diff --git a/Gemfile b/Gemfile
index 143029b13..7656092f1 100644
--- a/Gemfile
+++ b/Gemfile
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ gem 'rack-cors'
 gem 'ruby-openid', '>= 2.2.0'
 
 # Markdown formatting support
-gem 'redcarpet', '>= 2.2.0'
+gem 'redcarpet'
 
 # Character conversion support for ruby 1.8
 gem 'iconv', :platforms => :ruby_18
diff --git a/Gemfile.lock b/Gemfile.lock
index ea355c4b3..5d4372f2a 100644
--- a/Gemfile.lock
+++ b/Gemfile.lock
@@ -189,7 +189,7 @@ DEPENDENCIES
   rack-cors
   rails (= 3.2.9)
   rails-i18n (>= 0.6.3)
-  redcarpet (>= 2.2.0)
+  redcarpet
   rinku (>= 1.2.2)
   ruby-openid (>= 2.2.0)
   sanitize
diff --git a/lib/rich_text.rb b/lib/rich_text.rb
index 7d8010af1..87ea58933 100644
--- a/lib/rich_text.rb
+++ b/lib/rich_text.rb
@@ -82,13 +82,27 @@ module RichText
   private
 
     def html_parser
-      @@html_renderer ||= Redcarpet::Render::XHTML.new({
-        :filter_html => true, :safe_links_only => true, :link_attributes => { :rel => "nofollow" }
+      @@html_renderer ||= Renderer.new({
+        :filter_html => true, :safe_links_only => true
       })
       @@html_parser ||= Redcarpet::Markdown.new(@@html_renderer, {
         :no_intra_emphasis => true, :autolink => true, :space_after_headers => true
       })
     end
+
+    class Renderer < Redcarpet::Render::XHTML
+      def link(link, title, alt_text)
+        "<a rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"#{link}\">#{alt_text}</a>"
+      end
+
+      def autolink(link, link_type)
+        if link_type == :email
+          "<a rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"mailto:#{link}\">#{link}</a>"
+        else
+          "<a rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"#{link}\">#{link}</a>"
+        end
+      end 
+    end
   end
 
   class Text < Base