diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index faeac35ce..daf7ef0f2 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -22,6 +22,9 @@
 !/app/files/scripts/tmp/empty
 /app/tmp/files/*
 !/app/files/empty
+!/app/files/terms
+/app/files/terms/*
+!/app/files/terms/empty
 /app/webroot/img/logo.png
 /app/Config/bootstrap.php
 /app/Config/database.php
diff --git a/VERSION.json b/VERSION.json
index 2c9763e50..840261a76 100644
--- a/VERSION.json
+++ b/VERSION.json
@@ -1 +1 @@
-{"major":2, "minor":3, "hotfix":16}
\ No newline at end of file
+{"major":2, "minor":3, "hotfix":17}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/app/Controller/UsersController.php b/app/Controller/UsersController.php
index 79d32bcb9..0860e83b0 100755
--- a/app/Controller/UsersController.php
+++ b/app/Controller/UsersController.php
@@ -700,6 +700,16 @@ class UsersController extends AppController {
 		}
 		$this->set('termsaccepted', $this->Auth->user('termsaccepted'));
 	}
+	
+	public function downloadTerms() {
+		if (!Configure::read('MISP.terms_file')) {
+			$termsFile = APP ."View/Users/terms";
+		} else {
+			$termsFile = APP . 'files' . DS . 'terms' . DS .  Configure::read('MISP.terms_file');
+		}
+		$this->response->file($termsFile, array('download' => true, 'name' => Configure::read('MISP.terms_file')));
+		return $this->response;
+	}
 
 	public function news() {
 		$this->User->id = $this->Auth->user('id');
diff --git a/app/Model/Server.php b/app/Model/Server.php
index ab4bd95ab..d18b4f13f 100755
--- a/app/Model/Server.php
+++ b/app/Model/Server.php
@@ -357,6 +357,22 @@ class Server extends AppModel {
 							'test' => 'testBool',
 							'type' => 'boolean',
 					),
+					'terms_download' => array(
+							'level' => 2,
+							'description' => 'Choose whether the terms and conditions should be displayed inline (false) or offered as a download (true)',
+							'value' => '',
+							'errorMessage' => '',
+							'test' => 'testBool',
+							'type' => 'boolean'
+					),
+					'terms_file' => array(
+							'level' => 2,
+							'description' => 'The filename of the terms and conditions file. Make sure that the file is located in your MISP/app/files/terms directory',
+							'value' => '',
+							'errorMessage' => '',
+							'test' => 'testForTermsFile',
+							'type' => 'string'
+					),
 			),
 			'GnuPG' => array(
 					'branch' => 1,
@@ -934,6 +950,21 @@ class Server extends AppModel {
 		return true;
 	}
 	
+	public function testForTermsFile($value) {
+		return $this->__testForFile($value, APP . 'files' . DS . 'terms');
+	}
+	
+	
+	// never come here directly, always go through a secondary check like testForTermsFile in order to also pass along the expected file path
+	private function __testForFile($value, $path) {
+		if ($this->testForEmpty($value) !== true) return $this->testForEmpty($value);
+		if (!preg_match('/^[\w,\s-]+(\.)?[A-Za-z0-9]+$/', $value)) return 'Invalid filename. Valid filenames can only include characters between a-z, A-Z or 0-9. They can also include - and _ and can optionally have an extension.';
+		$file = $path . DS . $value;
+		if (!file_exists($file)) return 'Could not find the specified file. Make sure that it is uploaded into the following directory: ' . $path;
+		return true;
+	}
+	
+	
 	public function serverSettingsSaveValue($setting, $value) {
 		Configure::write($setting, $value);
 		Configure::dump('config.php', 'default', array('MISP', 'GnuPG', 'SecureAuth', 'Security', 'debug'));
diff --git a/app/View/Users/terms.ctp b/app/View/Users/terms.ctp
index f1ff486dc..01d2dc598 100644
--- a/app/View/Users/terms.ctp
+++ b/app/View/Users/terms.ctp
@@ -1,24 +1,25 @@
 <div class="users form">
 <h2>MISP Terms and Conditions</h2>
-
 <?php
-$termsFile = APP ."View/Users/terms";
-
-if (!(file_exists($termsFile))) {
-	echo "<p>Please add your terms and conditions in file $termsFile.</p>";
-}else {
-	$terms = new File($termsFile, false);
-	echo $terms->read(true,'r');
-	$terms->close();
-}
-?>
-
-<?php
-if (!$termsaccepted) {
-	echo $this->Form->create('User');
-	echo $this->Form->hidden('termsaccepted', array('default' => '1'));
-	echo $this->Form->end(__('Accept Terms', true));
-}
+	$embedableExtensions = array('pdf');
+	if (!Configure::read('MISP.terms_file')) {
+		$termsFile = APP ."View/Users/terms";
+	} else {
+		$termsFile = APP . 'files' . DS . 'terms' . DS . Configure::read('MISP.terms_file');
+	}
+	if (!(file_exists($termsFile))) {
+		echo "<p>Terms and Conditions file not found.</p>";
+	} else {
+		if (!Configure::read('MISP.terms_download')) {
+			$terms = new File($termsFile, false);
+			echo $terms->read(true,'r');
+			$terms->close();
+		} else {
+			?>
+				<a href="/users/downloadTerms" class="btn btn-primary">Download Terms and Conditions</a>
+			<?php 
+		}
+	}
 ?>
 </div>
 <?php 
diff --git a/app/files/terms/empty b/app/files/terms/empty
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e69de29bb