diff --git a/headers/os/net/Url.h b/headers/os/net/Url.h
index 0363989ef8..c4600ce9b5 100644
--- a/headers/os/net/Url.h
+++ b/headers/os/net/Url.h
@@ -71,6 +71,12 @@ public:
 	static	BString				UrlDecode(const BString& url, 
 									bool strict = false);
 
+	// utility functionality
+			bool				HasPreferredApplication() const;
+			BString				PreferredApplication() const;
+			status_t			OpenWithPreferredApplication(
+									bool onProblemAskUser = true) const;
+
 	// BArchivable members
 	virtual	status_t			Archive(BMessage* into,
 									bool deep = true) const;
@@ -104,6 +110,8 @@ private:
 	static	bool				_IsGenDelim(char c);
 	static	bool				_IsSubDelim(char c);
 
+			BString				_UrlMimeType() const;
+
 private:
 	mutable	BString				fUrlString;
 	mutable	BString				fAuthority;
diff --git a/src/kits/network/libnetapi/Url.cpp b/src/kits/network/libnetapi/Url.cpp
index fb1d499aae..783e723d4d 100644
--- a/src/kits/network/libnetapi/Url.cpp
+++ b/src/kits/network/libnetapi/Url.cpp
@@ -14,6 +14,9 @@
 #include <cstdlib>
 #include <new>
 
+#include <MimeType.h>
+#include <Roster.h>
+
 #include <RegExp.h>
 
 
@@ -573,6 +576,76 @@ BUrl::UrlDecode(bool strict)
 }
 
 
+// #pragma mark - utility functionality
+
+
+bool
+BUrl::HasPreferredApplication() const
+{
+	BString appSignature = PreferredApplication();
+	BMimeType mime(appSignature.String());
+
+	if (appSignature.IFindFirst("application/") == 0
+		&& mime.IsValid())
+		return true;
+
+	return false;
+}
+
+
+BString
+BUrl::PreferredApplication() const
+{
+	BString appSignature;
+	BMimeType mime(_UrlMimeType().String());
+	mime.GetPreferredApp(appSignature.LockBuffer(B_MIME_TYPE_LENGTH));
+	appSignature.UnlockBuffer();
+
+	return BString(appSignature);
+}
+
+
+status_t
+BUrl::OpenWithPreferredApplication(bool onProblemAskUser) const
+{
+	if (!IsValid())
+		return B_BAD_VALUE;
+
+	BString urlString = UrlString();
+	if (urlString.Length() > B_PATH_NAME_LENGTH) {
+		// TODO: BAlert
+		//	if (onProblemAskUser)
+		//		BAlert ... Too long URL!
+#if DEBUG
+		fprintf(stderr, "URL too long");
+#endif
+		return B_NAME_TOO_LONG;
+	}
+
+	char* argv[] = {
+		const_cast<char*>("BUrlInvokedApplication"),
+		const_cast<char*>(urlString.String()),
+		NULL
+	};
+
+#if DEBUG
+	if (HasPreferredApplication())
+		printf("HasPreferredApplication() == true\n");
+	else
+		printf("HasPreferredApplication() == false\n");
+#endif
+
+	status_t status = be_roster->Launch(_UrlMimeType().String(), 1, argv+1);
+	if (status != B_OK) {
+#if DEBUG
+		fprintf(stderr, "Opening URL failed: %s\n", strerror(status));
+#endif
+	}
+
+	return status;
+}
+
+
 // #pragma mark Url encoding/decoding of string
 
 
@@ -982,3 +1055,13 @@ BUrl::_IsSubDelim(char c)
 		|| c == ')' || c == '*' || c == '+' || c == ',' || c == ';'
 		|| c == '=';
 }
+
+
+BString
+BUrl::_UrlMimeType() const
+{
+	BString mime;
+	mime << "application/x-vnd.Be.URL." << fProtocol;
+
+	return BString(mime);
+}