diff --git a/src/seesaw/core.clj b/src/seesaw/core.clj
index f924110a..a0847cba 100644
--- a/src/seesaw/core.clj
+++ b/src/seesaw/core.clj
@@ -16,7 +16,8 @@
       :author "Dave Ray"}
   seesaw.core
   (:use [seesaw util meta to-widget make-widget])
-  (:require [seesaw color font border invoke timer selection 
+  (:require clojure.java.io
+            [seesaw color font border invoke timer selection 
              event selector icon action cells table graphics cursor scroll])
   (:import [javax.swing 
              SwingConstants UIManager ScrollPaneConstants
@@ -563,28 +564,36 @@
   javax.swing.JLabel (set-icon [this v] (.setIcon this (make-icon v)))
   javax.swing.AbstractButton (set-icon [this v] (.setIcon this (make-icon v))))
 
+
 (defprotocol ^{:private true} Text 
   (set-text [this v])
   (get-text [this]))
 
+(defn- convert-text-value [v]
+  (cond
+    (nil? v)    v
+    (string? v) v
+    (satisfies? clojure.java.io/IOFactory v) (slurp v)
+    :else (str v)))
+
 (extend-protocol Text
   Object
     (set-text [this v] (set-text (to-widget this) v))
     (get-text [this] (get-text (to-widget this)))
   javax.swing.JLabel 
-    (set-text [this v] (.setText this (str v)))
+    (set-text [this v] (.setText this (convert-text-value v)))
     (get-text [this] (.getText this))
   javax.swing.AbstractButton 
-    (set-text [this v] (.setText this (str v)))
+    (set-text [this v] (.setText this (convert-text-value v)))
     (get-text [this] (.getText this))
   javax.swing.text.AbstractDocument 
-    (set-text [this v] (.replace this 0 (.getLength this) (str v) nil))
+    (set-text [this v] (.replace this 0 (.getLength this) (convert-text-value v) nil))
     (get-text [this] (.getText this 0 (.getLength this)))
   javax.swing.event.DocumentEvent
     (set-text [this v] (set-text (.getDocument this) v))
     (get-text [this] (get-text (.getDocument this)))
   javax.swing.text.JTextComponent 
-    (set-text [this v] (.setText this (str v)))
+    (set-text [this v] (.setText this (convert-text-value v)))
     (get-text [this] (.getText this)))
 
 (defprotocol ^{:private true} SetAction (set-action [this v]))
@@ -1224,6 +1233,19 @@
   turned into a widget or document, or a list of such things. value is the new
   text value to be applied. Returns targets.
 
+  target may be one of:
+
+    A widget
+    A widget-able thing like an event
+    A Document
+    A DocumentEvent
+
+  The resulting text in the widget depends on the type of value:
+
+    A string                               - the string
+    A URL, File, or anything \"slurpable\" - the slurped value
+    Anythign else                          - (str value)
+
   Example:
 
       user=> (def t (text \"HI\"))
@@ -1231,6 +1253,12 @@
       user=> (text t)
       \"BYE\"
 
+      ; Put the contents of a URL in editor
+      (text! editor (java.net.URL. \"http://google.com\"))
+
+  Notes:
+    
+    This applies to the :text property of new text widgets and config! as well.
   "
   [targets value]
   (check-args (not (nil? targets)) "First arg must not be nil")
diff --git a/test/seesaw/test/core.clj b/test/seesaw/test/core.clj
index 2e9033c6..b8608b3f 100644
--- a/test/seesaw/test/core.clj
+++ b/test/seesaw/test/core.clj
@@ -10,7 +10,8 @@
 
 (ns seesaw.test.core
   (:require [seesaw.selector :as selector]
-            [seesaw.cursor :as cursor])
+            [seesaw.cursor :as cursor]
+            clojure.java.io)
   (:use seesaw.core
         seesaw.font
         seesaw.graphics
@@ -459,7 +460,7 @@
           _ (.insertString d 0 "HI" nil)
           r (text! d "BYE!")]
       (expect (= d r))
-      (expect (= "BYE!" (text d))))))
+      (expect (= "BYE!" (text d)))))
   (it "should set the text of a single text widget argument"
     (= "BYE" (text (text! (text "HI") "BYE"))))
   (it "should set the text of a single button argument"
@@ -470,6 +471,12 @@
       (expect (= [a b] result))
       (expect (= "YUM" (text a)))
       (expect (= "YUM" (text b)))))
+  (it "should set the text of a widget to the contents of a non-string 'slurpable'"
+    (let [t (text :multi-line? true)]
+      (text! t (clojure.java.io/resource "seesaw/test/core.text.txt"))
+      ; Be careful editing the test file with vim. It will silently add
+      ; a trailing newline on save.
+      (expect (= "Some text in a resource" (text t)))))) 
 
 (describe text
   (it "should throw IllegalArgumentException if argument is nil"
diff --git a/test/seesaw/test/core.text.txt b/test/seesaw/test/core.text.txt
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..7685fa5b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/seesaw/test/core.text.txt
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Some text in a resource
\ No newline at end of file