diff --git a/config/cms.php b/config/cms.php
index 7d176c68f..75189b297 100644
--- a/config/cms.php
+++ b/config/cms.php
@@ -278,14 +278,20 @@ return [
     | folder - a folder prefix for storing all generated files inside.
     | path   - the public path relative to the application base URL,
     |          or you can specify a full URL path.
+    |
+    | Optionally, you can specify how long temporary URLs to protected files
+    | in cloud storage (ex. AWS, RackSpace) are valid for by setting
+    | temporaryUrlTTL to a value in seconds to define a validity period. This
+    | is only used for the 'uploads' config when using a supported cloud disk
     */
 
     'storage' => [
 
         'uploads' => [
-            'disk'   => 'local',
-            'folder' => 'uploads',
-            'path'   => '/storage/app/uploads',
+            'disk'            => 'local',
+            'folder'          => 'uploads',
+            'path'            => '/storage/app/uploads',
+            'temporaryUrlTTL' => 3600,
         ],
 
         'media' => [
diff --git a/modules/backend/controllers/Files.php b/modules/backend/controllers/Files.php
index fce5fa7ed..2ac62a722 100644
--- a/modules/backend/controllers/Files.php
+++ b/modules/backend/controllers/Files.php
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 <?php namespace Backend\Controllers;
 
 use View;
+use Cache;
+use Config;
 use Backend;
 use Response;
 use System\Models\File as FileModel;
@@ -51,6 +53,40 @@ class Files extends Controller
         return Response::make(View::make('backend::404'), 404);
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Attempt to return a redirect to a temporary URL to the asset instead of streaming the asset - if supported
+     *
+     * @param System|Models\File $file
+     * @param string|null $path Optional, defaults to the getDiskPath() of the file
+     * @return string|null
+     */
+    protected static function getTemporaryUrl($file, $path = null)
+    {
+        // Get the disk and adapter used
+        $url = null;
+        $disk = $file->getDisk();
+        $adapter = $disk->getAdapter();
+        if (class_exists('\League\Flysystem\Cached\CachedAdapter') && $adapter instanceof \League\Flysystem\Cached\CachedAdapter) {
+            $adapter = $adapter->getAdapter();
+        }
+
+        if ((class_exists('\League\Flysystem\AwsS3v3\AwsS3Adapter') && $adapter instanceof \League\Flysystem\AwsS3v3\AwsS3Adapter) ||
+            (class_exists('\League\Flysystem\Rackspace\RackspaceAdapter') && $adapter instanceof \League\Flysystem\Rackspace\RackspaceAdapter) ||
+            method_exists($adapter, 'getTemporaryUrl')
+        ) {
+            if (empty($path)) {
+                $path = $file->getDiskPath();
+            }
+            $expires = now()->addSeconds(Config::get('cms.storage.uploads.temporaryUrlTTL', 3600));
+
+            $url = Cache::remember('backend.file:' . $path, $expires, function () use ($disk, $path, $expires) {
+                return $disk->temporaryUrl($path, $expires);
+            });
+        }
+
+        return $url;
+    }
+
     /**
      * Returns the URL for downloading a system file.
      * @param $file System\Models\File
@@ -58,7 +94,13 @@ class Files extends Controller
      */
     public static function getDownloadUrl($file)
     {
-        return Backend::url('backend/files/get/' . self::getUniqueCode($file));
+        $url = static::getTemporaryUrl($file);
+
+        if (!empty($url)) {
+            return $url;
+        } else {
+            return Backend::url('backend/files/get/' . self::getUniqueCode($file));
+        }
     }
 
     /**
@@ -71,7 +113,13 @@ class Files extends Controller
      */
     public static function getThumbUrl($file, $width, $height, $options)
     {
-        return Backend::url('backend/files/thumb/' . self::getUniqueCode($file)) . '/' . $width . '/' . $height . '/' . $options['mode'] . '/' . $options['extension'];
+        $url = static::getTemporaryUrl($file, $file->getDiskPath($file->getThumbFilename($width, $height, $options)));
+
+        if (!empty($url)) {
+            return $url;
+        } else {
+            return Backend::url('backend/files/thumb/' . self::getUniqueCode($file)) . '/' . $width . '/' . $height . '/' . $options['mode'] . '/' . $options['extension'];
+        }
     }
 
     /**
diff --git a/modules/system/models/File.php b/modules/system/models/File.php
index 03ce1ca17..5b01a8f96 100644
--- a/modules/system/models/File.php
+++ b/modules/system/models/File.php
@@ -42,13 +42,13 @@ class File extends FileBase
     /**
      * {@inheritDoc}
      */
-    public function getPath()
+    public function getPath($fileName = null)
     {
         $url = '';
         if (!$this->isPublic() && class_exists(Files::class)) {
             $url = Files::getDownloadUrl($this);
         } else {
-            $url = parent::getPath();
+            $url = parent::getPath($fileName);
         }
 
         return $url;
@@ -103,12 +103,11 @@ class File extends FileBase
     }
 
     /**
-     * Copy the local file to Storage
-     * @return bool True on success, false on failure.
+     * Returns the storage disk the file is stored on
+     * @return FilesystemAdapter
      */
-    protected function copyLocalToStorage($localPath, $storagePath)
+    public function getDisk()
     {
-        $disk = Storage::disk(Config::get('cms.storage.uploads.disk'));
-        return $disk->put($storagePath, FileHelper::get($localPath), $this->isPublic() ? 'public' : null);
+        return Storage::disk(Config::get('cms.storage.uploads.disk'));
     }
 }