diff --git a/app/file.go b/app/file.go
index 1901a8beeb..410e3ae9b3 100644
--- a/app/file.go
+++ b/app/file.go
@@ -397,6 +397,25 @@ func (a *App) UploadFiles(teamId string, channelId string, userId string, files
 	return resStruct, nil
 }
 
+// UploadFile uploads a single file in form of a completely constructed byte array for a channel.
+func (a *App) UploadFile(data []byte, channelId string, filename string) (*model.FileInfo, *model.AppError) {
+	info, _, appError := a.DoUploadFileExpectModification(time.Now(), "noteam", channelId, "nouser", filename, data)
+
+	if appError != nil {
+		return nil, appError
+	}
+
+	if info.PreviewPath != "" || info.ThumbnailPath != "" {
+		previewPathList := []string{info.PreviewPath}
+		thumbnailPathList := []string{info.ThumbnailPath}
+		imageDataList := [][]byte{data}
+
+		a.HandleImages(previewPathList, thumbnailPathList, imageDataList)
+	}
+
+	return info, nil
+}
+
 func (a *App) DoUploadFile(now time.Time, rawTeamId string, rawChannelId string, rawUserId string, rawFilename string, data []byte) (*model.FileInfo, *model.AppError) {
 	info, _, err := a.DoUploadFileExpectModification(now, rawTeamId, rawChannelId, rawUserId, rawFilename, data)
 	return info, err
diff --git a/app/file_test.go b/app/file_test.go
index c736328cfa..ee1319dca2 100644
--- a/app/file_test.go
+++ b/app/file_test.go
@@ -107,6 +107,30 @@ func TestDoUploadFile(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestUploadFile(t *testing.T) {
+	th := Setup()
+	defer th.TearDown()
+
+	channelId := model.NewId()
+	filename := "test"
+	data := []byte("abcd")
+
+	info1, err := th.App.UploadFile(data, channelId, filename)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	} else {
+		defer func() {
+			<-th.App.Srv.Store.FileInfo().PermanentDelete(info1.Id)
+			th.App.RemoveFile(info1.Path)
+		}()
+	}
+
+	if info1.Path != fmt.Sprintf("%v/teams/noteam/channels/%v/users/nouser/%v/%v",
+		time.Now().Format("20060102"), channelId, info1.Id, filename) {
+		t.Fatal("stored file at incorrect path", info1.Path)
+	}
+}
+
 func TestGetInfoForFilename(t *testing.T) {
 	th := Setup().InitBasic()
 	defer th.TearDown()
diff --git a/app/plugin_api.go b/app/plugin_api.go
index ef297694f3..a0c449b874 100644
--- a/app/plugin_api.go
+++ b/app/plugin_api.go
@@ -430,6 +430,10 @@ func (api *PluginAPI) ReadFile(path string) ([]byte, *model.AppError) {
 	return api.app.ReadFile(path)
 }
 
+func (api *PluginAPI) UploadFile(data []byte, channelId string, filename string) (*model.FileInfo, *model.AppError) {
+	return api.app.UploadFile(data, channelId, filename)
+}
+
 func (api *PluginAPI) GetEmojiImage(emojiId string) ([]byte, string, *model.AppError) {
 	return api.app.GetEmojiImage(emojiId)
 }
diff --git a/model/file_info.go b/model/file_info.go
index e0bbfcfc48..7a3e54a187 100644
--- a/model/file_info.go
+++ b/model/file_info.go
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ func (o *FileInfo) IsValid() *AppError {
 		return NewAppError("FileInfo.IsValid", "model.file_info.is_valid.id.app_error", nil, "", http.StatusBadRequest)
 	}
 
-	if len(o.CreatorId) != 26 {
+	if len(o.CreatorId) != 26 && o.CreatorId != "nouser" {
 		return NewAppError("FileInfo.IsValid", "model.file_info.is_valid.user_id.app_error", nil, "id="+o.Id, http.StatusBadRequest)
 	}
 
diff --git a/plugin/api.go b/plugin/api.go
index 7d95006efa..2589fa9e01 100644
--- a/plugin/api.go
+++ b/plugin/api.go
@@ -309,6 +309,11 @@ type API interface {
 	// Minimum server version: 5.6
 	GetEmojiImage(emojiId string) ([]byte, string, *model.AppError)
 
+	// UploadFile will upload a file to a channel using a multipart request, to be later attached to a post.
+	//
+	// Minimum server version: 5.6
+	UploadFile(data []byte, channelId string, filename string) (*model.FileInfo, *model.AppError)
+
 	// KVSet will store a key-value pair, unique per plugin.
 	KVSet(key string, value []byte) *model.AppError
 
diff --git a/plugin/client_rpc_generated.go b/plugin/client_rpc_generated.go
index 864d60a89c..6b20dd8679 100644
--- a/plugin/client_rpc_generated.go
+++ b/plugin/client_rpc_generated.go
@@ -2697,6 +2697,37 @@ func (s *apiRPCServer) GetEmojiImage(args *Z_GetEmojiImageArgs, returns *Z_GetEm
 	return nil
 }
 
+type Z_UploadFileArgs struct {
+	A []byte
+	B string
+	C string
+}
+
+type Z_UploadFileReturns struct {
+	A *model.FileInfo
+	B *model.AppError
+}
+
+func (g *apiRPCClient) UploadFile(data []byte, channelId string, filename string) (*model.FileInfo, *model.AppError) {
+	_args := &Z_UploadFileArgs{data, channelId, filename}
+	_returns := &Z_UploadFileReturns{}
+	if err := g.client.Call("Plugin.UploadFile", _args, _returns); err != nil {
+		log.Printf("RPC call to UploadFile API failed: %s", err.Error())
+	}
+	return _returns.A, _returns.B
+}
+
+func (s *apiRPCServer) UploadFile(args *Z_UploadFileArgs, returns *Z_UploadFileReturns) error {
+	if hook, ok := s.impl.(interface {
+		UploadFile(data []byte, channelId string, filename string) (*model.FileInfo, *model.AppError)
+	}); ok {
+		returns.A, returns.B = hook.UploadFile(args.A, args.B, args.C)
+	} else {
+		return encodableError(fmt.Errorf("API UploadFile called but not implemented."))
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
 type Z_KVSetArgs struct {
 	A string
 	B []byte
diff --git a/plugin/plugintest/api.go b/plugin/plugintest/api.go
index 9b03ed0b7b..14628095d2 100644
--- a/plugin/plugintest/api.go
+++ b/plugin/plugintest/api.go
@@ -1950,3 +1950,28 @@ func (_m *API) UpdateUserStatus(userId string, status string) (*model.Status, *m
 
 	return r0, r1
 }
+
+// UploadFile provides a mock function with given fields: data, channelId, filename
+func (_m *API) UploadFile(data []byte, channelId string, filename string) (*model.FileInfo, *model.AppError) {
+	ret := _m.Called(data, channelId, filename)
+
+	var r0 *model.FileInfo
+	if rf, ok := ret.Get(0).(func([]byte, string, string) *model.FileInfo); ok {
+		r0 = rf(data, channelId, filename)
+	} else {
+		if ret.Get(0) != nil {
+			r0 = ret.Get(0).(*model.FileInfo)
+		}
+	}
+
+	var r1 *model.AppError
+	if rf, ok := ret.Get(1).(func([]byte, string, string) *model.AppError); ok {
+		r1 = rf(data, channelId, filename)
+	} else {
+		if ret.Get(1) != nil {
+			r1 = ret.Get(1).(*model.AppError)
+		}
+	}
+
+	return r0, r1
+}