Validating a data link before its access. Received electronic documents often include a link, such as a user selectable hyperlink or the like. Sometimes the links are compound links identifying a click-stream server seeking to record user activity, as well as a resource desired by the user clicking on the link. Selecting the link results in statistics being recorded, and then the click-stream server redirects the user to the desired resource. Unfortunately, sometimes the click-stream server is unavailable, which blocks access to the desired resource, and selecting the link may result in a long time out delay while waiting for an error regarding inability to reach the click-stream server. One of several techniques disclosed herein is to put a tag in the electronic document to cause programming code to check availability of a click-stream server. Links are constructed to bypass unavailable click-stream servers and access a desired resource.