diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 1c9a6b8c5..65d3c2649 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -54,7 +54,6 @@ tmp/
 .byebug_history
 .sass-cache/
 .DS_Store
-.idea
 .redcar
 .stgit*
 *.swap
@@ -73,6 +72,8 @@ capybara-*.html
 *.rbc
 
 # IDE
+.idea
+.vscode
 diaspora.iml
 
 # Dolphin's directory's preferences files
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/app/pages/settings.js b/app/assets/javascripts/app/pages/settings.js
index be522514f..6592c1b8c 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/app/pages/settings.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/app/pages/settings.js
@@ -15,6 +15,10 @@ app.pages.Settings = Backbone.View.extend({
       form: $("#post-default-aspects")
     });
     $("#update_profile_form").areYouSure();
+
+    $("#register-protocol-handler").click(function() {
+      Diaspora.ProtocolHandler.register();
+    });
   }
 });
 // @license-end
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/helpers/protocol_handler.js b/app/assets/javascripts/helpers/protocol_handler.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..090362f27
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/helpers/protocol_handler.js
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+// @license magnet:?xt=urn:btih:0b31508aeb0634b347b8270c7bee4d411b5d4109&dn=agpl-3.0.txt AGPL-v3-or-Later
+
+Diaspora.ProtocolHandler = {
+  register: function() {
+    if (!window.navigator.registerProtocolHandler) {
+      return false;
+    }
+
+    try {
+      window.navigator.registerProtocolHandler(
+        "web+diaspora",
+        [window.location.protocol, "//", window.location.host, "/link?q=%s"].join(""),
+        document.title
+      );
+    } catch (_) {
+      return false;
+    }
+
+    return true;
+  }
+};
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/main.js b/app/assets/javascripts/main.js
index 985933b02..a0518761c 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/main.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/main.js
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@
 //= require api/authorization_page
 //= require bootstrap-markdown/bootstrap-markdown
 //= require helpers/markdown_editor
+//= require helpers/protocol_handler
 //= require jquery.are-you-sure
 //= require cropperjs/dist/cropper.js
 //= require pica
-//= require protocol-handler
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/protocol-handler.js b/app/assets/javascripts/protocol-handler.js
deleted file mode 100644
index 6afedf409..000000000
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/protocol-handler.js
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,17 +0,0 @@
-// @license magnet:?xt=urn:btih:0b31508aeb0634b347b8270c7bee4d411b5d4109&dn=agpl-3.0.txt AGPL-v3-or-Later
-
-function registerDiasporaLinksProtocol() {
-  var protocol = location.protocol;
-  var slashes = protocol.concat("//");
-  var host = slashes.concat(window.location.hostname);
-
-  if (location.port) {
-    host = host.concat(":" + location.port);
-  }
-
-  window.navigator.registerProtocolHandler("web+diaspora", host.concat("/link?q=%s"), document.title);
-}
-
-if (typeof (window.navigator.registerProtocolHandler) === "function") {
-  registerDiasporaLinksProtocol();
-}
diff --git a/app/views/users/_edit.haml b/app/views/users/_edit.haml
index 0ec3102b7..65bf97f0e 100644
--- a/app/views/users/_edit.haml
+++ b/app/views/users/_edit.haml
@@ -180,6 +180,16 @@
             .clearfix= f.submit t(".change"), class: "btn btn-primary pull-right", id: "change_email_preferences"
       %hr
 
+    .row
+      .col-md-12
+        %h3#protocol-handler
+          = t(".protocol_handler.title")
+        %p= t(".protocol_handler.description")
+        .form-group
+          %button.btn.btn-default#register-protocol-handler
+            = t(".protocol_handler.register")
+    %hr
+
     .row
       .col-md-6.account-data
         %h3= t(".export_data")
diff --git a/config/locales/diaspora/en.yml b/config/locales/diaspora/en.yml
index f28b8f551..e6d80d0b1 100644
--- a/config/locales/diaspora/en.yml
+++ b/config/locales/diaspora/en.yml
@@ -1242,6 +1242,11 @@ en:
         lock_username: "Your username will be locked. You will not be able to create a new account on this pod with the same ID."
         no_turning_back: "There is no turning back! If you’re really sure, enter your password below."
 
+      protocol_handler:
+        title: "web+diaspora:// protocol handler"
+        description: "Clicking this button will ask your browser to install a handler that allows us to open web+diaspora:// URLs on your home pod. This is currently experimental and interactions will depend on your browser."
+        register: "Register"
+
     privacy_settings:
       title: "Privacy settings"
       strip_exif: "Strip metadata such as location, author, and camera model from uploaded images (recommended)"