diff --git a/CHANGELOG.txt b/CHANGELOG.txt
index 5d074d38e6..95b7dcb06c 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.txt
+++ b/CHANGELOG.txt
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ Changelog
  * Fix: Disabled autocomplete dropdowns on date/time chooser fields (Janneke Janssen)
  * Fix: Split up `wagtail.admin.forms` to make it less prone to circular imports (Matt Westcott)
  * Fix: Disable linking to root page in rich text, making the page non-functional (Matt Westcott)
- * Fix: Pages should be editable and save-able even if there are broken links in rich text (Matt Westcott)
+ * Fix: Pages should be editable and save-able even if there are broken page or document links in rich text (Matt Westcott)
 
 
 2.2.2 (29.08.2018)
diff --git a/docs/releases/2.3.rst b/docs/releases/2.3.rst
index 8f931848e5..341a69e69f 100644
--- a/docs/releases/2.3.rst
+++ b/docs/releases/2.3.rst
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ Bug fixes
  * Disabled autocomplete dropdowns on date/time chooser fields (Janneke Janssen)
  * Split up ``wagtail.admin.forms`` to make it less prone to circular imports (Matt Westcott)
  * Disable linking to root page in rich text, making the page non-functional (Matt Westcott)
- * Pages should be editable and save-able even if there are broken links in rich text (Matt Westcott)
+ * Pages should be editable and save-able even if there are broken page or document links in rich text (Matt Westcott)
 
 Upgrade considerations
 ======================
diff --git a/wagtail/admin/tests/test_contentstate.py b/wagtail/admin/tests/test_contentstate.py
index dbe9f24e06..800a634528 100644
--- a/wagtail/admin/tests/test_contentstate.py
+++ b/wagtail/admin/tests/test_contentstate.py
@@ -390,6 +390,28 @@ class TestHtmlToContentState(TestCase):
             <p>a <a linktype="document" id="9999">document</a> link</p>
             '''
         ))
+        self.assertContentStateEqual(result, {
+            'entityMap': {
+                '0': {
+                    'mutability': 'MUTABLE', 'type': 'DOCUMENT',
+                    'data': {'id': 9999}
+                }
+            },
+            'blocks': [
+                {
+                    'inlineStyleRanges': [], 'text': 'a document link', 'depth': 0, 'type': 'unstyled', 'key': '00000',
+                    'entityRanges': [{'offset': 2, 'length': 8, 'key': 0}]
+                },
+            ]
+        })
+
+    def test_document_link_with_missing_id(self):
+        converter = ContentstateConverter(features=['document-link'])
+        result = json.loads(converter.from_database_format(
+            '''
+            <p>a <a linktype="document">document</a> link</p>
+            '''
+        ))
         self.assertContentStateEqual(result, {
             'entityMap': {
                 '0': {
diff --git a/wagtail/documents/rich_text.py b/wagtail/documents/rich_text.py
index 06d9c7ef99..c876b4bd9d 100644
--- a/wagtail/documents/rich_text.py
+++ b/wagtail/documents/rich_text.py
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ def document_linktype_handler(attrs):
     try:
         doc = Document.objects.get(id=attrs['id'])
         return '<a href="%s">' % escape(doc.url)
-    except Document.DoesNotExist:
+    except (Document.DoesNotExist, KeyError):
         return "<a>"
 
 
@@ -31,7 +31,11 @@ class DocumentLinkHandler:
             doc = Document.objects.get(id=attrs['id'])
             return '<a data-linktype="document" data-id="%d" href="%s">' % (doc.id, escape(doc.url))
         except Document.DoesNotExist:
-            return "<a>"
+            # Preserve the ID attribute for troubleshooting purposes, even though it
+            # points to a missing document
+            return '<a data-linktype="document" data-id="%s">' % attrs['id']
+        except KeyError:
+            return '<a data-linktype="document">'
 
 
 EditorHTMLDocumentLinkConversionRule = [
@@ -62,10 +66,15 @@ class DocumentLinkElementHandler(LinkElementHandler):
     def get_attribute_data(self, attrs):
         Document = get_document_model()
         try:
-            doc = Document.objects.get(id=attrs['id'])
-        except Document.DoesNotExist:
+            id = int(attrs['id'])
+        except (KeyError, ValueError):
             return {}
 
+        try:
+            doc = Document.objects.get(id=id)
+        except Document.DoesNotExist:
+            return {'id': id}
+
         return {
             'id': doc.id,
             'url': doc.url,
diff --git a/wagtail/documents/tests/test_rich_text.py b/wagtail/documents/tests/test_rich_text.py
index 26f6fceb91..c7e5cc94fe 100644
--- a/wagtail/documents/tests/test_rich_text.py
+++ b/wagtail/documents/tests/test_rich_text.py
@@ -14,16 +14,29 @@ class TestDocumentRichTextLinkHandler(TestCase):
         self.assertEqual(result,
                          {'id': 'test-id'})
 
+    def test_expand_db_attributes(self):
+        result = document_linktype_handler({'id': 1})
+        self.assertEqual(result,
+                         '<a href="/documents/1/test.pdf">')
+
     def test_expand_db_attributes_document_does_not_exist(self):
         result = document_linktype_handler({'id': 0})
         self.assertEqual(result, '<a>')
 
+    def test_expand_db_attributes_with_missing_id(self):
+        result = document_linktype_handler({})
+        self.assertEqual(result, '<a>')
+
     def test_expand_db_attributes_for_editor(self):
         result = DocumentLinkHandler.expand_db_attributes({'id': 1})
         self.assertEqual(result,
                          '<a data-linktype="document" data-id="1" href="/documents/1/test.pdf">')
 
-    def test_expand_db_attributes_not_for_editor(self):
-        result = document_linktype_handler({'id': 1})
+    def test_expand_db_attributes_for_editor_preserves_id_of_nonexistent_document(self):
+        result = DocumentLinkHandler.expand_db_attributes({'id': 0})
         self.assertEqual(result,
-                         '<a href="/documents/1/test.pdf">')
+                         '<a data-linktype="document" data-id="0">')
+
+    def test_expand_db_attributes_for_editor_with_missing_id(self):
+        result = DocumentLinkHandler.expand_db_attributes({})
+        self.assertEqual(result, '<a data-linktype="document">')