diff --git a/src/AddIns/Misc/HelpViewer/Source/Commands.cs b/src/AddIns/Misc/HelpViewer/Source/Commands.cs
index 4761100e12..6784314de0 100644
--- a/src/AddIns/Misc/HelpViewer/Source/Commands.cs
+++ b/src/AddIns/Misc/HelpViewer/Source/Commands.cs
@@ -42,8 +42,11 @@ namespace MSHelpSystem.Commands
 	{
 		public override void Run()
 		{
-			PadDescriptor toc = WorkbenchSingleton.Workbench.GetPad(typeof(Help3TocPad));
-			if (toc != null) toc.BringPadToFront();
+			if (Help3Service.Config.ExternalHelp) DisplayHelp.Catalog();
+			else {
+				PadDescriptor toc = WorkbenchSingleton.Workbench.GetPad(typeof(Help3TocPad));
+				if (toc != null) toc.BringPadToFront();
+			}
 		}
 	}	
 }
diff --git a/src/AddIns/Misc/HelpViewer/Source/Core/DisplayHelp.cs b/src/AddIns/Misc/HelpViewer/Source/Core/DisplayHelp.cs
index 4884e57a1e..a3ec8127c1 100644
--- a/src/AddIns/Misc/HelpViewer/Source/Core/DisplayHelp.cs
+++ b/src/AddIns/Misc/HelpViewer/Source/Core/DisplayHelp.cs
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 using System;
+using System.Diagnostics;
 using System.Globalization;
 using System.Threading;
 using System.Windows.Forms;
@@ -110,11 +111,14 @@ namespace MSHelpSystem.Core
 
 		static void DisplayLocalHelp(string arguments)
 		{
-			DisplayLocalHelp(arguments, true);
+			DisplayLocalHelp(arguments, !Help3Service.Config.ExternalHelp);
 		}
 
 		static void DisplayLocalHelp(string arguments, bool embedded)
 		{
+			if (string.IsNullOrEmpty(arguments)) {
+				throw new ArgumentNullException("arguments");
+			}
 			if (!Help3Environment.IsLocalHelp) { return; 	}
 			if (!HelpLibraryAgent.IsRunning) {
 				HelpLibraryAgent.Start();
@@ -123,6 +127,10 @@ namespace MSHelpSystem.Core
 			string helpUrl = string.Format(@"{0}{1}{2}",
 			                               arguments, ProjectLanguages.GetCurrentLanguageAsHttpParam(), (embedded)?"&embedded=true":string.Empty);
 
+			if (Help3Service.Config.ExternalHelp) {
+				DisplayHelpWithShellExecute(helpUrl);
+				return;
+			}
 			BrowserPane browser = ActiveHelp3Browser();
 			if (browser != null) {
 				LoggingService.Info(string.Format("Help 3.0: Navigating to {0}", helpUrl));
@@ -131,9 +139,35 @@ namespace MSHelpSystem.Core
 			}			
 		}
 
+		static void DisplayHelpWithShellExecute(string arguments)
+		{
+			if (string.IsNullOrEmpty(arguments)) {
+				throw new ArgumentNullException("arguments");
+			}
+			ProcessStartInfo psi = new ProcessStartInfo();
+			psi.FileName = arguments;
+			psi.UseShellExecute = true;
+			psi.WindowStyle = ProcessWindowStyle.Normal;
+			try {
+				Process p = Process.Start(psi);
+				p.WaitForInputIdle();
+			}
+			catch (Exception ex) {
+				LoggingService.Error(string.Format("Help 3.0: {0}", ex.ToString()));
+			}
+		}
+
 		static void DisplayHelpOnMSDN(string keyword)
 		{
+			if (string.IsNullOrEmpty(keyword)) {
+				throw new ArgumentNullException("keyword");
+			}
 			string msdnUrl = string.Format(@"http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/{0}.aspx", keyword);
+
+			if (Help3Service.Config.ExternalHelp) {
+				DisplayHelpWithShellExecute(msdnUrl);
+				return;
+			}
 			BrowserPane browser = ActiveHelp3Browser();
 			if (browser != null) {
 				LoggingService.Info(string.Format("Help 3.0: Navigating to {0}", msdnUrl));
@@ -144,6 +178,9 @@ namespace MSHelpSystem.Core
 
 		static void DisplaySearchOnMSDN(string searchWords)
 		{
+			if (string.IsNullOrEmpty(searchWords)) {
+				throw new ArgumentNullException("searchWords");
+			}
 			string msdnUrl = string.Format(@"http://social.social.msdn.microsoft.com/Search/{0}/?query={1}&ac=3", CultureInfo.CurrentUICulture.ToString(), searchWords.Replace(" ", "+"));
 			BrowserPane browser = ActiveHelp3Browser();
 			if (browser != null) {
diff --git a/src/AddIns/Misc/HelpViewer/Source/Core/Help3Service.cs b/src/AddIns/Misc/HelpViewer/Source/Core/Help3Service.cs
index 58bd36eaee..659c70f538 100644
--- a/src/AddIns/Misc/HelpViewer/Source/Core/Help3Service.cs
+++ b/src/AddIns/Misc/HelpViewer/Source/Core/Help3Service.cs
@@ -82,13 +82,8 @@ namespace MSHelpSystem.Core
 
 		static void Help3ConfigurationUpdated(object sender, EventArgs e)
 		{
-			if (config.OfflineMode) {
-				HelpClientWatcher.EnableLocalHelp();
-			}
-			else {
-				HelpClientWatcher.EnableOnlineHelp();
-				HelpLibraryAgent.Stop();
-			}
+			if (config.OfflineMode) HelpClientWatcher.EnableLocalHelp();
+			else HelpClientWatcher.EnableOnlineHelp();
 		}
 
 		#endregion
diff --git a/src/AddIns/Misc/HelpViewer/Source/Help3OptionsPanel.xaml b/src/AddIns/Misc/HelpViewer/Source/Help3OptionsPanel.xaml
index da665bac61..cb113470d4 100644
--- a/src/AddIns/Misc/HelpViewer/Source/Help3OptionsPanel.xaml
+++ b/src/AddIns/Misc/HelpViewer/Source/Help3OptionsPanel.xaml
@@ -22,7 +22,11 @@
 				             Margin="0,0,0,5"/>
 				<RadioButton Name="onlineMode"
 				             Content="{core:Localize AddIns.HelpViewer.UseOnlineHelpLabel}"
-				             Click="Help3OnlineModeClicked" />
+				             Click="Help3OnlineModeClicked"
+				             Margin="0,0,0,8" />
+				<CheckBox    Name="externalHelp"
+				             Content="{core:Localize AddIns.HelpViewer.UseExternalHelp}"
+				             Click="Help3UseExternalHelpClicked" />
 			</StackPanel>
 		</GroupBox>
 	</StackPanel>
diff --git a/src/AddIns/Misc/HelpViewer/Source/Help3OptionsPanel.xaml.cs b/src/AddIns/Misc/HelpViewer/Source/Help3OptionsPanel.xaml.cs
index b3178d454c..96f4e88405 100644
--- a/src/AddIns/Misc/HelpViewer/Source/Help3OptionsPanel.xaml.cs
+++ b/src/AddIns/Misc/HelpViewer/Source/Help3OptionsPanel.xaml.cs
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ using System.Collections.Generic;
 using System.Collections.ObjectModel;
 using System.Windows;
 using System.Windows.Controls;
-using System.Windows.Forms;
+using System.Windows.Documents;
 using ICSharpCode.Core;
 using ICSharpCode.SharpDevelop;
 using ICSharpCode.SharpDevelop.Gui;
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ namespace MSHelpSystem
 			help3Catalogs.SelectedValue = Help3Service.ActiveCatalog.ShortName;
 			help3Catalogs.IsEnabled = (Help3Service.Items.Count > 1 && Help3Service.Config.OfflineMode);
 			onlineMode.IsChecked = !Help3Service.Config.OfflineMode;
+			externalHelp.IsChecked = Help3Service.Config.ExternalHelp;
 		}
 
 		void Help3CatalogsSelectionChanged(object sender, SelectionChangedEventArgs e)
@@ -54,6 +55,12 @@ namespace MSHelpSystem
 			help3Catalogs.IsEnabled = false;
 		}
 
+		void Help3UseExternalHelpClicked(object sender, RoutedEventArgs e)
+		{
+			Help3Service.Config.ExternalHelp = (bool)externalHelp.IsChecked;
+			LoggingService.Info(string.Format("Help 3.0: {0} external help", (Help3Service.Config.ExternalHelp)?"Enabling":"Disabling"));
+		}
+
 		public override bool SaveOptions()
 		{
 			Help3Service.SaveHelpConfiguration();
diff --git a/src/AddIns/Misc/HelpViewer/Source/Helper/Help3Configuration.cs b/src/AddIns/Misc/HelpViewer/Source/Helper/Help3Configuration.cs
index cd319fa8b6..5042f08c07 100644
--- a/src/AddIns/Misc/HelpViewer/Source/Helper/Help3Configuration.cs
+++ b/src/AddIns/Misc/HelpViewer/Source/Helper/Help3Configuration.cs
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ namespace MSHelpSystem.Helper
 
 		string activeCatalogId = string.Empty;
 		bool offlineMode = true;
+		bool externalHelp = false;
 
 		[XmlElement("activeCatalog")]
 		public string ActiveCatalogId
@@ -27,5 +28,12 @@ namespace MSHelpSystem.Helper
 			get { return offlineMode; }
 			set { offlineMode = value; }
 		}
+
+		[XmlElement("externalHelp")]
+		public bool ExternalHelp
+		{
+			get { return externalHelp; }
+			set { externalHelp = value; }
+		}
 	}
 }