diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 7901626..aec6c0b 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -48,7 +48,6 @@
   "dependencies": {
     "flattie": "~1.1.0",
     "got": "~11.8.6",
-    "url-http": "~1.2.0",
     "whoops": "~4.1.7"
   },
   "devDependencies": {
diff --git a/src/factory.js b/src/factory.js
index 52fe43a..5fe64a3 100644
--- a/src/factory.js
+++ b/src/factory.js
@@ -28,15 +28,22 @@ const parseBody = (input, error, url) => {
   }
 }
 
+const isURL = url => {
+  try {
+    return /^https?:\/\//i.test(new URL(url).href)
+  } catch (_) {
+    return false
+  }
+}
+
 const factory = streamResponseType => ({
   VERSION,
   MicrolinkError,
-  urlHttp,
   got,
   flatten
 }) => {
   const assertUrl = (url = '') => {
-    if (!urlHttp(url)) {
+    if (!isURL(url)) {
       const message = `The \`url\` as \`${url}\` is not valid. Ensure it has protocol (http or https) and hostname.`
       throw new MicrolinkError({
         status: 'fail',
diff --git a/src/lightweight.js b/src/lightweight.js
index ed352ae..e1db0a7 100644
--- a/src/lightweight.js
+++ b/src/lightweight.js
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 'use strict'
 
-const urlHttp = require('url-http/lightweight')
 const { flattie: flatten } = require('flattie')
 const { default: ky } = require('ky')
 
@@ -49,7 +48,6 @@ got.stream = (...args) => ky(...args).then(res => res.body)
 
 const mql = factory({
   MicrolinkError,
-  urlHttp,
   got,
   flatten,
   VERSION: '__MQL_VERSION__'
diff --git a/src/node.js b/src/node.js
index 0d83208..611d626 100644
--- a/src/node.js
+++ b/src/node.js
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 const mql = require('./factory')('buffer')({
   MicrolinkError: require('whoops')('MicrolinkError'),
-  urlHttp: require('url-http/lightweight'),
   got: require('got').extend({ headers: { 'user-agent': undefined } }),
   flatten: require('flattie').flattie,
   VERSION: require('../package.json').version