diff --git a/includes/file.inc b/includes/file.inc
index fa7f5eb54..0461437af 100644
--- a/includes/file.inc
+++ b/includes/file.inc
@@ -30,8 +30,10 @@ require_once DRUPAL_ROOT . '/includes/stream_wrappers.inc';
  * - filesize: The size of the file in bytes.
  * - status: A bitmapped field indicating the status of the file. The first 8
  *   bits are reserved for Drupal core. The least significant bit indicates
- *   temporary (0) or permanent (1). Temporary files older than
- *   DRUPAL_MAXIMUM_TEMP_FILE_AGE will be removed during cron runs.
+ *   temporary (0) or permanent (1). Temporary files will be removed during
+ *   cron runs if they are older than the value of the variable
+ *   "file_temporary_maximum_age", and if clean-up is enabled. Permanent
+ *   files will not be removed.
  * - timestamp: UNIX timestamp for the date the file was added to the database.
  */
 
@@ -63,9 +65,9 @@ define('FILE_EXISTS_ERROR', 2);
 /**
  * Indicates that the file is permanent and should not be deleted.
  *
- * Temporary files older than DRUPAL_MAXIMUM_TEMP_FILE_AGE will be removed
- * during cron runs, but permanent files will not be removed during the file
- * garbage collection process.
+ * Temporary files older than the file_temporary_maximum_age variable value will
+ * be, if clean-up not disabled, removed during cron runs, but permanent files
+ * will not be removed during the file garbage collection process.
  */
 define('FILE_STATUS_PERMANENT', 1);
 
diff --git a/modules/file/file.field.inc b/modules/file/file.field.inc
index d592381bd..058af4e27 100644
--- a/modules/file/file.field.inc
+++ b/modules/file/file.field.inc
@@ -362,7 +362,16 @@ function file_field_delete_file($item, $field, $entity_type, $id, $count = 1) {
   $file_usage = file_usage_list($file);
   if ($file->status == 0 || !empty($file_usage['file'])) {
     file_usage_delete($file, 'file', $entity_type, $id, $count);
-    return file_delete($file);
+    // Make the file temporary so it will be deleted on cron.
+    // We need to check file usage again since file_delete
+    // used to handle that.
+    $file_usage = file_usage_list($file);
+    if (empty($file_usage['file'])) {
+      $file->status = 0;
+      if (!empty($file->fid)) {
+        file_save($file);
+      }
+    }
   }
 
   // Even if the file is not deleted, return TRUE to indicate the file field
diff --git a/modules/file/file.module b/modules/file/file.module
index fb5e9b949..17e46d099 100644
--- a/modules/file/file.module
+++ b/modules/file/file.module
@@ -139,6 +139,20 @@ function file_file_download($uri, $field_type = 'file') {
     return;
   }
 
+  // Find out if a temporary file is still used in the system.
+  if ($file->status != FILE_STATUS_PERMANENT) {
+    $usage = file_usage_list($file);
+    if (empty($usage) && $file->uid != $user->uid) {
+      // Deny access to temporary files without usage that are not owned by the
+      // same user. This prevents the security issue that a private file that
+      // was protected by field permissions becomes available after its usage
+      // was removed and before it is actually deleted from the file system.
+      // Modules that depend on this behavior should make the file permanent
+      // instead.
+      return -1;
+    }
+  }
+
   // Find out which (if any) fields of this type contain the file.
   $references = file_get_file_references($file, NULL, FIELD_LOAD_CURRENT, $field_type);
 
diff --git a/modules/file/tests/file.test b/modules/file/tests/file.test
index b3a1424dc..db18e4dc5 100644
--- a/modules/file/tests/file.test
+++ b/modules/file/tests/file.test
@@ -242,6 +242,18 @@ class FileFieldTestCase extends DrupalWebTestCase {
 
     return $file;
   }
+
+  /**
+   * Asserts that a file's status is set to temporary in the database.
+   */
+  function assertFileIsTemporary($file, $message = NULL) {
+    // We need to query the database directly because the values on the object
+    // are cached at this point, so rather than calling file_load, we can just
+    // query the DB for that one value we need.
+    $status = db_query("SELECT status FROM {file_managed} WHERE fid = :fid", array(':fid' => $file->fid))->fetchField();
+    $message = isset($message) ? $message : format_string('File %file is temporary.', array('%file' => $file->uri));
+    $this->assertTrue($status != FILE_STATUS_PERMANENT, $message);
+  }
 }
 
 /**
@@ -1055,13 +1067,11 @@ class FileFieldRevisionTestCase extends FileFieldTestCase {
     // not be necessary here. The file really is deleted, but stream wrappers
     // doesn't seem to think so unless we clear the PHP file stat() cache.
     clearstatcache();
-    $this->assertFileNotExists($node_file_r3, 'Second file is now deleted after deleting third revision, since it is no longer being used by any other nodes.');
-    $this->assertFileEntryNotExists($node_file_r3, 'Second file entry is now deleted after deleting third revision, since it is no longer being used by any other nodes.');
+    $this->assertFileIsTemporary($node_file_r3, 'Second file is now set to temporary after deleting third revision, since it is no longer being used by any other nodes.');
 
     // Delete the entire node and check that the original file is deleted.
     $this->drupalPost('node/' . $nid . '/delete', array(), t('Delete'));
-    $this->assertFileNotExists($node_file_r1, 'Original file is deleted after deleting the entire node with two revisions remaining.');
-    $this->assertFileEntryNotExists($node_file_r1, 'Original file entry is deleted after deleting the entire node with two revisions remaining.');
+    $this->assertFileIsTemporary($node_file_r1, 'Original file is set to temporary after deleting the entire node with two revisions remaining.');
   }
 }
 
@@ -1527,7 +1537,8 @@ class FilePrivateTestCase extends FileFieldTestCase {
     $this->drupalGet(file_create_url($node_file->uri));
     $this->assertResponse(200, 'Confirmed that the generated URL is correct by downloading the shipped file.');
     $this->drupalLogOut();
-    $this->drupalGet(file_create_url($node_file->uri));
+    $file_url = file_create_url($node_file->uri);
+    $this->drupalGet($file_url);
     $this->assertResponse(403, 'Confirmed that access is denied for the file without the needed permission.');
 
     // Test with the field that should deny access through field access.
@@ -1536,7 +1547,8 @@ class FilePrivateTestCase extends FileFieldTestCase {
     $node = node_load($nid, NULL, TRUE);
     $node_file = (object) $node->{$no_access_field_name}[LANGUAGE_NONE][0];
     // Ensure the file cannot be downloaded.
-    $this->drupalGet(file_create_url($node_file->uri));
+    $file_url = file_create_url($node_file->uri);
+    $this->drupalGet($file_url);
     $this->assertResponse(403, 'Confirmed that access is denied for the file without view field access permission.');
 
     // Attempt to reuse the existing file when creating a new node, and confirm
@@ -1549,9 +1561,28 @@ class FilePrivateTestCase extends FileFieldTestCase {
     $this->assertTrue(!empty($new_node), 'Node was created.');
     $this->assertUrl('node/' . $new_node->nid);
     $this->assertNoRaw($node_file->filename, 'File without view field access permission does not appear after attempting to attach it to a new node.');
-    $this->drupalGet(file_create_url($node_file->uri));
+    $file_url = file_create_url($node_file->uri);
+    $this->drupalGet($file_url);
     $this->assertResponse(403, 'Confirmed that access is denied for the file without view field access permission after attempting to attach it to a new node.');
 
+    // Delete the node.
+    node_delete($node->nid);
+
+    // Ensure the file can still be downloaded by the owner.
+    $this->drupalGet($file_url);
+    $this->assertResponse(200, 'Confirmed that the owner still has access to the temporary file.');
+
+    // Ensure the file cannot be downloaded by an anonymous user.
+    $this->drupalLogout();
+    $this->drupalGet($file_url);
+    $this->assertResponse(403, 'Confirmed that access is denied for an anonymous user to the temporary file.');
+
+    // Ensure the file cannot be downloaded by another user.
+    $account = $this->drupalCreateUser();
+    $this->drupalLogin($account);
+    $this->drupalGet($file_url);
+    $this->assertResponse(403, 'Confirmed that access is denied for another user to the temporary file.');
+
     // As an anonymous user, create a temporary file with no references and
     // confirm that only the session that uploaded it may view it.
     $this->drupalLogout();
diff --git a/modules/simpletest/tests/file.test b/modules/simpletest/tests/file.test
index 89ecac7ae..77517cecb 100644
--- a/modules/simpletest/tests/file.test
+++ b/modules/simpletest/tests/file.test
@@ -2363,6 +2363,13 @@ class FileDownloadTest extends FileTestCase {
     $file = $this->createFile(NULL, $contents, 'private');
     $url  = file_create_url($file->uri);
 
+    // Created private files without usage are by default not accessible for a
+    // user different from the owner, but createFile always uses UID 1 as the
+    // owner of the files. Therefore make it permanent to allow access if a
+    // module allows it.
+    $file->status = FILE_STATUS_PERMANENT;
+    file_save($file);
+
     // Set file_test access header to allow the download.
     file_test_set_return('download', array('x-foo' => 'Bar'));
     $this->drupalGet($url);
diff --git a/modules/system/system.admin.inc b/modules/system/system.admin.inc
index cdcc78fb6..c7c6d2424 100644
--- a/modules/system/system.admin.inc
+++ b/modules/system/system.admin.inc
@@ -1798,6 +1798,17 @@ function system_clear_page_cache_submit($form, &$form_state) {
  * @see system_settings_form()
  */
 function system_file_system_settings() {
+  $intervals = array(0, 21600, 43200, 86400, 604800, 2419200, 7776000);
+  $period = array_combine($intervals, array_map('format_interval', $intervals));
+  $period[0] = t('Never');
+  $form['file_temporary_maximum_age'] = array(
+    '#type' => 'select',
+    '#title' => t('Delete orphaned files after'),
+    '#default_value' => variable_get('file_temporary_maximum_age', DRUPAL_MAXIMUM_TEMP_FILE_AGE),
+    '#options' => $period,
+    '#description' => t('Orphaned files are not referenced from any content but remain in the file system and may appear in administrative listings. <strong>Warning:</strong> If enabled, orphaned files will be permanently deleted and may not be recoverable.'),
+   );
+
   $form['file_public_path'] = array(
     '#type' => 'textfield',
     '#title' => t('Public file system path'),
diff --git a/modules/system/system.install b/modules/system/system.install
index d5e67435d..36da8018b 100644
--- a/modules/system/system.install
+++ b/modules/system/system.install
@@ -943,7 +943,7 @@ function system_schema() {
         'default' => 0,
       ),
       'status' => array(
-        'description' => 'A field indicating the status of the file. Two status are defined in core: temporary (0) and permanent (1). Temporary files older than DRUPAL_MAXIMUM_TEMP_FILE_AGE will be removed during a cron run.',
+        'description' => 'A field indicating the status of the file. Two status are defined in core: temporary (0) and permanent (1). Temporary files older than file_temporary_maximum_age will be removed during a cron run.',
         'type' => 'int',
         'not null' => TRUE,
         'default' => 0,
diff --git a/modules/system/system.module b/modules/system/system.module
index 53844d878..f0f9ef174 100644
--- a/modules/system/system.module
+++ b/modules/system/system.module
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
  */
 
 /**
- * Maximum age of temporary files in seconds.
+ * Default maximum age of temporary files in seconds.
  */
 define('DRUPAL_MAXIMUM_TEMP_FILE_AGE', 21600);
 
@@ -3057,23 +3057,28 @@ function system_cron() {
     ->condition('expiration', REQUEST_TIME, '<')
     ->execute();
 
-  // Remove temporary files that are older than DRUPAL_MAXIMUM_TEMP_FILE_AGE.
-  // Use separate placeholders for the status to avoid a bug in some versions
-  // of PHP. See http://drupal.org/node/352956.
-  $result = db_query('SELECT fid FROM {file_managed} WHERE status <> :permanent AND timestamp < :timestamp', array(
-    ':permanent' => FILE_STATUS_PERMANENT,
-    ':timestamp' => REQUEST_TIME - DRUPAL_MAXIMUM_TEMP_FILE_AGE
-  ));
-  foreach ($result as $row) {
-    if ($file = file_load($row->fid)) {
-      $references = file_usage_list($file);
-      if (empty($references)) {
-        if (!file_delete($file)) {
-          watchdog('file system', 'Could not delete temporary file "%path" during garbage collection', array('%path' => $file->uri), WATCHDOG_ERROR);
+  $age = variable_get('file_temporary_maximum_age', DRUPAL_MAXIMUM_TEMP_FILE_AGE);
+
+  // Only delete temporary files if older than $age. Note that automatic cleanup
+  // is disabled if $age set to 0.
+  if ($age) {
+    // Use separate placeholders for the status to avoid a bug in some versions
+    // of PHP. See http://drupal.org/node/352956.
+    $result = db_query('SELECT fid FROM {file_managed} WHERE status <> :permanent AND timestamp < :timestamp', array(
+      ':permanent' => FILE_STATUS_PERMANENT,
+      ':timestamp' => REQUEST_TIME - $age
+     ));
+    foreach ($result as $row) {
+      if ($file = file_load($row->fid)) {
+        $references = file_usage_list($file);
+        if (empty($references)) {
+          if (!file_delete($file)) {
+            watchdog('file system', 'Could not delete temporary file "%path" during garbage collection', array('%path' => $file->uri), WATCHDOG_ERROR);
+          }
+        }
+        else {
+          watchdog('file system', 'Did not delete temporary file "%path" during garbage collection, because it is in use by the following modules: %modules.', array('%path' => $file->uri, '%modules' => implode(', ', array_keys($references))), WATCHDOG_INFO);
         }
-      }
-      else {
-        watchdog('file system', 'Did not delete temporary file "%path" during garbage collection, because it is in use by the following modules: %modules.', array('%path' => $file->uri, '%modules' => implode(', ', array_keys($references))), WATCHDOG_INFO);
       }
     }
   }
diff --git a/modules/system/system.test b/modules/system/system.test
index 9eaf562b2..a9bc53ea8 100644
--- a/modules/system/system.test
+++ b/modules/system/system.test
@@ -866,25 +866,24 @@ class CronRunTestCase extends DrupalWebTestCase {
   }
 
   /**
-   * Ensure that temporary files are removed.
+   * Create files for all the possible combinations of age and status.
    *
-   * Create files for all the possible combinations of age and status. We are
-   * using UPDATE statements rather than file_save() because it would set the
+   * We are using UPDATE statements because using the API would set the
    * timestamp.
    */
-  function testTempFileCleanup() {
-    // Temporary file that is older than DRUPAL_MAXIMUM_TEMP_FILE_AGE.
+  function createTempFiles() {
+    // Temporary file that is old.
     $temp_old = file_save_data('');
     db_update('file_managed')
       ->fields(array(
         'status' => 0,
-        'timestamp' => 1,
+        'timestamp' => REQUEST_TIME - variable_get('file_temporary_maximum_age', DRUPAL_MAXIMUM_TEMP_FILE_AGE) - 1,
       ))
       ->condition('fid', $temp_old->fid)
       ->execute();
     $this->assertTrue(file_exists($temp_old->uri), 'Old temp file was created correctly.');
 
-    // Temporary file that is less than DRUPAL_MAXIMUM_TEMP_FILE_AGE.
+    // Temporary file that is new.
     $temp_new = file_save_data('');
     db_update('file_managed')
       ->fields(array('status' => 0))
@@ -892,17 +891,25 @@ class CronRunTestCase extends DrupalWebTestCase {
       ->execute();
     $this->assertTrue(file_exists($temp_new->uri), 'New temp file was created correctly.');
 
-    // Permanent file that is older than DRUPAL_MAXIMUM_TEMP_FILE_AGE.
+    // Permanent file that is old.
     $perm_old = file_save_data('');
     db_update('file_managed')
-      ->fields(array('timestamp' => 1))
+      ->fields(array('timestamp' => REQUEST_TIME - variable_get('file_temporary_maximum_age', DRUPAL_MAXIMUM_TEMP_FILE_AGE) - 1))
       ->condition('fid', $temp_old->fid)
       ->execute();
     $this->assertTrue(file_exists($perm_old->uri), 'Old permanent file was created correctly.');
 
-    // Permanent file that is newer than DRUPAL_MAXIMUM_TEMP_FILE_AGE.
+    // Permanent file that is new.
     $perm_new = file_save_data('');
     $this->assertTrue(file_exists($perm_new->uri), 'New permanent file was created correctly.');
+    return array($temp_old, $temp_new, $perm_old, $perm_new);
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Ensure that temporary files are removed by default.
+   */
+  function testTempFileCleanupDefault() {
+    list($temp_old, $temp_new, $perm_old, $perm_new) = $this->createTempFiles();
 
     // Run cron and then ensure that only the old, temp file was deleted.
     $this->cronRun();
@@ -912,6 +919,40 @@ class CronRunTestCase extends DrupalWebTestCase {
     $this->assertTrue(file_exists($perm_new->uri), 'New permanent file was correctly ignored.');
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Ensure that temporary files are kept as configured.
+   */
+  function testTempFileNoCleanup() {
+    list($temp_old, $temp_new, $perm_old, $perm_new) = $this->createTempFiles();
+
+    // Set the max age to 0, meaning no temporary files will be deleted.
+    variable_set('file_temporary_maximum_age', 0);
+
+    // Run cron and then ensure that no file was deleted.
+    $this->cronRun();
+    $this->assertTrue(file_exists($temp_old->uri), 'Old temp file was correctly ignored.');
+    $this->assertTrue(file_exists($temp_new->uri), 'New temp file was correctly ignored.');
+    $this->assertTrue(file_exists($perm_old->uri), 'Old permanent file was correctly ignored.');
+    $this->assertTrue(file_exists($perm_new->uri), 'New permanent file was correctly ignored.');
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Ensure that temporary files are kept as configured.
+   */
+  function testTempFileCustomCleanup() {
+    list($temp_old, $temp_new, $perm_old, $perm_new) = $this->createTempFiles();
+
+    // Set the max age to older than default.
+    variable_set('file_temporary_maximum_age', DRUPAL_MAXIMUM_TEMP_FILE_AGE + 60);
+
+    // Run cron and then ensure that more files were deleted.
+    $this->cronRun();
+    $this->assertTrue(file_exists($temp_old->uri), 'Old temp file was correctly ignored.');
+    $this->assertTrue(file_exists($temp_new->uri), 'New temp file was correctly ignored.');
+    $this->assertTrue(file_exists($perm_old->uri), 'Old permanent file was correctly ignored.');
+    $this->assertTrue(file_exists($perm_new->uri), 'New permanent file was correctly ignored.');
+  }
+
   /**
    * Make sure exceptions thrown on hook_cron() don't affect other modules.
    */