diff --git a/django/conf/urls/static.py b/django/conf/urls/static.py
index ff1942f990..8be564ec7a 100644
--- a/django/conf/urls/static.py
+++ b/django/conf/urls/static.py
@@ -15,12 +15,11 @@ def static(prefix, view='django.views.static.serve', **kwargs):
     ) + static(settings.MEDIA_URL, document_root=settings.MEDIA_ROOT)
 
     """
-    if not settings.DEBUG:
+    # No-op if not in debug mode or an non-local prefix
+    if not settings.DEBUG or (prefix and '://' in prefix):
         return []
     elif not prefix:
         raise ImproperlyConfigured("Empty static prefix not permitted")
-    elif '://' in prefix:
-        raise ImproperlyConfigured("URL '%s' not allowed as static prefix" % prefix)
     return patterns('',
         url(r'^%s(?P<path>.*)$' % re.escape(prefix.lstrip('/')), view, kwargs=kwargs),
     )
diff --git a/docs/howto/static-files.txt b/docs/howto/static-files.txt
index 2787c1cac8..77e07141e3 100644
--- a/docs/howto/static-files.txt
+++ b/docs/howto/static-files.txt
@@ -297,6 +297,12 @@ development::
         # ... the rest of your URLconf goes here ...
     ) + static(settings.MEDIA_URL, document_root=settings.MEDIA_ROOT)
 
+.. note::
+
+    The helper function will only be operational in debug mode and if
+    the given prefix is local (e.g. ``/static/``) and not a URL (e.g.
+    ``http://static.example.com/``).
+
 .. _staticfiles-production:
 
 Serving static files in production