diff --git a/wp-includes/user.php b/wp-includes/user.php
index 804a909369..e816865648 100644
--- a/wp-includes/user.php
+++ b/wp-includes/user.php
@@ -485,7 +485,7 @@ class WP_User_Query {
 					$search_columns = array('user_email');
 				elseif ( is_numeric($search) )
 					$search_columns = array('user_login', 'ID');
-				elseif ( preg_match('|^https?://|', $search) )
+				elseif ( preg_match('|^https?://|', $search) && ! wp_is_large_network( 'users' ) )
 					$search_columns = array('user_url');
 				else
 					$search_columns = array('user_login', 'user_nicename');