diff --git a/link.info b/link.info
index 2b65825..6f4e246 100644
--- a/link.info
+++ b/link.info
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ files[] = tests/link.crud_browser.test
 files[] = tests/link.token.test
 files[] = tests/link.entity_token.test
 files[] = tests/link.validate.test
+files[] = tests/link.convert_alias.test
 
 ; Views Handlers
 files[] = views/link_views_handler_argument_target.inc
diff --git a/link.module b/link.module
index e17c26f..f7bf546 100644
--- a/link.module
+++ b/link.module
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@ function link_field_info() {
         'title_label_use_field_label' => FALSE,
         'title_maxlength' => 128,
         'enable_tokens' => 1,
+        'convert_aliases' => 0,
         'display' => array(
           'url_cutoff' => 80,
         ),
@@ -151,6 +152,13 @@ function link_field_instance_settings_form($field, $instance) {
     );
   }
 
+  $form['convert_aliases'] = array(
+    '#type' => 'checkbox',
+    '#title' => t('Convert local aliases'),
+    '#default_value' => isset($instance['settings']['convert_aliases']) ? $instance['settings']['convert_aliases'] : '',
+    '#description' => t('If checked, a path alias is converted to the internal system path, the same way as when saving menu links.'),
+  );
+
   $form['display'] = array(
     '#tree' => TRUE,
   );
@@ -291,7 +299,7 @@ function link_field_validate($entity_type, $entity, $field, $instance, $langcode
  */
 function link_field_insert($entity_type, $entity, $field, $instance, $langcode, &$items) {
   foreach ($items as $delta => $value) {
-    _link_process($items[$delta], $delta, $field, $entity);
+    _link_process($items[$delta], $delta, $field, $instance, $entity);
   }
 }
 
@@ -300,7 +308,7 @@ function link_field_insert($entity_type, $entity, $field, $instance, $langcode,
  */
 function link_field_update($entity_type, $entity, $field, $instance, $langcode, &$items) {
   foreach ($items as $delta => $value) {
-    _link_process($items[$delta], $delta, $field, $entity);
+    _link_process($items[$delta], $delta, $field, $instance, $entity);
   }
 }
 
@@ -372,12 +380,57 @@ function _link_load($field, $item, $instance) {
 /**
  * Prepares the item attributes and url for storage.
  */
-function _link_process(&$item, $delta, $field, $entity) {
+function _link_process(&$item, $delta, $field, $instance, $entity) {
   // Trim whitespace from URL.
   if (!empty($item['url'])) {
     $item['url'] = trim($item['url']);
   }
 
+  // Optionally convert aliases to the system path.
+  if (!empty($instance['settings']['convert_aliases'])) {
+    // These variables are used to ensure
+    global $base_url;
+
+    // Work out the correct base_path to use based on the HTTPS settings.
+    if (variable_get('https', FALSE) && isset($GLOBALS['base_secure_url'])) {
+      $real_base_url = $GLOBALS['base_secure_url'];
+    }
+    elseif (isset($GLOBALS['base_insecure_url']) && $GLOBALS['base_insecure_url'] != $base_url) {
+      $real_base_url = $GLOBALS['base_insecure_url'];
+    }
+    else {
+      $real_base_url = $base_url;
+    }
+
+    // Check if either the site's absolute URL or the relative base URL are at
+    // the start of the URL, if so remove them.
+    $base_paths = array(
+      $real_base_url,
+      base_path(),
+    );
+    $paths_to_test = array();
+    foreach ($base_paths as $path) {
+      // Verify the path is at the beginning of the URL string.
+      if (strpos($item['url'], $path) === 0) {
+        $strlen = drupal_strlen($path);
+        $paths_to_test[] = drupal_substr($item['url'], $strlen);
+      }
+    }
+    $paths_to_test[] = $item['url'];
+
+    // Remove any possible duplicates.
+    $paths_to_test = array_unique($paths_to_test);
+
+    // Check each of the paths to see if one of them is a system path.
+    foreach ($paths_to_test as $path) {
+      $normal_path = drupal_get_normal_path($path);
+      if ($normal_path != $item['url']) {
+        $item['url'] = $normal_path;
+        break;
+      }
+    }
+  }
+
   // If no attributes are set then make sure $item['attributes'] is an empty
   // array, so $field['attributes'] can override it.
   if (empty($item['attributes'])) {