diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index bf7cd3c50..ddf0a10c1 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -10,6 +10,9 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0
 ### Added
 - Linear issue links in chat responses now render as a rich card-style UI showing the Linear logo, issue identifier, and title instead of plain hyperlinks. [#1060](https://github.com/sourcebot-dev/sourcebot/pull/1060)
 
+### Changed
+- Links in Ask Sourcebot chat responses now open in a new tab with a subtle external link icon indicator. [#1059](https://github.com/sourcebot-dev/sourcebot/pull/1059)
+
 ## [4.16.7] - 2026-04-03
 
 ### Fixed
diff --git a/packages/web/src/features/chat/components/chatThread/markdownRenderer.tsx b/packages/web/src/features/chat/components/chatThread/markdownRenderer.tsx
index 7f72f8ee8..f8331ef00 100644
--- a/packages/web/src/features/chat/components/chatThread/markdownRenderer.tsx
+++ b/packages/web/src/features/chat/components/chatThread/markdownRenderer.tsx
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ import { SearchQueryParams } from '@/lib/types';
 import { cn, createPathWithQueryParams } from '@/lib/utils';
 import type { Element, Root } from "hast";
 import { Schema as SanitizeSchema } from 'hast-util-sanitize';
-import { CopyIcon, SearchIcon } from 'lucide-react';
+import { CopyIcon, ExternalLinkIcon, SearchIcon } from 'lucide-react';
 import type { Heading, Nodes } from "mdast";
 import { findAndReplace } from 'mdast-util-find-and-replace';
 import { useRouter } from 'next/navigation';
@@ -174,6 +174,30 @@ const MarkdownRendererComponent = forwardRef<HTMLDivElement, MarkdownRendererPro
         )
     }, []);
 
+    const renderAnchor = useCallback(({ href, children, ...rest }: React.JSX.IntrinsicElements['a']) => {
+        if (href) {
+            const match = LINEAR_ISSUE_URL_REGEX.exec(href);
+            if (match) {
+                const identifier = match[1];
+                const titleSlug = match[2];
+                const title = titleSlug.replace(/-/g, ' ');
+                return <LinearIssueCard identifier={identifier} title={title} href={href} />;
+            }
+        }
+        return (
+            <a
+                href={href}
+                target="_blank"
+                rel="noopener noreferrer"
+                className="inline-flex items-center gap-0.5"
+                {...rest}
+            >
+                {children}
+                <ExternalLinkIcon className="inline w-3 h-3 mb-0.5 opacity-60" />
+            </a>
+        );
+    }, []);
+
     const renderCode = useCallback(({ className, children, node, ...rest }: React.JSX.IntrinsicElements['code'] & { node?: Element }) => {
         const text = children?.toString().trimEnd() ?? '';
 
@@ -231,19 +255,6 @@ const MarkdownRendererComponent = forwardRef<HTMLDivElement, MarkdownRendererPro
 
     }, [router]);
 
-    const renderAnchor = useCallback(({ href, children, ...rest }: React.JSX.IntrinsicElements['a']) => {
-        if (href) {
-            const match = LINEAR_ISSUE_URL_REGEX.exec(href);
-            if (match) {
-                const identifier = match[1];
-                const titleSlug = match[2];
-                const title = titleSlug.replace(/-/g, ' ');
-                return <LinearIssueCard identifier={identifier} title={title} href={href} />;
-            }
-        }
-        return <a href={href} target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" {...rest}>{children}</a>;
-    }, []);
-
     return (
         <div
             ref={ref}