diff --git a/htmlproofer/plugin.py b/htmlproofer/plugin.py
index d1ea3f5..1c4a4fd 100644
--- a/htmlproofer/plugin.py
+++ b/htmlproofer/plugin.py
@@ -194,18 +194,20 @@ def is_url_target_valid(url: str, src_path: str, files: Dict[str, File]) -> bool
             return True
 
         url_target, _, optional_anchor = match.groups()
-        _, extension = os.path.splitext(url_target)
-        if extension == ".html":
-            # URL is a link to another local Markdown file that may include an anchor.
-            target_markdown = HtmlProoferPlugin.find_target_markdown(url_target, src_path, files)
-            if target_markdown is None:
-                # The corresponding Markdown page was not found.
-                return False
-            if optional_anchor and not HtmlProoferPlugin.contains_anchor(target_markdown, optional_anchor):
-                # The corresponding Markdown header for this anchor was not found.
-                return False
-        elif HtmlProoferPlugin.find_source_file(url_target, src_path, files) is None:
+        source_file = HtmlProoferPlugin.find_source_file(url_target, src_path, files)
+        if source_file is None:
             return False
+
+        # If there's an anchor (fragment) on the link, we try to find it in the source_file
+        if optional_anchor:
+            _, extension = os.path.splitext(source_file.src_uri)
+            # Currently only Markdown-based pages are supported, but conceptually others could be added below
+            if extension == ".md":
+                if source_file.page is None or source_file.page.markdown is None:
+                    return False
+                if not HtmlProoferPlugin.contains_anchor(source_file.page.markdown, optional_anchor):
+                    return False
+
         return True
 
     @staticmethod
diff --git a/tests/integration/docs/nested/page1.md b/tests/integration/docs/nested/page1.md
index b29e14e..6e772a0 100644
--- a/tests/integration/docs/nested/page1.md
+++ b/tests/integration/docs/nested/page1.md
@@ -19,11 +19,14 @@ This plugin can detect invalid anchor links to another page, such as
 [Acknowledgement](../index.md#BAD_ANCHOR)
 or to a nested page
 [Invalid Anchor](./page2.md#BAD_ANCHOR).
+It should also detect links to pages in the same directory without './'
+[Invalid Anchor](page2.md#BAD_ANCHOR).
 
 But allows valid anchors such as
 [Main Page](../index.md#mkdocs-htmlproofer-plugin),
-[Table of Contents](../index.md#table-of-contents), and
-[Emoji Anchor](./page2.md#title-with-emojis).
+[Table of Contents](../index.md#table-of-contents),
+[Emoji Anchor](./page2.md#title-with-emojis), and
+[Good Heading](page2.md#good-heading).
 
 ## Image Link absolute/relative
 
diff --git a/tests/integration/docs/nested/page2.md b/tests/integration/docs/nested/page2.md
index a6a4be1..1dc8f12 100644
--- a/tests/integration/docs/nested/page2.md
+++ b/tests/integration/docs/nested/page2.md
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
 # Second Nested Test Page
 
 ## :smile_cat: Title with Emojis :material-star: :octicons-apps-16:
+
+## Good Heading
diff --git a/tests/integration/mkdocs.yml b/tests/integration/mkdocs.yml
index abe26a5..9e9b12c 100644
--- a/tests/integration/mkdocs.yml
+++ b/tests/integration/mkdocs.yml
@@ -14,6 +14,8 @@ plugins:
             '#acknowledge',
             '../index.html#BAD_ANCHOR',
             'page2.html#BAD_ANCHOR',
+           '../../#BAD_ANCHOR',  # if use_directory_urls=True
+            '../page2/#BAD_ANCHOR',  # if use_directory_urls=True
             '../../../tests',
           ]
         skip_downloads: True
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_plugin.py b/tests/unit/test_plugin.py
index 8f0cd11..ccde578 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_plugin.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_plugin.py
@@ -284,6 +284,51 @@ def test_get_url_status__local_page(plugin):
         set(), files) == 0
 
 
+def test_get_url_status__local_page_with_directory_urls(plugin):
+    index_page = Mock(spec=Page, markdown='# Heading\nContent')
+    page1_page = Mock(spec=Page, markdown='# Page One\n## Sub Heading\nContent')
+    special_char_page = Mock(spec=Page, markdown='# Heading éèà\n## Sub Heading éèà\nContent')
+    mock_files = Files([
+        Mock(spec=File, src_path='index.md', dest_path='index/index.html',
+             dest_uri='index/index.html', url='index/', src_uri='index.md',
+             page=index_page),
+        Mock(spec=File, src_path='page1.md', dest_path='page1/index.html',
+             dest_uri='page1/index.html', url='page1/', src_uri='page1.md',
+             page=page1_page),
+        Mock(spec=File, src_path='Dir éèà/éèà.md', dest_path='Dir éèà/éèà/index.html',
+             dest_uri='Dir éèà/éèà/index.html',
+             url='Dir%20%C3%A9%C3%A8%C3%A0/%C3%A9%C3%A8%C3%A0/',
+             src_uri='Dir éèà/éèà.md', page=special_char_page),
+        Mock(spec=File, src_path='Dir éèà/page1.md', dest_path='Dir éèà/page1/index.html',
+             dest_uri='Dir éèà/page1/index.html',
+             url='Dir%20%C3%A9%C3%A8%C3%A0/page1/',
+             src_uri='Dir%20%C3%A9%C3%A8%C3%A0/page1.md',
+             page=special_char_page),
+    ])
+    files = {}
+    files.update({os.path.normpath(file.url): file for file in mock_files})
+    files.update({file.src_uri: file for file in mock_files})
+
+    assert plugin.get_url_status('../index/', 'page1.md', set(), files) == 0
+    assert plugin.get_url_status('../index/#heading', 'page1.md', set(), files) == 0
+    assert plugin.get_url_status('../index/#bad-heading', 'page1.md', set(), files) == 404
+
+    assert plugin.get_url_status('../page1/', 'page1.md', set(), files) == 0
+    assert plugin.get_url_status('../page1/#sub-heading', 'page1.md', set(), files) == 0
+    assert plugin.get_url_status('../page1/#heading', 'page1.md', set(), files) == 404
+
+    assert plugin.get_url_status('../page2/', 'page1.md', set(), files) == 404
+    assert plugin.get_url_status('../page2/#heading', 'page1.md', set(), files) == 404
+
+    assert plugin.get_url_status(
+        '../Dir%20%C3%A9%C3%A8%C3%A0/%C3%A9%C3%A8%C3%A0/#sub-heading-eea',
+        'page1.md', set(), files) == 0
+    assert plugin.get_url_status(
+        '../%C3%A9%C3%A8%C3%A0/#sub-heading-eea',
+        'Dir%20%C3%A9%C3%A8%C3%A0/page1.md',
+        set(), files) == 0
+
+
 def test_get_url_status__non_markdown_page(plugin):
     index_page = Mock(spec=Page, markdown='# Heading\nContent')
     mock_files = Files([
@@ -293,6 +338,9 @@ def test_get_url_status__non_markdown_page(plugin):
         Mock(spec=File, src_path='drawing.svg', dest_path='drawing.svg',
              dest_uri='index.html', url='drawing.svg', src_uri='drawing.svg',
              page=None),
+        Mock(spec=File, src_path='page.html', dest_path='page.html',
+             dest_uri='page.html', url='page.html', src_uri='page.html',
+             page=None),
     ])
     files = {}
     files.update({os.path.normpath(file.url): file for file in mock_files})
@@ -302,6 +350,9 @@ def test_get_url_status__non_markdown_page(plugin):
     assert plugin.get_url_status('/drawing.svg', 'index.md', set(), files) == 0
     assert plugin.get_url_status('not-existing.svg', 'index.md', set(), files) == 404
 
+    assert plugin.get_url_status('page.html', 'index.md', set(), files) == 0
+    assert plugin.get_url_status('page.html#heading', 'index.md', set(), files) == 0  # no validation for non-markdown pages
+
 
 def test_get_url_status__local_page_nested(plugin):
     index_page = Mock(spec=Page, markdown='# Heading\nContent')