1 files changed, 12 insertions, 3 deletions

diff --git a/lisp/browse-url.el b/lisp/browse-url.el
index 445918632a6..6d7ef6fe6a0 100644
--- a/lisp/browse-url.el
+++ b/lisp/browse-url.el
@@ -261,10 +261,11 @@
   "A regular expression probably matching a URL.")
 
 (defvar browse-url-browser-function
-  'browse-url-netscape
+  'browse-url-choose-browser
   "*Function to display the current buffer in a WWW browser.
-Used by the `browse-url-at-point', `browse-url-at-mouse', and
-`browse-url-of-file' commands.")
+This is used by the `browse-url-at-point', `browse-url-at-mouse', and
+`browse-url-of-file' commands.
+The function should take one argument, an URL.")
 
 (defvar browse-url-netscape-program "netscape"
   "*The name for invoking Netscape.")
@@ -591,6 +592,14 @@ Default to the URL around or before point."
   (interactive (browse-url-interactive-arg "W3 URL: "))
   (w3-fetch url))
 
+(defun browse-url-choose-browser (argument)
+  "Decide which browser to use, then invoke it.
+This is the default value of `browse-url-browser-function'."
+  (if (fboundp 'w3-fetch)
+      (setq browse-url-browser-function 'browse-url-w3)
+    (setq browse-url-browser-function 'browse-url-netscape))
+  (funcall browse-url-browser-function argument))
+
 (provide 'browse-url)
 
 ;;; browse-url.el ends here