diff --git a/dlls/mshtml/protocol.c b/dlls/mshtml/protocol.c
index 41b13190e21..739234292b8 100644
--- a/dlls/mshtml/protocol.c
+++ b/dlls/mshtml/protocol.c
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ WINE_DEFAULT_DEBUG_CHANNEL(mshtml);
 
 #define PROTOCOLINFO(x) ((IInternetProtocolInfo*) &(x)->lpInternetProtocolInfoVtbl)
 #define CLASSFACTORY(x) ((IClassFactory*)         &(x)->lpClassFactoryVtbl)
+#define PROTOCOL(x)     ((IInternetProtocol*)     &(x)->lpInternetProtocolVtbl)
 
 typedef struct {
     const IInternetProtocolInfoVtbl *lpInternetProtocolInfoVtbl;
@@ -140,21 +141,27 @@ typedef struct {
     BYTE *data;
     ULONG data_len;
     ULONG cur;
+
+    IUnknown *pUnkOuter;
 } AboutProtocol;
 
 static HRESULT WINAPI AboutProtocol_QueryInterface(IInternetProtocol *iface, REFIID riid, void **ppv)
 {
+    AboutProtocol *This = (AboutProtocol*)iface;
+
     *ppv = NULL;
 
     if(IsEqualGUID(&IID_IUnknown, riid)) {
         TRACE("(%p)->(IID_IUnknown %p)\n", iface, ppv);
-        *ppv = iface;
+        if(This->pUnkOuter)
+            return IUnknown_QueryInterface(This->pUnkOuter, riid, ppv);
+        *ppv = PROTOCOL(This);
     }else if(IsEqualGUID(&IID_IInternetProtocolRoot, riid)) {
         TRACE("(%p)->(IID_IInternetProtocolRoot %p)\n", iface, ppv);
-        *ppv = iface;
+        *ppv = PROTOCOL(This);
     }else if(IsEqualGUID(&IID_IInternetProtocol, riid)) {
         TRACE("(%p)->(IID_IInternetProtocol %p)\n", iface, ppv);
-        *ppv = iface;
+        *ppv = PROTOCOL(This);
     }else if(IsEqualGUID(&IID_IServiceProvider, riid)) {
         FIXME("IServiceProvider is not implemented\n");
         return E_NOINTERFACE;
@@ -174,7 +181,7 @@ static ULONG WINAPI AboutProtocol_AddRef(IInternetProtocol *iface)
     AboutProtocol *This = (AboutProtocol*)iface;
     ULONG ref = InterlockedIncrement(&This->ref);
     TRACE("(%p) ref=%ld\n", iface, ref);
-    return ref;
+    return This->pUnkOuter ? IUnknown_AddRef(This->pUnkOuter) : ref;
 }
 
 static ULONG WINAPI AboutProtocol_Release(IInternetProtocol *iface)
@@ -190,7 +197,7 @@ static ULONG WINAPI AboutProtocol_Release(IInternetProtocol *iface)
         UNLOCK_MODULE();
     }
 
-    return ref;
+    return This->pUnkOuter ? IUnknown_Release(This->pUnkOuter) : ref;
 }
 
 static HRESULT WINAPI AboutProtocol_Start(IInternetProtocol *iface, LPCWSTR szUrl,
@@ -352,9 +359,9 @@ static HRESULT WINAPI AboutProtocolFactory_CreateInstance(IClassFactory *iface,
         REFIID riid, void **ppv)
 {
     AboutProtocol *ret;
-    HRESULT hres;
+    HRESULT hres = S_OK;
 
-    TRACE("(%p)->(%s %p)\n", iface, debugstr_guid(riid), ppv);
+    TRACE("(%p)->(%p %s %p)\n", iface, pUnkOuter, debugstr_guid(riid), ppv);
 
     ret = HeapAlloc(GetProcessHeap(), 0, sizeof(AboutProtocol));
     ret->lpInternetProtocolVtbl = &AboutProtocolVtbl;
@@ -363,8 +370,17 @@ static HRESULT WINAPI AboutProtocolFactory_CreateInstance(IClassFactory *iface,
     ret->data = NULL;
     ret->data_len = 0;
     ret->cur = 0;
+    ret->pUnkOuter = pUnkOuter;
 
-    hres = IUnknown_QueryInterface((IUnknown*)ret, riid, ppv);
+    if(pUnkOuter) {
+        ret->ref = 1;
+        if(IsEqualGUID(&IID_IUnknown, riid))
+            *ppv = PROTOCOL(ret);
+        else
+            hres = E_INVALIDARG;
+    }else {
+        hres = IInternetProtocol_QueryInterface(PROTOCOL(ret), riid, ppv);
+    }
 
     if(SUCCEEDED(hres))
         LOCK_MODULE();
@@ -683,7 +699,7 @@ static HRESULT WINAPI ResProtocolFactory_CreateInstance(IClassFactory *iface, IU
     ResProtocol *ret;
     HRESULT hres;
 
-    TRACE("(%p)->(%s %p)\n", iface, debugstr_guid(riid), ppv);
+    TRACE("(%p)->(%p %s %p)\n", iface, pUnkOuter, debugstr_guid(riid), ppv);
 
     ret = HeapAlloc(GetProcessHeap(), 0, sizeof(ResProtocol));
     ret->lpInternetProtocolVtbl = &ResProtocolVtbl;