diff --git a/core/corehttp/gateway_handler.go b/core/corehttp/gateway_handler.go
index 59c57e43773..ef689ed8d18 100644
--- a/core/corehttp/gateway_handler.go
+++ b/core/corehttp/gateway_handler.go
@@ -97,8 +97,11 @@ func (i *gatewayHandler) getOrHeadHandler(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request
 	// It will be prepended to links in directory listings and the index.html redirect.
 	prefix := ""
 	if prefixHdr := r.Header["X-Ipfs-Gateway-Prefix"]; len(prefixHdr) > 0 {
-		log.Debugf("X-Ipfs-Gateway-Prefix: %s", prefixHdr[0])
-		prefix = prefixHdr[0]
+		prfx := prefixHdr[0]
+		if strings.HasPrefix(prfx, "/") {
+			log.Debugf("X-Ipfs-Gateway-Prefix: %s", prfx)
+			prefix = prfx
+		}
 	}
 
 	// IPNSHostnameOption might have constructed an IPNS path using the Host header.
diff --git a/core/corehttp/gateway_test.go b/core/corehttp/gateway_test.go
index 75b7120e37f..3c15451f56d 100644
--- a/core/corehttp/gateway_test.go
+++ b/core/corehttp/gateway_test.go
@@ -396,4 +396,35 @@ func TestIPNSHostnameBacklinks(t *testing.T) {
 	if !strings.Contains(s, "<a href=\"/prefix/file.txt\">") {
 		t.Fatalf("expected file in directory listing")
 	}
+
+	// make request to directory listing with illegal prefix
+	req, err = http.NewRequest("GET", ts.URL, nil)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	req.Host = "example.net"
+	req.Header.Set("X-Ipfs-Gateway-Prefix", "http://evil.com")
+
+	res, err = doWithoutRedirect(req)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	// expect correct backlinks without illegal prefix
+	body, err = ioutil.ReadAll(res.Body)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("error reading response: %s", err)
+	}
+	s = string(body)
+	t.Logf("body: %s\n", string(body))
+
+	if !strings.Contains(s, "Index of /") {
+		t.Fatalf("expected a path in directory listing")
+	}
+	if !strings.Contains(s, "<a href=\"/\">") {
+		t.Fatalf("expected backlink in directory listing")
+	}
+	if !strings.Contains(s, "<a href=\"/file.txt\">") {
+		t.Fatalf("expected file in directory listing")
+	}
 }