diff --git a/lib/jekyll/url.rb b/lib/jekyll/url.rb
index aefbebc9..8f3047d3 100644
--- a/lib/jekyll/url.rb
+++ b/lib/jekyll/url.rb
@@ -35,15 +35,8 @@ module Jekyll
     # The generated relative URL of the resource
     #
     # Returns the String URL
-    # Raises a Jekyll::Errors::InvalidURLError if the relative URL contains a colon
     def to_s
-      sanitized_url = sanitize_url(generated_permalink || generated_url)
-      if sanitized_url.include?(":")
-        raise Jekyll::Errors::InvalidURLError,
-          "The URL #{sanitized_url} is invalid because it contains a colon."
-      else
-        sanitized_url
-      end
+      sanitize_url(generated_permalink || generated_url)
     end
 
     # Generates a URL from the permalink
diff --git a/test/test_url.rb b/test/test_url.rb
index fc3678d7..23ab9735 100644
--- a/test/test_url.rb
+++ b/test/test_url.rb
@@ -61,16 +61,6 @@ class TestURL < JekyllUnitTest
       ).to_s
     end
 
-    should "throw an exception if the URL contains a colon" do
-      url = URL.new(
-        :template     => "/:x/:y/:z",
-        :placeholders => { :x => "foo", :z => "bar" }
-      )
-      assert_raises Jekyll::Errors::InvalidURLError do
-        url.to_s
-      end
-    end
-
     should "check for key without trailing underscore" do
       _, matching_doc = fixture_document("_methods/configuration.md")
       assert_equal "/methods/configuration-configuration_methods_configuration", URL.new(