diff --git a/modules/ve-mw/init/ve.init.mw.Target.js b/modules/ve-mw/init/ve.init.mw.Target.js
index 3455a98180..06ec8f78b9 100644
--- a/modules/ve-mw/init/ve.init.mw.Target.js
+++ b/modules/ve-mw/init/ve.init.mw.Target.js
@@ -309,6 +309,27 @@ ve.init.mw.Target.static.apiRequest = function ( data, settings ) {
 	return $.ajax( settings );
 };
 
+/**
+ * Take a target document with a possibly relative base URL, and modify it to be absolute.
+ * The base URL of the target document is resolved using the base URL of the source document.
+ * @param {HTMLDocument} targetDoc Document whose base URL should be resolved
+ * @param {HTMLDocument} sourceDoc Document whose base URL should be used for resolution
+ */
+ve.init.mw.Target.static.fixBase = function ( targetDoc, sourceDoc ) {
+	var $base;
+	if ( !targetDoc.baseURI ) {
+		$base = $( 'base', targetDoc );
+		if ( $base.length ) {
+			// Modify the existing <base> tag
+			$base.attr( 'href', ve.resolveUrl( $base.attr( 'href' ), sourceDoc ) );
+		} else {
+			// No <base> tag, add one
+			$base = $( '<base>', targetDoc ).attr( 'href', sourceDoc.baseURI );
+			$( 'head', sourceDoc ).append( $base );
+		}
+	}
+};
+
 /**
  * Handle the RL modules for VE and registered plugin modules being loaded.
  *
@@ -367,6 +388,9 @@ ve.init.mw.Target.onLoad = function ( response ) {
 		this.originalHtml = data.content;
 		this.doc = ve.createDocumentFromHtml( this.originalHtml );
 
+		// Parsoid outputs a protocol-relative <base> tag, so absolutize it
+		this.constructor.static.fixBase( this.doc, document );
+
 		this.remoteNotices = ve.getObjectValues( data.notices );
 		this.$checkboxes = $( ve.getObjectValues( data.checkboxes ).join( '' ) );
 		// Populate checkboxes with default values for minor and watch