diff --git a/packages/client/lib/files.js b/packages/client/lib/files.js
index c8413ab4..6b15d9e5 100644
--- a/packages/client/lib/files.js
+++ b/packages/client/lib/files.js
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ class Files {
     const requestType = 'stream'
     const params = {}
     if (metadata) params.metadata = JSON.stringify(metadata)
+
     return await this.collection.fetch('/file', {
       method: 'POST',
       body: stream,
@@ -81,7 +82,8 @@ class Files {
     if (opts.range) {
       opts.headers.Range = `bytes=${opts.range.from || 0}-${opts.range.to || ''}`
     }
-    return this.collection.fetch('/file/' + id, opts)
+    const query = opts.query || ''
+    return this.collection.fetch('/file/' + id + query, opts)
   }
 
   /**
diff --git a/packages/core/lib/file.js b/packages/core/lib/file.js
index 1442d18c..25fc7792 100644
--- a/packages/core/lib/file.js
+++ b/packages/core/lib/file.js
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ module.exports = class Files {
 
     if (method === 'HEAD') return new EmptyStream()
     const readStream = hyperdrive.createReadStream(path, range)
-    return { stream: readStream, headers: responseHeaders, statusCode }
+    return { stream: readStream, headers: responseHeaders, statusCode, record }
   }
 
   async resolveFile (id) {
diff --git a/packages/server/handlers/collection.js b/packages/server/handlers/collection.js
index 214cddc5..1f45672a 100644
--- a/packages/server/handlers/collection.js
+++ b/packages/server/handlers/collection.js
@@ -342,9 +342,9 @@ module.exports = function createCollectionRoutes () {
     '/:collection/file',
     AH(async function (req, res, next) {
       let metadata = {}
-      if (req.params.metadata) {
+      if (req.query.metadata) {
         try {
-          metadata = JSON.parse(req.params.metadata)
+          metadata = JSON.parse(req.query.metadata)
           if (typeof metadata !== 'object' || Array.isArray(metadata)) {
             throw new Error('Metadata has to be a JSON object')
           }
@@ -360,18 +360,27 @@ module.exports = function createCollectionRoutes () {
   router.get(
     '/:collection/file/:id',
     AH(async function (req, res, next) {
-      if (req.query.meta) {
+      const query = req.query
+      if (query.meta) {
         const record = await req.collection.files.getRecord(req.params.id)
         return res.json(record)
       }
       const {
         headers,
         stream,
-        statusCode
+        statusCode,
+        record
       } = await req.collection.files.readFileWithHeaders(req.params.id, req)
       for (const [name, value] of Object.entries(headers)) {
         res.setHeader(name, value)
       }
+
+      if (query.dl) {
+        const filename = record.value.filename || record.id
+        res.setHeader('Content-Disposition', `attachment; filename="${filename}"`)
+      } else {
+        res.setHeader('Content-Disposition', 'inline')
+      }
       res.status(statusCode)
 
       pipeline(stream, res, err => {