diff --git a/libraries/entities-renderer/src/RenderableWebEntityItem.cpp b/libraries/entities-renderer/src/RenderableWebEntityItem.cpp
index 4fdb6c84dd..7f68738bd5 100644
--- a/libraries/entities-renderer/src/RenderableWebEntityItem.cpp
+++ b/libraries/entities-renderer/src/RenderableWebEntityItem.cpp
@@ -246,14 +246,14 @@ void RenderableWebEntityItem::render(RenderArgs* args) {
 }
 
 void RenderableWebEntityItem::setSourceUrl(const QString& value) {
-    if (_sourceUrl != value) {
-        qCDebug(entities) << "Setting web entity source URL to " << value;
-        _sourceUrl = value;
-        if (_webSurface) {
-            AbstractViewStateInterface::instance()->postLambdaEvent([this] {
-                _webSurface->getRootItem()->setProperty("url", _sourceUrl);
-            });
-        }
+    auto valueBeforeSuperclassSet = _sourceUrl;
+
+    WebEntityItem::setSourceUrl(value);
+
+    if (_sourceUrl != valueBeforeSuperclassSet && _webSurface) {
+        AbstractViewStateInterface::instance()->postLambdaEvent([this] {
+            _webSurface->getRootItem()->setProperty("url", _sourceUrl);
+        });
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/libraries/entities/src/WebEntityItem.cpp b/libraries/entities/src/WebEntityItem.cpp
index 735ec1812a..38ececefa4 100644
--- a/libraries/entities/src/WebEntityItem.cpp
+++ b/libraries/entities/src/WebEntityItem.cpp
@@ -125,7 +125,14 @@ bool WebEntityItem::findDetailedRayIntersection(const glm::vec3& origin, const g
 
 void WebEntityItem::setSourceUrl(const QString& value) {
     if (_sourceUrl != value) {
-        _sourceUrl = value;
+        auto newURL = QUrl::fromUserInput(value);
+
+        if (newURL.isValid()) {
+            _sourceUrl = newURL.toDisplayString();
+            qCDebug(entities) << "Changed web entity source URL to " << _sourceUrl;
+        } else {
+            qCDebug(entities) << "Clearing web entity source URL since" << value << "cannot be parsed to a valid URL.";
+        }
     }
 }