diff --git a/core/src/main/groovy/com/muwire/core/Core.groovy b/core/src/main/groovy/com/muwire/core/Core.groovy
index 3a21dd96..58d29364 100644
--- a/core/src/main/groovy/com/muwire/core/Core.groovy
+++ b/core/src/main/groovy/com/muwire/core/Core.groovy
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ import com.muwire.core.files.FileSharedEvent
 import com.muwire.core.files.FileUnsharedEvent
 import com.muwire.core.files.HasherService
 import com.muwire.core.files.PersisterService
+import com.muwire.core.files.SideCarFileEvent
 import com.muwire.core.files.UICommentEvent
 import com.muwire.core.files.UIPersistFilesEvent
 import com.muwire.core.files.AllFilesLoadedEvent
@@ -221,6 +222,7 @@ public class Core {
         eventBus.register(SearchEvent.class, fileManager)
         eventBus.register(DirectoryUnsharedEvent.class, fileManager)
         eventBus.register(UICommentEvent.class, fileManager)
+        eventBus.register(SideCarFileEvent.class, fileManager)
 
         log.info("initializing mesh manager")
         MeshManager meshManager = new MeshManager(fileManager, home, props)
diff --git a/core/src/main/groovy/com/muwire/core/files/FileManager.groovy b/core/src/main/groovy/com/muwire/core/files/FileManager.groovy
index cefd3958..81f02981 100644
--- a/core/src/main/groovy/com/muwire/core/files/FileManager.groovy
+++ b/core/src/main/groovy/com/muwire/core/files/FileManager.groovy
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ class FileManager {
     final Map<String, Set<File>> commentToFile = new HashMap<>()
     final SearchIndex index = new SearchIndex()
     final FileTree negativeTree = new FileTree()
+    final Set<File> sideCarFiles = new HashSet<>()
 
     FileManager(EventBus eventBus, MuWireSettings settings) {
         this.settings = settings
@@ -36,8 +37,15 @@ class FileManager {
     }
     
     void onFileHashedEvent(FileHashedEvent e) {
-        if (e.sharedFile != null)
-            addToIndex(e.sharedFile)
+        if (e.sharedFile == null)
+            return
+        File f = e.sharedFile.getFile()
+        if (sideCarFiles.remove(f)) {
+            File sideCar = new File(f.getParentFile(), f.getName() + ".mwcomment")
+            if (sideCar.exists()) 
+                e.sharedFile.setComment(Base64.encode(DataUtil.encodei18nString(sideCar.text)))
+        }
+        addToIndex(e.sharedFile)
     }
 
     void onFileLoadedEvent(FileLoadedEvent e) {
@@ -49,6 +57,21 @@ class FileManager {
             addToIndex(e.downloadedFile)
         }
     }
+    
+    void onSideCarFileEvent(SideCarFileEvent e) {
+        String name = e.file.getName()
+        name = name.substring(0, name.length() - ".mwcomment".length())
+        File target = new File(e.file.getParentFile(), name)
+        SharedFile existing = fileToSharedFile.get(target)
+        if (existing == null) {
+            sideCarFiles.add(target)
+            return
+        }
+        String comment = Base64.encode(DataUtil.encodei18nString(e.file.text))
+        String oldComment = existing.getComment()
+        existing.setComment(comment)
+        eventBus.publish(new UICommentEvent(oldComment : oldComment, sharedFile : existing))
+    }
 
     private void addToIndex(SharedFile sf) {
         log.info("Adding shared file " + sf.getFile())
diff --git a/core/src/main/groovy/com/muwire/core/files/HasherService.groovy b/core/src/main/groovy/com/muwire/core/files/HasherService.groovy
index 85947e84..fbdf3598 100644
--- a/core/src/main/groovy/com/muwire/core/files/HasherService.groovy
+++ b/core/src/main/groovy/com/muwire/core/files/HasherService.groovy
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ package com.muwire.core.files
 import java.util.concurrent.Executor
 import java.util.concurrent.Executors
 
+import com.muwire.core.Constants
 import com.muwire.core.EventBus
 import com.muwire.core.MuWireSettings
 import com.muwire.core.SharedFile
@@ -33,7 +34,9 @@ class HasherService {
             return
         if (fileManager.fileToSharedFile.containsKey(canonical)) 
             return
-        if (hashed.add(canonical))
+        if (canonical.getName().endsWith(".mwcomment") && canonical.length() < Constants.MAX_COMMENT_LENGTH)
+            eventBus.publish(new SideCarFileEvent(file : canonical))
+        else if (hashed.add(canonical))
             executor.execute( { -> process(canonical) } as Runnable)
     }
     
diff --git a/core/src/main/groovy/com/muwire/core/files/SideCarFileEvent.groovy b/core/src/main/groovy/com/muwire/core/files/SideCarFileEvent.groovy
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..511314e1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/src/main/groovy/com/muwire/core/files/SideCarFileEvent.groovy
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+package com.muwire.core.files
+
+import com.muwire.core.Event
+
+class SideCarFileEvent extends Event {
+    File file
+}
diff --git a/core/src/main/java/com/muwire/core/Constants.java b/core/src/main/java/com/muwire/core/Constants.java
index b2c6e6ee..d8abe80c 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/com/muwire/core/Constants.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/com/muwire/core/Constants.java
@@ -10,4 +10,6 @@ public class Constants {
     public static final int MAX_HEADERS = 16;
     
     public static final int MAX_RESULTS = 0x1 << 16;
+    
+    public static final int MAX_COMMENT_LENGTH = 0x1 << 15;
 }