diff --git a/extensions/markdown/package.json b/extensions/markdown/package.json
index e92d5fae015..2e30ec31dbd 100644
--- a/extensions/markdown/package.json
+++ b/extensions/markdown/package.json
@@ -168,6 +168,11 @@
 					"default": false,
 					"description": "%markdown.preview.breaks.desc%"
 				},
+				"markdown.preview.linkify": {
+					"type": "boolean",
+					"default": true,
+					"description": "%markdown.preview.linkify%"
+				},
 				"markdown.preview.fontFamily": {
 					"type": "string",
 					"default": "-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe WPC', 'Segoe UI', 'HelveticaNeue-Light', 'Ubuntu', 'Droid Sans', sans-serif",
diff --git a/extensions/markdown/package.nls.json b/extensions/markdown/package.nls.json
index 5aed3cdfaf7..f4b19ebbd68 100644
--- a/extensions/markdown/package.nls.json
+++ b/extensions/markdown/package.nls.json
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 {
 	"markdown.preview.breaks.desc": "Sets how line-breaks are rendered in the markdown preview. Setting it to 'true' creates a <br> for every newline.",
+	"markdown.preview.linkify": "Enable or disable autoconverting URL-like text to links in the markdown preview.",
 	"markdown.preview.doubleClickToSwitchToEditor.desc": "Double click in the markdown preview to switch to the editor.",
 	"markdown.preview.fontFamily.desc": "Controls the font family used in the markdown preview.",
 	"markdown.preview.fontSize.desc": "Controls the font size in pixels used in the markdown preview.",
diff --git a/extensions/markdown/src/markdownEngine.ts b/extensions/markdown/src/markdownEngine.ts
index 679da808b25..d41ced769e7 100644
--- a/extensions/markdown/src/markdownEngine.ts
+++ b/extensions/markdown/src/markdownEngine.ts
@@ -65,7 +65,12 @@ export class MarkdownEngine {
 			this.addLinkNormalizer(this.md);
 			this.addLinkValidator(this.md);
 		}
-		this.md.set({ breaks: vscode.workspace.getConfiguration('markdown').get('preview.breaks', false) });
+
+		const config = vscode.workspace.getConfiguration('markdown');
+		this.md.set({
+			breaks: config.get('preview.breaks', false),
+			linkify: config.get('preview.linkify', true)
+		});
 		return this.md;
 	}