diff --git a/core/modules/path/path.admin.inc b/core/modules/path/path.admin.inc
index c8a6963..a6f4f82 100644
--- a/core/modules/path/path.admin.inc
+++ b/core/modules/path/path.admin.inc
@@ -125,7 +125,7 @@ function path_admin_form($form, &$form_state, $path = array('source' => '', 'ali
     '#default_value' => $path['alias'],
     '#maxlength' => 255,
     '#size' => 45,
-    '#description' => t('Specify an alternative path by which this data can be accessed. For example, type "about" when writing an about page. Use a relative path and don\'t add a trailing slash or the URL alias won\'t work.'),
+    '#description' => t('Specify an alternative path by which this data can be accessed. For example, type "about" when writing an about page. Use a relative path and don\'t add a trailing slash.'),
     '#field_prefix' => url(NULL, array('absolute' => TRUE)) . (variable_get('clean_url', 0) ? '' : '?q='),
     '#required' => TRUE,
   );
diff --git a/core/modules/path/path.module b/core/modules/path/path.module
index 332287d..6df8331 100644
--- a/core/modules/path/path.module
+++ b/core/modules/path/path.module
@@ -151,6 +151,11 @@ function path_form_element_validate($element, &$form_state, $complete_form) {
     // Trim the submitted value.
     $alias = trim($form_state['values']['path']['alias']);
     form_set_value($element['alias'], $alias, $form_state);
+
+    // Check to see if the alias is an absolute, external path.
+    if (url_is_external($alias)) {
+      form_set_error('alias', t('Please use a relative path.'));
+    }
     // Node language (Locale module) needs special care. Since the language of
     // the URL alias depends on the node language, and the node language can be
     // switched right within the same form, we need to conditionally overload
@@ -251,7 +256,7 @@ function path_form_taxonomy_form_term_alter(&$form, $form_state) {
       '#default_value' => $path['alias'],
       '#maxlength' => 255,
       '#weight' => 0,
-      '#description' => t("Optionally specify an alternative URL by which this term can be accessed. Use a relative path and don't add a trailing slash or the URL alias won't work."),
+      '#description' => t("Optionally specify an alternative URL by which this term can be accessed. Use a relative path and don't add a trailing slash."),
     );
     $form['path']['pid'] = array('#type' => 'value', '#value' => $path['pid']);
     $form['path']['source'] = array('#type' => 'value', '#value' => $path['source']);