diff --git a/src/calibre/ebooks/metadata/book/render.py b/src/calibre/ebooks/metadata/book/render.py
index f5d8ae7263..4f41f3d071 100644
--- a/src/calibre/ebooks/metadata/book/render.py
+++ b/src/calibre/ebooks/metadata/book/render.py
@@ -69,7 +69,9 @@ def search_action_with_data(search_term, value, book_id, field=None, **k):
 
 def web_search_link(template, mi, value):
     formatter = SafeFormat()
-    mi.set('item_value', qquote(str(value)))
+    iv = str(value)
+    mi.set('item_value', qquote(iv, True))
+    mi.set('item_value_no_plus', qquote(iv, False))
     u = formatter.safe_format(template, mi, 'BOOK DETAILS WEB LINK', mi)
     if u:
         return u, prepare_string_for_xml(_('Click to browse to: {}').format(u), attribute=True)
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/preferences/create_custom_column.py b/src/calibre/gui2/preferences/create_custom_column.py
index 2ec2ecf96f..203cba2000 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/preferences/create_custom_column.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/preferences/create_custom_column.py
@@ -542,11 +542,12 @@ class CreateCustomColumn(QDialog):
         l.addWidget(self.web_search_label)
         wst = self.web_search_template = QLineEdit()
         wst.setToolTip('<p>' + _(
-            "Fill in this box if you want clicking on the value in book details to do a "
-            "web search instead of searching your calibre library. The book's metadata are "
-            "available to the template. An additional field 'item_value' is available to the "
-            "template. For multiple-valued (tags-like) columns it is the value being examined, "
-            "telling you which value to use to generate the link.") + '</p>')
+            'Fill in this box if you want clicking on the value in book details to do a '
+            "web search instead of searching your calibre library. The book's metadata is "
+            "available to the template. Additional fields '{0}' and '{1}' are also available to the "
+            'template. For multiple-valued (tags-like) columns they are the value being examined, '
+            'telling you which value to use to generate the link. These two values are automatically escaped for use in URLs.').format(
+                'item_value', 'item_value_no_plus') + '</p>')
         l.addWidget(wst)
         self.web_search_label.setBuddy(wst)
         wst_tb = self.web_search_toolbutton = QToolButton()
@@ -566,11 +567,13 @@ class CreateCustomColumn(QDialog):
             vals = [{'value': _('Value'), 'lookup_name': _('Lookup name'), 'author': _('Author'),
                      'title': _('Title'), 'author_sort': _('Author sort')}]
         else:
+            from calibre.ebooks.metadata.search_internet import qquote
             vals = []
             for row in rows:
                 book_id = lv.model().id(row)
                 mi = db.new_api.get_metadata(book_id)
-                mi.set('item_value', 'Item Value')
+                mi.set('item_value', qquote('Item Value', True))
+                mi.set('item_value_no_plus', qquote('Item Value', False))
                 vals.append(mi)
         d = TemplateDialog(parent=self, text=self.web_search_template.text(), mi=vals)
         if d.exec() == QDialog.DialogCode.Accepted: