diff --git a/app/models/routed_query.rb b/app/models/routed_query.rb
index c3a440569b..2cdad89be9 100644
--- a/app/models/routed_query.rb
+++ b/app/models/routed_query.rb
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ class RoutedQuery < ApplicationRecord
   validates_uniqueness_of :description, scope: :affiliate_id
 
   validates :affiliate, presence: true
-  validates_format_of :url, with: URI.regexp
+  validates_url :url
 
   validate :keywords_cannot_be_blank
 
diff --git a/spec/models/routed_query_spec.rb b/spec/models/routed_query_spec.rb
index 824294cbae..43bd3dd540 100644
--- a/spec/models/routed_query_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/routed_query_spec.rb
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@
     it { is_expected.to validate_presence_of :affiliate }
     it { is_expected.to allow_value('http://www.foo.com').for(:url) }
     it { is_expected.not_to allow_value('www.foo.com').for(:url) }
+    it { is_expected.not_to allow_value('data:text/;&Tab.base64').for(:url) }
 
     it 'creates a new instance given valid attributes' do
       affiliate.routed_queries.create!(valid_attributes)