diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index a56b3c9..6fdf288 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ They are listed in the hi01379.js library name:
 - `i` (information message), as well as `I` (generic image file)
 - `h` (external URL)
 
-Outside this list, unknown binary types (`5`, `s`, `;`, `d`) are just treated as type `9` internally, and every other type is assumed to be plain text on access.
+Outside this list, unknown binary types (`5`, `s`, `;`, `d`) are just treated as type `9` internally, and every other type is assumed to be plain text on access. The 8-type entries are just converted to `telnet://` URIs with no logic attached.
 
 In the Gophermap, any line that doesn't contain tabulation characters is automatically considered an information line by Kopher client and hi01379.js library. This allows to display messages from Gopher servers that don't strictly adhere to the format, such as Gophernicus or PyGopherd.
 
diff --git a/js/hi01379.js b/js/hi01379.js
index 72f2e63..86d21ec 100644
--- a/js/hi01379.js
+++ b/js/hi01379.js
@@ -65,6 +65,10 @@ Hi01379 = (function(psGopherRequest) {
         if(desc = desc.trim()) { // ignore empty descriptions
           if(type == '3') // error message
             output += '<span class=error>' + desc + '</span>' + lbr
+          else if(type == '8') { // output the telnet:// link as is
+            var tlink = 'telnet://' + (sel ? (sel+'@') : '') + host + (port ? (':'+port) : '') 
+            output += desc + ': ' + esc(tlink) + lbr
+          }
           else { // shape the link (internal hi:type|sel|host|port format unless it's an external URL)
             var deflink = 'hi:'+[type,sel,host,port].join('|'), link = deflink
             if(type == 'h' && sel.startsWith('URL:')) {