diff --git a/tildes/alembic/versions/becc33b73339_add_setting_to_open_links_in_new_tabs.py b/tildes/alembic/versions/becc33b73339_add_setting_to_open_links_in_new_tabs.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..31a28fb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tildes/alembic/versions/becc33b73339_add_setting_to_open_links_in_new_tabs.py
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+"""Add setting to open links in new tabs
+
+Revision ID: becc33b73339
+Revises:
+Create Date: 2018-07-19 02:56:06.160422
+
+"""
+from alembic import op
+import sqlalchemy as sa
+
+
+# revision identifiers, used by Alembic.
+revision = 'becc33b73339'
+down_revision = None
+branch_labels = None
+depends_on = None
+
+
+def upgrade():
+    op.add_column('users', sa.Column('open_links_new_tab', sa.Boolean(), server_default='false', nullable=False))
+
+
+def downgrade():
+    op.drop_column('users', 'open_links_new_tab')
diff --git a/tildes/tildes/models/user/user.py b/tildes/tildes/models/user/user.py
index dd9dddc..9265bd6 100644
--- a/tildes/tildes/models/user/user.py
+++ b/tildes/tildes/models/user/user.py
@@ -82,6 +82,8 @@ class User(DatabaseModel):
         Boolean, nullable=False, server_default='false')
     auto_mark_notifications_read: bool = Column(
         Boolean, nullable=False, server_default='false')
+    open_links_new_tab: bool = Column(
+        Boolean, nullable=False, server_default='false')
     is_banned: bool = Column(Boolean, nullable=False, server_default='false')
     is_admin: bool = Column(Boolean, nullable=False, server_default='false')
     home_default_order: Optional[TopicSortOption] = Column(
diff --git a/tildes/tildes/templates/macros/topics.jinja2 b/tildes/tildes/templates/macros/topics.jinja2
index 092ef4e..b9e81e6 100644
--- a/tildes/tildes/templates/macros/topics.jinja2
+++ b/tildes/tildes/templates/macros/topics.jinja2
@@ -11,9 +11,15 @@
       <div>
         <h1 class="topic-title">
           {% if topic.is_text_type %}
-            <a href="{{ topic.permalink }}">{{ topic.title }}</a>
+            <a
+              href="{{ topic.permalink }}"
+              {{ 'target=_blank' if request.user.open_links_new_tab }}
+            >{{ topic.title }}</a>
           {% elif topic.is_link_type %}
-            <a href="{{ topic.link }}">{{ topic.title }}</a>
+            <a
+              href="{{ topic.link }}"
+              {{ 'target=_blank' if request.user.open_links_new_tab }}
+            >{{ topic.title }}</a>
           {% endif %}
         </h1>
         <span class="topic-content-metadata">({{ topic.content_metadata_for_display }})</span>
@@ -56,7 +62,10 @@
 
     <footer class="topic-info">
       <div class="topic-info-comments">
-        <a href="{{ topic.permalink }}">
+        <a
+          href="{{ topic.permalink }}"
+          {{ 'target=_blank' if request.user.open_links_new_tab }}
+        >
           {% trans num_comments=topic.num_comments %}
           {{ num_comments }} comment
           {% pluralize %}
diff --git a/tildes/tildes/templates/settings.jinja2 b/tildes/tildes/templates/settings.jinja2
index 0b6c85f..08b1ecc 100644
--- a/tildes/tildes/templates/settings.jinja2
+++ b/tildes/tildes/templates/settings.jinja2
@@ -37,6 +37,26 @@
         </div>
       </form>
     </li>
+    <li>
+      <form
+        name="open-links-new-tab"
+        autocomplete="off"
+        data-ic-patch-to="{{ request.route_url('ic_user', username=request.user.username) }}"
+      >
+        <div class="form-group">
+          <label class="form-checkbox">
+            <input
+              type="checkbox"
+              id="open_links_new_tab"
+              name="open_links_new_tab"
+              data-js-autosubmit-on-change
+              {% if request.user.open_links_new_tab %}checked{% endif %}
+            >
+            <i class="form-icon"></i> Open posts and external links in a new tab
+          </label>
+        </div>
+      </form>
+    </li>
     <li><a href="/settings/password_change">Change your password</a></li>
     <li>
       <a href="/settings/account_recovery">Set up account recovery</a>
diff --git a/tildes/tildes/templates/topic.jinja2 b/tildes/tildes/templates/topic.jinja2
index 15b7a20..021b331 100644
--- a/tildes/tildes/templates/topic.jinja2
+++ b/tildes/tildes/templates/topic.jinja2
@@ -44,7 +44,10 @@
   {% elif topic.is_link_type %}
     <div class="topic-full-link">
       <div class="topic-icon topic-icon-{{ topic.link_domain.replace('.', '_') }}"></div>
-      <a href="{{ topic.link }}">{{ topic.link }}</a>
+      <a
+        href="{{ topic.link }}"
+        {{ 'target=_blank' if request.user.open_links_new_tab }}
+      >{{ topic.link }}</a>
     </div>
   {% endif %}
 {% endif %}
diff --git a/tildes/tildes/views/api/web/user.py b/tildes/tildes/views/api/web/user.py
index 06bb8e2..5bc9a03 100644
--- a/tildes/tildes/views/api/web/user.py
+++ b/tildes/tildes/views/api/web/user.py
@@ -104,6 +104,22 @@ def change_auto_mark_notifications(request: Request) -> Response:
     return IC_NOOP
 
 
+@ic_view_config(
+    route_name='user',
+    request_method='PATCH',
+    request_param='ic-trigger-name=open-links-new-tab',
+    permission='change_open_links_new_tab_setting',
+)
+def change_open_links_new_tab(request: Request) -> Response:
+    """Change the user's "open links in new tabs" setting."""
+    user = request.context
+
+    open_new_tab = bool(request.params.get('open_links_new_tab'))
+    user.open_links_new_tab = open_new_tab
+
+    return IC_NOOP
+
+
 @ic_view_config(
     route_name='user',
     request_method='PATCH',