Index: magnolia-module-standard-templating-kit/src/main/java/info/magnolia/module/templatingkit/util/STKUtil.java
===================================================================
--- magnolia-module-standard-templating-kit/src/main/java/info/magnolia/module/templatingkit/util/STKUtil.java	(revision 38368)
+++ magnolia-module-standard-templating-kit/src/main/java/info/magnolia/module/templatingkit/util/STKUtil.java	(working copy)
@@ -309,7 +309,7 @@
     public static String getExternalLink(Content content, String linkNodeName){
         String externalLink = content.getNodeData(linkNodeName).getString();
 
-        if(!externalLink.startsWith("http://")){
+        if(!hasProtocol(externalLink)){
             externalLink = "http://"+externalLink;
 
         }
@@ -323,12 +323,20 @@
         }
 
         String externalLink = content.getNodeData(linkNodeName).getString();
-        if(externalLink.startsWith("http://")){
-            externalLink = externalLink.substring(7);
+        if(hasProtocol(externalLink)){
+            externalLink = substringAfterProtocol(externalLink);
         }
         return externalLink;
     }
 
+    private static boolean hasProtocol(String link) {
+        return link != null && link.contains("://");
+    }
+
+    private static String substringAfterProtocol(String externalLink) {
+        return externalLink.substring(externalLink.indexOf("://") + 3);
+    }
+
     // TODO : use WordUtils.abbreviate and/or add tests
     public static String abbreviateString(String stringToCut, int size) {
         return abbreviateString(stringToCut, size, " ...");