diff --git a/src/ui/public/stringify/__tests__/_url.js b/src/ui/public/stringify/__tests__/_url.js
index 2444766e5942..3420df52e357 100644
--- a/src/ui/public/stringify/__tests__/_url.js
+++ b/src/ui/public/stringify/__tests__/_url.js
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ describe('Url Format', function () {
       Url = fieldFormats.getType('url');
     });
 
-    it('ouputs a simple <a> tab by default', function () {
+    it('outputs a simple <a> tab by default', function () {
       const url = new Url();
 
       const $a = unwrap($(url.convert('http://elastic.co', 'html')));
@@ -34,6 +34,14 @@ describe('Url Format', function () {
       expect($a.children().size()).to.be(0);
     });
 
+    it('outputs a <a> link with target=_self if "open link in current tab" is checked', function () {
+      const url = new Url({ openLinkInCurrentTab: true });
+
+      const $a = unwrap($(url.convert('http://elastic.co', 'html')));
+      expect($a.is('a')).to.be(true);
+      expect($a.attr('target')).to.be('_self');
+    });
+
     it('outputs an <image> if type === "img"', function () {
       const url = new Url({ type: 'img' });
 
diff --git a/src/ui/public/stringify/editors/url.html b/src/ui/public/stringify/editors/url.html
index 5143fce2aae1..259143893cbe 100644
--- a/src/ui/public/stringify/editors/url.html
+++ b/src/ui/public/stringify/editors/url.html
@@ -7,6 +7,13 @@
   </select>
 </div>
 
+<div class="checkbox" ng-if="editor.formatParams.type == 'a'">
+  <label>
+    <input ng-model="editor.formatParams.openLinkInCurrentTab" class="ng-pristine ng-valid ng-touched" type="checkbox">
+    Open link in current tab
+  </label>
+</div>
+
 <div class="form-group">
   <span class="pull-right text-info hintbox-label" ng-click="editor.showUrlTmplHelp = !editor.showUrlTmplHelp">
     <i class="fa fa-info"></i> Url Template Help
@@ -119,6 +126,7 @@ <h4 class="hintbox-heading">
   </div>
 
   <input ng-model="editor.formatParams.labelTemplate" class="form-control">
+
 </div>
 
 <field-format-editor-samples inputs="url.samples[editor.formatParams.type]"></field-format-editor-samples>
diff --git a/src/ui/public/stringify/types/url.js b/src/ui/public/stringify/types/url.js
index 08543b8bfe57..95c6ea2675e3 100644
--- a/src/ui/public/stringify/types/url.js
+++ b/src/ui/public/stringify/types/url.js
@@ -110,7 +110,9 @@ export function stringifyUrl(Private) {
             linkLabel = label;
           }
 
-          return `<a href="${url}" target="_blank">${linkLabel}</a>`;
+          let linkTarget = this.param('openLinkInCurrentTab') ? '_self' : '_blank';
+          
+          return `<a href="${url}" target="${linkTarget}">${linkLabel}</a>`;
       }
     }
   };