diff --git a/monitoring/config/local_settings.py b/monitoring/config/local_settings.py
index 9e50b5bd..ea1b919f 100644
--- a/monitoring/config/local_settings.py
+++ b/monitoring/config/local_settings.py
@@ -61,18 +61,49 @@ DASHBOARDS = getattr(settings, 'GRAFANA_LINKS', GRAFANA_LINKS)
 # For any Grafana version additional links to specific dashboards can be
 # created in two formats.
 # Flat:
-# GRAFANA_LINKS = [ {'title': _('Dashboard'), 'path': 'openstack'} ]
+# GRAFANA_LINKS = [ {'title': _('Dashboard'), 'path': 'openstack', 'raw': False} ]
 #
 # Per project: '*' will be applied to all projects not explicitly listed.
 # GRAFANA_LINKS = [
 #    {'admin': [
-#        {'title': _('Dashboard'), 'path': 'openstack'}]},
+#        {'title': _('Dashboard'), 'path': 'openstack', 'raw': False}]},
 #    {'*': [
-#        {'title': _('OpenStack Dashboard'), 'path': 'project'}]}
+#        {'title': _('OpenStack Dashboard'), 'path': 'project', 'raw': False}]}
 # ]
+#
+# If GRAFANA_URL is specified, the dashboard file name/raw URL must be
+# specified through the 'path' attribute as shown above.
+#
+# Flat:
+# GRAFANA_LINKS = [ {'title': _('Dashboard'), 'fileName': 'openstack.json', 'raw': False} ]
+#
+# GRAFANA_LINKS = [
+#    {'admin': [
+#        {'fileName': _('Dashboard'), 'fileName': 'openstack.json', 'raw': False}]},
+#    {'*': [
+#        {'title': _('OpenStack Dashboard'), 'fileName': 'project.json': False}]}
+# ]
+#
+# If GRAFANA_URL is unspecified the dashboard file name must be specified
+# through the fileName attribute.
+#
+# Both with and without GRAFANA_URL, the links have an optional 'raw' attribute
+# which defaults to False if unspecified. If it is False, the value of 'path'
+# (or 'fileName', respectively) is interpreted as a dashboard name and a link
+# to the dashboard based on the dashboard's name will be generated. If it is
+# True, the value of 'path' or 'fileName' will be treated as a URL to be used
+# verbatim.
+
+
 
 GRAFANA_URL = getattr(settings, 'GRAFANA_URL', None)
 
+# If GRAFANA_URL is specified, an additional link will be shown that points to
+# Grafana's list of dashboards. If you do not wish this, set SHOW_GRAFANA_HOME
+# to False (by default this setting is True and the link will thus be shown).
+
+SHOW_GRAFANA_HOME = getattr(settings, 'SHOW_GRAFANA_HOME', True)
+
 ENABLE_KIBANA_BUTTON = getattr(settings, 'ENABLE_KIBANA_BUTTON', False)
 KIBANA_POLICY_RULE = getattr(settings, 'KIBANA_POLICY_RULE',
                              'monitoring:kibana_access')
diff --git a/monitoring/overview/templates/overview/index.html b/monitoring/overview/templates/overview/index.html
index 2e16bfff..cfc33957 100644
--- a/monitoring/overview/templates/overview/index.html
+++ b/monitoring/overview/templates/overview/index.html
@@ -8,19 +8,29 @@
 {% block main %}
     <div style="padding: 3px;">
       {% if grafana_url %}
+      {% if show_grafana_home %}
       <a target="Grafana Home" href="{{grafana_url}}" class="btn btn-primary">
           <span class="fa fa-bar-chart"></span>
           Grafana Home
       </a>
+      {% endif %}
       {% for dashboard in dashboards %}
+      {% if dashboard.raw %}
+      <a target={{ dashboard.title }} href="{{ dashboard.path }}" class="btn btn-default">
+      {% else %}
       <a target={{ dashboard.title }} href="{{grafana_url}}/dashboard/db/{{ dashboard.path }}" class="btn btn-default">
+      {% endif %}
               <span class="fa fa-bar-chart"></span>
               {% trans dashboard.title %}
           </a>
       {% endfor %}
       {% else %}
       {% for dashboard in dashboards %}
+      {% if dashboard.raw %}
+      <a target={{ dashboard.title }} href="{{ dashboard.fileName }}" class="btn btn-default">
+      {% else %}
       <a target={{ dashboard.title }} href="/grafana/index.html#/dashboard/file/{{ dashboard.fileName }}?api={{api}}" class="btn btn-default">
+      {% endif %}
           <span class="fa fa-bar-chart"></span>
               {% trans dashboard.title %}
       </a>
diff --git a/monitoring/overview/views.py b/monitoring/overview/views.py
index 86f6b45d..f2c3fc52 100644
--- a/monitoring/overview/views.py
+++ b/monitoring/overview/views.py
@@ -240,10 +240,14 @@ class IndexView(TemplateView):
             api_root = self.request.build_absolute_uri(proxy_url_path)
             context["api"] = api_root
         context["dashboards"] = get_dashboard_links(self.request)
+        # Ensure all links have a 'raw' attribute
+        for link in context["dashboards"]:
+            link['raw'] = link.get('raw', False)
         context['can_access_logs'] = policy.check(
             ((getattr(settings, 'KIBANA_POLICY_SCOPE'), getattr(settings, 'KIBANA_POLICY_RULE')), ), self.request
         )
         context['enable_kibana_button'] = settings.ENABLE_KIBANA_BUTTON
+        context['show_grafana_home'] = settings.SHOW_GRAFANA_HOME
         return context
 
 
@@ -261,7 +265,9 @@ class MonascaProxyView(TemplateView):
             dimensions_str = req_kwargs['dimensions'][0]
             dimensions_str_array = dimensions_str.split(',')
             for dimension in dimensions_str_array:
-                dimension_name_value = dimension.split(':')
+                # limit splitting since value may contain a ':' such as in
+                # the `url` dimension of the service_status check.
+                dimension_name_value = dimension.split(':', 1)
                 if len(dimension_name_value) == 2:
                     name = dimension_name_value[0].encode('utf8')
                     value = dimension_name_value[1].encode('utf8')