diff --git a/includes/file.inc b/includes/file.inc
index d3ac87e..c0850b5 100644
--- a/includes/file.inc
+++ b/includes/file.inc
@@ -2554,11 +2554,16 @@ function file_get_content_headers($file) {
   $name = mime_header_encode($file->filename);
   $type = mime_header_encode($file->filemime);
 
-  return array(
+  $content_headers = array(
     'Content-Type' => $type,
     'Content-Length' => $file->filesize,
     'Cache-Control' => 'private',
   );
+
+  // Make the content headers alterable for specific situations.
+  drupal_alter('content_headers', $content_headers, $file);
+
+  return $content_headers;
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/modules/system/system.api.php b/modules/system/system.api.php
index d6cbc76..c8cf2ef 100644
--- a/modules/system/system.api.php
+++ b/modules/system/system.api.php
@@ -3049,6 +3049,23 @@ function hook_file_url_alter(&$uri) {
 }
 
 /**
+ * Controle the content headers of a file for download.
+ *
+ * This hook is called from file_get_content_headers().
+ *
+ * This function allows altering the content headers, if you want to change, or
+ * remove file download headers.
+ *
+ * @param $content_headers
+ *   The current content headers of the file, set by file_get_content_headers().
+ * @param $file
+ *   The file object.
+ */
+function hook_content_headers_alter(&$content_headers, $file) {
+  $content_headers['Content-Transfer-Encoding'] = 'binary';
+}
+
+/**
  * Check installation requirements and do status reporting.
  *
  * This hook has three closely related uses, determined by the $phase argument: