diff --git a/api4/apitestlib.go b/api4/apitestlib.go
index eb60ffab94..ac0c6f4a3b 100644
--- a/api4/apitestlib.go
+++ b/api4/apitestlib.go
@@ -709,6 +709,33 @@ func (th *TestHelper) CreateMessagePost(message string) *model.Post {
 	return th.CreateMessagePostWithClient(th.Client, th.BasicChannel, message)
 }
 
+func (th *TestHelper) CreatePostWithFiles(files ...*model.FileInfo) *model.Post {
+	return th.CreatePostWithFilesWithClient(th.Client, th.BasicChannel, files...)
+}
+
+func (th *TestHelper) CreatePostInChannelWithFiles(channel *model.Channel, files ...*model.FileInfo) *model.Post {
+	return th.CreatePostWithFilesWithClient(th.Client, channel, files...)
+}
+
+func (th *TestHelper) CreatePostWithFilesWithClient(client *model.Client4, channel *model.Channel, files ...*model.FileInfo) *model.Post {
+	var fileIds model.StringArray
+	for i := range files {
+		fileIds = append(fileIds, files[i].Id)
+	}
+
+	post := &model.Post{
+		ChannelId: channel.Id,
+		Message:   "message_" + model.NewId(),
+		FileIds:   fileIds,
+	}
+
+	rpost, _, err := client.CreatePost(post)
+	if err != nil {
+		panic(err)
+	}
+	return rpost
+}
+
 func (th *TestHelper) CreatePostWithClient(client *model.Client4, channel *model.Channel) *model.Post {
 	id := model.NewId()
 
diff --git a/api4/channel.go b/api4/channel.go
index 1500465e2c..1f4bc4d031 100644
--- a/api4/channel.go
+++ b/api4/channel.go
@@ -642,11 +642,18 @@ func getChannelStats(c *Context, w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 		return
 	}
 
+	filesCount, err := c.App.GetChannelFileCount(c.Params.ChannelId)
+	if err != nil {
+		c.Err = err
+		return
+	}
+
 	stats := model.ChannelStats{
 		ChannelId:       c.Params.ChannelId,
 		MemberCount:     memberCount,
 		GuestCount:      guestCount,
 		PinnedPostCount: pinnedPostCount,
+		FilesCount:      filesCount,
 	}
 	if err := json.NewEncoder(w).Encode(stats); err != nil {
 		mlog.Warn("Error while writing response", mlog.Err(err))
diff --git a/api4/channel_test.go b/api4/channel_test.go
index 38c8a83891..3e103c42fe 100644
--- a/api4/channel_test.go
+++ b/api4/channel_test.go
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/mattermost/mattermost-server/v6/model"
 	"github.com/mattermost/mattermost-server/v6/plugin/plugintest/mock"
 	"github.com/mattermost/mattermost-server/v6/store/storetest/mocks"
+	"github.com/mattermost/mattermost-server/v6/utils/testutils"
 )
 
 func TestCreateChannel(t *testing.T) {
@@ -2507,12 +2508,24 @@ func TestGetChannelStats(t *testing.T) {
 	require.Equal(t, channel.Id, stats.ChannelId, "couldn't get extra info")
 	require.Equal(t, int64(1), stats.MemberCount, "got incorrect member count")
 	require.Equal(t, int64(0), stats.PinnedPostCount, "got incorrect pinned post count")
+	require.Equal(t, int64(0), stats.FilesCount, "got incorrect file count")
 
 	th.CreatePinnedPostWithClient(th.Client, channel)
 	stats, _, err = client.GetChannelStats(channel.Id, "")
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 	require.Equal(t, int64(1), stats.PinnedPostCount, "should have returned 1 pinned post count")
 
+	// create a post with a file
+	sent, err := testutils.ReadTestFile("test.png")
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	fileResp, _, err := client.UploadFile(sent, channel.Id, "test.png")
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	th.CreatePostInChannelWithFiles(channel, fileResp.FileInfos...)
+	// make sure the file count channel stats is updated
+	stats, _, err = client.GetChannelStats(channel.Id, "")
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	require.Equal(t, int64(1), stats.FilesCount, "should have returned 1 file count")
+
 	_, resp, err := client.GetChannelStats("junk", "")
 	require.Error(t, err)
 	CheckBadRequestStatus(t, resp)
diff --git a/app/app_iface.go b/app/app_iface.go
index dd94e666d5..1beab9fa9e 100644
--- a/app/app_iface.go
+++ b/app/app_iface.go
@@ -561,6 +561,7 @@ type AppIface interface {
 	GetChannelByName(channelName, teamID string, includeDeleted bool) (*model.Channel, *model.AppError)
 	GetChannelByNameForTeamName(channelName, teamName string, includeDeleted bool) (*model.Channel, *model.AppError)
 	GetChannelCounts(teamID string, userID string) (*model.ChannelCounts, *model.AppError)
+	GetChannelFileCount(channelID string) (int64, *model.AppError)
 	GetChannelGuestCount(channelID string) (int64, *model.AppError)
 	GetChannelMember(ctx context.Context, channelID string, userID string) (*model.ChannelMember, *model.AppError)
 	GetChannelMemberCount(channelID string) (int64, *model.AppError)
diff --git a/app/channel.go b/app/channel.go
index c7bcf727ed..85505aaad1 100644
--- a/app/channel.go
+++ b/app/channel.go
@@ -2009,6 +2009,15 @@ func (a *App) GetChannelMemberCount(channelID string) (int64, *model.AppError) {
 	return count, nil
 }
 
+func (a *App) GetChannelFileCount(channelID string) (int64, *model.AppError) {
+	count, err := a.Srv().Store.Channel().GetFileCount(channelID)
+	if err != nil {
+		return 0, model.NewAppError("SqlChannelStore.GetFileCount", "app.channel.get_file_count.app_error", nil, err.Error(), http.StatusInternalServerError)
+	}
+
+	return count, nil
+}
+
 func (a *App) GetChannelGuestCount(channelID string) (int64, *model.AppError) {
 	count, err := a.Srv().Store.Channel().GetGuestCount(channelID, true)
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/app/opentracing/opentracing_layer.go b/app/opentracing/opentracing_layer.go
index 4f8a18bd4a..e41ebbf076 100644
--- a/app/opentracing/opentracing_layer.go
+++ b/app/opentracing/opentracing_layer.go
@@ -4890,6 +4890,28 @@ func (a *OpenTracingAppLayer) GetChannelCounts(teamID string, userID string) (*m
 	return resultVar0, resultVar1
 }
 
+func (a *OpenTracingAppLayer) GetChannelFileCount(channelID string) (int64, *model.AppError) {
+	origCtx := a.ctx
+	span, newCtx := tracing.StartSpanWithParentByContext(a.ctx, "app.GetChannelFileCount")
+
+	a.ctx = newCtx
+	a.app.Srv().Store.SetContext(newCtx)
+	defer func() {
+		a.app.Srv().Store.SetContext(origCtx)
+		a.ctx = origCtx
+	}()
+
+	defer span.Finish()
+	resultVar0, resultVar1 := a.app.GetChannelFileCount(channelID)
+
+	if resultVar1 != nil {
+		span.LogFields(spanlog.Error(resultVar1))
+		ext.Error.Set(span, true)
+	}
+
+	return resultVar0, resultVar1
+}
+
 func (a *OpenTracingAppLayer) GetChannelGroupUsers(channelID string) ([]*model.User, *model.AppError) {
 	origCtx := a.ctx
 	span, newCtx := tracing.StartSpanWithParentByContext(a.ctx, "app.GetChannelGroupUsers")
diff --git a/i18n/en.json b/i18n/en.json
index 7efef76220..3ea21a708a 100644
--- a/i18n/en.json
+++ b/i18n/en.json
@@ -4591,6 +4591,10 @@
     "id": "app.channel.get_deleted.missing.app_error",
     "translation": "No deleted channels exist."
   },
+  {
+    "id": "app.channel.get_file_count.app_error",
+    "translation": "Unable to get the file count for the channel"
+  },
   {
     "id": "app.channel.get_for_post.app_error",
     "translation": "Unable to get the channel for the given post."
diff --git a/model/channel_stats.go b/model/channel_stats.go
index 05ec3bd77a..96631c1135 100644
--- a/model/channel_stats.go
+++ b/model/channel_stats.go
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ type ChannelStats struct {
 	MemberCount     int64  `json:"member_count"`
 	GuestCount      int64  `json:"guest_count"`
 	PinnedPostCount int64  `json:"pinnedpost_count"`
+	FilesCount      int64  `json:"files_count"`
 }
 
 func (o *ChannelStats) MemberCount_() float64 {
diff --git a/model/cluster_message.go b/model/cluster_message.go
index 9db02ffcc0..90999ab03a 100644
--- a/model/cluster_message.go
+++ b/model/cluster_message.go
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ const (
 	ClusterEventInvalidateCacheForWebhooks                  ClusterEvent = "inv_webhooks"
 	ClusterEventInvalidateCacheForEmojisById                ClusterEvent = "inv_emojis_by_id"
 	ClusterEventInvalidateCacheForEmojisIdByName            ClusterEvent = "inv_emojis_id_by_name"
+	ClusterEventInvalidateCacheForChannelFileCount          ClusterEvent = "inv_channel_file_count"
 	ClusterEventInvalidateCacheForChannelPinnedpostsCounts  ClusterEvent = "inv_channel_pinnedposts_counts"
 	ClusterEventInvalidateCacheForChannelMemberCounts       ClusterEvent = "inv_channel_member_counts"
 	ClusterEventInvalidateCacheForLastPosts                 ClusterEvent = "inv_last_posts"
diff --git a/store/opentracinglayer/opentracinglayer.go b/store/opentracinglayer/opentracinglayer.go
index 7cd9da28b6..86b2e00c65 100644
--- a/store/opentracinglayer/opentracinglayer.go
+++ b/store/opentracinglayer/opentracinglayer.go
@@ -1249,6 +1249,24 @@ func (s *OpenTracingLayerChannelStore) GetDeletedByName(team_id string, name str
 	return result, err
 }
 
+func (s *OpenTracingLayerChannelStore) GetFileCount(channelID string) (int64, error) {
+	origCtx := s.Root.Store.Context()
+	span, newCtx := tracing.StartSpanWithParentByContext(s.Root.Store.Context(), "ChannelStore.GetFileCount")
+	s.Root.Store.SetContext(newCtx)
+	defer func() {
+		s.Root.Store.SetContext(origCtx)
+	}()
+
+	defer span.Finish()
+	result, err := s.ChannelStore.GetFileCount(channelID)
+	if err != nil {
+		span.LogFields(spanlog.Error(err))
+		ext.Error.Set(span, true)
+	}
+
+	return result, err
+}
+
 func (s *OpenTracingLayerChannelStore) GetForPost(postID string) (*model.Channel, error) {
 	origCtx := s.Root.Store.Context()
 	span, newCtx := tracing.StartSpanWithParentByContext(s.Root.Store.Context(), "ChannelStore.GetForPost")
diff --git a/store/retrylayer/retrylayer.go b/store/retrylayer/retrylayer.go
index 0e24bd37fc..4925f706ee 100644
--- a/store/retrylayer/retrylayer.go
+++ b/store/retrylayer/retrylayer.go
@@ -1402,6 +1402,27 @@ func (s *RetryLayerChannelStore) GetDeletedByName(team_id string, name string) (
 
 }
 
+func (s *RetryLayerChannelStore) GetFileCount(channelID string) (int64, error) {
+
+	tries := 0
+	for {
+		result, err := s.ChannelStore.GetFileCount(channelID)
+		if err == nil {
+			return result, nil
+		}
+		if !isRepeatableError(err) {
+			return result, err
+		}
+		tries++
+		if tries >= 3 {
+			err = errors.Wrap(err, "giving up after 3 consecutive repeatable transaction failures")
+			return result, err
+		}
+		timepkg.Sleep(100 * timepkg.Millisecond)
+	}
+
+}
+
 func (s *RetryLayerChannelStore) GetForPost(postID string) (*model.Channel, error) {
 
 	tries := 0
diff --git a/store/sqlstore/channel_store.go b/store/sqlstore/channel_store.go
index 9b929479fa..5ee7d58948 100644
--- a/store/sqlstore/channel_store.go
+++ b/store/sqlstore/channel_store.go
@@ -2188,6 +2188,25 @@ func (s SqlChannelStore) GetMemberCountFromCache(channelId string) int64 {
 	return count
 }
 
+func (s SqlChannelStore) GetFileCount(channelId string) (int64, error) {
+	var count int64
+	err := s.GetReplicaX().Get(&count, `
+		SELECT
+			COUNT(*)
+		FROM
+			FileInfo
+                LEFT JOIN Posts as P ON FileInfo.PostId=P.Id
+                LEFT JOIN Channels as C on C.Id=P.ChannelId
+		WHERE
+                        FileInfo.DeleteAt = 0
+			AND C.Id = ?`, channelId)
+	if err != nil {
+		return 0, errors.Wrapf(err, "failed to count files with channelId=%s", channelId)
+	}
+
+	return count, nil
+}
+
 //nolint:unparam
 func (s SqlChannelStore) GetMemberCount(channelId string, allowFromCache bool) (int64, error) {
 	var count int64
diff --git a/store/store.go b/store/store.go
index 632f7c4d1b..421496aeac 100644
--- a/store/store.go
+++ b/store/store.go
@@ -213,6 +213,7 @@ type ChannelStore interface {
 	GetMemberForPost(postID string, userID string) (*model.ChannelMember, error)
 	InvalidateMemberCount(channelID string)
 	GetMemberCountFromCache(channelID string) int64
+	GetFileCount(channelID string) (int64, error)
 	GetMemberCount(channelID string, allowFromCache bool) (int64, error)
 	GetMemberCountsByGroup(ctx context.Context, channelID string, includeTimezones bool) ([]*model.ChannelMemberCountByGroup, error)
 	InvalidatePinnedPostCount(channelID string)
diff --git a/store/storetest/mocks/ChannelStore.go b/store/storetest/mocks/ChannelStore.go
index 8bdd402f35..04d9e41828 100644
--- a/store/storetest/mocks/ChannelStore.go
+++ b/store/storetest/mocks/ChannelStore.go
@@ -881,6 +881,27 @@ func (_m *ChannelStore) GetDeletedByName(team_id string, name string) (*model.Ch
 	return r0, r1
 }
 
+// GetFileCount provides a mock function with given fields: channelID
+func (_m *ChannelStore) GetFileCount(channelID string) (int64, error) {
+	ret := _m.Called(channelID)
+
+	var r0 int64
+	if rf, ok := ret.Get(0).(func(string) int64); ok {
+		r0 = rf(channelID)
+	} else {
+		r0 = ret.Get(0).(int64)
+	}
+
+	var r1 error
+	if rf, ok := ret.Get(1).(func(string) error); ok {
+		r1 = rf(channelID)
+	} else {
+		r1 = ret.Error(1)
+	}
+
+	return r0, r1
+}
+
 // GetForPost provides a mock function with given fields: postID
 func (_m *ChannelStore) GetForPost(postID string) (*model.Channel, error) {
 	ret := _m.Called(postID)
diff --git a/store/timerlayer/timerlayer.go b/store/timerlayer/timerlayer.go
index fff076ae9f..4789dc0161 100644
--- a/store/timerlayer/timerlayer.go
+++ b/store/timerlayer/timerlayer.go
@@ -1157,6 +1157,22 @@ func (s *TimerLayerChannelStore) GetDeletedByName(team_id string, name string) (
 	return result, err
 }
 
+func (s *TimerLayerChannelStore) GetFileCount(channelID string) (int64, error) {
+	start := timemodule.Now()
+
+	result, err := s.ChannelStore.GetFileCount(channelID)
+
+	elapsed := float64(timemodule.Since(start)) / float64(timemodule.Second)
+	if s.Root.Metrics != nil {
+		success := "false"
+		if err == nil {
+			success = "true"
+		}
+		s.Root.Metrics.ObserveStoreMethodDuration("ChannelStore.GetFileCount", success, elapsed)
+	}
+	return result, err
+}
+
 func (s *TimerLayerChannelStore) GetForPost(postID string) (*model.Channel, error) {
 	start := timemodule.Now()