diff --git a/modules/ve-mw/ui/widgets/ve.ui.MWExternalLinkAnnotationWidget.js b/modules/ve-mw/ui/widgets/ve.ui.MWExternalLinkAnnotationWidget.js
index 9bedcda2c4..a4d2cda464 100644
--- a/modules/ve-mw/ui/widgets/ve.ui.MWExternalLinkAnnotationWidget.js
+++ b/modules/ve-mw/ui/widgets/ve.ui.MWExternalLinkAnnotationWidget.js
@@ -53,6 +53,7 @@ ve.ui.MWExternalLinkAnnotationWidget.static.getAnnotationFromText = function ( v
 ve.ui.MWExternalLinkAnnotationWidget.static.createExternalLinkInputWidget = function ( config ) {
 	return new OO.ui.TextInputWidget( $.extend( {}, config, {
 		icon: 'linkExternal',
+		type: 'url',
 		validate: function ( text ) {
 			return !!ve.init.platform.getExternalLinkUrlProtocolsRegExp().exec( text.trim() );
 		}