diff --git a/www/file/file-crypto.js b/www/file/file-crypto.js
index f2202c8f8..44952fc87 100644
--- a/www/file/file-crypto.js
+++ b/www/file/file-crypto.js
@@ -206,10 +206,14 @@ define([
         var nonce = createNonce();
 
         // encode metadata
-        var metaBuffer = Array.prototype.slice
-            .call(Nacl.util.decodeUTF8(JSON.stringify(metadata)));
+        var plaintext = Nacl.util.decodeUTF8(JSON.stringify(metadata));
 
-        var plaintext = new Uint8Array(metaBuffer);
+        // if metadata is too large, drop the thumbnail.
+        if (plaintext.length > 65535) {
+            var temp = JSON.parse(JSON.stringify(metadata));
+            delete metadata.thumbnail;
+            plaintext = Nacl.util.decodeUTF8(JSON.stringify(temp));
+        }
 
         var i = 0;
 
diff --git a/www/file/main.js b/www/file/main.js
index 79bd70af8..ec3961196 100644
--- a/www/file/main.js
+++ b/www/file/main.js
@@ -91,6 +91,8 @@ define([
                 Title.updateTitle(title || Title.defaultTitle);
                 toolbar.addElement(['pageTitle'], {pageTitle: title});
 
+                console.error(metadata);
+
                 var displayFile = function (ev, sizeMb, CB) {
                     var called_back;
                     var cb = function (e) {