diff --git a/lib/jekyll-target-blank.rb b/lib/jekyll-target-blank.rb
index 0a2dd00..cc499fa 100644
--- a/lib/jekyll-target-blank.rb
+++ b/lib/jekyll-target-blank.rb
@@ -176,7 +176,7 @@ def mailto_link?(link)
       # link - a url.
       def external?(link)
         if link&.match?(URI.regexp(%w(http https)))
-          URI.parse(link).host != URI.parse(@site_url).host
+          URI.parse(CGI.escape(link)).host != URI.parse(CGI.escape(@site_url)).host
         end
       end
 
diff --git a/lib/jekyll-target-blank/version.rb b/lib/jekyll-target-blank/version.rb
index 3665b54..8dc1dfc 100644
--- a/lib/jekyll-target-blank/version.rb
+++ b/lib/jekyll-target-blank/version.rb
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 # frozen_string_literal: true
 
 module JekyllTargetBlank
-  VERSION = "1.1.1"
+  VERSION = "1.1.2"
 end