diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
index 701c76de..4a48781a 100644
--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -40,6 +40,11 @@
     Changed: linkcheck/director/__init__.py
     Closes: SF bug #1720104
 
+  * Intern patterns now accept URLs with and without "www." prefixes
+    as default. This allows sites to check that use both variants.
+    Type: feature
+    Changed: linkcheck/checker/internpaturl.py
+
 4.8 "Hallam Foe" (released 16.12.2007)
 
   * Fix message typo for not disclosing information.
diff --git a/linkcheck/checker/internpaturl.py b/linkcheck/checker/internpaturl.py
index 02dcf81e..da7034c7 100644
--- a/linkcheck/checker/internpaturl.py
+++ b/linkcheck/checker/internpaturl.py
@@ -51,4 +51,6 @@ class InternPatternUrl (urlbase.UrlBase):
         args = list(re.escape(x) for x in (scheme, domain, path))
         if args[0] in ('http', 'https'):
             args[0] = 'https?'
+        if args[1].startswith('www\\.'):
+            args[1] = r"(www\.|)%s" % args[1][5:]
         return "%s://%s%s" % tuple(args)