diff --git a/kolibri/core/content/api.py b/kolibri/core/content/api.py
index 0865670fe16..d9cf961058f 100644
--- a/kolibri/core/content/api.py
+++ b/kolibri/core/content/api.py
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@
 
 import requests
 from django.core.cache import cache
-from django.core.urlresolvers import reverse
 from django.db.models import Exists
 from django.db.models import OuterRef
 from django.db.models import Q
@@ -52,7 +51,6 @@
     get_channel_stats_from_studio,
 )
 from kolibri.core.content.utils.paths import get_channel_lookup_url
-from kolibri.core.content.utils.paths import get_content_file_name
 from kolibri.core.content.utils.paths import get_info_url
 from kolibri.core.content.utils.paths import get_local_content_storage_file_url
 from kolibri.core.content.utils.stopwords import stopwords_set
@@ -231,25 +229,18 @@ def map_lang(obj):
     return output
 
 
-def map_file(file, obj):
-    url_lookup = {
-        "available": file["available"],
-        "id": file["checksum"],
-        "extension": file["extension"],
-    }
-    download_filename = models.get_download_filename(
-        obj["title"],
-        models.PRESET_LOOKUP.get(file["preset"], _("Unknown format")),
-        file["extension"],
-    )
-    file["download_url"] = reverse(
-        "kolibri:core:downloadcontent",
-        kwargs={
-            "filename": get_content_file_name(url_lookup),
-            "new_filename": download_filename,
-        },
+def map_file(file):
+    file["checksum"] = file.pop("local_file__id")
+    file["available"] = file.pop("local_file__available")
+    file["file_size"] = file.pop("local_file__file_size")
+    file["extension"] = file.pop("local_file__extension")
+    file["storage_url"] = get_local_content_storage_file_url(
+        {
+            "available": file["available"],
+            "id": file["checksum"],
+            "extension": file["extension"],
+        }
     )
-    file["storage_url"] = get_local_content_storage_file_url(url_lookup)
     file["lang"] = map_lang(file)
     return file
 
@@ -331,11 +322,7 @@ def consolidate(self, items, queryset):
             ):
                 if f["contentnode"] not in files:
                     files[f["contentnode"]] = []
-                f["checksum"] = f.pop("local_file__id")
-                f["available"] = f.pop("local_file__available")
-                f["file_size"] = f.pop("local_file__file_size")
-                f["extension"] = f.pop("local_file__extension")
-                files[f["contentnode"]].append(f)
+                files[f["contentnode"]].append(map_file(f))
 
             ancestors = queryset.get_ancestors().values(
                 "id", "title", "lft", "rght", "tree_id"
@@ -356,10 +343,8 @@ def consolidate(self, items, queryset):
 
             for item in items:
                 item["assessmentmetadata"] = assessmentmetadata.get(item["id"])
-                item["files"] = list(
-                    map(lambda x: map_file(x, item), files.get(item["id"], []))
-                )
                 item["tags"] = tags.get(item["id"], [])
+                item["files"] = files.get(item["id"], [])
 
                 lft = item.pop("lft")
                 rght = item.pop("rght")
diff --git a/kolibri/core/content/management/commands/exportcontent.py b/kolibri/core/content/management/commands/exportcontent.py
index b61c1dfd717..193c000184a 100644
--- a/kolibri/core/content/management/commands/exportcontent.py
+++ b/kolibri/core/content/management/commands/exportcontent.py
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 import logging
 import os
 
+from django.core.management.base import CommandError
+
 from ...utils import paths
 from ...utils import transfer
 from kolibri.core.content.errors import InvalidStorageFilenameError
@@ -60,6 +62,8 @@ def update_job_metadata(self, total_bytes_to_transfer, total_resource_count):
             job.save_meta()
 
     def handle_async(self, *args, **options):
+        if paths.using_remote_storage():
+            raise CommandError("Cannot export files when using remote file storage")
         channel_id = options["channel_id"]
         data_dir = os.path.realpath(options["destination"])
         node_ids = options["node_ids"]
diff --git a/kolibri/core/content/management/commands/importcontent.py b/kolibri/core/content/management/commands/importcontent.py
index f85ba6ee2dd..ed997d8d5ac 100644
--- a/kolibri/core/content/management/commands/importcontent.py
+++ b/kolibri/core/content/management/commands/importcontent.py
@@ -294,8 +294,10 @@ def _transfer(  # noqa: max-complexity=16
                     overall_progress_update(f.file_size)
                     continue
 
-                # if the file already exists, add its size to our overall progress, and skip
-                if os.path.isfile(dest) and os.path.getsize(dest) == f.file_size:
+                # if the file already exists, or we are using remote storage, add its size to our overall progress, and skip
+                if paths.using_remote_storage() or (
+                    os.path.isfile(dest) and os.path.getsize(dest) == f.file_size
+                ):
                     overall_progress_update(f.file_size)
                     file_checksums_to_annotate.append(f.id)
                     transferred_file_size += f.file_size
diff --git a/kolibri/core/content/models.py b/kolibri/core/content/models.py
index dfb2d029d9c..122cc54134b 100644
--- a/kolibri/core/content/models.py
+++ b/kolibri/core/content/models.py
@@ -25,14 +25,12 @@
 import os
 from gettext import gettext as _
 
-from django.core.urlresolvers import reverse
 from django.db import connection
 from django.db import models
 from django.db.models import Min
 from django.db.models import Q
 from django.db.models import QuerySet
 from django.utils.encoding import python_2_unicode_compatible
-from django.utils.text import get_valid_filename
 from le_utils.constants import content_kinds
 from le_utils.constants import format_presets
 from mptt.managers import TreeManager
@@ -194,15 +192,6 @@ def __str__(self):
         return self.lang_name or ""
 
 
-def get_download_filename(title, preset, extension):
-    """
-    Return a valid filename to be downloaded as.
-    """
-    filename = "{} ({}).{}".format(title, preset, extension)
-    valid_filename = get_valid_filename(filename)
-    return valid_filename
-
-
 class File(base_models.File):
     """
     The second to bottom layer of the contentDB schema, defines the basic building brick for content.
@@ -230,27 +219,6 @@ def get_preset(self):
         """
         return PRESET_LOOKUP.get(self.preset, _("Unknown format"))
 
-    def get_download_filename(self):
-        """
-        Return a valid filename to be downloaded as.
-        """
-        return get_download_filename(
-            self.contentnode.title, self.get_preset(), self.get_extension()
-        )
-
-    def get_download_url(self):
-        """
-        Return the download url.
-        """
-        new_filename = self.get_download_filename()
-        return reverse(
-            "kolibri:core:downloadcontent",
-            kwargs={
-                "filename": self.local_file.get_filename(),
-                "new_filename": new_filename,
-            },
-        )
-
 
 class LocalFileQueryset(models.QuerySet, FilterByUUIDQuerysetMixin):
     def delete_unused_files(self):
diff --git a/kolibri/core/content/serializers.py b/kolibri/core/content/serializers.py
index b565014834a..ee7e67b7a9b 100644
--- a/kolibri/core/content/serializers.py
+++ b/kolibri/core/content/serializers.py
@@ -133,7 +133,6 @@ class Meta:
 class FileSerializer(serializers.ModelSerializer):
     checksum = serializers.CharField(source="local_file_id")
     storage_url = serializers.SerializerMethodField()
-    download_url = serializers.SerializerMethodField()
     extension = serializers.SerializerMethodField()
     file_size = serializers.SerializerMethodField()
     lang = LanguageSerializer()
@@ -142,9 +141,6 @@ class FileSerializer(serializers.ModelSerializer):
     def get_storage_url(self, target_node):
         return target_node.get_storage_url()
 
-    def get_download_url(self, target_node):
-        return target_node.get_download_url()
-
     def get_extension(self, target_node):
         return target_node.get_extension()
 
@@ -165,7 +161,6 @@ class Meta:
             "lang",
             "supplementary",
             "thumbnail",
-            "download_url",
         )
 
 
diff --git a/kolibri/core/content/test/test_downloadcontent.py b/kolibri/core/content/test/test_downloadcontent.py
deleted file mode 100644
index 1a2c692dab9..00000000000
--- a/kolibri/core/content/test/test_downloadcontent.py
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,82 +0,0 @@
-import hashlib
-import mimetypes
-import os
-import tempfile
-
-from django.test import Client
-from django.test import TestCase
-from le_utils.constants import file_formats
-from le_utils.constants import format_presets
-
-from kolibri.core.auth.test.helpers import provision_device
-from kolibri.core.content.models import ContentNode
-from kolibri.core.content.models import File
-from kolibri.core.content.models import LocalFile
-from kolibri.core.content.utils.paths import get_content_storage_file_path
-from kolibri.utils.tests.helpers import override_option
-
-
-@override_option("Paths", "CONTENT_DIR", tempfile.mkdtemp())
-class DownloadContentTestCase(TestCase):
-    """
-    Test case for the downloadcontent endpoint.
-    """
-
-    def setUp(self):
-        provision_device()
-
-        self.client = Client()
-        self.hash = hashlib.md5("DUMMYDATA".encode()).hexdigest()
-        self.extension = file_formats.PDF
-        self.filename = "{}.{}".format(self.hash, self.extension)
-        self.title = "abc123!@#$%^&*();'[],./?><"
-        self.contentnode = ContentNode(title=self.title)
-        self.available = True
-        self.preset = format_presets.DOCUMENT
-        self.local_file = LocalFile(
-            id=self.hash, extension=self.extension, available=self.available
-        )
-        self.file = File(
-            local_file=self.local_file, contentnode=self.contentnode, preset=self.preset
-        )
-
-        self.path = get_content_storage_file_path(self.filename)
-        path_dir = os.path.dirname(self.path)
-        if not os.path.exists(path_dir):
-            os.makedirs(path_dir)
-        tempfile = open(self.path, "w")
-        tempfile.write("test")
-        tempfile.close()
-
-    def test_generate_download_filename(self):
-        self.assertEqual(
-            self.file.get_download_filename(),
-            "abc123._Document.{}".format(self.extension),
-        )
-
-    def test_generate_download_url(self):
-        self.assertEqual(
-            self.file.get_download_url(),
-            "/downloadcontent/{}/{}".format(
-                self.filename, self.file.get_download_filename()
-            ),
-        )
-
-    def test_download_existing_file(self):
-        response = self.client.get(self.file.get_download_url())
-        self.assertEqual(response.status_code, 200)
-
-    def test_download_non_existing_file(self):
-        bad_download_url = self.file.get_download_url().replace(
-            self.file.get_download_url()[25:25], "aaaaa"
-        )
-        response = self.client.get(bad_download_url)
-        self.assertEqual(response.status_code, 404)
-
-    def test_download_headers(self):
-        response = self.client.get(self.file.get_download_url())
-        self.assertEqual(
-            response["Content-Type"], mimetypes.guess_type(self.filename)[0]
-        )
-        self.assertEqual(response["Content-Disposition"], "attachment;")
-        self.assertEqual(response["Content-Length"], str(os.path.getsize(self.path)))
diff --git a/kolibri/core/content/urls.py b/kolibri/core/content/urls.py
index ed5630ab5a6..a912644f3b8 100644
--- a/kolibri/core/content/urls.py
+++ b/kolibri/core/content/urls.py
@@ -1,14 +1,7 @@
 from django.conf.urls import url
 
 from .views import ContentPermalinkRedirect
-from .views import DownloadContentView
 
 urlpatterns = [
-    url(
-        r"^downloadcontent/(?P<filename>[^/]+)/(?P<new_filename>.*)",
-        DownloadContentView.as_view(),
-        {},
-        "downloadcontent",
-    ),
     url(r"^viewcontent$", ContentPermalinkRedirect.as_view(), name="contentpermalink"),
 ]
diff --git a/kolibri/core/content/utils/annotation.py b/kolibri/core/content/utils/annotation.py
index c61e08035c2..f54a41bdc43 100644
--- a/kolibri/core/content/utils/annotation.py
+++ b/kolibri/core/content/utils/annotation.py
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
 
 from .paths import get_content_file_name
 from .paths import get_content_storage_file_path
+from .paths import using_remote_storage
 from .sqlalchemybridge import Bridge
 from .sqlalchemybridge import filter_by_uuids
 from kolibri.core.content.apps import KolibriContentConfig
@@ -434,7 +435,7 @@ def _check_file_availability(files):
     for file in files:
         try:
             # Update if the file exists, *and* the localfile is set as unavailable.
-            if os.path.exists(
+            if using_remote_storage() or os.path.exists(
                 get_content_storage_file_path(
                     get_content_file_name({"id": file[0], "extension": file[2]})
                 )
diff --git a/kolibri/core/content/utils/paths.py b/kolibri/core/content/utils/paths.py
index bfab772eeee..e9cb07179de 100644
--- a/kolibri/core/content/utils/paths.py
+++ b/kolibri/core/content/utils/paths.py
@@ -187,6 +187,10 @@ def get_content_storage_file_path(filename, datafolder=None, contentfolder=None)
     return backup_path or primary_path
 
 
+def using_remote_storage():
+    return conf.OPTIONS["Deployment"]["REMOTE_CONTENT"]
+
+
 # URL PATHS
 
 
diff --git a/kolibri/core/content/views.py b/kolibri/core/content/views.py
index a7f484a5678..4ff31ace151 100644
--- a/kolibri/core/content/views.py
+++ b/kolibri/core/content/views.py
@@ -3,51 +3,17 @@
 from __future__ import unicode_literals
 
 import logging
-import mimetypes
-import os
 
 from django.http import Http404
 from django.http import HttpResponseRedirect
-from django.http.response import FileResponse
 from django.views.generic.base import View
 
 from .models import ContentNode
-from .utils.paths import get_content_storage_file_path
 from kolibri.core.content.hooks import ContentNodeDisplayHook
 
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 
-class DownloadContentView(View):
-    def get(self, request, filename, new_filename):
-        """
-        Handles GET requests and serves a static file as an attachment.
-        """
-
-        # calculate the local file path of the file
-        path = get_content_storage_file_path(filename)
-
-        # if the file does not exist on disk, return a 404
-        if not os.path.exists(path):
-            raise Http404(
-                '"%(filename)s" does not exist locally' % {"filename": filename}
-            )
-
-        # generate a file response
-        response = FileResponse(open(path, "rb"))
-
-        # set the content-type by guessing from the filename
-        response["Content-Type"] = mimetypes.guess_type(filename)[0]
-
-        # set the content-disposition as attachment to force download
-        response["Content-Disposition"] = "attachment;"
-
-        # set the content-length to the file size
-        response["Content-Length"] = os.path.getsize(path)
-
-        return response
-
-
 def get_by_node_id(node_id):
     """
     Function to return a content node based on a node id
diff --git a/kolibri/utils/options.py b/kolibri/utils/options.py
index bc1ddb6e9f1..d1ac6622879 100644
--- a/kolibri/utils/options.py
+++ b/kolibri/utils/options.py
@@ -449,6 +449,15 @@ def url_prefix(value):
                 retrieving alternate origin URLs.
             """,
         },
+        "REMOTE_CONTENT": {
+            "type": "boolean",
+            "default": False,
+            "description": """
+                Boolean flag that causes content import processes to skip trying to import any
+                content, as it is assumed that the remote source has everything available.
+                Server configuration should handle ensuring that the files are properly served.
+            """,
+        },
     },
     "Python": {
         "PICKLE_PROTOCOL": {