diff --git a/src/ContentMessages.js b/src/ContentMessages.js
index eba3011917..094eff18d9 100644
--- a/src/ContentMessages.js
+++ b/src/ContentMessages.js
@@ -18,6 +18,10 @@ limitations under the License.
 
 var q = require('q');
 var extend = require('./extend');
+var dis = require('./dispatcher');
+var MatrixClientPeg = require('./MatrixClientPeg');
+var sdk = require('./index');
+var Modal = require('./Modal');
 
 function infoForImageFile(imageFile) {
     var deferred = q.defer();
@@ -48,39 +52,108 @@ function infoForImageFile(imageFile) {
     return deferred.promise;
 }
 
-function sendContentToRoom(file, roomId, matrixClient) {
-    var content = {
-        body: file.name,
-        info: {
-            size: file.size,
+class ContentMessages {
+    constructor() {
+        this.inprogress = [];
+        this.nextId = 0;
+    }
+
+    sendContentToRoom(file, roomId, matrixClient) {
+        var content = {
+            body: file.name,
+            info: {
+                size: file.size,
+            }
+        };
+
+        // if we have a mime type for the file, add it to the message metadata
+        if (file.type) {
+            content.info.mimetype = file.type;
         }
-    };
 
-    // if we have a mime type for the file, add it to the message metadata
-    if (file.type) {
-        content.info.mimetype = file.type;
-    }
-
-    var def = q.defer();
-    if (file.type.indexOf('image/') == 0) {
-        content.msgtype = 'm.image';
-        infoForImageFile(file).then(function(imageInfo) {
-            extend(content.info, imageInfo);
+        var def = q.defer();
+        if (file.type.indexOf('image/') == 0) {
+            content.msgtype = 'm.image';
+            infoForImageFile(file).then(function(imageInfo) {
+                extend(content.info, imageInfo);
+                def.resolve();
+            });
+        } else {
+            content.msgtype = 'm.file';
             def.resolve();
+        }
+
+        var upload = {
+            fileName: file.name,
+            roomId: roomId,
+            total: 0,
+            loaded: 0
+        };
+        this.inprogress.push(upload);
+        dis.dispatch({action: 'upload_started'});
+
+        var self = this;
+        return def.promise.then(function() {
+            upload.promise = matrixClient.uploadContent(file);
+            return upload.promise;
+        }).progress(function(ev) {
+            if (ev) {
+                upload.total = ev.total;
+                upload.loaded = ev.loaded;
+                dis.dispatch({action: 'upload_progress', upload: upload});
+            }
+        }).then(function(url) {
+            dis.dispatch({action: 'upload_finished', upload: upload});
+            content.url = url;
+            return matrixClient.sendMessage(roomId, content);
+        }, function(err) {
+            dis.dispatch({action: 'upload_failed', upload: upload});
+            if (!upload.canceled) {
+                var desc = "The file '"+upload.fileName+"' failed to upload.";
+                if (err.http_status == 413) {
+                    desc = "The file '"+upload.fileName+"' exceeds this home server's size limit for uploads";
+                }
+                var ErrorDialog = sdk.getComponent("dialogs.ErrorDialog");
+                Modal.createDialog(ErrorDialog, {
+                    title: "Upload Failed",
+                    description: desc
+                });
+            }
+        }).finally(function() {
+            var inprogressKeys = Object.keys(self.inprogress);
+            for (var i = 0; i < self.inprogress.length; ++i) {
+                var k = inprogressKeys[i];
+                if (self.inprogress[k].promise === upload.promise) {
+                    self.inprogress.splice(k, 1);
+                    break;
+                }
+            }
         });
-    } else {
-        content.msgtype = 'm.file';
-        def.resolve();
     }
 
-    return def.promise.then(function() {
-        return matrixClient.uploadContent(file);
-    }).then(function(url) {
-        content.url = url;
-        return matrixClient.sendMessage(roomId, content);
-    });
+    getCurrentUploads() {
+        return this.inprogress;
+    }
+
+    cancelUpload(promise) {
+        var inprogressKeys = Object.keys(this.inprogress);
+        var upload;
+        for (var i = 0; i < this.inprogress.length; ++i) {
+            var k = inprogressKeys[i];
+            if (this.inprogress[k].promise === promise) {
+                upload = this.inprogress[k];
+                break;
+            }
+        }
+        if (upload) {
+            upload.canceled = true;
+            MatrixClientPeg.get().cancelUpload(upload.promise);
+        }
+    }
 }
 
-module.exports = {
-    sendContentToRoom: sendContentToRoom
-};
+if (global.mx_ContentMessage === undefined) {
+    global.mx_ContentMessage = new ContentMessages();
+}
+
+module.exports = global.mx_ContentMessage;
diff --git a/src/component-index.js b/src/component-index.js
index b9821b6c56..2f89e6d94b 100644
--- a/src/component-index.js
+++ b/src/component-index.js
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ module.exports.components['structures.login.PostRegistration'] = require('./comp
 module.exports.components['structures.login.Registration'] = require('./components/structures/login/Registration');
 module.exports.components['structures.MatrixChat'] = require('./components/structures/MatrixChat');
 module.exports.components['structures.RoomView'] = require('./components/structures/RoomView');
+module.exports.components['structures.UploadBar'] = require('./components/structures/UploadBar');
 module.exports.components['structures.UserSettings'] = require('./components/structures/UserSettings');
 module.exports.components['views.avatars.MemberAvatar'] = require('./components/views/avatars/MemberAvatar');
 module.exports.components['views.avatars.RoomAvatar'] = require('./components/views/avatars/RoomAvatar');
diff --git a/src/components/structures/RoomView.js b/src/components/structures/RoomView.js
index dda6da5834..538bf83d03 100644
--- a/src/components/structures/RoomView.js
+++ b/src/components/structures/RoomView.js
@@ -26,7 +26,6 @@ var ReactDOM = require("react-dom");
 var GeminiScrollbar = require('react-gemini-scrollbar');
 var q = require("q");
 var classNames = require("classnames");
-var filesize = require('filesize');
 var Matrix = require("matrix-js-sdk");
 
 var MatrixClientPeg = require("../../MatrixClientPeg");
@@ -107,6 +106,9 @@ module.exports = React.createClass({
                 this.forceUpdate();
                 break;
             case 'notifier_enabled':
+            case 'upload_failed':
+            case 'upload_started':
+            case 'upload_finished':
                 this.forceUpdate();
                 break;
             case 'call_state':
@@ -408,30 +410,10 @@ module.exports = React.createClass({
     },
 
     uploadFile: function(file) {
-        this.setState({
-            upload: {
-                fileName: file.name,
-                uploadedBytes: 0,
-                totalBytes: file.size
-            }
-        });
         var self = this;
         ContentMessages.sendContentToRoom(
             file, this.props.roomId, MatrixClientPeg.get()
-        ).progress(function(ev) {
-            //console.log("Upload: "+ev.loaded+" / "+ev.total);
-            self.setState({
-                upload: {
-                    fileName: file.name,
-                    uploadedBytes: ev.loaded,
-                    totalBytes: ev.total
-                }
-            });
-        }).finally(function() {
-            self.setState({
-                upload: undefined
-            });
-        }).done(undefined, function(error) {
+        ).done(undefined, function(error) {
             var ErrorDialog = sdk.getComponent("dialogs.ErrorDialog");
             Modal.createDialog(ErrorDialog, {
                 title: "Failed to upload file",
@@ -894,28 +876,9 @@ module.exports = React.createClass({
             //     fileName: "testing_fooble.jpg",
             // }
 
-            if (this.state.upload) {
-                var innerProgressStyle = {
-                    width: ((this.state.upload.uploadedBytes / this.state.upload.totalBytes) * 100) + '%'
-                };
-                var uploadedSize = filesize(this.state.upload.uploadedBytes);
-                var totalSize = filesize(this.state.upload.totalBytes);
-                if (uploadedSize.replace(/^.* /,'') === totalSize.replace(/^.* /,'')) {
-                    uploadedSize = uploadedSize.replace(/ .*/, '');
-                }
-                statusBar = (
-                    <div className="mx_RoomView_uploadBar">
-                        <div className="mx_RoomView_uploadProgressOuter">
-                            <div className="mx_RoomView_uploadProgressInner" style={innerProgressStyle}></div>
-                        </div>
-                        <img className="mx_RoomView_uploadIcon" src="img/fileicon.png" width="17" height="22"/>
-                        <img className="mx_RoomView_uploadCancel" src="img/cancel.png" width="18" height="18"/>
-                        <div className="mx_RoomView_uploadBytes">
-                            { uploadedSize } / { totalSize }
-                        </div>
-                        <div className="mx_RoomView_uploadFilename">Uploading {this.state.upload.fileName}</div>
-                    </div>
-                );
+            if (ContentMessages.getCurrentUploads().length > 0) {
+                var UploadBar = sdk.getComponent('structures.UploadBar');
+                statusBar = <UploadBar room={this.state.room} />
             } else {
                 var typingString = this.getWhoIsTypingString();
                 // typingString = "S͚͍̭̪̤͙̱͙̖̥͙̥̤̻̙͕͓͂̌ͬ͐̂k̜̝͎̰̥̻̼̂̌͛͗͊̅̒͂̊̍̍͌̈̈́͌̋̊ͬa͉̯͚̺̗̳̩ͪ̋̑͌̓̆̍̂̉̏̅̆ͧ̌̑v̲̲̪̝ͥ̌ͨͮͭ̊͆̾ͮ̍ͮ͑̚e̮̙͈̱̘͕̼̮͒ͩͨͫ̃͗̇ͩ͒ͣͦ͒̄̍͐ͣ̿ͥṘ̗̺͇̺̺͔̄́̊̓͊̍̃ͨ̚ā̼͎̘̟̼͎̜̪̪͚̋ͨͨͧ̓ͦͯͤ̄͆̋͂ͩ͌ͧͅt̙̙̹̗̦͖̞ͫͪ͑̑̅ͪ̃̚ͅ is typing...";
diff --git a/src/components/structures/UploadBar.js b/src/components/structures/UploadBar.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..b494a53bac
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/components/structures/UploadBar.js
@@ -0,0 +1,93 @@
+/*
+Copyright 2015 OpenMarket Ltd
+
+Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+You may obtain a copy of the License at
+
+    http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+
+Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+limitations under the License.
+*/
+
+var React = require('react');
+var ContentMessages = require('../../ContentMessages');
+var dis = require('../../dispatcher');
+var filesize = require('filesize');
+
+module.exports = React.createClass({displayName: 'UploadBar',
+    propTypes: {
+        room: React.PropTypes.object
+    },
+
+    componentDidMount: function() {
+        dis.register(this.onAction);
+        this.mounted = true;
+    },
+
+    componentWillUnmount: function() {
+        this.mounted = false;
+    },
+
+    onAction: function(payload) {
+        switch (payload.action) {
+            case 'upload_progress':
+            case 'upload_finished':
+            case 'upload_failed':
+                if (this.mounted) this.forceUpdate();
+                break;
+        }
+    },
+
+    render: function() {
+        var uploads = ContentMessages.getCurrentUploads();
+        if (uploads.length == 0) {
+            return <div />
+        }
+
+        var upload;
+        for (var i = 0; i < uploads.length; ++i) {
+            if (uploads[i].roomId == this.props.room.roomId) {
+                upload = uploads[i];
+                break;
+            }
+        }
+        if (!upload) {
+            upload = uploads[0];
+        }
+
+        var innerProgressStyle = {
+            width: ((upload.loaded / (upload.total || 1)) * 100) + '%'
+        };
+        var uploadedSize = filesize(upload.loaded);
+        var totalSize = filesize(upload.total);
+        if (uploadedSize.replace(/^.* /,'') === totalSize.replace(/^.* /,'')) {
+            uploadedSize = uploadedSize.replace(/ .*/, '');
+        }
+
+        var others;
+        if (uploads.length > 1) {
+            others = 'and '+(uploads.length - 1) + ' other' + (uploads.length > 2 ? 's' : '');
+        }
+
+        return (
+            <div className="mx_UploadBar">
+                <div className="mx_UploadBar_uploadProgressOuter">
+                    <div className="mx_UploadBar_uploadProgressInner" style={innerProgressStyle}></div>
+                </div>
+                <img className="mx_UploadBar_uploadIcon" src="img/fileicon.png" width="17" height="22"/>
+                <img className="mx_UploadBar_uploadCancel" src="img/cancel.png" width="18" height="18"
+                    onClick={function() { ContentMessages.cancelUpload(upload.promise); }}
+                />
+                <div className="mx_UploadBar_uploadBytes">
+                    { uploadedSize } / { totalSize }
+                </div>
+                <div className="mx_UploadBar_uploadFilename">Uploading {upload.fileName}{others}</div>
+            </div>
+        );
+    }
+});