diff --git a/cadasta/resources/serializers.py b/cadasta/resources/serializers.py
index d6199b5fd..be99dd50e 100644
--- a/cadasta/resources/serializers.py
+++ b/cadasta/resources/serializers.py
@@ -12,8 +12,9 @@ class ResourceSerializer(serializers.ModelSerializer):
     class Meta:
         model = Resource
         fields = ('id', 'name', 'description', 'file', 'original_file',
-                  'archived',)
+                  'archived', 'mime_type', )
         read_only_fields = ('id', )
+        extra_kwargs = {'mime_type': {'required': False}}
 
     def is_valid(self, raise_exception=False):
         data = self.initial_data
diff --git a/cadasta/resources/tests/test_models.py b/cadasta/resources/tests/test_models.py
index 8ee9b1643..4bcba874f 100644
--- a/cadasta/resources/tests/test_models.py
+++ b/cadasta/resources/tests/test_models.py
@@ -201,6 +201,18 @@ def test_create_thumbnail(self):
             settings.MEDIA_ROOT, 's3/uploads/resources/thumb_test-128x128.jpg')
         )
 
+    def test_create_no_thumbnail_non_images(self):
+        file = self.get_file('/resources/tests/files/text.txt', 'rb')
+        file_name = self.storage.save('resources/text.txt', file)
+        contributor = UserFactory.create()
+        resource = ResourceFactory.create(file=file_name,
+                                          mime_type='text/plain',
+                                          contributor=contributor)
+        resource.save()
+        assert os.path.isfile(os.path.join(
+            settings.MEDIA_ROOT, 's3/uploads/resources/text-128x128.txt')
+        ) is False
+
     def test_create_spatial_resource(self):
         file = self.get_file('/resources/tests/files/deramola.xml', 'rb')
         file_name = self.storage.save('resources/deramola.xml', file)
diff --git a/cadasta/resources/tests/test_serializers.py b/cadasta/resources/tests/test_serializers.py
index 7f1e07d17..16eb6584d 100644
--- a/cadasta/resources/tests/test_serializers.py
+++ b/cadasta/resources/tests/test_serializers.py
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 import pytest
+import os
 from django.test import TestCase
+from django.conf import settings
 from rest_framework.serializers import ValidationError
 
 from core.tests.utils.cases import UserTestCase, FileStorageTestCase
@@ -26,7 +28,7 @@ def test_serialize_fields(self):
 
     def test_create_project_resource(self):
         file = self.get_file('/resources/tests/files/image.jpg', 'rb')
-        file_name = self.storage.save('image.jpg', file)
+        file_name = self.storage.save('resources/image.jpg', file)
 
         project = ProjectFactory.create()
         user = UserFactory.create()
@@ -34,19 +36,50 @@ def test_create_project_resource(self):
             'name': 'New resource',
             'description': '',
             'file': file_name,
-            'original_file': 'image.png'
+            'original_file': 'image.png',
+            'mime_type': 'image/jpeg'
         }
         serializer = ResourceSerializer(
             data=data,
             context={'content_object': project,
                      'contributor': user,
                      'project_id': project.id})
-        serializer.is_valid()
+        serializer.is_valid(raise_exception=True)
+        serializer.save()
+
+        assert project.resources.count() == 1
+        assert project.resources.first().name == data['name']
+        assert project.resources.first().contributor == user
+        assert os.path.isfile(os.path.join(
+            settings.MEDIA_ROOT, 's3/uploads/resources/image-128x128.jpg')
+        )
+
+    def test_create_project_resource_without_mime_type(self):
+        file = self.get_file('/resources/tests/files/text.txt', 'rb')
+        file_name = self.storage.save('resources/text.txt', file)
+
+        project = ProjectFactory.create()
+        user = UserFactory.create()
+        data = {
+            'name': 'New resource',
+            'description': '',
+            'file': file_name,
+            'original_file': 'text.txt'
+        }
+        serializer = ResourceSerializer(
+            data=data,
+            context={'content_object': project,
+                     'contributor': user,
+                     'project_id': project.id})
+        serializer.is_valid(raise_exception=True)
         serializer.save()
 
         assert project.resources.count() == 1
         assert project.resources.first().name == data['name']
         assert project.resources.first().contributor == user
+        assert os.path.isfile(os.path.join(
+            settings.MEDIA_ROOT, 's3/uploads/resources/text-128x128.txt')
+        ) is False
 
     def test_assign_existing_resource(self):
         project = ProjectFactory.create()