diff --git a/Gemfile.lock b/Gemfile.lock
index 506ce4f0..78bdb8e0 100644
--- a/Gemfile.lock
+++ b/Gemfile.lock
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 PATH
   remote: .
   specs:
-    jekyll-theme-conference (3.0.4)
+    jekyll-theme-conference (3.1.0)
       jekyll (~> 4.0)
 
 GEM
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 6096ac88..c0a38f41 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -319,15 +319,16 @@ conference:
 
 In order to help users navigating the program during the congress, a _Live_ indication can be shown next to talks which are currently taking place. A small JavaScript functions keeps the site automatically up-to-date (without the need to refresh) showing the indication as soon as the talk has started and hiding it once it is over (according to the timetable indicated in the `_data/program.yml` file).
 
-This can be further extended if some of the talks have an associated live stream: Upon clicking one of the live indications a modal will open containing the corresponding live stream embedded. The URL to the live stream has to be set via `live` property in each room (see the _Content_ > _Room_ section below).
+This can be further extended if some of the talks have an associated live stream: Upon clicking one of the live indications a modal will open containing the corresponding live stream embedded. The URL to the live stream has to be set via `live` property in each room (see the _Content_ > _Room_ section below). Instead of opening the modal an external link can also be used.
 
 In order to activate the functionality, each day in the `program.yml` file must contain a `date` property (see section _Content_ > _Schedule / Program_ below) and the `live` property has to be set in the configuration file containing
 
 - how long a pause between two consecutive talks has to be for the live indication to pause (`time_stop`),
 - optionally if streaming is enabled (`streaming`) with indications
   + how many minutes the stream goes active before a talk (`time_prepend`),
-  + how many minutes the stream stays active after a talk (`time_extend`), and
-  + how long a pause between two consecutive talks has to be for the stream to pause (`time_pause`),
+  + how many minutes the stream stays active after a talk (`time_extend`),
+  + how long a pause between two consecutive talks has to be for the stream to pause (`time_pause`), and
+  + optionally an external (absolute) link to which the user will be redirected instead of opening the modal (`external`),
 - optionally a demo mode setting, whereby the JavaScript function cycles through the entire program in five minutes for demonstration purposes (`demo: true`, default: `false`).
 
 ```yaml
diff --git a/_includes/partials/navbar.html b/_includes/partials/navbar.html
index f2a74b1b..4f9fe7d7 100644
--- a/_includes/partials/navbar.html
+++ b/_includes/partials/navbar.html
@@ -41,7 +41,18 @@
 
             <li class="nav-item live-show d-none" data-start="{{ live_starts }}" data-end="{{ live_ends }}">
               {%- if site.conference.live.streaming %}
-                <a class="nav-link" title="{% if link.name %}{{ link.name }}{% else %}{{ site.data.lang[site.conference.lang].live.stream | default: "Live Stream" }}{% endif %}" data-toggle="modal" data-target="#stream-modal" data-room="" href="#">
+                <a class="nav-link" title="
+                  {%- if link.name -%}
+                    {{- link.name -}}
+                  {%- else -%}
+                    {{- site.data.lang[site.conference.lang].live.stream | default: "Live Stream" -}}
+                  {%- endif -%}
+                  " {% if site.conference.live.streaming.external -%}
+                    href="{{ site.conference.live.streaming.external }}"
+                  {%- else -%}
+                    data-toggle="modal" data-target="#stream-modal" data-room="{{ r.name }}" href="#"
+                  {%- endif -%}
+                  >
               {%- else %}
                 {%- assign link_styleclass = "nav-link" -%}
                 {%- include partials/get_link.html %}
diff --git a/_includes/partials/show_live_button.html b/_includes/partials/show_live_button.html
index 1469d686..c5000bb2 100644
--- a/_includes/partials/show_live_button.html
+++ b/_includes/partials/show_live_button.html
@@ -2,7 +2,11 @@
   {%- include partials/get_talk_timestamp.html -%}
 
   {%- if site.conference.live.streaming -%}
-    <a title="{{ link.name }}" data-toggle="modal" data-target="#stream-modal" data-room="{{ r.name }}" href="#"
+    <a title="{{ link.name }}" {% if site.conference.live.streaming.external -%}
+      href="{{ site.conference.live.streaming.external }}"
+    {%- else -%}
+      data-toggle="modal" data-target="#stream-modal" data-room="{{ r.name }}" href="#"
+    {%- endif -%}
   {%- else -%}
     <span
   {%- endif %} class="live-show live-button badge badge-dark font-weight-normal text-center d-none {{ live_button_styleclass }}" data-start="{{ timestamp_start }}" data-end="{{ timestamp_end }}">
diff --git a/jekyll-theme-conference.gemspec b/jekyll-theme-conference.gemspec
index 2b81d73b..aa612413 100644
--- a/jekyll-theme-conference.gemspec
+++ b/jekyll-theme-conference.gemspec
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 Gem::Specification.new do |spec|
   spec.name          = "jekyll-theme-conference"
-  spec.version       = "3.0.4"
+  spec.version       = "3.1.0"
   spec.authors       = ["Lorenz Schmid"]
   spec.email         = ["lorenzschmid@users.noreply.github.com"]