diff --git a/app/javascript/portal/portalHelpers.js b/app/javascript/portal/portalHelpers.js
index 9cb28e63a..68e2cb6a8 100644
--- a/app/javascript/portal/portalHelpers.js
+++ b/app/javascript/portal/portalHelpers.js
@@ -25,15 +25,56 @@ export const getHeadingsfromTheArticle = () => {
   return rows;
 };
 
+/**
+ * Converts various input formats to URL objects.
+ * Handles URL objects, domain strings, relative paths, and full URLs.
+ * @param {string|URL} input - Input to convert to URL object
+ * @returns {URL|null} URL object or null if input is invalid
+ */
+const toURL = input => {
+  if (!input) return null;
+  if (input instanceof URL) return input;
+
+  if (
+    typeof input === 'string' &&
+    !input.includes('://') &&
+    !input.startsWith('/')
+  ) {
+    return new URL(`https://${input}`);
+  }
+
+  if (typeof input === 'string' && input.startsWith('/')) {
+    return new URL(input, window.location.origin);
+  }
+
+  return new URL(input);
+};
+
+/**
+ * Determines if two URLs belong to the same host by comparing their normalized URL objects.
+ * Handles various input formats including URL objects, domain strings, relative paths, and full URLs.
+ * Returns false if either URL cannot be parsed or normalized.
+ * @param {string|URL} url1 - First URL to compare
+ * @param {string|URL} url2 - Second URL to compare
+ * @returns {boolean} True if both URLs have the same host, false otherwise
+ */
+const isSameHost = (url1, url2) => {
+  try {
+    const urlObj1 = toURL(url1);
+    const urlObj2 = toURL(url2);
+
+    if (!urlObj1 || !urlObj2) return false;
+
+    return urlObj1.hostname === urlObj2.hostname;
+  } catch (error) {
+    return false;
+  }
+};
+
 export const openExternalLinksInNewTab = () => {
   const { customDomain, hostURL } = window.portalConfig;
-  const isSameHost =
-    window.location.href.includes(customDomain) ||
-    window.location.href.includes(hostURL);
-
-  // Modify external links only on articles page
   const isOnArticlePage =
-    isSameHost && document.querySelector('#cw-article-content') !== null;
+    document.querySelector('#cw-article-content') !== null;
 
   document.addEventListener('click', event => {
     if (!isOnArticlePage) return;
@@ -41,10 +82,14 @@ export const openExternalLinksInNewTab = () => {
     const link = event.target.closest('a');
 
     if (link) {
+      const currentLocation = window.location.href;
+      const linkHref = link.href;
+
+      // Check against current location and custom domains
       const isInternalLink =
-        link.hostname === window.location.hostname ||
-        link.href.includes(customDomain) ||
-        link.href.includes(hostURL);
+        isSameHost(linkHref, currentLocation) ||
+        (customDomain && isSameHost(linkHref, customDomain)) ||
+        (hostURL && isSameHost(linkHref, hostURL));
 
       if (!isInternalLink) {
         link.target = '_blank';
diff --git a/app/javascript/portal/specs/portal.spec.js b/app/javascript/portal/specs/portal.spec.js
index 861950a57..5205c5d45 100644
--- a/app/javascript/portal/specs/portal.spec.js
+++ b/app/javascript/portal/specs/portal.spec.js
@@ -103,7 +103,6 @@ describe('openExternalLinksInNewTab', () => {
     openExternalLinksInNewTab();
 
     const link = simulateClick('#external');
-
     expect(link.target).toBe('_blank');
     expect(link.rel).toBe('noopener noreferrer');
   });
@@ -139,4 +138,48 @@ describe('openExternalLinksInNewTab', () => {
     expect(link.target).toBe('_blank');
     expect(link.rel).toBe('noopener noreferrer');
   });
+
+  it('opens external links in a new tab even if customDomain is empty', () => {
+    window = dom.window;
+    window.portalConfig = {
+      hostURL: 'app.chatwoot.com',
+    };
+
+    global.window = window;
+
+    openExternalLinksInNewTab();
+
+    const link = simulateClick('#external');
+    const internal = simulateClick('#internal');
+    const custom = simulateClick('#custom');
+
+    expect(link.target).toBe('_blank');
+    expect(link.rel).toBe('noopener noreferrer');
+
+    expect(internal.target).not.toBe('_blank');
+    // this will be blank since the configs customDomain is empty
+    // which is a fair expectation
+    expect(custom.target).toBe('_blank');
+  });
+
+  it('opens external links in a new tab even if hostURL is empty', () => {
+    window = dom.window;
+    window.portalConfig = {
+      customDomain: 'custom.domain.com',
+    };
+
+    global.window = window;
+
+    openExternalLinksInNewTab();
+
+    const link = simulateClick('#external');
+    const internal = simulateClick('#internal');
+    const custom = simulateClick('#custom');
+
+    expect(link.target).toBe('_blank');
+    expect(link.rel).toBe('noopener noreferrer');
+
+    expect(internal.target).not.toBe('_blank');
+    expect(custom.target).not.toBe('_blank');
+  });
 });