diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index c1b091a..9ef6d35 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -113,6 +113,12 @@ git config [--global] gitopen.gitlab.ssh.domain [value]
 git config [--global] gitopen.gitlab.ssh.port [value]
 ```
 
+If your Gitlab custom hosted is serving `http` you can also specify this:
+```sh
+# use --global to set across all repos, instead of just the local one
+git config [--global] gitopen.gitlab.protocol http
+```
+
 ## Related projects / alternatives
 
 See [hub](https://github.com/github/hub) for complete GitHub opening support.
diff --git a/git-open b/git-open
index a84fbb8..e8c4c74 100755
--- a/git-open
+++ b/git-open
@@ -95,14 +95,20 @@ else
   gitlab_ssh_domain=$(git config --get gitopen.gitlab.ssh.domain)
   gitlab_ssh_domain=${gitlab_ssh_domain:-$gitlab_domain}
   gitlab_ssh_port=$(git config --get gitopen.gitlab.ssh.port)
-  if [ -n "$gitlab_domain" ]; then
+  
+  gitlab_protocol=$(git config --get gitopen.gitlab.protocol)
+  if [ -z "$gitlab_protocol" ]; then
+      gitlab_protocol=https
+  fi
+
+if [ -n "$gitlab_domain" ]; then
     if egrep -q "${gitlab_domain}|${gitlab_ssh_domain}" <<<$giturl; then
 
       # Handle GitLab's default SSH notation (like git@gitlab.domain.com:user/repo)
-      giturl=${giturl/git\@${gitlab_ssh_domain}\:/https://${gitlab_domain}/}
+      giturl=${giturl/git\@${gitlab_ssh_domain}\:/${gitlab_protocol}://${gitlab_domain}/}
 
       # handle SSH protocol (links like ssh://git@gitlab.domain.com/user/repo)
-      giturl=${giturl/#ssh\:\/\//https://}
+      giturl=${giturl/#ssh\:\/\//${gitlab_protocol}://}
 
       # remove git@ from the domain
       giturl=${giturl/git\@${gitlab_ssh_domain}/${gitlab_domain}/}