diff --git a/qt/aqt/editor.py b/qt/aqt/editor.py
index 073696c9a..7d081cde4 100644
--- a/qt/aqt/editor.py
+++ b/qt/aqt/editor.py
@@ -758,7 +758,9 @@ require("anki/ui").loaded.then(() => require("anki/NoteEditor").instances[0].too
     def urlToLink(self, url: str) -> str | None:
         fname = self.urlToFile(url)
         if not fname:
-            return None
+            return '<a href="{}">{}</a>'.format(
+                url, html.escape(urllib.parse.unquote(url))
+            )
         return self.fnameToLink(fname)
 
     def fnameToLink(self, fname: str) -> str:
@@ -1261,7 +1263,7 @@ class EditorWebView(AnkiWebView):
             url = qurl.toString()
             # chrome likes to give us the URL twice with a \n
             url = url.splitlines()[0]
-            buf += self.editor.urlToLink(url) or ""
+            buf += self.editor.urlToLink(url)
 
         return buf
 
@@ -1279,16 +1281,9 @@ class EditorWebView(AnkiWebView):
                 if extended and token.startswith("data:image/"):
                     processed.append(self.editor.inlinedImageToLink(token))
                 elif extended and self.editor.isURL(token):
-                    # if the user is pasting an image or sound link, convert it to local
+                    # if the user is pasting an image or sound link, convert it to local, otherwise paste as a hyperlink
                     link = self.editor.urlToLink(token)
-                    if link:
-                        processed.append(link)
-                    else:
-                        # not media; add it as a normal link
-                        link = '<a href="{}">{}</a>'.format(
-                            token, html.escape(urllib.parse.unquote(token))
-                        )
-                        processed.append(link)
+                    processed.append(link)
                 else:
                     token = html.escape(token).replace("\t", " " * 4)
                     # if there's more than one consecutive space,