diff --git a/plugins/markdown/core/backend/src/com/intellij/markdown/backend/services/MarkdownLinkOpenerRemoteApiImpl.kt b/plugins/markdown/core/backend/src/com/intellij/markdown/backend/services/MarkdownLinkOpenerRemoteApiImpl.kt
index 81e91ff0fb98..ce4b00ee4da2 100644
--- a/plugins/markdown/core/backend/src/com/intellij/markdown/backend/services/MarkdownLinkOpenerRemoteApiImpl.kt
+++ b/plugins/markdown/core/backend/src/com/intellij/markdown/backend/services/MarkdownLinkOpenerRemoteApiImpl.kt
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ import org.intellij.plugins.markdown.service.MarkdownLinkOpenerRemoteApi
 import java.io.IOException
 import java.net.URI
 import java.net.URISyntaxException
+import java.nio.file.InvalidPathException
 import java.nio.file.Path
 
 internal class MarkdownLinkOpenerRemoteApiImpl : MarkdownLinkOpenerRemoteApi {
@@ -96,13 +97,15 @@ internal class MarkdownLinkOpenerRemoteApiImpl : MarkdownLinkOpenerRemoteApi {
       }
     }
     val containingFile = virtualFileId?.virtualFile()?.parent ?: return null
-    val targetFile = try {
+    return try {
       containingFile.findFile(link.trimAnchor())
     }
     catch (_: IOException) {
       null
     }
-    return targetFile
+    catch (_: InvalidPathException) {
+      null
+    }
   }
 
   private fun collectHeaders(anchor: String, targetFile: VirtualFile, project: Project): List<MarkdownHeaderInfo>? {