diff --git a/lib/rules.js b/lib/rules.js
index 52a0999c..24ebe67a 100644
--- a/lib/rules.js
+++ b/lib/rules.js
@@ -147,8 +147,12 @@ rules.paragraph_close = function(tokens, idx /*, options, env */) {
 
 rules.link_open = function(tokens, idx, options /* env */) {
   var title = tokens[idx].title ? (' title="' + escapeHtml(replaceEntities(tokens[idx].title)) + '"') : '';
-  var target = options.linkTarget ? (' target="' + options.linkTarget + '"') : '';
-  return '<a href="' + escapeHtml(tokens[idx].href) + '"' + title + target + '>';
+  
+  var linkTarget = options.linkTarget;
+  var target = linkTarget ? (' target="' + options.linkTarget + '"') : '';
+  var rel = linkTarget && linkTarget.indexOf('_blank') !== -1 ? ' rel="noopener noreferrer"' : '';
+
+  return '<a href="' + escapeHtml(tokens[idx].href) + '"' + title + target + rel + '>';
 };
 rules.link_close = function(/* tokens, idx, options, env */) {
   return '</a>';
diff --git a/test/misc.js b/test/misc.js
index 581246e8..296ff38d 100644
--- a/test/misc.js
+++ b/test/misc.js
@@ -200,11 +200,20 @@ describe('Link target', function () {
   });
 
   it('Should add target to link when linkTarget is specified in options', function () {
+    var md = new Remarkable({ linkTarget: '_self' });
+
+    assert.strictEqual(
+      md.render('[test](http://example.com)'),
+      '<p><a href="http://example.com" target="_self">test</a></p>\n'
+    );
+  });
+
+  it('Should add rel attr when linkTarget contains _blank', function () {
     var md = new Remarkable({ linkTarget: '_blank' });
 
     assert.strictEqual(
       md.render('[test](http://example.com)'),
-      '<p><a href="http://example.com" target="_blank">test</a></p>\n'
+      '<p><a href="http://example.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">test</a></p>\n'
     );
   });