diff --git a/testing/marionette/client/marionette/__init__.py b/testing/marionette/client/marionette/__init__.py
index 1894eb274cfe..fd39434f0f9e 100644
--- a/testing/marionette/client/marionette/__init__.py
+++ b/testing/marionette/client/marionette/__init__.py
@@ -18,7 +18,6 @@ from runner import (
         MarionetteTestResult,
         MarionetteTextTestRunner,
         MemoryEnduranceTestCaseMixin,
-        MozHttpd,
         OptionParser,
         TestManifest,
         TestResult,
diff --git a/testing/marionette/client/marionette/runner/__init__.py b/testing/marionette/client/marionette/runner/__init__.py
index c0ba0a7d487a..7458855bf1a5 100644
--- a/testing/marionette/client/marionette/runner/__init__.py
+++ b/testing/marionette/client/marionette/runner/__init__.py
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 from base import (
         B2GTestResultMixin, BaseMarionetteOptions, BaseMarionetteTestRunner,
         Marionette, MarionetteTest, MarionetteTestResult, MarionetteTextTestRunner,
-        MozHttpd, OptionParser, TestManifest, TestResult, TestResultCollection
+        OptionParser, TestManifest, TestResult, TestResultCollection
         )
 from mixins import (
         B2GTestCaseMixin, B2GTestResultMixin, EnduranceOptionsMixin,
diff --git a/testing/marionette/client/marionette/runner/base.py b/testing/marionette/client/marionette/runner/base.py
index 9690104967f5..55c2ea6fef3e 100644
--- a/testing/marionette/client/marionette/runner/base.py
+++ b/testing/marionette/client/marionette/runner/base.py
@@ -14,18 +14,20 @@ import sys
 import time
 import traceback
 import unittest
+import warnings
 import xml.dom.minidom as dom
 
 from manifestparser import TestManifest
 from manifestparser.filters import tags
 from marionette_driver.marionette import Marionette
 from mixins.b2g import B2GTestResultMixin, get_b2g_pid, get_dm
-from mozhttpd import MozHttpd
 from mozlog.structured.structuredlog import get_default_logger
 from moztest.adapters.unit import StructuredTestRunner, StructuredTestResult
 from moztest.results import TestResultCollection, TestResult, relevant_line
 import mozversion
 
+import httpd
+
 
 here = os.path.abspath(os.path.dirname(__file__))
 
@@ -638,24 +640,6 @@ class BaseMarionetteTestRunner(object):
         self.skipped = 0
         self.failures = []
 
-    def start_httpd(self, need_external_ip):
-        if self.server_root is None or os.path.isdir(self.server_root):
-            host = '127.0.0.1'
-            if need_external_ip:
-                host = moznetwork.get_ip()
-            docroot = self.server_root or os.path.join(os.path.dirname(here), 'www')
-            if not os.path.isdir(docroot):
-                raise Exception('Server root %s is not a valid path' % docroot)
-            self.httpd = MozHttpd(host=host,
-                                  port=0,
-                                  docroot=docroot)
-            self.httpd.start()
-            self.marionette.baseurl = 'http://%s:%d/' % (host, self.httpd.httpd.server_port)
-            self.logger.info('running webserver on %s' % self.marionette.baseurl)
-        else:
-            self.marionette.baseurl = self.server_root
-            self.logger.info('using content from %s' % self.marionette.baseurl)
-
     def _build_kwargs(self):
         kwargs = {
             'device_serial': self.device_serial,
@@ -781,6 +765,8 @@ setReq.onerror = function() {
         if not self.httpd:
             self.logger.info("starting httpd")
             self.start_httpd(need_external_ip)
+            self.marionette.baseurl = self.httpd.get_url()
+            self.logger.info("running httpd on %s" % self.marionette.baseurl)
 
         for test in tests:
             self.add_test(test)
@@ -861,6 +847,20 @@ setReq.onerror = function() {
 
         self.logger.suite_end()
 
+    def start_httpd(self, need_external_ip):
+        warnings.warn("start_httpd has been deprecated in favour of create_httpd",
+            DeprecationWarning)
+        self.httpd = self.create_httpd(need_external_ip)
+        
+    def create_httpd(self, need_external_ip):
+        host = "127.0.0.1"
+        if need_external_ip:
+            host = moznetwork.get_ip()
+        root = self.server_root or os.path.join(os.path.dirname(here), "www")
+        rv = httpd.FixtureServer(root, host=host)
+        rv.start()
+        return rv
+
     def add_test(self, test, expected='pass', test_container=None):
         filepath = os.path.abspath(test)
 
diff --git a/testing/marionette/client/marionette/runner/httpd.py b/testing/marionette/client/marionette/runner/httpd.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..1c787c9e22cb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/testing/marionette/client/marionette/runner/httpd.py
@@ -0,0 +1,61 @@
+# This Source Code Form is subject to the terms of the Mozilla Public
+# License, v. 2.0. If a copy of the MPL was not distributed with this
+# file, You can obtain one at http://mozilla.org/MPL/2.0/.
+
+import os
+
+from mozhttpd import MozHttpd
+
+
+class FixtureServer(object):
+
+    def __init__(self, root, host="127.0.0.1", port=0):
+        if not os.path.isdir(root):
+            raise Exception("Server root is not a valid path: %s" % root)
+        self.root = root
+        self.host = host
+        self.port = port
+        self._server = None
+
+    def start(self, block=False):
+        if self.alive:
+            return
+        self._server = MozHttpd(host=self.host, port=self.port, docroot=self.root, urlhandlers=[
+                                {"method": "POST", "path": "/file_upload", "function": upload_handler}])
+        self._server.start(block=block)
+        self.port = self._server.httpd.server_port
+        self.base_url = self.get_url()
+
+    def stop(self):
+        if not self.alive:
+            return
+        self._server.stop()
+        self._server = None
+
+    @property
+    def alive(self):
+        return self._server is not None
+
+    def get_url(self, path="/"):
+        if not self.alive:
+            raise "Server not started"
+        return self._server.get_url(path)
+
+    @property
+    def urlhandlers(self):
+        return self._server.urlhandlers
+
+
+def upload_handler(query, postdata=None):
+    return (200, {}, query.headers.getheader("Content-Type"))
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    here = os.path.abspath(os.path.dirname(__file__))
+    root = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(here), "www")
+    httpd = FixtureServer(root, port=2829)
+    print "Started fixture server on http://%s:%d/" % (httpd.host, httpd.port)
+    try:
+        httpd.start(True)
+    except KeyboardInterrupt:
+        pass
diff --git a/testing/marionette/client/marionette/tests/unit/test_file_upload.py b/testing/marionette/client/marionette/tests/unit/test_file_upload.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..8d1201470b88
--- /dev/null
+++ b/testing/marionette/client/marionette/tests/unit/test_file_upload.py
@@ -0,0 +1,135 @@
+# This Source Code Form is subject to the terms of the Mozilla Public
+# License, v. 2.0. If a copy of the MPL was not distributed with this
+# file, You can obtain one at http://mozilla.org/MPL/2.0/.
+
+import contextlib
+import urllib
+
+from tempfile import NamedTemporaryFile as tempfile
+
+from marionette import MarionetteTestCase, skip
+from marionette_driver import By, errors, expected
+from marionette_driver.wait import Wait
+
+
+single = "data:text/html,%s" % urllib.quote("<input type=file>")
+multiple = "data:text/html,%s" % urllib.quote("<input type=file multiple>")
+upload = lambda url: "data:text/html,%s" % urllib.quote("""
+    <form action='%s' method=post enctype='multipart/form-data'>
+     <input type=file>
+     <input type=submit>
+    </form>""" % url)
+
+
+class TestFileUpload(MarionetteTestCase):
+
+    def test_sets_one_file(self):
+        self.marionette.navigate(single)
+        input = self.input
+
+        exp = None
+        with tempfile() as f:
+            input.send_keys(f.name)
+            exp = [f.name]
+
+        files = self.get_files(input)
+        self.assertEqual(len(files), 1)
+        self.assertFilesEqual(files, exp)
+
+    def test_sets_multiple_files(self):
+        self.marionette.navigate(multiple)
+        input = self.input
+
+        exp = None
+        with contextlib.nested(tempfile(), tempfile()) as (a, b):
+            input.send_keys(a.name)
+            input.send_keys(b.name)
+            exp = [a.name, b.name]
+
+        files = self.get_files(input)
+        self.assertEqual(len(files), 2)
+        self.assertFilesEqual(files, exp)
+
+    def test_sets_multiple_indentical_files(self):
+        self.marionette.navigate(multiple)
+        input = self.input
+
+        exp = []
+        with tempfile() as f:
+            input.send_keys(f.name)
+            input.send_keys(f.name)
+            exp = f.name
+
+        files = self.get_files(input)
+        self.assertEqual(len(files), 2)
+        self.assertFilesEqual(files, exp)
+
+    def test_clear_file(self):
+        self.marionette.navigate(single)
+        input = self.input
+
+        with tempfile() as f:
+            input.send_keys(f.name)
+
+        self.assertEqual(len(self.get_files(input)), 1)
+        input.clear()
+        self.assertEqual(len(self.get_files(input)), 0)
+
+    def test_clear_files(self):
+        self.marionette.navigate(multiple)
+        input = self.input
+
+        with contextlib.nested(tempfile(), tempfile()) as (a, b):
+            input.send_keys(a.name)
+            input.send_keys(b.name)
+
+        self.assertEqual(len(self.get_files(input)), 2)
+        input.clear()
+        self.assertEqual(len(self.get_files(input)), 0)
+
+    def test_illegal_file(self):
+        self.marionette.navigate(single)
+        with self.assertRaisesRegexp(errors.MarionetteException, "File not found"):
+            self.input.send_keys("rochefort")
+
+    def test_upload(self):
+        self.marionette.navigate(
+            upload(self.marionette.absolute_url("file_upload")))
+
+        with tempfile() as f:
+            f.write("camembert")
+            f.flush()
+            self.input.send_keys(f.name)
+            self.submit.click()
+
+        self.assertIn("multipart/form-data", self.body.text)
+
+    def find_inputs(self):
+        return self.marionette.find_elements("tag name", "input")
+
+    @property
+    def input(self):
+        return self.find_inputs()[0]
+
+    @property
+    def submit(self):
+        return self.find_inputs()[1]
+
+    @property
+    def body(self):
+        return Wait(self.marionette).until(
+            expected.element_present(By.TAG_NAME, "body"))
+
+    def get_files(self, el):
+        # This is horribly complex because (1) Marionette doesn't serialise arrays properly,
+        # and (2) accessing File.name in the content JS throws a permissions
+        # error.
+        fl = self.marionette.execute_script(
+            "return arguments[0].files", script_args=[el])
+        return [f["name"] for f in [v for k, v in fl.iteritems() if k.isdigit()]]
+
+    def assertFilesEqual(self, act, exp):
+        # File array returned from browser doesn't contain full path names,
+        # this cuts off the path of the expected files.
+        filenames = [f.rsplit("/", 0)[-1] for f in act]
+        self.assertListEqual(filenames, act)
diff --git a/testing/marionette/client/marionette/tests/unit/unit-tests.ini b/testing/marionette/client/marionette/tests/unit/unit-tests.ini
index 5ad6d7f47024..2e539e9f66d0 100644
--- a/testing/marionette/client/marionette/tests/unit/unit-tests.ini
+++ b/testing/marionette/client/marionette/tests/unit/unit-tests.ini
@@ -154,3 +154,6 @@ b2g = false
 b2g = false
 [test_teardown_context_preserved.py]
 b2g = false
+[test_file_upload.py]
+b2g = false
+skip-if = os == "win" # http://bugs.python.org/issue14574
diff --git a/testing/marionette/driver.js b/testing/marionette/driver.js
index 7551fa07b628..fa0bc8631766 100644
--- a/testing/marionette/driver.js
+++ b/testing/marionette/driver.js
@@ -884,8 +884,9 @@ GeckoDriver.prototype.executeScriptInSandbox = function(
     directInject,
     async,
     timeout) {
-  if (directInject && async && (timeout == null || timeout == 0))
+  if (directInject && async && (timeout == null || timeout == 0)) {
     throw new TimeoutError("Please set a timeout");
+  }
 
   if (this.importedScripts.exists()) {
     let stream = Cc["@mozilla.org/network/file-input-stream;1"]
@@ -2307,6 +2308,10 @@ GeckoDriver.prototype.getElementRect = function(cmd, resp) {
 GeckoDriver.prototype.sendKeysToElement = function(cmd, resp) {
   let {id, value} = cmd.parameters;
 
+  if (!value) {
+    throw new IllegalArgumentError(`Expected character sequence: ${value}`);
+  }
+
   switch (this.context) {
     case Context.CHROME:
       let win = this.getCurrentWindow();
@@ -2322,7 +2327,36 @@ GeckoDriver.prototype.sendKeysToElement = function(cmd, resp) {
       break;
 
     case Context.CONTENT:
+      let err;
+      let listener = function(msg) {
+        this.mm.removeMessageListener("Marionette:setElementValue", listener);
+
+        let val = msg.data.value;
+        let el = msg.objects.element;
+        let win = this.getCurrentWindow();
+
+        if (el.type == "file") {
+          Cu.importGlobalProperties(["File"]);
+          let fs = Array.prototype.slice.call(el.files);
+          let file;
+          try {
+            file = new File(val);
+          } catch (e) {
+            err = new IllegalArgumentError(`File not found: ${val}`);
+          }
+          fs.push(file);
+          el.mozSetFileArray(fs);
+        } else {
+          el.value = val;
+        }
+      }.bind(this);
+
+      this.mm.addMessageListener("Marionette:setElementValue", listener);
       yield this.listener.sendKeysToElement({id: id, value: value});
+      this.mm.removeMessageListener("Marionette:setElementValue", listener);
+      if (err) {
+        throw err;
+      }
       break;
   }
 };
diff --git a/testing/marionette/error.js b/testing/marionette/error.js
index db5edcaaf236..9f664fa37260 100644
--- a/testing/marionette/error.js
+++ b/testing/marionette/error.js
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ const errors = [
   "ElementNotVisibleError",
   "FrameSendFailureError",
   "FrameSendNotInitializedError",
+  "IllegalArgumentError",
   "InvalidElementStateError",
   "JavaScriptError",
   "NoAlertOpenError",
@@ -159,6 +160,14 @@ this.FrameSendNotInitializedError = function(frame) {
 };
 FrameSendNotInitializedError.prototype = Object.create(WebDriverError.prototype);
 
+this.IllegalArgumentError = function(msg) {
+  WebDriverError.call(this, msg);
+  this.name = "IllegalArgumentError";
+  this.status = "illegal argument";
+  this.code = 13;  // unknown error
+};
+IllegalArgumentError.prototype = Object.create(WebDriverError.prototype);
+
 this.InvalidElementStateError = function(msg) {
   WebDriverError.call(this, msg);
   this.name = "InvalidElementStateError";
@@ -300,6 +309,7 @@ const errorObjs = [
   this.ElementNotVisibleError,
   this.FrameSendFailureError,
   this.FrameSendNotInitializedError,
+  this.IllegalArgumentError,
   this.InvalidElementStateError,
   this.JavaScriptError,
   this.NoAlertOpenError,
diff --git a/testing/marionette/listener.js b/testing/marionette/listener.js
index c10b3d9e2e3d..33822d5cd4db 100644
--- a/testing/marionette/listener.js
+++ b/testing/marionette/listener.js
@@ -35,9 +35,10 @@ let isB2G = false;
 
 let marionetteTestName;
 let winUtil = content.QueryInterface(Ci.nsIInterfaceRequestor)
-                     .getInterface(Ci.nsIDOMWindowUtils);
-let listenerId = null; //unique ID of this listener
+    .getInterface(Ci.nsIDOMWindowUtils);
+let listenerId = null; // unique ID of this listener
 let curFrame = content;
+let isRemoteBrowser = () => curFrame.contentWindow !== null;
 let previousFrame = null;
 let elementManager = new ElementManager([]);
 let accessibility = new Accessibility();
@@ -1548,11 +1549,39 @@ function isElementSelected(msg) {
  */
 function sendKeysToElement(msg) {
   let command_id = msg.json.command_id;
+  let val = msg.json.value;
 
   let el = elementManager.getKnownElement(msg.json.id, curFrame);
-  let keysToSend = msg.json.value;
+  if (el.type == "file") {
+    let p = val.join("");
 
-  utils.sendKeysToElement(curFrame, el, keysToSend, sendOk, sendError, command_id);
+    // for some reason using mozSetFileArray doesn't work with e10s
+    // enabled (probably a bug), but a workaround is to elevate the element's
+    // privileges with SpecialPowers
+    //
+    // this extra branch can be removed when the e10s bug 1149998 is fixed
+    if (isRemoteBrowser()) {
+      let fs = Array.prototype.slice.call(el.files);
+      let file;
+      try {
+        file = new File(p);
+      } catch (e) {
+        let err = new IllegalArgumentError(`File not found: ${val}`);
+        sendError(err.message, err.code, err.stack, command_id);
+        return;
+      }
+      fs.push(file);
+
+      let wel = new SpecialPowers(utils.window).wrap(el);
+      wel.mozSetFileArray(fs);
+    } else {
+      sendSyncMessage("Marionette:setElementValue", {value: p}, {element: el});
+    }
+
+    sendOk(command_id);
+  } else {
+    utils.sendKeysToElement(curFrame, el, val, sendOk, sendError, command_id);
+  }
 }
 
 /**
@@ -1582,10 +1611,13 @@ function clearElement(msg) {
   let command_id = msg.json.command_id;
   try {
     let el = elementManager.getKnownElement(msg.json.id, curFrame);
-    utils.clearElement(el);
+    if (el.type == "file") {
+      el.value = null;
+    } else {
+      utils.clearElement(el);
+    }
     sendOk(command_id);
-  }
-  catch (e) {
+  } catch (e) {
     sendError(e.message, e.code, e.stack, command_id);
   }
 }