diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/__init__.py b/src/calibre/gui2/__init__.py
index dee9bc7359..8b78c6f8cc 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/__init__.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/__init__.py
@@ -1179,7 +1179,10 @@ class Application(QApplication):
     shutdown_signal_received = pyqtSignal()
     palette_changed = pyqtSignal()
 
-    def __init__(self, args=(), force_calibre_style=False, override_program_name=None, headless=False, color_prefs=gprefs, windows_app_uid=None):
+    def __init__(
+        self, args=(), force_calibre_style=False, override_program_name=None, headless=False, color_prefs=gprefs, windows_app_uid=None,
+        should_handle_calibre_urls=False
+    ):
         if not args:
             args = sys.argv[:1]
         args = [args[0]]
@@ -1213,8 +1216,9 @@ class Application(QApplication):
             QApplication.setDesktopFileName(override_program_name)
         QApplication.setAttribute(Qt.ApplicationAttribute.AA_ShareOpenGLContexts, True)  # needed for webengine
         QApplication.__init__(self, args)
-        # See https://bugreports.qt.io/browse/QTBUG-134316
-        QDesktopServices.setUrlHandler('calibre', self.handle_calibre_url)
+        if should_handle_calibre_urls:
+            # See https://bugreports.qt.io/browse/QTBUG-134316
+            QDesktopServices.setUrlHandler('calibre', self.handle_calibre_url)
         set_image_allocation_limit()
         self.palette_manager.initialize()
         icon_resource_manager.initialize()
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/main.py b/src/calibre/gui2/main.py
index 2b3e871d41..19fab1d55f 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/main.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/main.py
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ def init_qt(args):
             prefs.set('library_path', os.path.abspath(libpath))
             prints('Using library at', prefs['library_path'])
     override = 'calibre-gui' if islinux else None
-    app = Application(args, override_program_name=override, windows_app_uid=MAIN_APP_UID)
+    app = Application(args, override_program_name=override, windows_app_uid=MAIN_APP_UID, should_handle_calibre_urls=True)
 
     app.file_event_hook = EventAccumulator()
     try: