diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 0cc4fbe4094..039bc0cba73 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -124,6 +124,7 @@ Note that this project **does not** adhere to [Semantic Versioning](https://semv
 - We fixed an issue when the preview was out of sync. [#9172](https://github.com/JabRef/jabref/issues/9172)
 - We fixed an issue where identifier paste couldn't work with Unicode REPLACEMENT CHARACTER. [#11986](https://github.com/JabRef/jabref/issues/11986)
 - We fixed an issue when click on entry at "Check Integrity" wasn't properly focusing the entry and field. [#11997](https://github.com/JabRef/jabref/issues/11997)
+- On saving a non-absolute URI, now a clear error message is shown. [#12186](https://github.com/JabRef/jabref/issues/12186)
 
 ### Removed
 
diff --git a/buildres/abbrv.jabref.org b/buildres/abbrv.jabref.org
index 0fdf99147a8..1ad9773b13c 160000
--- a/buildres/abbrv.jabref.org
+++ b/buildres/abbrv.jabref.org
@@ -1 +1 @@
-Subproject commit 0fdf99147a8a5fc8ae7ccd79ad4e0029e736e4a3
+Subproject commit 1ad9773b13c37a919207a0e412c6615f42453e99
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/jabref/logic/util/URLUtil.java b/src/main/java/org/jabref/logic/util/URLUtil.java
index fd6317d9d23..49d2c8c970a 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/jabref/logic/util/URLUtil.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/jabref/logic/util/URLUtil.java
@@ -89,7 +89,11 @@ public static boolean isURL(String url) {
      * @throws MalformedURLException if the URL is malformed and cannot be converted to a {@link URL}.
      */
     public static URL create(String url) throws MalformedURLException {
-        return createUri(url).toURL();
+        URI uri = createUri(url);
+        if (!uri.isAbsolute()) {
+            throw new MalformedURLException("URI is not absolute: " + url);
+        }
+        return uri.toURL();
     }
 
     /**
diff --git a/src/main/resources/csl-locales b/src/main/resources/csl-locales
index 96d704de2fc..4753e3a9aca 160000
--- a/src/main/resources/csl-locales
+++ b/src/main/resources/csl-locales
@@ -1 +1 @@
-Subproject commit 96d704de2fc7b930ae4a0ec4686a7143bb4a0d33
+Subproject commit 4753e3a9aca4b806ac0e3036ed727d47bf8f678e
diff --git a/src/main/resources/csl-styles b/src/main/resources/csl-styles
index b90b81a58b1..1931353cec3 160000
--- a/src/main/resources/csl-styles
+++ b/src/main/resources/csl-styles
@@ -1 +1 @@
-Subproject commit b90b81a58b1a260423608f3868a6613cc6efe431
+Subproject commit 1931353cec337cb62ef3f9049a78e4f91a3834b9
diff --git a/src/test/java/org/jabref/logic/net/URLUtilTest.java b/src/test/java/org/jabref/logic/net/URLUtilTest.java
index 7de7b641fc5..b33a00e0557 100644
--- a/src/test/java/org/jabref/logic/net/URLUtilTest.java
+++ b/src/test/java/org/jabref/logic/net/URLUtilTest.java
@@ -1,13 +1,18 @@
 package org.jabref.logic.net;
 
+import java.net.MalformedURLException;
 import java.net.URI;
+import java.net.URL;
 
 import org.jabref.logic.util.URLUtil;
 
 import org.junit.jupiter.api.Test;
 
+import static org.junit.jupiter.api.Assertions.assertDoesNotThrow;
 import static org.junit.jupiter.api.Assertions.assertEquals;
 import static org.junit.jupiter.api.Assertions.assertFalse;
+import static org.junit.jupiter.api.Assertions.assertNotNull;
+import static org.junit.jupiter.api.Assertions.assertThrows;
 import static org.junit.jupiter.api.Assertions.assertTrue;
 
 class URLUtilTest {
@@ -87,4 +92,22 @@ void createUriShouldHandlePipeCharacter() {
         URI uri = URLUtil.createUri(input);
         assertEquals("http://example.com/test%7Cfile", uri.toString());
     }
+
+    @Test
+    void createWithAbsoluteURL() {
+        String absoluteUrl = "http://www.example.com";
+        assertDoesNotThrow(() -> {
+            URL url = URLUtil.create(absoluteUrl);
+            assertNotNull(url);
+            assertEquals(absoluteUrl, url.toString());
+        }, "MalformedURLException should not be thrown for an absolute URL");
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    void createWithNonAbsoluteURL() {
+        String nonAbsoluteUrl = "www.example.com";
+        assertThrows(MalformedURLException.class, () -> {
+            URLUtil.create(nonAbsoluteUrl);
+        });
+    }
 }