diff --git a/include/wx/uri.h b/include/wx/uri.h
index 7653fdaca4..11bbd770f6 100644
--- a/include/wx/uri.h
+++ b/include/wx/uri.h
@@ -107,6 +107,7 @@ public:
 
     void Resolve(const wxURI& base, int flags = wxURI_STRICT);
     bool IsReference() const;
+    bool IsRelative() const;
 
 protected:
     void Clear();
diff --git a/src/common/uri.cpp b/src/common/uri.cpp
index c237c1dd6a..f5011f737c 100644
--- a/src/common/uri.cpp
+++ b/src/common/uri.cpp
@@ -313,6 +313,17 @@ bool wxURI::IsReference() const
     return !HasScheme() || !HasServer();
 }
 
+// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// IsRelative
+//
+// FIXME: may need refinement
+// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+bool wxURI::IsRelative() const
+{
+    return !HasScheme() && !HasServer();
+}
+
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // Parse
 //
diff --git a/src/html/winpars.cpp b/src/html/winpars.cpp
index c862b9cd60..b085fdce4d 100644
--- a/src/html/winpars.cpp
+++ b/src/html/winpars.cpp
@@ -296,7 +296,7 @@ wxFSFile *wxHtmlWinParser::OpenURL(wxHtmlURLType type,
         myfullurl = current.BuildURI();
 
         // if not absolute then ...
-        if( current.IsReference() )
+        if( current.IsRelative() )
         {
             wxString basepath = GetFS()->GetPath();
             wxURI base(basepath);