Menus are empty after clicking a file:/// link in IE

Summary

After clicking on a file:/// link in IE to open a local file in explorer, the JIRA menus for Dashboard, Projects, and Issues will no populate until a reload of the page.

Environment

• JIRA Server 7.3.6, 7.4.1
• IE 11.0.46

Steps to Reproduce

1. Create an issue with a valid file:/// link in the description (such as file:////localhost)
2. Ensure that the base URL for your JIRA instance is added to the intranet or trusted security zones in IE's Security configuration
3. While viewing the issue, click the file link
4. Go back to the IE window and attempt to use the menu's at the top of the screen

Expected Results

Menus populate without issue

Actual Results

The menus are not populated (except for boards on software projects)

jraserver-65985-screencast.mov

Notes

Looking at the IE console when this occurs, there are no Javascript errors and clicking the menu items does not trigger a REST call across the network as it does when everything is working.

Workaround

Reloading the page resolves the immediate issue and the navigation works again afterward. Click on the menus before clicking a file link appears to load and cache their contents as well.