diff --git a/IPython/html/files/__init__.py b/IPython/html/files/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e69de29
--- /dev/null
+++ b/IPython/html/files/__init__.py
diff --git a/IPython/html/files/handlers.py b/IPython/html/files/handlers.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f1f38b1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/IPython/html/files/handlers.py
@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+"""Serve files directly from the ContentsManager."""
+
+# Copyright (c) IPython Development Team.
+# Distributed under the terms of the Modified BSD License.
+
+import os
+import mimetypes
+import json
+import base64
+
+from tornado import web
+
+from IPython.html.base.handlers import IPythonHandler
+
+class FilesHandler(IPythonHandler):
+    """serve files via ContentsManager"""
+
+    @web.authenticated
+    def get(self, path):
+        cm = self.settings['contents_manager']
+        if cm.is_hidden(path):
+            self.log.info("Refusing to serve hidden file, via 404 Error")
+            raise web.HTTPError(404)
+
+        path, name = os.path.split(path)
+        model = cm.get_model(name, path)
+
+        if model['type'] == 'notebook':
+            self.set_header('Content-Type', 'application/json')
+        else:
+            cur_mime = mimetypes.guess_type(name)[0]
+            if cur_mime is not None:
+                self.set_header('Content-Type', cur_mime)
+        
+        self.set_header('Content-Disposition','attachment; filename="%s"' % name)
+
+        if model['format'] == 'base64':
+            b64_bytes = model['content'].encode('ascii')
+            self.write(base64.decodestring(b64_bytes))
+        elif model['format'] == 'json':
+            self.write(json.dumps(model['content']))
+        else:
+            self.write(model['content'])
+        self.flush()
+
+default_handlers = [
+    (r"/files/(.*)", FilesHandler),
+]
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/IPython/html/notebookapp.py b/IPython/html/notebookapp.py
index 0d3b6f8..e8e920f 100644
--- a/IPython/html/notebookapp.py
+++ b/IPython/html/notebookapp.py
@@ -186,6 +186,7 @@ class NotebookWebApplication(web.Application):
         handlers.extend(load_handlers('tree.handlers'))
         handlers.extend(load_handlers('auth.login'))
         handlers.extend(load_handlers('auth.logout'))
+        handlers.extend(load_handlers('files.handlers'))
         handlers.extend(load_handlers('notebook.handlers'))
         handlers.extend(load_handlers('nbconvert.handlers'))
         handlers.extend(load_handlers('kernelspecs.handlers'))
@@ -195,12 +196,6 @@ class NotebookWebApplication(web.Application):
         handlers.extend(load_handlers('services.sessions.handlers'))
         handlers.extend(load_handlers('services.nbconvert.handlers'))
         handlers.extend(load_handlers('services.kernelspecs.handlers'))
-        # FIXME: /files/ should be handled by the Contents service when it exists
-        cm = settings['contents_manager']
-        if hasattr(cm, 'root_dir'):
-            handlers.append(
-            (r"/files/(.*)", AuthenticatedFileHandler, {'path' : cm.root_dir}),
-        )
         handlers.append(
             (r"/nbextensions/(.*)", FileFindHandler, {'path' : settings['nbextensions_path']}),
         )
diff --git a/IPython/html/tests/test_files.py b/IPython/html/tests/test_files.py
index 0653bfd..2dbf7f0 100644
--- a/IPython/html/tests/test_files.py
+++ b/IPython/html/tests/test_files.py
@@ -8,11 +8,17 @@ from unicodedata import normalize
 pjoin = os.path.join
 
 import requests
+import json
+
+from IPython.nbformat.current import (new_notebook, write, new_worksheet,
+                              new_heading_cell, new_code_cell,
+                              new_output)
 
 from IPython.html.utils import url_path_join
 from .launchnotebook import NotebookTestBase
 from IPython.utils import py3compat
 
+
 class FilesTest(NotebookTestBase):
     def test_hidden_files(self):
         not_hidden = [
@@ -50,6 +56,50 @@ class FilesTest(NotebookTestBase):
                 r = requests.get(url_path_join(url, 'files', d, foo))
                 self.assertEqual(r.status_code, 404)
     
+    def test_contents_manager(self):
+        "make sure ContentsManager returns right files (ipynb, bin, txt)."
+
+        nbdir = self.notebook_dir.name
+        base = self.base_url()
+
+        nb = new_notebook(name='testnb')
+        
+        ws = new_worksheet()
+        nb.worksheets = [ws]
+        ws.cells.append(new_heading_cell(u'Created by test ³'))
+        cc1 = new_code_cell(input=u'print(2*6)')
+        cc1.outputs.append(new_output(output_text=u'12', output_type='stream'))
+        ws.cells.append(cc1)
+
+        with io.open(pjoin(nbdir, 'testnb.ipynb'), 'w', 
+            encoding='utf-8') as f:
+            write(nb, f, format='ipynb')
+
+        with io.open(pjoin(nbdir, 'test.bin'), 'wb') as f:
+            f.write(b'\xff' + os.urandom(5))
+            f.close()
+
+        with io.open(pjoin(nbdir, 'test.txt'), 'w') as f:
+            f.write(u'foobar')
+            f.close()
+
+        r = requests.get(url_path_join(base, 'files', 'testnb.ipynb'))
+        self.assertEqual(r.status_code, 200)
+        self.assertIn('print(2*6)', r.text)
+        json.loads(r.text)
+
+        r = requests.get(url_path_join(base, 'files', 'test.bin'))
+        self.assertEqual(r.status_code, 200)
+        self.assertEqual(r.headers['content-type'], 'application/octet-stream')
+        self.assertEqual(r.content[:1], b'\xff')
+        self.assertEqual(len(r.content), 6)
+
+        r = requests.get(url_path_join(base, 'files', 'test.txt'))
+        self.assertEqual(r.status_code, 200)
+        self.assertEqual(r.headers['content-type'], 'text/plain')
+        self.assertEqual(r.text, 'foobar')
+
+
     def test_old_files_redirect(self):
         """pre-2.0 'files/' prefixed links are properly redirected"""
         nbdir = self.notebook_dir.name