diff --git a/public/app/features/dashlinks/module.js b/public/app/features/dashlinks/module.js
index 9fc1bc4d4b5..23ce8c0ffae 100644
--- a/public/app/features/dashlinks/module.js
+++ b/public/app/features/dashlinks/module.js
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@ function (angular, _) {
           title: linkDef.title,
           icon: iconMap[linkDef.icon],
           tooltip: linkDef.tooltip,
-          target: linkDef.targetBlank ? "_blank" : "",
+          target: linkDef.targetBlank ? "_blank" : "_self",
           keepTime: linkDef.keepTime,
           includeVars: linkDef.includeVars,
         }]);
diff --git a/public/app/features/panellinks/linkSrv.js b/public/app/features/panellinks/linkSrv.js
index 664bb8063d8..49ddcb95316 100644
--- a/public/app/features/panellinks/linkSrv.js
+++ b/public/app/features/panellinks/linkSrv.js
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ function (angular, kbn, _) {
       this.getPanelLinkAnchorInfo = function(link) {
         var info = {};
         if (link.type === 'absolute') {
-          info.target = link.targetBlank ? '_blank' : '';
+          info.target = link.targetBlank ? '_blank' : '_self';
           info.href = templateSrv.replace(link.url || '');
           info.title = templateSrv.replace(link.title || '');
           info.href += '?';