diff --git a/code/map_data_render.js b/code/map_data_render.js
index 6f7a4bdc..ed63f1d5 100644
--- a/code/map_data_render.js
+++ b/code/map_data_render.js
@@ -241,15 +241,32 @@ window.Render.prototype.createPortalEntity = function(ent) {
 
   window.portals[ent[0]] = marker;
 
-  // re-select the portal, to refresh the sidebar on any changes
-  if (ent[0] === selectedPortal) {
-    selectPortal (ent[0]);
+  // check for URL links to portal, and select it if this is the one
+  if (urlPortalLL && urlPortalLL[0] == marker.getLatLng().lat && urlPortalLL[1] == marker.getLatLng().lng) {
+    // URL-passed portal found via pll parameter - set the guid-based parameter
+    console.log('urlPortalLL '+urlPortalLL[0]+','+urlPortalLL[1]+' matches portal GUID '+ent[0]);
+
+    urlPortal = ent[0];
+    urlPortalLL = undefined;  // clear the URL parameter so it's not matched again
+  }
+  if (urlPortal == ent[0]) {
+    // URL-passed portal found via guid parameter - set it as the selected portal
+    console.log('urlPortal GUID '+urlPortal+' found - selecting...');
+    selectedPortal = ent[0];
+    urlPortal = undefined;  // clear the URL parameter so it's not matched again
   }
 
+  // (re-)select the portal, to refresh the sidebar on any changes
+  if (ent[0] == selectedPortal) {
+    console.log('portal guid '+ent[0]+' is the selected portal - re-rendering portal details');
+    renderPortalDetails (selectedPortal);
+  }
 
   //TODO? postpone adding to the map layer
   portalsLayers[parseInt(portalLevel)].addLayer(marker);
 
+
+
 }