diff --git a/admin/code/CMSMenu.php b/admin/code/CMSMenu.php
index af67468d5..f791d64f8 100644
--- a/admin/code/CMSMenu.php
+++ b/admin/code/CMSMenu.php
@@ -1,16 +1,21 @@
 <?php
 /**
- * The object manages the main CMS menu. See {@link LeftAndMain::init()} for example usage.
+ * The object manages the main CMS menu. See {@link LeftAndMain::init()} for 
+ * example usage.
  * 
- * The menu will be automatically populated with menu items for subclasses of {@link LeftAndMain}. 
- * That is, for each class in the CMS that creates an administration panel, a CMS menu item will be created. 
- * The default configuration will also include a 'help' link to the SilverStripe user documentation.
+ * The menu will be automatically populated with menu items for subclasses of 
+ * {@link LeftAndMain}. That is, for each class in the CMS that creates an 
+ * administration panel, a CMS menu item will be created. The default 
+ * configuration will also include a 'help' link to the SilverStripe user 
+ * documentation.
+ *
+ * Additional CMSMenu items can be added through {@link LeftAndMainExtension::init()}
+ * extensions added to {@link LeftAndMain}.
  * 
- * @package cms
- * @subpackage content
+ * @package framework
+ * @subpackage admin
  */
-class CMSMenu extends Object implements IteratorAggregate, i18nEntityProvider
-{
+class CMSMenu extends Object implements IteratorAggregate, i18nEntityProvider {
 	
 	/**
 	 * An array of changes to be made to the menu items, in the order that the changes should be
@@ -79,10 +84,12 @@ class CMSMenu extends Object implements IteratorAggregate, i18nEntityProvider
 	 * @param string $url The url of the link
 	 * @param integer $priority The menu priority (sorting order) of the menu item.  Higher priorities will be further
 	 *                          left.
+	 * @param array $attributes an array of attributes to include on the link.
+	 *
 	 * @return boolean The result of the operation.
 	 */
-	public static function add_link($code, $menuTitle, $url, $priority = -1) {
-		return self::add_menu_item($code, $menuTitle, $url, null, $priority);
+	public static function add_link($code, $menuTitle, $url, $priority = -1, $attributes = null) {
+		return self::add_menu_item($code, $menuTitle, $url, null, $priority, $attributes);
 	}
 	
 	/**
@@ -97,13 +104,17 @@ class CMSMenu extends Object implements IteratorAggregate, i18nEntityProvider
 	 * @param string $controllerClass The controller class for this menu, used to check permisssions.  
 	 * 					If blank, it's assumed that this is public, and always shown to users who 
 	 * 					have the rights to access some other part of the admin area.
+	 * @param array $attributes an array of attributes to include on the link.
+	 *
 	 * @return boolean Success
 	 */
-	public static function add_menu_item($code, $menuTitle, $url, $controllerClass = null, $priority = -1) {
+	public static function add_menu_item($code, $menuTitle, $url, $controllerClass = null, $priority = -1, $attributes = null) {
 		// If a class is defined, then force the use of that as a code.  This helps prevent menu item duplication
-		if($controllerClass) $code = $controllerClass;
+		if($controllerClass) {
+			$code = $controllerClass;
+		}
 		
-		return self::replace_menu_item($code, $menuTitle, $url, $controllerClass, $priority);
+		return self::replace_menu_item($code, $menuTitle, $url, $controllerClass, $priority, $attributes);
 	}
 	
 	/**
@@ -223,18 +234,26 @@ class CMSMenu extends Object implements IteratorAggregate, i18nEntityProvider
 	 * @param string $controllerClass The controller class for this menu, used to check permisssions.  
 	 * 					If blank, it's assumed that this is public, and always shown to users who 
 	 * 					have the rights to access some other part of the admin area.
+	 * @param array $attributes an array of attributes to include on the link.
+	 *
 	 * @return boolean Success
 	 */
-	public static function replace_menu_item($code, $menuTitle, $url, $controllerClass = null, $priority = -1) {
+	public static function replace_menu_item($code, $menuTitle, $url, $controllerClass = null, $priority = -1, $attributes = null) {
+		$item = new CMSMenuItem($menuTitle, $url, $controllerClass, $priority);
+
+		if($attributes) {
+			$item->setAttributes($attributes);
+		}
+
 		self::$menu_item_changes[] = array(
 			'type' => 'add',
 			'code' => $code,
-			'item' => new CMSMenuItem($menuTitle, $url, $controllerClass, $priority),
+			'item' => $item,
 		);
 	}
 	
 	/**
-	 * Add a previously built menuitem object to the menu
+	 * Add a previously built menu item object to the menu
 	 */
 	protected static function add_menu_item_obj($code, $cmsMenuItem) {
 		self::$menu_item_changes[] = array(
diff --git a/admin/code/CMSMenuItem.php b/admin/code/CMSMenuItem.php
index 97cd75778..5239df26c 100644
--- a/admin/code/CMSMenuItem.php
+++ b/admin/code/CMSMenuItem.php
@@ -1,12 +1,18 @@
 <?php
+
 /**
- * A simple CMS menu item
+ * A simple CMS menu item.
+ *
+ * Items can be added to the menu through custom {@link LeftAndMainExtension}
+ * classes and {@link CMSMenu}.
  * 
- * @package cms
- * @subpackage content
+ * @see CMSMenu
+ *
+ * @package framework
+ * @subpackage admin
  */
-class CMSMenuItem extends Object
-{
+class CMSMenuItem extends Object {
+
 	/**
 	 * The (translated) menu title
 	 * @var string $title
@@ -31,8 +37,17 @@ class CMSMenuItem extends Object
 	 */
 	public $priority;
 	
+	/**
+	 * Attributes for the link. For instance, custom data attributes or standard
+	 * HTML anchor properties.
+	 *
+	 * @var string
+	 */
+	protected $attributes = array();
+
 	/**
 	 * Create a new CMS Menu Item
+	 *
 	 * @param string $title
 	 * @param string $url
 	 * @param string $controller Controller class name
@@ -43,7 +58,41 @@ class CMSMenuItem extends Object
 		$this->url = $url;
 		$this->controller = $controller;
 		$this->priority = $priority;
+
 		parent::__construct();
 	}
-	
+
+	/**
+	 * @param array $attributes
+	 */
+	public function setAttributes($attributes) {
+		$this->attributes = $attributes;
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * @param array
+	 *
+	 * @return HTML
+	 */
+	public function getAttributesHTML($attrs = null) {
+		$exclude = (is_string($attrs)) ? func_get_args() : null;
+
+		if(!$attrs || is_string($attrs)) {
+			$attrs = $this->attributes;
+		}
+
+		// Remove empty
+		$attrs = array_filter((array)$attrs, function($v) {
+			return ($v || $v === 0 || $v === '0');
+		}); 
+
+		// Create markkup
+		$parts = array();
+
+		foreach($attrs as $name => $value) {
+			$parts[] = ($value === true) ? "{$name}=\"{$name}\"" : "{$name}=\"" . Convert::raw2att($value) . "\"";
+		}
+
+		return implode(' ', $parts);
+	}
 }
diff --git a/admin/code/LeftAndMain.php b/admin/code/LeftAndMain.php
index 04c62ae77..e795da913 100644
--- a/admin/code/LeftAndMain.php
+++ b/admin/code/LeftAndMain.php
@@ -219,7 +219,10 @@ class LeftAndMain extends Controller implements PermissionProvider {
 			'Help', 
 			_t('LeftAndMain.HELP', 'Help', 'Menu title'), 
 			$this->config()->help_link,
-			-2
+			-2,
+			array(
+				'target' => '_blank'
+			)
 		);
 
 		// Allow customisation of the access check by a extension
@@ -616,6 +619,7 @@ class LeftAndMain extends Controller implements PermissionProvider {
 			if($menuItems) {
 				foreach($menuItems as $code => $menuItem) {
 					// alternate permission checks (in addition to LeftAndMain->canView())
+
 					if(
 						isset($menuItem->controller) 
 						&& $this->hasMethod('alternateMenuDisplayCheck')
@@ -661,9 +665,10 @@ class LeftAndMain extends Controller implements PermissionProvider {
 						$menuIcon = LeftAndMain::menu_icon_for_class($menuItem->controller);
 						if (!empty($menuIcon)) $menuIconStyling .= $menuIcon;
 					}
-					
+
 					$menu->push(new ArrayData(array(
 						"MenuItem" => $menuItem,
+						"AttributesHTML" => $menuItem->getAttributesHTML(),
 						"Title" => Convert::raw2xml($title),
 						"Code" => DBField::create_field('Text', $code),
 						"Link" => $menuItem->url,
diff --git a/admin/javascript/LeftAndMain.Menu.js b/admin/javascript/LeftAndMain.Menu.js
index 549e53aa9..0f4c02e42 100644
--- a/admin/javascript/LeftAndMain.Menu.js
+++ b/admin/javascript/LeftAndMain.Menu.js
@@ -230,6 +230,13 @@
 				// Ignore external links, fallback to standard link behaviour
 				var isExternal = $.path.isExternal(this.attr('href'));
 				if(e.which > 1 || isExternal) return;
+
+				// if the developer has this to open in a new window, handle 
+				// that
+				if(this.attr('target') == "_blank") {
+					return;
+				}
+				
 				e.preventDefault();
 
 				var item = this.getMenuItem();
diff --git a/admin/templates/Includes/LeftAndMain_Menu.ss b/admin/templates/Includes/LeftAndMain_Menu.ss
index 1f1da0c03..76903219c 100644
--- a/admin/templates/Includes/LeftAndMain_Menu.ss
+++ b/admin/templates/Includes/LeftAndMain_Menu.ss
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@
 		<ul class="cms-menu-list">
 		<% loop $MainMenu %>
 			<li class="$LinkingMode $FirstLast <% if $LinkingMode == 'link' %><% else %>opened<% end_if %>" id="Menu-$Code" title="$Title.ATT">
-				<a href="$Link" <% if $Code == 'Help' %>target="_blank"<% end_if%>>
+				<a href="$Link" $AttributesHTML>
 					<span class="icon icon-16 icon-{$Code.LowerCase}">&nbsp;</span>
 					<span class="text">$Title</span>
 				</a>
diff --git a/admin/tests/CMSMenuTest.php b/admin/tests/CMSMenuTest.php
index 010b610f5..f256ffa86 100644
--- a/admin/tests/CMSMenuTest.php
+++ b/admin/tests/CMSMenuTest.php
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 <?php
 /**
- * @package cms
+ * @package framework
  * @subpackage tests
  */
 class CMSMenuTest extends SapphireTest implements TestOnly {
@@ -35,7 +35,21 @@ class CMSMenuTest extends SapphireTest implements TestOnly {
 		$this->assertNull($menuItem->controller, 'Link menu item has no controller class');
 		$this->assertEquals($menuItem->priority, -1, 'Link menu item has the correct priority');				
 		CMSMenu::clear_menu();
+	}
+
+	public function testLinkWithExternalAttributes() {
+		CMSMenu::clear_menu();
+
+		CMSMenu::add_link('LinkCode', 'link title', 'http://www.example.com', -2, array(
+			'target' => '_blank'
+		));
 		
+		$menuItems = CMSMenu::get_menu_items();
+		$menuItem = $menuItems['LinkCode'];
+
+		$this->assertEquals('target="_blank"', $menuItem->getAttributesHTML());
+
+		CMSMenu::clear_menu();
 	}
 
 	public function testCmsClassDetection() {
@@ -81,8 +95,15 @@ class CMSMenuTest extends SapphireTest implements TestOnly {
 
 }
 
+/**
+ * @package framework
+ * @subpackage tests
+ */
 class CMSMenuTest_LeftAndMainController extends LeftAndMain implements TestOnly {
+	
 	private static $url_segment = 'CMSMenuTest_LeftAndMainController';
+	
 	private static $menu_title = 'CMSMenuTest_LeftAndMainController';
+	
 	private static $menu_priority = 50;
 }
diff --git a/docs/en/howto/customize-cms-menu.md b/docs/en/howto/customize-cms-menu.md
index 814d1ca53..dc65384cd 100644
--- a/docs/en/howto/customize-cms-menu.md
+++ b/docs/en/howto/customize-cms-menu.md
@@ -1,16 +1,24 @@
-# How to customize the CMS Menu #
+# How to customize the CMS Menu
 
-## Defining a Custom Icon ##
+## Adding a administration panel
 
-Every time you add a new extension of the `api:LeftAndMain` class to the CMS, SilverStripe will automatically create a new menu-item for it, with a default title and icon.
-We can easily change that behaviour by using the static `$menu_title` and `$menu_icon` statics to
+Every time you add a new extension of the `[api:LeftAndMain]` class to the CMS, 
+SilverStripe will automatically create a new `[api:CMSMenuItem]` for it
+
+The most popular extension of LeftAndMain is a `[api:ModelAdmin]` class, so 
+for a more detailed introduction to creating new `ModelAdmin` interfaces, read
+the [ModelAdmin referencee](../reference/modeladmin).
+
+In this document we'll take the `ProductAdmin` class used in the 
+[ModelAdmin referencee](../reference/modeladmin#setup) and so how we can change 
+the menu behaviour by using the static `$menu_title` and `$menu_icon` statics to 
 provide a custom title and icon.
 
-The most popular extension of LeftAndMain is the `api:ModelAdmin` class, so we'll use that for an example. 
-We'll take the `ProductAdmin` class used in the [ModelAdmin reference](../reference/modeladmin#setup).
+### Defining a Custom Icon
 
-First we'll need a custom icon. For this purpose SilverStripe uses 16x16 black-and-transparent PNG graphics.
-In this case we'll place the icon in `mysite/images`, but you are free to use any location.
+First we'll need a custom icon. For this purpose SilverStripe uses 16x16 
+black-and-transparent PNG graphics. In this case we'll place the icon in 
+`mysite/images`, but you are free to use any location.
 
 	:::php
 	class ProductAdmin extends ModelAdmin {
@@ -18,11 +26,11 @@ In this case we'll place the icon in `mysite/images`, but you are free to use an
 		private static $menu_icon = 'mysite/images/product-icon.png'; 
 	}
 
-## Defining a Custom Title ##
+### Defining a Custom Title
 
 The title of menu entries is configured through the `$menu_title` static.
-If its not defined, the CMS falls back to using the class name of the controller,
-removing the "Admin" bit at the end.
+If its not defined, the CMS falls back to using the class name of the 
+controller, removing the "Admin" bit at the end.
 
 	:::php
 	class ProductAdmin extends ModelAdmin {
@@ -30,9 +38,58 @@ removing the "Admin" bit at the end.
 		private static $menu_title = 'My Custom Admin'; 
 	}
  
-In order to localize the menu title in different languages, use the `<classname>.MENUTITLE`
-entity name, which is automatically created when running the i18n text collection.
-For more information on language and translations, please refer to the [i18n](../reference/ii8n) docs.
+In order to localize the menu title in different languages, use the 
+`<classname>.MENUTITLE` entity name, which is automatically created when running 
+the i18n text collection.
+
+For more information on language and translations, please refer to the 
+[i18n](../reference/ii8n) docs.
+
+## Adding an external link to the menu
+
+On top of your administration windows, the menu can also have external links 
+(e.g to external reference). In this example, we're going to add a link to 
+Google to the menu.
+
+First, we need to define a `[api:LeftAndMainExtension]` which will contain our
+button configuration.
+
+	:::php
+	<?php
+
+	class CustomLeftAndMain extends LeftAndMainExtension {
+
+		public function init() {
+			// unique identifier for this item. Will have an ID of Menu-$ID
+			$id = 'LinkToGoogle';
+
+			// your 'nice' title
+			$title = 'Google';
+
+			// the link you want to item to go to
+			$link = 'http://google.com';
+
+			// priority controls the ordering of the link in the stack. The 
+			// lower the number, the lower in the list
+			$priority = -2;
+
+			// Add your own attributes onto the link. In our case, we want to
+			// open the link in a new window (not the original)
+			$attributes = array(
+				'target' => '_blank'
+			);
+
+			CMSMenu::add_link($id, $title, $link, $priority, $attributes);
+		}
+	}
+
+To have the link appear, make sure you add the extension to the `LeftAndMain` 
+class. For more information about configuring extensions see the 
+[DataExtension referencee](../reference/dataextension).
+
+	:::php
+	LeftAndMain::add_extension('CustomLeftAndMain')
+
 	
 ## Related