diff --git a/README.rst b/README.rst
index 595fb5ff62a61eb32be71e83626c0bc1072569c3..8a14401d65afd453d9a77fcee6465d0d9f6ac856 100644
--- a/README.rst
+++ b/README.rst
@@ -312,7 +312,7 @@ We recommend using the demo which starts 3 federated instances running on ports
 
 (to stop, you can use `./demo/stop.sh`)
 
-See the [demo documentation](https://matrix-org.github.io/synapse/develop/development/demo.html)
+See the `demo documentation <https://matrix-org.github.io/synapse/develop/development/demo.html>`_
 for more information.
 
 If you just want to start a single instance of the app and run it directly::
diff --git a/changelog.d/12495.doc b/changelog.d/12495.doc
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..afa011167513d3f2f1c7f08e3ff3a1fcac45c742
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog.d/12495.doc
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Fix a broken link in `README.rst`.