diff --git a/lib/jekyll-target-blank.rb b/lib/jekyll-target-blank.rb
index 88ce8d4..7f024be 100644
--- a/lib/jekyll-target-blank.rb
+++ b/lib/jekyll-target-blank.rb
@@ -153,7 +153,7 @@ def add_target_blank_attribute(link)
       #
       # link = Nokogiri node.
       def add_rel_attributes(link)
-        rel = ""
+        rel = link["rel"] || ""
         rel = add_noopener_to_rel(rel)
 
         if @should_add_noreferrrer