diff --git a/bridge/config/config.go b/bridge/config/config.go
index 18c6092082..2577f46b87 100644
--- a/bridge/config/config.go
+++ b/bridge/config/config.go
@@ -166,6 +166,7 @@ type Protocol struct {
 	URL                    string     // mattermost, slack // DEPRECATED
 	UseAPI                 bool       // mattermost, slack
 	UseLocalAvatar         []string   // discord
+	UseNativeUpload        bool       // discord
 	UseSASL                bool       // IRC
 	UseTLS                 bool       // IRC
 	UseDiscriminator       bool       // discord
diff --git a/bridge/discord/handlers.go b/bridge/discord/handlers.go
index 34cef55480..72d0db65a0 100644
--- a/bridge/discord/handlers.go
+++ b/bridge/discord/handlers.go
@@ -1,7 +1,11 @@
 package bdiscord
 
 import (
+	"fmt"
+	"path"
+
 	"github.com/42wim/matterbridge/bridge/config"
+	"github.com/42wim/matterbridge/bridge/helper"
 	"github.com/bwmarrin/discordgo"
 	"github.com/davecgh/go-spew/spew"
 )
@@ -98,15 +102,14 @@ func (b *Bdiscord) messageCreate(s *discordgo.Session, m *discordgo.MessageCreat
 		return
 	}
 
-	// add the url of the attachments to content
-	if len(m.Attachments) > 0 {
-		for _, attach := range m.Attachments {
-			m.Content = m.Content + "\n" + attach.URL
-		}
+	rmsg := config.Message{
+		Account: b.Account,
+		Avatar:  "https://cdn.discordapp.com/avatars/" + m.Author.ID + "/" + m.Author.Avatar + ".jpg",
+		UserID:  m.Author.ID,
+		ID:      m.ID,
+		Extra:   make(map[string][]interface{}),
 	}
 
-	rmsg := config.Message{Account: b.Account, Avatar: "https://cdn.discordapp.com/avatars/" + m.Author.ID + "/" + m.Author.Avatar + ".jpg", UserID: m.Author.ID, ID: m.ID}
-
 	b.Log.Debugf("== Receiving event %#v", m.Message)
 
 	if m.Content != "" {
@@ -138,8 +141,21 @@ func (b *Bdiscord) messageCreate(s *discordgo.Session, m *discordgo.MessageCreat
 		}
 	}
 
-	// no empty messages
-	if rmsg.Text == "" {
+	if len(m.Attachments) > 0 {
+		if b.Config.GetBool("UseNativeUpload") {
+			b.handleDownloadFile(&rmsg, m)
+		} else {
+			// add the url of the attachments to content
+			for _, attach := range m.Attachments {
+				m.Content = m.Content + "\n" + attach.URL
+			}
+		}
+	}
+
+	hasAttachment := len(rmsg.Extra["file"]) > 0
+
+	// no empty messages unless has attachment
+	if rmsg.Text == "" && !hasAttachment {
 		return
 	}
 
@@ -279,3 +295,17 @@ func handleEmbed(embed *discordgo.MessageEmbed) string {
 
 	return result
 }
+
+func (b *Bdiscord) handleDownloadFile(rmsg *config.Message, m *discordgo.MessageCreate) error {
+	for _, attach := range m.Attachments {
+		data, err := helper.DownloadFile(attach.URL)
+
+		if err != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("download %s failed %#v", attach.URL, err)
+		}
+
+		helper.HandleDownloadData(b.Log, rmsg, path.Base(attach.URL), rmsg.Text, attach.URL, data, b.General)
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}
diff --git a/matterbridge.toml.sample b/matterbridge.toml.sample
index 96104501e3..3486d22db9 100644
--- a/matterbridge.toml.sample
+++ b/matterbridge.toml.sample
@@ -907,6 +907,9 @@ ShowEmbeds=false
 # Example: ["irc"]
 UseLocalAvatar=[]
 
+# UseNativeUpload will use a naitive upload when relaying from discord to other platforms rather than using public links
+UseNativeUpload=false
+
 # UseUserName shows the username instead of the server nickname
 UseUserName=false