diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 20c0b69..8c60a7d 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -2,8 +2,11 @@
 
 # Todo
 
-* standalone attachments
 * etags
 * db:changes_stream
 * Authentication
-* Write docs
\ No newline at end of file
+* Write docs
+
+## Limitiations
+
+* Streaming attachments is not supported at this point (patches welcome)
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/lib/couchdb.js b/lib/couchdb.js
index 569a3e0..b3589ae 100644
--- a/lib/couchdb.js
+++ b/lib/couchdb.js
@@ -88,12 +88,16 @@ exports.createClient = function(port, host) {
 
     request.finish(function(res) {
       var buffer = '';
-      res.setBodyEncoding('utf8');
+      res.setBodyEncoding(options.responseEncoding || 'utf8');
       res
         .addListener('body', function(chunk) {
           buffer += (chunk || '');
         })
         .addListener('complete', function() {
+          if(options.responseEncoding == 'binary') {
+            promise.emitSuccess(buffer);
+          }
+
           var json;
           try {
             json = JSON.parse(buffer);
@@ -344,6 +348,12 @@ Db.prototype.removeAttachment = function(docId, attachmentId, docRev) {
   })
 };
 
+Db.prototype.getAttachment = function(docId, attachmentId) {
+  return this.request({
+    path: '/'+docId+'/'+attachmentId,
+    responseEncoding: 'binary',
+  });
+};
 
 Db.prototype.removeDoc = function(id, rev) {
   return this.request({
@@ -351,7 +361,7 @@ Db.prototype.removeDoc = function(id, rev) {
     path: '/'+id,
     query: {rev: rev}
   });
-}
+};
 
 Db.prototype.copyDoc = function(srcId, destId, destRev) {
   if (destRev) {
diff --git a/test/test-attachment.js b/test/test-attachment.js
index d0b20cb..4f663b9 100644
--- a/test/test-attachment.js
+++ b/test/test-attachment.js
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ var
     B: false,
     C: false,
     D: false,
+    E: false,
   },
 
   db = client.db(DB_NAME);
@@ -34,6 +35,13 @@ couchdb
         callbacks.B = true;
         assert.ok(r.ok);
         assert.equal('logo-doc', r.id);
+
+        db
+          .getAttachment('logo-doc', 'logo.png')
+          .addCallback(function(r) {
+            callbacks.E = true;
+            assert.equal(3010, r.length);
+          });
       });
   });