diff --git a/src/plugins/router/router.js b/src/plugins/router/router.js
index 37e143c..3a1c5af 100644
--- a/src/plugins/router/router.js
+++ b/src/plugins/router/router.js
@@ -137,7 +137,8 @@ export default function({ $data, addScopeToNode, directive, magic, reactive }) {
                         || e.shiftKey
                         || e.defaultPrevented
                         || e.button > 0
-                        || is_blank) {
+                        || is_blank
+                        || is_external(link)) {
                         return;
                     }
 
@@ -191,7 +192,7 @@ export default function({ $data, addScopeToNode, directive, magic, reactive }) {
         //
 
         if (link) {
-            return router.history.resolve(link.href) === router.values.path;
+            return !is_external(link) && router.history.resolve(link.href) === router.values.path;
         }
 
         if (el._r_routerlink_init) {
@@ -215,6 +216,16 @@ function is_anchor_element(el) {
     return el.tagName.toUpperCase() === "A";
 }
 
+//
+// A link to another origin or a non-HTTP scheme, such as "mailto:" or "tel:",
+// leads outside the application and is left to the browser.
+// The protocol and host are compared instead of the origin,
+// which browsers report differently for file: URLs ("null" or "file://").
+//
+function is_external(link) {
+    return link.protocol !== location.protocol || link.host !== location.host;
+}
+
 function get_anchor_element(el) {
     if (is_anchor_element(el)) {
         return el;
diff --git a/tests/playwright/assets/page.html b/tests/playwright/assets/page.html
index b7bbe68..e39714e 100644
--- a/tests/playwright/assets/page.html
+++ b/tests/playwright/assets/page.html
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
   <script src="../../../dist/safehtml/alpinegear-safehtml.js"></script>
   <script src="../../../dist/markdown/alpinegear-markdown.js"></script>
   <script src="../../../dist/typegrab/alpinegear-typegrab.js"></script>
+  <script src="../../../dist/router/alpinegear-router.js"></script>
   <script src="alpine.3.14.1.js"></script>
 </body>
 </html>
diff --git a/tests/playwright/x-router.spec.js b/tests/playwright/x-router.spec.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d2250d3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/playwright/x-router.spec.js
@@ -0,0 +1,60 @@
+import { expect, test } from "@playwright/test";
+import { set_html } from "./assets/utils";
+
+// The page is opened from a file: URL, where the html5 history cannot change the path,
+// so the tests use the hash history
+
+// Records whether the router took over the click, and keeps the browser from following the link
+const capture_clicks = page => page.evaluate(() => {
+    document.addEventListener("click", e => {
+        window.prevented = e.defaultPrevented;
+        e.preventDefault();
+    });
+});
+
+test.describe("x-router: link", () => {
+    test("external links are left to the browser", async ({ page }) => {
+        await set_html(page, `
+            <div x-data x-router:hash>
+                <a x-router:link href="https://example.com/about">Example</a>
+                <a x-router:link href="mailto:user@example.com">Mail</a>
+                <a x-router:link href="tel:+123456">Phone</a>
+            </div>`);
+
+        await capture_clicks(page);
+
+        for (let link of await page.locator("a").all()) {
+            await link.click();
+            expect(await page.evaluate(() => window.prevented)).toBe(false);
+            expect(await page.evaluate(() => location.hash)).toBe("");
+        }
+    });
+
+    test("internal link is handled by the router", async ({ page }) => {
+        await set_html(page, `
+            <div x-data x-router:hash>
+                <a x-router:link href="/about">About</a>
+            </div>`);
+
+        await capture_clicks(page);
+
+        await page.locator("a").click();
+        expect(await page.evaluate(() => window.prevented)).toBe(true);
+        expect(await page.evaluate(() => location.hash)).toBe("#/about");
+    });
+});
+
+test.describe("x-router: $active", () => {
+    test("external link with the current path is not active", async ({ page }) => {
+        await set_html(page, `
+            <div x-data x-router:hash>
+                <template x-route="/"></template>
+                <a id="home" x-router:link href="/" :class="{ active: $active }">Home</a>
+                <a id="example" x-router:link href="https://example.com/" :class="{ active: $active }">Example</a>
+            </div>`);
+
+        // Wait until the router activates the current route
+        await expect(page.locator("#home")).toHaveClass("active");
+        await expect(page.locator("#example")).not.toHaveClass("active");
+    });
+});