wx-lib>net</wx-lib>
         <wx-lib>base</wx-lib>
         <win32-res>virtual.rc</win32-res>
     </exe>
diff --git a/samples/html/widget/widget.bkl b/samples/html/widget/widget.bkl
index 82e8e709ca..bba4e6319d 100644
--- a/samples/html/widget/widget.bkl
+++ b/samples/html/widget/widget.bkl
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
         <sources>widget.cpp</sources>
         <wx-lib>html</wx-lib>
         <wx-lib>core</wx-lib>
+        <wx-lib>net</wx-lib>
         <wx-lib>base</wx-lib>
         <win32-res>widget.rc</win32-res>
     </exe>
diff --git a/samples/html/zip/zip.bkl b/samples/html/zip/zip.bkl
index dbf4125afd..c5d40d2756 100644
--- a/samples/html/zip/zip.bkl
+++ b/samples/html/zip/zip.bkl
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
         <sources>zip.cpp</sources>
         <wx-lib>html</wx-lib>
         <wx-lib>core</wx-lib>
+        <wx-lib>net</wx-lib>
         <wx-lib>base</wx-lib>
         <win32-res>zip.rc</win32-res>
     </exe>
diff --git a/samples/xrc/xrcdemo.bkl b/samples/xrc/xrcdemo.bkl
index 0d008d4951..a2497944d4 100644
--- a/samples/xrc/xrcdemo.bkl
+++ b/samples/xrc/xrcdemo.bkl
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
         <wx-lib>adv</wx-lib>
         <wx-lib>core</wx-lib>
         <wx-lib>xml</wx-lib>
+        <wx-lib>net</wx-lib>
         <wx-lib>base</wx-lib>
         <win32-res>xrcdemo.rc</win32-res>
     </exe>
diff --git a/src/html/winpars.cpp b/src/html/winpars.cpp
index 344ade10a0..ff3f4ea0bd 100644
--- a/src/html/winpars.cpp
+++ b/src/html/winpars.cpp
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@
 #include "wx/fontmap.h"
 #include "wx/log.h"
 #include "wx/settings.h"
+#include "wx/url.h"
 
 
 //-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -248,16 +249,47 @@ wxObject* wxHtmlWinParser::GetProduct()
 wxFSFile *wxHtmlWinParser::OpenURL(wxHtmlURLType type,
                                    const wxString& url) const
 {
-    // FIXME - normalize the URL to full path before passing to
-    //         OnOpeningURL!!
     if ( m_Window )
     {
         wxString myurl(url);
         wxHtmlOpeningStatus status;
         for (;;)
         {
+            wxString myfullurl(myurl);
+
+#if wxUSE_URL
+            // consider url as absolute path first
+            wxURL current(wxURL::Unescape(myurl));
+            myfullurl = current.GetURL();
+
+            // if not absolute then ...
+            if( current.IsReference() )
+            {
+                wxString basepath = GetFS()->GetPath();
+                wxURI base(wxURL::Unescape(basepath));
+
+                // try to apply base path if valid ...
+                if( !base.IsReference() )
+                {
+                    wxURI path(myfullurl);
+                    path.Resolve( base );
+                    myfullurl = path.BuildURI();
+                }
+                else
+                {
+                    // ... or force such addition if not included already
+                    if( !current.GetURL().Contains(basepath) )
+                    {
+                        basepath += myurl;
+                        wxURL connected( wxURL::Unescape(basepath) );
+                        myfullurl = connected.GetURL();
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+#endif
+
             wxString redirect;
-            status = m_Window->OnOpeningURL(type, myurl, &redirect);
+            status = m_Window->OnOpeningURL(type, myfullurl, &redirect);
             if ( status != wxHTML_REDIRECT )
                 break;
 
diff --git a/utils/configtool/src/configtool.bkl b/utils/configtool/src/configtool.bkl
index efc0c5b039..fcc06aaa78 100644
--- a/utils/configtool/src/configtool.bkl
+++ b/utils/configtool/src/configtool.bkl
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@
         <wx-lib>html</wx-lib>
         <wx-lib>core</wx-lib>
         <wx-lib>xml</wx-lib>
+        <wx-lib>net</wx-lib>
         <wx-lib>base</wx-lib>
     </exe>
 
diff --git a/utils/hhp2cached/hhp2cached.bkl b/utils/hhp2cached/hhp2cached.bkl
index 388ecbd517..5535d6a251 100644
--- a/utils/hhp2cached/hhp2cached.bkl
+++ b/utils/hhp2cached/hhp2cached.bkl
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
         <win32-res>hhp2cached.rc</win32-res>
         <wx-lib>html</wx-lib>
         <wx-lib>core</wx-lib>
+        <wx-lib>net</wx-lib>
         <wx-lib>base</wx-lib>
         <install-to>$(BINDIR)</install-to>
     </exe>
diff --git a/utils/tex2rtf/src/tex2rtf.bkl b/utils/tex2rtf/src/tex2rtf.bkl
index 50c86a4392..e433ca26c2 100644
--- a/utils/tex2rtf/src/tex2rtf.bkl
+++ b/utils/tex2rtf/src/tex2rtf.bkl
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@
         <sources>$(TEX2RTF_SRC)</sources>
         <wx-lib>html</wx-lib>
         <wx-lib>core</wx-lib>
+        <wx-lib>net</wx-lib>
         <wx-lib>base</wx-lib>
         <install-to>$(BINDIR)</install-to>
     </exe>