diff --git a/examples/demo/demo.py b/examples/demo/demo.py
index dd488fa..9a2f4dc 100644
--- a/examples/demo/demo.py
+++ b/examples/demo/demo.py
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ Then::
 """
 
 from wsme import WSRoot, expose, validate
-from wsme.types import FileType
+from wsme.types import File
 
 import bottle
 
@@ -33,10 +33,10 @@ class DemoRoot(WSRoot):
     def multiply(self, a, b):
         return a * b
 
-    @expose(unicode)
-    @validate(FileType)
+    @expose(File)
+    @validate(File)
     def echofile(self, afile):
-        return unicode(afile.value)
+        return afile
 
     @expose(unicode)
     def helloworld(self):
diff --git a/wsme/protocols/commons.py b/wsme/protocols/commons.py
index d7d912d..9dfcc81 100644
--- a/wsme/protocols/commons.py
+++ b/wsme/protocols/commons.py
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ import re
 from simplegeneric import generic
 
 from wsme.types import iscomplex, list_attributes, Unset
-from wsme.types import UserType, ArrayType, DictType, FileType
+from wsme.types import UserType, ArrayType, DictType, File
 from wsme.utils import parse_isodate, parse_isotime, parse_isodatetime
 
 
@@ -32,11 +32,11 @@ def datetime_from_param(datatype, value):
     return parse_isodatetime(value) if value else None
 
 
-@from_param.when_object(FileType)
+@from_param.when_object(File)
 def filetype_from_param(datatype, value):
     if isinstance(value, cgi.FieldStorage):
-        return FileType(fieldstorage=value)
-    return FileType(content=value)
+        return File(fieldstorage=value)
+    return File(content=value)
 
 
 @from_param.when_type(UserType)
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ def usertype_from_param(datatype, value):
 
 @generic
 def from_params(datatype, params, path, hit_paths):
-    if iscomplex(datatype):
+    if iscomplex(datatype) and datatype is not File:
         objfound = False
         for key in params:
             if key.startswith(path + '.'):
diff --git a/wsme/types.py b/wsme/types.py
index 81be364..a131040 100644
--- a/wsme/types.py
+++ b/wsme/types.py
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import base64
+import cStringIO as StringIO
 import datetime
 import decimal
 import inspect
@@ -140,32 +141,6 @@ class Enum(UserType):
         return value
 
 
-class FileType(object):
-    def __init__(self, filename=None, file=None, content=None,
-            contenttype=None, fieldstorage=None):
-        self.filename = filename
-        self._file = file
-        self._content = content
-        self.contenttype = contenttype
-        if fieldstorage is not None:
-            if fieldstorage.file:
-                self._file = fieldstorage.file
-                self.filename = fieldstorage.filename
-                self.contenttype = fieldstorage.type
-            else:
-                self._content = fieldstorage.value
-
-    @property
-    def file(self):
-        return self._file
-
-    @property
-    def value(self):
-        if self._content is None and self._file:
-            self._content = self._file.read()
-        return self._content
-
-
 class UnsetType(object):
     if sys.version < '3':
         def __nonzero__(self):
@@ -180,7 +155,7 @@ Unset = UnsetType()
 pod_types = six.integer_types + (
     bytes, text, float, bool)
 dt_types = (datetime.date, datetime.time, datetime.datetime)
-extra_types = (binary, decimal.Decimal, FileType)
+extra_types = (binary, decimal.Decimal)
 native_types = pod_types + dt_types + extra_types
 
 
@@ -523,3 +498,45 @@ def Base__init__(self, **kw):
             setattr(self, key, value)
 
 Base = BaseMeta('Base', (object, ), {'__init__': Base__init__})
+
+
+class File(Base):
+    """A complex type that represents a file.
+
+    In the particular case of protocol accepting form encoded data as
+    input, File can be loaded from a form file field.
+    """
+    filename = wsattr(text)
+    contenttype = wsattr(text)
+
+    def _get_content(self):
+        if self._content is None and self._file:
+            self._content = self._file.read()
+        return self._content
+
+    def _set_content(self, value):
+        self._content = value
+        self._file = None
+
+    content = wsproperty(binary, _get_content, _set_content)
+
+    def __init__(self, filename=None, file=None, content=None,
+            contenttype=None, fieldstorage=None):
+        self.filename = filename
+        self.contenttype = contenttype
+        self._file = file
+        self._content = content
+
+        if fieldstorage is not None:
+            if fieldstorage.file:
+                self._file = fieldstorage.file
+                self.filename = fieldstorage.filename
+                self.contenttype = unicode(fieldstorage.type)
+            else:
+                self._content = fieldstorage.value
+
+    @property
+    def file(self):
+        if self._file is None and self._content:
+            self._file = StringIO.StringIO(self._content)
+        return self._file