diff --git a/src/com/silverwrist/venice/ui/jsp/UtilTargetTag.java b/src/com/silverwrist/venice/ui/jsp/UtilTargetTag.java
index 858357e..5928d74 100644
--- a/src/com/silverwrist/venice/ui/jsp/UtilTargetTag.java
+++ b/src/com/silverwrist/venice/ui/jsp/UtilTargetTag.java
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ public class UtilTargetTag extends VeniceBodyTagSupport
     UtilXLinkTag xlink = (UtilXLinkTag)findAncestorWithClass(this,UtilXLinkTag.class);
     if (xlink!=null)
     { // set the link data
-      xlink.setTarget(getBodyContent().getString().trim());
+      xlink.setTarget2(getBodyContent().getString().trim());
       return SKIP_BODY;
 
     } // end if
diff --git a/src/com/silverwrist/venice/ui/jsp/UtilXLinkTag.java b/src/com/silverwrist/venice/ui/jsp/UtilXLinkTag.java
index ed4b570..99ab01c 100644
--- a/src/com/silverwrist/venice/ui/jsp/UtilXLinkTag.java
+++ b/src/com/silverwrist/venice/ui/jsp/UtilXLinkTag.java
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ public class UtilXLinkTag extends VeniceBodyTagSupport
   private String target = null;
   private String text = null;
   private String title = null;
+  private boolean target_external = false;
 
   /*--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    * Overrides from class BodyTagSupport
@@ -105,6 +106,9 @@ public class UtilXLinkTag extends VeniceBodyTagSupport
     type = -1;
     text = null;
     title = null;
+    if (target_external)
+      target = null;
+    target_external = false;
     return EVAL_PAGE;
 
   } // end doEndTag
@@ -158,4 +162,15 @@ public class UtilXLinkTag extends VeniceBodyTagSupport
 
   } // end setTitle
 
+  final void setTarget2(String s)
+  {
+    if (target==null)
+    { // set target via external tag
+      target = s;
+      target_external = true;
+
+    } // end if
+
+  } // end setTarget2
+
 } // end class UtilXLinkTag