diff --git a/wp-includes/links.php b/wp-includes/links.php
index a7aa025ecd..1997c54d88 100644
--- a/wp-includes/links.php
+++ b/wp-includes/links.php
@@ -175,9 +175,8 @@ function get_links($category = -1, $before = '', $after = '<br />',
             echo get_settings('links_recently_updated_prepend');
         }
         $the_link = '#';
-        if (($row->link_url != null) && ($row->link_url != '')) {
-            $the_link = $row->link_url;
-        }
+        if ( !empty($row->link_url) )
+            $the_link = wp_specialchars($row->link_url);
         $rel = $row->link_rel;
         if ($rel != '') {
             $rel = " rel='$rel'";