diff --git a/lib/gitlab/markdown/commit_range_reference_filter.rb b/lib/gitlab/markdown/commit_range_reference_filter.rb
index 61591a9914b..a9f1ee9c161 100644
--- a/lib/gitlab/markdown/commit_range_reference_filter.rb
+++ b/lib/gitlab/markdown/commit_range_reference_filter.rb
@@ -57,10 +57,11 @@ module Gitlab
 
             title = range.reference_title
             klass = reference_class(:commit_range)
+            data  = data_attribute(project.id)
 
             project_ref += '@' if project_ref
 
-            %(<a href="#{url}"
+            %(<a href="#{url}" #{data}
                  title="#{title}"
                  class="#{klass}">#{project_ref}#{range}</a>)
           else
diff --git a/lib/gitlab/markdown/commit_reference_filter.rb b/lib/gitlab/markdown/commit_reference_filter.rb
index f6932e76e70..eacdf8a6d37 100644
--- a/lib/gitlab/markdown/commit_reference_filter.rb
+++ b/lib/gitlab/markdown/commit_reference_filter.rb
@@ -47,10 +47,11 @@ module Gitlab
 
             title = escape_once(commit.link_title)
             klass = reference_class(:commit)
+            data  = data_attribute(project.id)
 
             project_ref += '@' if project_ref
 
-            %(<a href="#{url}"
+            %(<a href="#{url}" #{data}
                  title="#{title}"
                  class="#{klass}">#{project_ref}#{commit.short_id}</a>)
           else
diff --git a/lib/gitlab/markdown/issue_reference_filter.rb b/lib/gitlab/markdown/issue_reference_filter.rb
index dea04761ead..ab6f6bc1cf7 100644
--- a/lib/gitlab/markdown/issue_reference_filter.rb
+++ b/lib/gitlab/markdown/issue_reference_filter.rb
@@ -49,8 +49,9 @@ module Gitlab
 
             title = escape_once("Issue: #{issue.title}")
             klass = reference_class(:issue)
+            data  = data_attribute(project.id)
 
-            %(<a href="#{url}"
+            %(<a href="#{url}" #{data}
                  title="#{title}"
                  class="#{klass}">#{match}</a>)
           else
diff --git a/lib/gitlab/markdown/label_reference_filter.rb b/lib/gitlab/markdown/label_reference_filter.rb
index e022ca69c91..2186f36f854 100644
--- a/lib/gitlab/markdown/label_reference_filter.rb
+++ b/lib/gitlab/markdown/label_reference_filter.rb
@@ -43,8 +43,9 @@ module Gitlab
 
             url = url_for_label(project, label)
             klass = reference_class(:label)
+            data = data_attribute(project.id)
 
-            %(<a href="#{url}"
+            %(<a href="#{url}" #{data}
                  class="#{klass}">#{render_colored_label(label)}</a>)
           else
             match
diff --git a/lib/gitlab/markdown/merge_request_reference_filter.rb b/lib/gitlab/markdown/merge_request_reference_filter.rb
index 80779819485..884f60f9d53 100644
--- a/lib/gitlab/markdown/merge_request_reference_filter.rb
+++ b/lib/gitlab/markdown/merge_request_reference_filter.rb
@@ -47,10 +47,11 @@ module Gitlab
 
             title = escape_once("Merge Request: #{merge_request.title}")
             klass = reference_class(:merge_request)
+            data  = data_attribute(project.id)
 
             url = url_for_merge_request(merge_request, project)
 
-            %(<a href="#{url}"
+            %(<a href="#{url}" #{data}
                  title="#{title}"
                  class="#{klass}">#{match}</a>)
           else
diff --git a/lib/gitlab/markdown/reference_filter.rb b/lib/gitlab/markdown/reference_filter.rb
index a84bacd3d4f..47ee1d99da3 100644
--- a/lib/gitlab/markdown/reference_filter.rb
+++ b/lib/gitlab/markdown/reference_filter.rb
@@ -21,6 +21,22 @@ module Gitlab
         result[:references] = Hash.new { |hash, type| hash[type] = [] }
       end
 
+      # Returns a data attribute String to attach to a reference link
+      #
+      # id   - Object ID
+      # type - Object type (default: :project)
+      #
+      # Examples:
+      #
+      #   data_attribute(1)         # => "data-project-id=\"1\""
+      #   data_attribute(2, :user)  # => "data-user-id=\"2\""
+      #   data_attribute(3, :group) # => "data-group-id=\"3\""
+      #
+      # Returns a String
+      def data_attribute(id, type = :project)
+        %Q(data-#{type}-id="#{id}")
+      end
+
       def escape_once(html)
         ERB::Util.html_escape_once(html)
       end
diff --git a/lib/gitlab/markdown/snippet_reference_filter.rb b/lib/gitlab/markdown/snippet_reference_filter.rb
index 174ba58af6c..92979a356dc 100644
--- a/lib/gitlab/markdown/snippet_reference_filter.rb
+++ b/lib/gitlab/markdown/snippet_reference_filter.rb
@@ -47,10 +47,11 @@ module Gitlab
 
             title = escape_once("Snippet: #{snippet.title}")
             klass = reference_class(:snippet)
+            data  = data_attribute(project.id)
 
             url = url_for_snippet(snippet, project)
 
-            %(<a href="#{url}"
+            %(<a href="#{url}" #{data}
                  title="#{title}"
                  class="#{klass}">#{match}</a>)
           else
diff --git a/lib/gitlab/markdown/user_reference_filter.rb b/lib/gitlab/markdown/user_reference_filter.rb
index c9972957182..a4aec7a05d1 100644
--- a/lib/gitlab/markdown/user_reference_filter.rb
+++ b/lib/gitlab/markdown/user_reference_filter.rb
@@ -83,18 +83,20 @@ module Gitlab
         push_result(:user, *namespace.users)
 
         url = urls.group_url(group, only_path: context[:only_path])
+        data = data_attribute(namespace.id, :group)
 
         text = Group.reference_prefix + group
-        %(<a href="#{url}" class="#{link_class}">#{text}</a>)
+        %(<a href="#{url}" #{data} class="#{link_class}">#{text}</a>)
       end
 
       def link_to_user(user, namespace)
         push_result(:user, namespace.owner)
 
         url = urls.user_url(user, only_path: context[:only_path])
+        data = data_attribute(namespace.owner_id, :user)
 
         text = User.reference_prefix + user
-        %(<a href="#{url}" class="#{link_class}">#{text}</a>)
+        %(<a href="#{url}" #{data} class="#{link_class}">#{text}</a>)
       end
 
       def user_can_reference_group?(group)
diff --git a/spec/lib/gitlab/markdown/commit_range_reference_filter_spec.rb b/spec/lib/gitlab/markdown/commit_range_reference_filter_spec.rb
index e8391cc7aca..58155284486 100644
--- a/spec/lib/gitlab/markdown/commit_range_reference_filter_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/lib/gitlab/markdown/commit_range_reference_filter_spec.rb
@@ -80,6 +80,14 @@ module Gitlab::Markdown
         expect(doc.css('a').first.attr('class')).to include 'custom'
       end
 
+      it 'includes a data-project-id attribute' do
+        doc = filter("See #{reference}")
+        link = doc.css('a').first
+
+        expect(link).to have_attribute('data-project-id')
+        expect(link.attr('data-project-id')).to eq project.id.to_s
+      end
+
       it 'supports an :only_path option' do
         doc = filter("See #{reference}", only_path: true)
         link = doc.css('a').first.attr('href')
diff --git a/spec/lib/gitlab/markdown/commit_reference_filter_spec.rb b/spec/lib/gitlab/markdown/commit_reference_filter_spec.rb
index a10d43c9a02..05a02de4669 100644
--- a/spec/lib/gitlab/markdown/commit_reference_filter_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/lib/gitlab/markdown/commit_reference_filter_spec.rb
@@ -76,6 +76,14 @@ module Gitlab::Markdown
         expect(doc.css('a').first.attr('class')).to include 'custom'
       end
 
+      it 'includes a data-project-id attribute' do
+        doc = filter("See #{reference}")
+        link = doc.css('a').first
+
+        expect(link).to have_attribute('data-project-id')
+        expect(link.attr('data-project-id')).to eq project.id.to_s
+      end
+
       it 'supports an :only_path context' do
         doc = filter("See #{reference}", only_path: true)
         link = doc.css('a').first.attr('href')
diff --git a/spec/lib/gitlab/markdown/issue_reference_filter_spec.rb b/spec/lib/gitlab/markdown/issue_reference_filter_spec.rb
index fa43d33794d..35b1ba5f132 100644
--- a/spec/lib/gitlab/markdown/issue_reference_filter_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/lib/gitlab/markdown/issue_reference_filter_spec.rb
@@ -73,6 +73,14 @@ module Gitlab::Markdown
         expect(doc.css('a').first.attr('class')).to include 'custom'
       end
 
+      it 'includes a data-project-id attribute' do
+        doc = filter("Issue #{reference}")
+        link = doc.css('a').first
+
+        expect(link).to have_attribute('data-project-id')
+        expect(link.attr('data-project-id')).to eq project.id.to_s
+      end
+
       it 'supports an :only_path context' do
         doc = filter("Issue #{reference}", only_path: true)
         link = doc.css('a').first.attr('href')
diff --git a/spec/lib/gitlab/markdown/label_reference_filter_spec.rb b/spec/lib/gitlab/markdown/label_reference_filter_spec.rb
index e9f8ed277a5..fabe0411e46 100644
--- a/spec/lib/gitlab/markdown/label_reference_filter_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/lib/gitlab/markdown/label_reference_filter_spec.rb
@@ -30,6 +30,14 @@ module Gitlab::Markdown
       expect(doc.css('a').first.attr('class')).to include 'custom'
     end
 
+    it 'includes a data-project-id attribute' do
+      doc = filter("Label #{reference}")
+      link = doc.css('a').first
+
+      expect(link).to have_attribute('data-project-id')
+      expect(link.attr('data-project-id')).to eq project.id.to_s
+    end
+
     it 'supports an :only_path context' do
       doc = filter("Label #{reference}", only_path: true)
       link = doc.css('a').first.attr('href')
diff --git a/spec/lib/gitlab/markdown/merge_request_reference_filter_spec.rb b/spec/lib/gitlab/markdown/merge_request_reference_filter_spec.rb
index 5945302a2da..5cef52b1916 100644
--- a/spec/lib/gitlab/markdown/merge_request_reference_filter_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/lib/gitlab/markdown/merge_request_reference_filter_spec.rb
@@ -61,6 +61,14 @@ module Gitlab::Markdown
         expect(doc.css('a').first.attr('class')).to include 'custom'
       end
 
+      it 'includes a data-project-id attribute' do
+        doc = filter("Merge #{reference}")
+        link = doc.css('a').first
+
+        expect(link).to have_attribute('data-project-id')
+        expect(link.attr('data-project-id')).to eq project.id.to_s
+      end
+
       it 'supports an :only_path context' do
         doc = filter("Merge #{reference}", only_path: true)
         link = doc.css('a').first.attr('href')
diff --git a/spec/lib/gitlab/markdown/snippet_reference_filter_spec.rb b/spec/lib/gitlab/markdown/snippet_reference_filter_spec.rb
index 38619a3c07f..678b171e99e 100644
--- a/spec/lib/gitlab/markdown/snippet_reference_filter_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/lib/gitlab/markdown/snippet_reference_filter_spec.rb
@@ -60,6 +60,14 @@ module Gitlab::Markdown
         expect(doc.css('a').first.attr('class')).to include 'custom'
       end
 
+      it 'includes a data-project-id attribute' do
+        doc = filter("Snippet #{reference}")
+        link = doc.css('a').first
+
+        expect(link).to have_attribute('data-project-id')
+        expect(link.attr('data-project-id')).to eq project.id.to_s
+      end
+
       it 'supports an :only_path context' do
         doc = filter("Snippet #{reference}", only_path: true)
         link = doc.css('a').first.attr('href')
diff --git a/spec/lib/gitlab/markdown/user_reference_filter_spec.rb b/spec/lib/gitlab/markdown/user_reference_filter_spec.rb
index 08e6941028f..27fe09f4434 100644
--- a/spec/lib/gitlab/markdown/user_reference_filter_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/lib/gitlab/markdown/user_reference_filter_spec.rb
@@ -64,6 +64,14 @@ module Gitlab::Markdown
         expect(doc.css('a').length).to eq 1
       end
 
+      it 'includes a data-user-id attribute' do
+        doc = filter("Hey #{reference}")
+        link = doc.css('a').first
+
+        expect(link).to have_attribute('data-user-id')
+        expect(link.attr('data-user-id')).to eq user.namespace.owner_id.to_s
+      end
+
       it 'adds to the results hash' do
         result = pipeline_result("Hey #{reference}")
         expect(result[:references][:user]).to eq [user]
@@ -85,6 +93,14 @@ module Gitlab::Markdown
           expect(doc.css('a').first.attr('href')).to eq urls.group_url(group)
         end
 
+        it 'includes a data-group-id attribute' do
+          doc = filter("Hey #{reference}", current_user: user)
+          link = doc.css('a').first
+
+          expect(link).to have_attribute('data-group-id')
+          expect(link.attr('data-group-id')).to eq group.id.to_s
+        end
+
         it 'adds to the results hash' do
           result = pipeline_result("Hey #{reference}", current_user: user)
           expect(result[:references][:user]).to eq group.users