diff --git a/app/file.go b/app/file.go
index 089f69630c..5ddfd9f412 100644
--- a/app/file.go
+++ b/app/file.go
@@ -640,6 +640,20 @@ func (a *App) GetFileInfo(fileId string) (*model.FileInfo, *model.AppError) {
 	return result.Data.(*model.FileInfo), nil
 }
 
+func (a *App) GetFile(fileId string) ([]byte, *model.AppError) {
+	info, err := a.GetFileInfo(fileId)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	data, err := a.ReadFile(info.Path)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	return data, nil
+}
+
 func (a *App) CopyFileInfos(userId string, fileIds []string) ([]string, *model.AppError) {
 	var newFileIds []string
 
diff --git a/app/plugin_api.go b/app/plugin_api.go
index 51fd2de89f..68e20f6117 100644
--- a/app/plugin_api.go
+++ b/app/plugin_api.go
@@ -484,6 +484,10 @@ func (api *PluginAPI) ReadFile(path string) ([]byte, *model.AppError) {
 	return api.app.ReadFile(path)
 }
 
+func (api *PluginAPI) GetFile(fileId string) ([]byte, *model.AppError) {
+	return api.app.GetFile(fileId)
+}
+
 func (api *PluginAPI) UploadFile(data []byte, channelId string, filename string) (*model.FileInfo, *model.AppError) {
 	return api.app.UploadFile(data, channelId, filename)
 }
diff --git a/app/plugin_api_test.go b/app/plugin_api_test.go
index 1b9977f35d..cbdc812e8d 100644
--- a/app/plugin_api_test.go
+++ b/app/plugin_api_test.go
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ import (
 	"path/filepath"
 	"strings"
 	"testing"
+	"time"
 
 	"github.com/mattermost/mattermost-server/model"
 	"github.com/mattermost/mattermost-server/plugin"
@@ -173,6 +174,31 @@ func TestPluginAPIUpdateUserStatus(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.Nil(t, status)
 }
 
+func TestPluginAPIGetFile(t *testing.T) {
+	th := Setup().InitBasic()
+	defer th.TearDown()
+	api := th.SetupPluginAPI()
+
+	// check a valid file first
+	uploadTime := time.Date(2007, 2, 4, 1, 2, 3, 4, time.Local)
+	filename := "testGetFile"
+	fileData := []byte("Hello World")
+	info, err := th.App.DoUploadFile(uploadTime, th.BasicTeam.Id, th.BasicChannel.Id, th.BasicUser.Id, filename, fileData)
+	require.Nil(t, err)
+	defer func() {
+		<-th.App.Srv.Store.FileInfo().PermanentDelete(info.Id)
+		th.App.RemoveFile(info.Path)
+	}()
+
+	data, err1 := api.GetFile(info.Id)
+	require.Nil(t, err1)
+	assert.Equal(t, data, fileData)
+
+	// then checking invalid file
+	data, err = api.GetFile("../fake/testingApi")
+	require.NotNil(t, err)
+	require.Nil(t, data)
+}
 func TestPluginAPISavePluginConfig(t *testing.T) {
 	th := Setup().InitBasic()
 	defer th.TearDown()
diff --git a/plugin/api.go b/plugin/api.go
index cff931c65d..b5c5a7be04 100644
--- a/plugin/api.go
+++ b/plugin/api.go
@@ -336,6 +336,11 @@ type API interface {
 	// Minimum server version: 5.3
 	GetFileInfo(fileId string) (*model.FileInfo, *model.AppError)
 
+	// GetFile gets content of a file by it's ID
+	//
+	// Minimum Server version: 5.8
+	GetFile(fileId string) ([]byte, *model.AppError)
+
 	// GetFileLink gets the public link to a file by fileId.
 	//
 	// Minimum server version: 5.6
diff --git a/plugin/client_rpc_generated.go b/plugin/client_rpc_generated.go
index 9a5c831454..676214b695 100644
--- a/plugin/client_rpc_generated.go
+++ b/plugin/client_rpc_generated.go
@@ -2837,6 +2837,35 @@ func (s *apiRPCServer) GetFileInfo(args *Z_GetFileInfoArgs, returns *Z_GetFileIn
 	return nil
 }
 
+type Z_GetFileArgs struct {
+	A string
+}
+
+type Z_GetFileReturns struct {
+	A []byte
+	B *model.AppError
+}
+
+func (g *apiRPCClient) GetFile(fileId string) ([]byte, *model.AppError) {
+	_args := &Z_GetFileArgs{fileId}
+	_returns := &Z_GetFileReturns{}
+	if err := g.client.Call("Plugin.GetFile", _args, _returns); err != nil {
+		log.Printf("RPC call to GetFile API failed: %s", err.Error())
+	}
+	return _returns.A, _returns.B
+}
+
+func (s *apiRPCServer) GetFile(args *Z_GetFileArgs, returns *Z_GetFileReturns) error {
+	if hook, ok := s.impl.(interface {
+		GetFile(fileId string) ([]byte, *model.AppError)
+	}); ok {
+		returns.A, returns.B = hook.GetFile(args.A)
+	} else {
+		return encodableError(fmt.Errorf("API GetFile called but not implemented."))
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
 type Z_GetFileLinkArgs struct {
 	A string
 }
diff --git a/plugin/plugintest/api.go b/plugin/plugintest/api.go
index 04e284f34a..345404d5bf 100644
--- a/plugin/plugintest/api.go
+++ b/plugin/plugintest/api.go
@@ -713,6 +713,31 @@ func (_m *API) GetEmojiList(sortBy string, page int, perPage int) ([]*model.Emoj
 	return r0, r1
 }
 
+// GetFile provides a mock function with given fields: fileId
+func (_m *API) GetFile(fileId string) ([]byte, *model.AppError) {
+	ret := _m.Called(fileId)
+
+	var r0 []byte
+	if rf, ok := ret.Get(0).(func(string) []byte); ok {
+		r0 = rf(fileId)
+	} else {
+		if ret.Get(0) != nil {
+			r0 = ret.Get(0).([]byte)
+		}
+	}
+
+	var r1 *model.AppError
+	if rf, ok := ret.Get(1).(func(string) *model.AppError); ok {
+		r1 = rf(fileId)
+	} else {
+		if ret.Get(1) != nil {
+			r1 = ret.Get(1).(*model.AppError)
+		}
+	}
+
+	return r0, r1
+}
+
 // GetFileInfo provides a mock function with given fields: fileId
 func (_m *API) GetFileInfo(fileId string) (*model.FileInfo, *model.AppError) {
 	ret := _m.Called(fileId)