diff --git a/templates/base.html b/templates/base.html
index 2425148..2470da3 100644
--- a/templates/base.html
+++ b/templates/base.html
@@ -107,17 +107,30 @@
       {% if pages or LINKS %}
       <nav>
         <ul class="list">
+          {# Open links in new window depending on the LINKS_IN_NEW_TAB setting #}
+          {% macro get_target(link) -%}
+            {%- if LINKS_IN_NEW_TAB is not defined -%}
+            _blank
+            {%- elif LINKS_IN_NEW_TAB in ('all', none, true) -%}
+            _blank
+            {%- elif LINKS_IN_NEW_TAB == "external" and not link.startswith("/") and not link.startswith(SITEURL) -%}
+            _blank
+            {%- else -%}
+            _self
+            {%- endif -%}
+          {%- endmacro %}
+
           {% if PAGES_SORT_ATTRIBUTE -%}
             {% set pages = pages|sort(attribute=PAGES_SORT_ATTRIBUTE) %}
           {%- endif %}
           {% if DISPLAY_PAGES_ON_MENU %}
           {% for page in pages %}
-          <li><a href="{{ SITEURL }}/{{ page.url }}{% if not DISABLE_URL_HASH %}#{{ page.slug }}{% endif %}">{{ page.title }}</a></li>
+            <li><a target="{{ get_target(SITEURL) }}" href="{{ SITEURL }}/{{ page.url }}{% if not DISABLE_URL_HASH %}#{{ page.slug }}{% endif %}">{{ page.title }}</a></li>
           {% endfor %}
           {% endif %}
 
           {% for name, link in LINKS %}
-          <li><a href="{{ link }}" target="_blank">{{ name }}</a></li>
+            <li><a target="{{ get_target(link) }}" href="{{ link }}" >{{ name }}</a></li>
           {% endfor %}
         </ul>
       </nav>