diff --git a/frappe/desk/page/activity/activity.js b/frappe/desk/page/activity/activity.js
index 790aae5f90..7e4d03e460 100644
--- a/frappe/desk/page/activity/activity.js
+++ b/frappe/desk/page/activity/activity.js
@@ -29,6 +29,12 @@ frappe.pages['activity'].on_page_load = function(wrapper) {
 			doctype = $(this).attr("data-doctype"),
 			docname = $(this).attr("data-docname");
 
+		var [link_doctype, link_name, doctype, docname] =
+			[link_doctype, link_name, doctype, docname].map(decodeURIComponent);
+
+		link_doctype = link_doctype && link_doctype !== 'null' ? link_doctype : null;
+		link_name = link_name && link_name !== 'null' ? link_name : null;
+
 		if (doctype && docname) {
 			if (link_doctype && link_name) {
 				frappe.route_options = {
diff --git a/frappe/desk/page/activity/activity_row.html b/frappe/desk/page/activity/activity_row.html
index 2eb1a91a91..4a15d3d9cd 100644
--- a/frappe/desk/page/activity/activity_row.html
+++ b/frappe/desk/page/activity/activity_row.html
@@ -2,10 +2,10 @@
 	<div class="col-xs-3 text-right activity-date"><span class="{%= date_class %}">
 		{%= date_sep || "" %}</span></div>
 	<div class="col-xs-9 activity-message"
-		data-doctype="{%= reference_doctype %}"
-		data-docname="{%= reference_name %}"
-		data-link-doctype="{{ link_doctype }}"
-		data-link-name="{{ link_name }}"
+		data-doctype="{%= encodeURIComponent(reference_doctype) %}"
+		data-docname="{%= encodeURIComponent(reference_name) %}"
+		data-link-doctype="{{ encodeURIComponent(link_doctype) }}"
+		data-link-name="{{ encodeURIComponent(link_name) }}"
 		title="{%= by %} / {%= frappe.datetime.str_to_user(creation) %}">
 		{{ avatar }}
 		<span class="small">