diff --git a/electron_app/src/electron-main.js b/electron_app/src/electron-main.js
index 2715a14c..91258c6c 100644
--- a/electron_app/src/electron-main.js
+++ b/electron_app/src/electron-main.js
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ const tray = require('./tray');
 const vectorMenu = require('./vectormenu');
 const webContentsHandler = require('./webcontents-handler');
 const updater = require('./updater');
+const protocolInit = require('./protocol');
 
 const windowStateKeeper = require('electron-window-state');
 const Store = require('electron-store');
@@ -427,6 +428,9 @@ if (!gotLock) {
     app.exit();
 }
 
+// do this after we know we are the primary instance of the app
+protocolInit();
+
 const launcher = new AutoLaunch({
     name: vectorConfig.brand || 'Riot',
     isHidden: true,
diff --git a/electron_app/src/protocol.js b/electron_app/src/protocol.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..153ff640
--- /dev/null
+++ b/electron_app/src/protocol.js
@@ -0,0 +1,53 @@
+/*
+Copyright 2020 The Matrix.org Foundation C.I.C.
+
+Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+You may obtain a copy of the License at
+
+    http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+
+Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+limitations under the License.
+*/
+
+const {app} = require('electron');
+
+const processUrl = (url) => {
+    if (!global.mainWindow) return;
+    console.log("Handling link: ", url);
+    global.mainWindow.loadURL(url.replace("riot://", "vector://"));
+};
+
+module.exports = () => {
+    // get all args except `hidden` as it'd mean the app would not get focused
+    // XXX: passing args to protocol handlers only works on Windows,
+    // so unpackaged deep-linking and --profile passing won't work on Mac/Linux
+    const args = process.argv.slice(1).filter(arg => arg !== "--hidden" && arg !== "-hidden");
+    if (app.isPackaged) {
+        app.setAsDefaultProtocolClient('riot', process.execPath, args);
+    } else if (process.platform === 'win32') { // on Mac/Linux this would just cause the electron binary to open
+        // special handler for running without being packaged, e.g `electron .` by passing our app path to electron
+        app.setAsDefaultProtocolClient('riot', process.execPath, [app.getAppPath(), ...args]);
+    }
+
+    if (process.platform === 'darwin') {
+        // Protocol handler for macos
+        app.on('open-url', function(ev, url) {
+            ev.preventDefault();
+            processUrl(url);
+        });
+    } else {
+        // Protocol handler for win32/Linux
+        app.on('second-instance', (ev, commandLine) => {
+            const url = commandLine[commandLine.length - 1];
+            if (!url.startsWith("riot://")) return;
+            processUrl(url);
+        });
+    }
+};
+
+
diff --git a/electron_app/src/webcontents-handler.js b/electron_app/src/webcontents-handler.js
index f0aaf4a4..782d12e5 100644
--- a/electron_app/src/webcontents-handler.js
+++ b/electron_app/src/webcontents-handler.js
@@ -174,8 +174,10 @@ function onEditableContextMenu(ev, params) {
 
 module.exports = (webContents) => {
     webContents.on('new-window', onWindowOrNavigate);
-    // XXX: https://github.com/vector-im/riot-web/issues/8247
-    // webContents.on('will-navigate', onWindowOrNavigate);
+    webContents.on('will-navigate', (ev, target) => {
+        if (target.startsWith("vector://")) return;
+        return onWindowOrNavigate(ev, target);
+    });
 
     webContents.on('context-menu', function(ev, params) {
         if (params.linkURL || params.srcURL) {
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index e008efd8..a731ddf8 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -188,7 +188,11 @@
       "output": "electron_app/dist",
       "app": "electron_app"
     },
-    "afterSign": "scripts/electron_afterSign.js"
+    "afterSign": "scripts/electron_afterSign.js",
+      "protocols": [{
+          "name": "riot",
+          "schemes": ["riot"]
+      }]
   },
   "jest": {
     "modulePathIgnorePatterns": [