diff --git a/qutebrowser/mainwindow/statusbar/url.py b/qutebrowser/mainwindow/statusbar/url.py
index 6c01b8cfe..4d8e6e2a0 100644
--- a/qutebrowser/mainwindow/statusbar/url.py
+++ b/qutebrowser/mainwindow/statusbar/url.py
@@ -153,12 +153,11 @@ class UrlText(textbase.TextBase):
             _text: The text of the hovered link (string)
         """
         if link:
-            # We assume that `link` is always be given in a form that generates
-            # a valid QUrl. If this proves to be wrong, we should probably
-            # check and fall back to the text version otherwise.
             qurl = QUrl(link)
-            assert qurl.isValid(), link
-            self._hover_url = qurl.toDisplayString()
+            if qurl.isValid():
+                self._hover_url = qurl.toDisplayString()
+            else:
+                self._hover_url = link
         else:
             self._hover_url = None
         self._update_url()
diff --git a/tests/unit/mainwindow/statusbar/test_url.py b/tests/unit/mainwindow/statusbar/test_url.py
index b4397f999..588ad2672 100644
--- a/tests/unit/mainwindow/statusbar/test_url.py
+++ b/tests/unit/mainwindow/statusbar/test_url.py
@@ -94,7 +94,8 @@ def test_set_hover_url(url_widget, url_text, title, text):
     ('http://test.ru/%D0%B0%D0%B1%D0%B2%D0%B3.txt', 'http://test.ru/абвг.txt'),
     ('http://test.com/s%20p%20a%20c%20e.txt', 'http://test.com/s p a c e.txt'),
     ('http://test.com/%22quotes%22.html', 'http://test.com/%22quotes%22.html'),
-    ('http://username:secret%20password@test.com', 'http://username@test.com')
+    ('http://username:secret%20password@test.com', 'http://username@test.com'),
+    ('http://example.com%5b/', 'http://example.com%5b/'),  # invalid url
 ])
 def test_set_hover_url_encoded(url_widget, url_text, expected):
     """Test text when hovering over a percent encoded link."""