diff --git a/GeminiFormat/GeminiParser.swift b/GeminiFormat/GeminiParser.swift
index df169ed..029af47 100644
--- a/GeminiFormat/GeminiParser.swift
+++ b/GeminiFormat/GeminiParser.swift
@@ -44,8 +44,6 @@ public struct GeminiParser {
                     // URL(string:relativeTo:) does not handle // meaning the same protocol as the base URL
                     urlString = baseURL.scheme! + ":" + urlString
                 }
-                // todo: if the URL initializer fails, should there be a .link line with a nil URL?
-                let url = URL(string: urlString, relativeTo: baseURL)!.absoluteURL
                 
                 let text: String?
                 if textStart < line.endIndex {
@@ -54,7 +52,18 @@ public struct GeminiParser {
                     text = nil
                 }
                 
-                doc.lines.append(.link(url, text: text))
+                if let url = URL(string: urlString, relativeTo: baseURL)?.absoluteURL {
+                    doc.lines.append(.link(url, text: text))
+                } else {
+                    let str: String
+                    if let text = text {
+                        // todo: localize me?
+                        str = "\(text): \(urlString)"
+                    } else {
+                        str = urlString
+                    }
+                    doc.lines.append(.text(str))
+                }
             } else if line.starts(with: "#") {
                 let level: Document.HeadingLevel
                 if line.starts(with: "###") {