diff --git a/apps/client/src/services/link.spec.ts b/apps/client/src/services/link.spec.ts
index 60812ccf9..09eaf09e7 100644
--- a/apps/client/src/services/link.spec.ts
+++ b/apps/client/src/services/link.spec.ts
@@ -16,4 +16,24 @@ describe("Link", () => {
         const output = parseNavigationStateFromUrl(`#root/WWaBNf3SSA1b/mQ2tIzLVFKHL`);
         expect(output).toMatchObject({ notePath: "root/WWaBNf3SSA1b/mQ2tIzLVFKHL", noteId: "mQ2tIzLVFKHL" });
     });
+
+    it("parses notePath with spaces", () => {
+        const output = parseNavigationStateFromUrl(`  #root/WWaBNf3SSA1b/mQ2tIzLVFKHL`);
+        expect(output).toMatchObject({ notePath: "root/WWaBNf3SSA1b/mQ2tIzLVFKHL", noteId: "mQ2tIzLVFKHL" });
+    });
+
+    it("ignores external URL with internal hash anchor", () => {
+        const output = parseNavigationStateFromUrl(`https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bearded_Collie#Health`);
+        expect(output).toMatchObject({});
+    });
+
+    it("ignores malformed but hash-containing external URL", () => {
+        const output = parseNavigationStateFromUrl("https://abc.com/#drop?searchString=firefox");
+        expect(output).toStrictEqual({});
+    });
+
+    it("ignores non-hash internal path", () => {
+        const output = parseNavigationStateFromUrl("/root/abc123");
+        expect(output).toStrictEqual({});
+    });
 });
diff --git a/apps/client/src/services/link.ts b/apps/client/src/services/link.ts
index 0425652f6..5fda4fe7c 100644
--- a/apps/client/src/services/link.ts
+++ b/apps/client/src/services/link.ts
@@ -204,11 +204,17 @@ export function parseNavigationStateFromUrl(url: string | undefined) {
         return {};
     }
 
+    url = url.trim();
     const hashIdx = url.indexOf("#");
     if (hashIdx === -1) {
         return {};
     }
 
+    // Exclude external links that contain #
+    if (hashIdx !== 0 && !url.includes("/#root") && !url.includes("/#?searchString")) { 
+        return {};
+    }
+    
     const hash = url.substr(hashIdx + 1); // strip also the initial '#'
     let [notePath, paramString] = hash.split("?");