diff --git a/src/Gui/MainWindow.cpp b/src/Gui/MainWindow.cpp
index baa4f3675c..9b0ed70dc9 100644
--- a/src/Gui/MainWindow.cpp
+++ b/src/Gui/MainWindow.cpp
@@ -147,6 +147,7 @@ struct MainWindowP
     bool whatsthis;
     QString whatstext;
     Assistant* assistant;
+    QMap<QString, QPointer<UrlHandler> > urlHandler;
 };
 
 class MDITabbar : public QTabBar
@@ -1457,10 +1458,27 @@ void MainWindow::insertFromMimeData (const QMimeData * mimeData)
     }
 }
 
+void MainWindow::setUrlHandler(const QString &scheme, Gui::UrlHandler* handler)
+{
+    d->urlHandler[scheme] = handler;
+}
+
+void MainWindow::unsetUrlHandler(const QString &scheme)
+{
+    d->urlHandler.remove(scheme);
+}
+
 void MainWindow::loadUrls(App::Document* doc, const QList<QUrl>& url)
 {
     QStringList files;
     for (QList<QUrl>::ConstIterator it = url.begin(); it != url.end(); ++it) {
+        QMap<QString, QPointer<UrlHandler> >::iterator jt = d->urlHandler.find(it->scheme());
+        if (jt != d->urlHandler.end() && !jt->isNull()) {
+            // delegate the loading to the url handler
+            (*jt)->openUrl(doc, *it);
+            continue;
+        }
+
         QFileInfo info((*it).toLocalFile());
         if (info.exists() && info.isFile()) {
             if (info.isSymLink())
diff --git a/src/Gui/MainWindow.h b/src/Gui/MainWindow.h
index bd1c1a151c..cc8e00b35c 100644
--- a/src/Gui/MainWindow.h
+++ b/src/Gui/MainWindow.h
@@ -53,6 +53,19 @@ namespace DockWnd {
     class HelpView;
 } //namespace DockWnd
 
+class GuiExport UrlHandler : public QObject
+{
+    Q_OBJECT
+
+public:
+    UrlHandler(QObject* parent = 0)
+        : QObject(parent){
+    }
+    virtual ~UrlHandler() {
+    }
+    virtual void openUrl(App::Document*, const QUrl&) {
+    }
+};
 
 /** 
  * The MainWindow class provides a main window with menu bar, toolbars, dockable windows,
@@ -147,8 +160,22 @@ public:
     /**
      * Load files from the given URLs into the given document. If the document is 0
      * one gets created automatically if needed.
+     *
+     * If a url handler is registered that supports its scheme it will be delegated
+     * to this handler. This mechanism allows to change the default behaviour.
      */
     void loadUrls(App::Document*, const QList<QUrl>&);
+    /**
+     * Sets the \a handler for the given \a scheme.
+     * If setUrlHandler() is used to set a new handler for a scheme which already has a handler,
+     * the existing handler is simply replaced with the new one. Since MainWindow does not take
+     * ownership of handlers, no objects are deleted when a handler is replaced.
+     */
+    void setUrlHandler(const QString &scheme, UrlHandler* handler);
+    /**
+     * Removes a previously set URL handler for the specified \a scheme.
+     */
+    void unsetUrlHandler(const QString &scheme);
     //@}
 
 public Q_SLOTS: