diff -u b/link.module b/link.module
--- b/link.module
+++ b/link.module
@@ -1191,9 +1191,10 @@
  *   True if a valid link, FALSE otherwise.
  */
 function link_validate_url($text, $langcode = NULL) {
+  $text = link_cleanup_url($text);
   $type = link_url_type($text);
 
-  if ($type && ($type == LINK_INTERNAL || $type == LINK_INTERNAL)) {
+  if ($type && ($type == LINK_INTERNAL || $type == LINK_EXTERNAL)) {
     $flag = valid_url($text, TRUE);
     if (!$flag) {
       $normal_path = drupal_get_normal_path($text, $langcode);
diff -u b/tests/link.validate.test b/tests/link.validate.test
--- b/tests/link.validate.test
+++ b/tests/link.validate.test
@@ -457,7 +457,6 @@
       'http://255.255.255.255:4823/',
       'www.test-site.com',
       'http://example.com/index.php?q=node/123',
-      'http://example.com/index.php?page=this\that',
       'http://example.com/?first_name=Joe Bob&last_name=Smith',
       // Anchors
       'http://www.example.com/index.php#test',
@@ -498,6 +497,8 @@
       'http://www.testß.com/', // ß not allowed in domain names!
       'http://www.example.frog/', // Bad TLD
       //'http://www.-fudge.com/', // domains can't have sections starting with a dash.
+      'http://example.com/index.php?page=this\that',
+      'example@example.com',
     );
     foreach ($links as $link) {
       $valid = link_validate_url($link);