diff --git a/cmd.h b/cmd.h
index 9a72160..1106f61 100644
--- a/cmd.h
+++ b/cmd.h
@@ -66,6 +66,7 @@
 #define	A_PREV_TAG		54
 #define	A_FILTER		55
 #define	A_F_UNTIL_HILITE	56
+#define A_MDOCMX		84
 
 #define	A_INVALID		100
 #define	A_NOACTION		101
diff --git a/command.c b/command.c
index ed5b323..0f4f552 100644
--- a/command.c
+++ b/command.c
@@ -55,6 +55,12 @@ extern int shift_count;
 extern int oldbot;
 extern int forw_prompt;
 
+/* For mdocmx */
+#if HILITE_SEARCH
+extern int hilite_search;
+#endif
+public char *mdocmx_line;
+
 #if SHELL_ESCAPE
 static char *shellcmd = NULL;	/* For holding last shell command for "!!" */
 #endif
@@ -80,6 +86,8 @@ static struct ungot* ungot = NULL;
 static int unget_end = 0;
 
 static void multi_search();
+static void mdocmx_search();
+static void _mdocmx_check_xr();
 
 /*
  * Move the cursor to start of prompt line before executing a command.
@@ -282,6 +290,9 @@ exec_mca()
 		error("|done", NULL_PARG);
 		break;
 #endif
+	case A_MDOCMX:
+		mdocmx_search(cbuf);
+		break;
 	}
 }
 
@@ -956,6 +967,159 @@ multi_search(pattern, n)
 }
 
 /*
+ * mdocmx(7) -- reference extension for mdoc(7) semantic markup language.
+ * Search for a specially crafted anchor in the document and scroll the
+ * respective position into view.
+ * If a matching anchor is found it may also be a reference to an external
+ * manual page: in this case prepare the necessary man(1) command and give the
+ * user the option to confirm the action
+ */
+	static void
+mdocmx_search(cbuf)
+	char const *cbuf;
+{
+	const int srch_flags = SRCH_NO_REGEX | SRCH_MDOCMX;
+
+	PARG parg;
+	char *q, *qc;
+	long l;
+#if HILITE_SEARCH
+	int save_hilite_search;
+#endif
+
+	parg.p_string = (char*)cbuf;
+	l = strtol(cbuf, &q, 10);
+
+	if (*cbuf == '\0')
+		error("Need a reference anchor", NULL_PARG);
+	else if (*q != '\0' || l <= 0)
+		error("Invalid reference anchor: %s", &parg);
+	/* Local references are scrolled into view */
+	else {
+		/* Local anchor: '{DIGITS}', each char doubled and ^H'd away */
+		q = ecalloc(strlen(cbuf)*4 + 4*2 +1, sizeof *q);
+
+		q[0] = '{'; q[1] = '\b'; q[2] = '{'; q[3] = '\b';
+		for (qc = q + 4; *cbuf != '\0'; qc += 4, ++cbuf)
+			qc[0] = *cbuf, qc[1] = '\b',
+			qc[2] = *cbuf, qc[3] = '\b';
+		qc[0] = '}'; qc[1] = '\b'; qc[2] = '}'; qc[3] = '\b';
+		/*qc[4] = '\0';*/
+
+#if HILITE_SEARCH
+		save_hilite_search = hilite_search;
+		repaint_hilite(0);
+		hilite_search = 0;
+#endif
+		if (search(SRCH_FORW | srch_flags, q, 1) == 0 ||
+				search(SRCH_BACK | srch_flags, q, 1) == 0)
+			_mdocmx_check_xr(q);
+		else
+			error("No such anchor: %s", &parg);
+#if HILITE_SEARCH
+		hilite_search = save_hilite_search;
+		repaint_hilite(1);
+#endif
+
+		free(q);
+	}
+}
+
+/*
+ * We have found the mdocmx(7) anchor -- is it an external .Xr reference?
+ */
+	static void
+_mdocmx_check_xr(anchor)
+	char const *anchor;
+{
+#if HAVE_STRSTR
+	char c, *cp, *sect, *sect_top, *man, *man_top, *buf;
+
+	/* Find the anchor on the line again; play safe */
+	if ((cp = strstr(mdocmx_line, anchor)) == NULL)
+		goto jleave;
+	cp += strlen(anchor);
+
+	/* Does a .Xr follow?
+	 * .Xr anchor: '{!SECTION;MANUAL}', each char doubled and ^H'd away.
+	 * In the following we simply jump off when we see faulty syntax:
+	 * i wonder wether an error message should be used instead */
+	if (strncmp(cp, "{\b{\b!\b!\b", sizeof("{\b{\b!\b!\b") -1))
+		goto jleave;
+
+	for (sect = (cp += sizeof("{\b{\b!\b!\b") -1);; cp += 4) {
+		if ((c = cp[0]) == '\0' || cp[1] != '\b' ||
+				cp[2] != c || cp[3] != '\b')
+			goto jleave;
+		if (c == ';')
+			break;
+	}
+	sect_top = cp;
+	if (sect_top == sect) {
+		error("Bogus mdocmx(7) section reference", NULL_PARG);
+		goto jleave;
+	}
+
+	for (man = (cp += 4);; cp += 4) {
+		if ((c = cp[0]) == '\0' || cp[1] != '\b' ||
+				cp[2] != c || cp[3] != '\b')
+			goto jleave;
+		if (c == '}')
+			break;
+	}
+	man_top = cp;
+	if (man_top == man) {
+		error("Bogus mdocmx(7) manual reference", NULL_PARG);
+		goto jleave;
+	}
+
+	/* This is an external reference! */
+	if (secure) {
+		error("Feature not available in secure mode", NULL_PARG);
+		goto jleave;
+	}
+
+# define __Y "!man "
+# define __X "Read external manual: "
+	buf = ecalloc(sizeof(__X __Y) -1 +
+		(int)(sect_top - sect) + 1 + (int)(man_top - man) +1);
+
+	memcpy(buf, __X __Y, sizeof(__X __Y) -1);
+	cp = buf + sizeof(__X __Y) -1;
+	for (; sect < sect_top; sect += 4)
+		*cp++ = *sect;
+	*cp++ = ' ';
+	for (; man < man_top; man += 4)
+		*cp++ = *man;
+	*cp++ = '\0';
+
+	cmd_putstr(buf);
+	switch (getcc()) {
+	case '\n':
+	case '\r':
+# if HAVE_SYSTEM
+		lsystem(buf + sizeof(__X) -1 + 1, "!back from external manual");
+# else
+		error("Command not available", NULL_PARG);
+# endif
+		/* FALLTHRU */
+	default:
+		break;
+	}
+
+	free(buf);
+# undef __X
+# undef __Y
+
+jleave:
+	free(mdocmx_line);
+
+#else /* HAVE_STRSTR */
+	(void)anchor;
+#endif
+}
+
+/*
  * Forward forever, or until a highlighted line appears.
  */
 	static int
@@ -1784,6 +1948,12 @@ commands()
 		case A_NOACTION:
 			break;
 
+		case A_MDOCMX:
+			start_mca(A_MDOCMX, "[anchor]:",
+				(void*)NULL, CF_QUIT_ON_ERASE);
+			c = getcc();
+			goto again;
+
 		default:
 			bell();
 			break;
diff --git a/decode.c b/decode.c
index 6d0312d..3c99fc8 100644
--- a/decode.c
+++ b/decode.c
@@ -163,7 +163,8 @@ static unsigned char cmdtable[] =
 	'Q',0,				A_QUIT,
 	':','q',0,			A_QUIT,
 	':','Q',0,			A_QUIT,
-	'Z','Z',0,			A_QUIT
+	'Z','Z',0,			A_QUIT,
+	CONTROL('X'),CONTROL('R'),0,	A_MDOCMX
 };
 
 static unsigned char edittable[] =
diff --git a/less.h b/less.h
index fada513..ef742f0 100644
--- a/less.h
+++ b/less.h
@@ -344,6 +344,7 @@ struct textlist
 #define SRCH_NO_REGEX   (1 << 12) /* Don't use regular expressions */
 #define SRCH_FILTER     (1 << 13) /* Search is for '&' (filter) command */
 #define SRCH_AFTER_TARGET (1 << 14) /* Start search after the target line */
+#define SRCH_MDOCMX	(1 << 15) /* mdocmx(7) anchor search */
 
 #define	SRCH_REVERSE(t)	(((t) & SRCH_FORW) ? \
 				(((t) & ~SRCH_FORW) | SRCH_BACK) : \
diff --git a/lesskey.c b/lesskey.c
index 3d7571e..e987a45 100644
--- a/lesskey.c
+++ b/lesskey.c
@@ -126,6 +126,7 @@ struct cmdname cmdnames[] =
 	{ "index-file",           A_INDEX_FILE },
 	{ "invalid",              A_UINVALID },
 	{ "left-scroll",          A_LSHIFT },
+	{ "mdocmx",               A_MDOCMX },
 	{ "next-file",            A_NEXT_FILE },
 	{ "next-tag",             A_NEXT_TAG },
 	{ "noaction",             A_NOACTION },
diff --git a/search.c b/search.c
index 24d4210..d37c210 100644
--- a/search.c
+++ b/search.c
@@ -827,6 +827,26 @@ search_range(pos, endpos, search_type, matches, maxlines, plinepos, pendpos)
 		if (is_filtered(linepos))
 			continue;
 
+		/* Special case MDOCMX searches: we actually really want to
+		 * match the plain line content, so avoid any useless
+		 * allocations and text conversions */
+		if (search_type & SRCH_MDOCMX) {
+			line_match = match_pattern(info_compiled(&search_info),
+				search_info.text, line, line_len, &sp, &ep, 0,
+				search_type);
+			if (line_match) {
+				extern char *mdocmx_line;
+
+				mdocmx_line = (char*)ecalloc(1, line_len +1);
+				memcpy(mdocmx_line, line, line_len);
+				mdocmx_line[line_len] = '\0';
+				if (plinepos != NULL)
+					*plinepos = linepos;
+				return (0);
+			}
+			continue;
+		}
+
 		/*
 		 * If it's a caseless search, convert the line to lowercase.
 		 * If we're doing backspace processing, delete backspaces.