diff --git a/defaultwelcome/en.txt b/defaultwelcome/en.md
similarity index 100%
rename from defaultwelcome/en.txt
rename to defaultwelcome/en.md
diff --git a/defaultwelcome/en.txt~ b/defaultwelcome/en.txt~
deleted file mode 100644
index 334cab178..000000000
--- a/defaultwelcome/en.txt~
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Welcome to Epicyon
diff --git a/tests.py b/tests.py
index 02fe2b604..79ba90062 100644
--- a/tests.py
+++ b/tests.py
@@ -98,6 +98,7 @@ from newswire import parseFeedDate
 from mastoapiv1 import getMastoApiV1IdFromNickname
 from mastoapiv1 import getNicknameFromMastoApiV1Id
 from webapp_post import prepareHtmlPostNickname
+from webapp_utils import markdownToHtml
 
 testServerAliceRunning = False
 testServerBobRunning = False
@@ -3282,9 +3283,31 @@ def testValidHashTag():
     assert not validHashTag('This=IsAlsoNotValid"')
 
 
+def testMarkdownToHtml():
+    print('testMarkdownToHtml')
+    markdown = 'This is just plain text'
+    assert markdownToHtml(markdown) == markdown
+
+    markdown = '# Title1\n### Title3\n## Title2\n'
+    assert markdownToHtml(markdown) == \
+        '<h1>Title1</h1><br><h3>Title3</h3><br><h2>Title2</h2><br>'
+
+    markdown = \
+        'This is [a link](https://something.somewhere) to something\n' + \
+        'And [something else](https://cat.pic).'
+    assert markdownToHtml(markdown) == \
+        'This is <a href="https://something.somewhere" ' + \
+        'target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">' + \
+        'a link</a> to something<br>' + \
+        'And <a href="https://cat.pic" ' + \
+        'target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">' + \
+        'something else</a>.'
+
+
 def runAllTests():
     print('Running tests...')
     testFunctions()
+    testMarkdownToHtml()
     testValidHashTag()
     testPrepareHtmlPostNickname()
     testDomainHandling()
diff --git a/webapp_utils.py b/webapp_utils.py
index 1ab1afd40..52b83d424 100644
--- a/webapp_utils.py
+++ b/webapp_utils.py
@@ -24,20 +24,52 @@ from content import replaceEmojiFromTags
 def markdownToHtml(markdown: str) -> str:
     """Converts markdown formatted text to html
     """
+    # replace markdown style links with html links
+    replaceLinks = {}
+    text = markdown
+    while '[' in text:
+        if ')' not in text:
+            break
+        text = text.split('[', 1)[1]
+        markdownLink = '[' + text.split(')')[0] + ')'
+        if ']' not in markdownLink or \
+           '(' not in markdownLink:
+            text = text.split(')', 1)[1]
+            continue
+        replaceLinks[markdownLink] = \
+            '<a href="' + \
+            markdownLink.split('(')[1].split(')')[0] + \
+            '" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">' + \
+            markdownLink.split('[')[1].split(']')[0] + \
+            '</a>'
+        text = text.split(')', 1)[1]
+    for mdLink, htmlLink in replaceLinks.items():
+        markdown = markdown.replace(mdLink, htmlLink)
+
+    # replace headers
     linesList = markdown.split('\n')
     htmlStr = ''
+    ctr = 0
     for line in linesList:
+        if ctr > 0:
+            htmlStr += '<br>'
         if line.startswith('#####'):
-            line = line.replace('#####', '<h5>').strip() + '</h5>'
+            line = line.replace('#####', '').strip()
+            line = '<h5>' + line + '</h5>'
         elif line.startswith('####'):
-            line = line.replace('####', '<h4>').strip() + '</h4>'
+            line = line.replace('####', '').strip()
+            line = '<h4>' + line + '</h4>'
         elif line.startswith('###'):
-            line = line.replace('###', '<h3>').strip() + '</h3>'
+            line = line.replace('###', '').strip()
+            line = '<h3>' + line + '</h3>'
         elif line.startswith('##'):
-            line = line.replace('##', '<h2>').strip() + '</h2>'
+            line = line.replace('##', '').strip()
+            line = '<h2>' + line + '</h2>'
         elif line.startswith('#'):
-            line = line.replace('#', '<h1>').strip() + '</h1>'
+            line = line.replace('#', '').strip()
+            line = '<h1>' + line + '</h1>'
         htmlStr += line
+        ctr += 1
     return htmlStr
 
 
diff --git a/webapp_welcome.py b/webapp_welcome.py
index 41f0f4d8f..2ab528d87 100644
--- a/webapp_welcome.py
+++ b/webapp_welcome.py
@@ -35,13 +35,13 @@ def htmlWelcomeScreen(baseDir: str, nickname: str, domain: str,
                      baseDir + '/accounts/welcome-background.jpg')
 
     welcomeText = 'Welcome to Epicyon'
-    welcomeFilename = baseDir + '/accounts/welcome.txt'
+    welcomeFilename = baseDir + '/accounts/welcome.md'
     if not os.path.isfile(welcomeFilename):
-        defaultFilename = baseDir + '/defaultwelcome/' + language + '.txt'
+        defaultFilename = baseDir + '/defaultwelcome/' + language + '.md'
         if os.path.isfile(defaultFilename):
             copyfile(defaultFilename, welcomeFilename)
     if os.path.isfile(welcomeFilename):
-        with open(baseDir + '/accounts/welcome.txt', 'r') as welcomeFile:
+        with open(baseDir + '/accounts/welcome.md', 'r') as welcomeFile:
             welcomeText = markdownToHtml(welcomeFile.read())
 
     welcomeForm = ''