diff --git a/main/webapp/modules/core/langs/translation-en.json b/main/webapp/modules/core/langs/translation-en.json
index 856f3ad34..3f17bd3de 100644
--- a/main/webapp/modules/core/langs/translation-en.json
+++ b/main/webapp/modules/core/langs/translation-en.json
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@
     "core-index-import/warning-data-file": "You must specify a data file to import.",
     "core-index-import/uploading-data": "Uploading data…",
     "core-index-import/web-address": "Web Addresses (URLs)",
-    "core-index-import/warning-web-address": "You must specify a web address (URL) to import.",
+    "core-index-import/warning-web-address": "You must specify a valid web address (URL) to import.",
     "core-index-import/downloading-data": "Downloading data…",
     "core-index-import/clipboard": "Clipboard",
     "core-index-import/warning-clipboard": "You must paste some data to import.",
diff --git a/main/webapp/modules/core/scripts/index/default-importing-sources/sources.js b/main/webapp/modules/core/scripts/index/default-importing-sources/sources.js
index f46468d38..b625dc2a3 100644
--- a/main/webapp/modules/core/scripts/index/default-importing-sources/sources.js
+++ b/main/webapp/modules/core/scripts/index/default-importing-sources/sources.js
@@ -34,6 +34,13 @@ OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
 function ThisComputerImportingSourceUI(controller) {
   this._controller = controller;
 }
+
+// Function to check if the URL getting entered is valid or not 
+function isUrlValid(url) {
+  // regex for a valid URL pattern
+  // Derived from the jquery-validation repository https://github.com/jquery-validation/jquery-validation/blob/master/src/additional/url2.js
+  return /^(https?|s?ftp):\/\/(((([a-z]|\d|-|\.|_|~|[\u00A0-\uD7FF\uF900-\uFDCF\uFDF0-\uFFEF])|(%[\da-f]{2})|[!\$&'\(\)\*\+,;=]|:)*@)?(((\d|[1-9]\d|1\d\d|2[0-4]\d|25[0-5])\.(\d|[1-9]\d|1\d\d|2[0-4]\d|25[0-5])\.(\d|[1-9]\d|1\d\d|2[0-4]\d|25[0-5])\.(\d|[1-9]\d|1\d\d|2[0-4]\d|25[0-5]))|((([a-z]|\d|[\u00A0-\uD7FF\uF900-\uFDCF\uFDF0-\uFFEF])|(([a-z]|\d|[\u00A0-\uD7FF\uF900-\uFDCF\uFDF0-\uFFEF])([a-z]|\d|-|\.|_|~|[\u00A0-\uD7FF\uF900-\uFDCF\uFDF0-\uFFEF])*([a-z]|\d|[\u00A0-\uD7FF\uF900-\uFDCF\uFDF0-\uFFEF])))\.)+(([a-z]|[\u00A0-\uD7FF\uF900-\uFDCF\uFDF0-\uFFEF])|(([a-z]|[\u00A0-\uD7FF\uF900-\uFDCF\uFDF0-\uFFEF])([a-z]|\d|-|\.|_|~|[\u00A0-\uD7FF\uF900-\uFDCF\uFDF0-\uFFEF])*([a-z]|[\u00A0-\uD7FF\uF900-\uFDCF\uFDF0-\uFFEF])))\.?)(:\d*)?)(\/((([a-z]|\d|-|\.|_|~|[\u00A0-\uD7FF\uF900-\uFDCF\uFDF0-\uFFEF])|(%[\da-f]{2})|[!\$&'\(\)\*\+,;=]|:|@)+(\/(([a-z]|\d|-|\.|_|~|[\u00A0-\uD7FF\uF900-\uFDCF\uFDF0-\uFFEF])|(%[\da-f]{2})|[!\$&'\(\)\*\+,;=]|:|@)*)*)?)?(\?((([a-z]|\d|-|\.|_|~|[\u00A0-\uD7FF\uF900-\uFDCF\uFDF0-\uFFEF])|(%[\da-f]{2})|[!\$&'\(\)\*\+,;=]|:|@)|[\uE000-\uF8FF]|\/|\?)*)?(#((([a-z]|\d|-|\.|_|~|[\u00A0-\uD7FF\uF900-\uFDCF\uFDF0-\uFFEF])|(%[\da-f]{2})|[!\$&'\(\)\*\+,;=]|:|@)|\/|\?)*)?$/i.test(url);
+}
 Refine.DefaultImportingController.sources.push({
   "label": $.i18n('core-index-import/this-computer'),
   "id": "upload",
@@ -83,7 +90,7 @@ UrlImportingSourceUI.prototype.attachUI = function(bodyDiv) {
   this._elmts.nextButton.html($.i18n('core-buttons/next'));
   
   this._elmts.nextButton.click(function(evt) {
-    if ($.trim(self._elmts.urlInput[0].value).length === 0) {
+    if(!isUrlValid(self._elmts.urlInput[0].value)) {
       window.alert($.i18n('core-index-import/warning-web-address'));
     } else {
       self._controller.startImportJob(self._elmts.form, $.i18n('core-index-import/downloading-data'));