diff --git a/src/protocol/protocol.c b/src/protocol/protocol.c
index a319aa1b6..95fafcd7b 100644
--- a/src/protocol/protocol.c
+++ b/src/protocol/protocol.c
@@ -280,6 +280,10 @@ static union option_info protocol_options[] = {
 		"protocol", OPT_SORT,
 		N_("Protocol specific options.")),
 
+	INIT_OPT_STRING("protocol", N_("Default protocol prefix"),
+		"default_protocol", OPT_ZERO, "https://",
+		N_("Default protocol prefix when none protocol was entered.")),
+
 	INIT_OPT_STRING("protocol", N_("No-proxy domains"),
 		"no_proxy", OPT_ZERO, "",
 		N_("Comma separated list of domains for which the proxy "
diff --git a/src/protocol/uri.c b/src/protocol/uri.c
index 573c63ffb..9d8435039 100644
--- a/src/protocol/uri.c
+++ b/src/protocol/uri.c
@@ -1276,11 +1276,9 @@ parse_uri:
 				break;
 
 			case PROTOCOL_UNKNOWN:
-				/* We default to file:// even though we already
-				 * tested if the file existed since it will give
-				 * a "No such file or directory" error.  which
-				 * might better hint the user that there was
-				 * problem figuring out the URI. */
+				add_to_string(&str, get_opt_str("protocol.default_protocol", NULL));
+				add_to_string(&str, newurl);
+				break;
 			case PROTOCOL_FILE:
 			default:
 				add_to_string(&str, "file://");