diff --git a/src/wp-admin/customize.php b/src/wp-admin/customize.php
index 40857031a7ef8..f17eb8ab5bf97 100644
--- a/src/wp-admin/customize.php
+++ b/src/wp-admin/customize.php
@@ -84,8 +84,8 @@
 	}
 }
 
-$url       = ! empty( $_REQUEST['url'] ) ? sanitize_text_field( wp_unslash( $_REQUEST['url'] ) ) : '';
-$return    = ! empty( $_REQUEST['return'] ) ? sanitize_text_field( wp_unslash( $_REQUEST['return'] ) ) : '';
+$url       = ! empty( $_REQUEST['url'] ) ? esc_url_raw( wp_unslash( $_REQUEST['url'] ) ) : '';
+$return    = ! empty( $_REQUEST['return'] ) ? esc_url_raw( wp_unslash( $_REQUEST['return'] ) ) : '';
 $autofocus = ! empty( $_REQUEST['autofocus'] ) && is_array( $_REQUEST['autofocus'] )
 	? array_map( 'sanitize_text_field', wp_unslash( $_REQUEST['autofocus'] ) )
 	: array();