diff --git a/rhodecode/lib/helpers.py b/rhodecode/lib/helpers.py
--- a/rhodecode/lib/helpers.py
+++ b/rhodecode/lib/helpers.py
@@ -1069,7 +1069,8 @@ tags_patterns = OrderedDict(
                 re.compile(
                     r"\[license\ \=\>\ *([a-zA-Z0-9\/\=\?\&\ \:\/\.\-]*)\]"
                 ),
-                r'<div class="metatag" tag="license"><a href="http:\/\/www.opensource.org/licenses/\\1">\\1</a></div>',
+                # don't make it a raw string here...
+                '<div class="metatag" tag="license"><a href="http:\/\/www.opensource.org/licenses/\\1">\\1</a></div>',
             ),
         ),
         (
diff --git a/rhodecode/tests/lib/test_helpers.py b/rhodecode/tests/lib/test_helpers.py
--- a/rhodecode/tests/lib/test_helpers.py
+++ b/rhodecode/tests/lib/test_helpers.py
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ from rhodecode.tests import no_newline_i
 
 
 @pytest.mark.parametrize('url, expected_url', [
-    (r'https://rc.com', '<a href="https://rc.com">http://rc.com</a>'),
+    (r'https://rc.com', '<a href="https://rc.com">https://rc.com</a>'),
     (r'https://rc.com/test', '<a href="https://rc.com/test">https://rc.com/test</a>'),
     (r'https://rc.com/!foo', '<a href="https://rc.com/!foo">https://rc.com/!foo</a>'),
     (r'https://rc.com/&foo', '<a href="https://rc.com/&amp;foo">https://rc.com/&amp;foo</a>'),
@@ -131,13 +131,13 @@ def test_extract_issues(backend, text_st
 
 @pytest.mark.parametrize('text_string, pattern, link_format, expected_text', [
     ('Fix #42', '(?:#)(?P<issue_id>\d+)', 'html',
-     'Fix <a class="tooltip issue-tracker-link" href="http://r.io/{repo}/i/42" title="Test Pattern">#42</a>'),
+     'Fix <a class="tooltip issue-tracker-link" href="https://r.io/{repo}/i/42" title="Test Pattern">#42</a>'),
 
     ('Fix #42', '(?:#)(?P<issue_id>\d+)', 'markdown',
-     'Fix [#42](http://r.io/{repo}/i/42)'),
+     'Fix [#42](https://r.io/{repo}/i/42)'),
 
     ('Fix #42', '(?:#)(?P<issue_id>\d+)', 'rst',
-     'Fix `#42 <http://r.io/{repo}/i/42>`_'),
+     'Fix `#42 <https://r.io/{repo}/i/42>`_'),
 
     ('Fix #42', '(?:#)?<issue_id>\d+)', 'html',
      'Fix #42'),  # Broken regex
@@ -150,7 +150,7 @@ def test_process_patterns_repo(backend, 
             '123': {
                 'uid': '123',
                 'pat': pattern,
-                'url': 'http://r.io/${repo}/i/${issue_id}',
+                'url': 'https://r.io/${repo}/i/${issue_id}',
                 'pref': '#',
                 'desc': 'Test Pattern'
             }
@@ -166,7 +166,7 @@ def test_process_patterns_repo(backend, 
 
 @pytest.mark.parametrize('text_string, pattern, expected_text', [
     ('Fix #42', '(?:#)(?P<issue_id>\d+)',
-     'Fix <a class="tooltip issue-tracker-link" href="http://r.io/i/42" title="Test Pattern">#42</a>'),
+     'Fix <a class="tooltip issue-tracker-link" href="https://r.io/i/42" title="Test Pattern">#42</a>'),
     ('Fix #42', '(?:#)?<issue_id>\d+)',
      'Fix #42'),  # Broken regex
 ])
@@ -177,7 +177,7 @@ def test_process_patterns_no_repo(text_s
             '123': {
                 'uid': '123',
                 'pat': pattern,
-                'url': 'http://r.io/i/${issue_id}',
+                'url': 'https://r.io/i/${issue_id}',
                 'pref': '#',
                 'desc': 'Test Pattern'
             }
@@ -193,16 +193,16 @@ def test_process_patterns_no_repo(text_s
 
 def test_process_patterns_non_existent_repo_name(backend):
     text_string = 'Fix #42'
-    pattern = '(?:#)(?P<issue_id>\d+)'
+    pattern = r'(?:#)(?P<issue_id>\d+)'
     expected_text = ('Fix <a class="tooltip issue-tracker-link" '
-                     'href="http://r.io/do-not-exist/i/42" title="Test Pattern">#42</a>')
+                     'href="https://r.io/do-not-exist/i/42" title="Test Pattern">#42</a>')
 
     def get_settings_mock(self, cache=True):
         return {
             '123': {
                 'uid': '123',
                 'pat': pattern,
-                'url': 'http://r.io/${repo}/i/${issue_id}',
+                'url': 'https://r.io/${repo}/i/${issue_id}',
                 'pref': '#',
                 'desc': 'Test Pattern'
             }