diff --git a/core/modules/field/field.module b/core/modules/field/field.module
index 36bd18a9c30..a52d917bff9 100644
--- a/core/modules/field/field.module
+++ b/core/modules/field/field.module
@@ -996,6 +996,7 @@ function field_view_field(EntityInterface $entity, $field_name, $display_options
  *   An array of field items keyed by delta if available, FALSE otherwise.
  */
 function field_get_items(EntityInterface $entity, $field_name, $langcode = NULL) {
+  $entity = $entity->getBCEntity();
   $langcode = field_language($entity, $field_name, $langcode);
   return isset($entity->{$field_name}[$langcode]) ? $entity->{$field_name}[$langcode] : FALSE;
 }
diff --git a/core/modules/file/file.field.inc b/core/modules/file/file.field.inc
index 9d58d1d4e21..e3a7d7ce384 100644
--- a/core/modules/file/file.field.inc
+++ b/core/modules/file/file.field.inc
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ function file_field_info() {
       ),
       'default_widget' => 'file_generic',
       'default_formatter' => 'file_default',
+      'field item class' => '\Drupal\file\Type\FileItem',
     ),
   );
 }
diff --git a/core/modules/file/file.module b/core/modules/file/file.module
index 75c4f84df78..69fcbf37570 100644
--- a/core/modules/file/file.module
+++ b/core/modules/file/file.module
@@ -590,7 +590,7 @@ function file_theme() {
   return array(
     // file.module.
     'file_link' => array(
-      'variables' => array('file' => NULL, 'icon_directory' => NULL),
+      'variables' => array('file' => NULL, 'icon_directory' => NULL, 'description' => NULL),
     ),
     'file_icon' => array(
       'variables' => array('file' => NULL, 'icon_directory' => NULL),
@@ -1238,6 +1238,7 @@ function file_managed_file_pre_render($element) {
  *   - icon_directory: (optional) A path to a directory of icons to be used for
  *     files. Defaults to the value of the "icon.directory"
  *     variable.
+ *   - description: A description to be displayed instead of the filename.
  *
  * @ingroup themeable
  */
@@ -1247,7 +1248,7 @@ function theme_file_link($variables) {
 
   $url = file_create_url($file->uri);
   // theme_file_icon() requires a file entity, make sure it gets one.
-  $icon = theme('file_icon', array('file' => ($file instanceof File) ? $file : file_load($file->fid), 'icon_directory' => $icon_directory));
+  $icon = theme('file_icon', array('file' => $file, 'icon_directory' => $icon_directory));
 
   // Set options as per anchor format described at
   // http://microformats.org/wiki/file-format-examples
@@ -1258,11 +1259,11 @@ function theme_file_link($variables) {
   );
 
   // Use the description as the link text if available.
-  if (empty($file->description)) {
+  if (empty($variables['description'])) {
     $link_text = $file->filename;
   }
   else {
-    $link_text = $file->description;
+    $link_text = $variables['description'];
     $options['attributes']['title'] = check_plain($file->filename);
   }
 
diff --git a/core/modules/file/lib/Drupal/file/Plugin/field/formatter/GenericFileFormatter.php b/core/modules/file/lib/Drupal/file/Plugin/field/formatter/GenericFileFormatter.php
index f3f89a9c5d0..8cd6d8968e8 100644
--- a/core/modules/file/lib/Drupal/file/Plugin/field/formatter/GenericFileFormatter.php
+++ b/core/modules/file/lib/Drupal/file/Plugin/field/formatter/GenericFileFormatter.php
@@ -35,7 +35,8 @@ class GenericFileFormatter extends FormatterBase {
     foreach ($items as $delta => $item) {
       $elements[$delta] = array(
         '#theme' => 'file_link',
-        '#file' => (object) $item,
+        '#file' => file_load($item['fid']),
+        '#description' => $item['description'],
       );
     }
 
diff --git a/core/modules/file/lib/Drupal/file/Tests/FileFieldDisplayTest.php b/core/modules/file/lib/Drupal/file/Tests/FileFieldDisplayTest.php
index 7e9094f81f6..81e87d0a004 100644
--- a/core/modules/file/lib/Drupal/file/Tests/FileFieldDisplayTest.php
+++ b/core/modules/file/lib/Drupal/file/Tests/FileFieldDisplayTest.php
@@ -41,7 +41,9 @@ class FileFieldDisplayTest extends FileFieldTestBase {
     // Create a new node *without* the file field set, and check that the field
     // is not shown for each node display.
     $node = $this->drupalCreateNode(array('type' => $type_name));
-    $file_formatters = array('file_default', 'file_table', 'file_url_plain', 'hidden');
+    // Check file_default last as the assertions below assume that this is the
+    // case.
+    $file_formatters = array('file_table', 'file_url_plain', 'hidden', 'file_default');
     foreach ($file_formatters as $formatter) {
       $edit = array(
         "fields[$field_name][type]" => $formatter,
@@ -55,7 +57,6 @@ class FileFieldDisplayTest extends FileFieldTestBase {
 
     // Create a new node with the uploaded file.
     $nid = $this->uploadNodeFile($test_file, $field_name, $type_name);
-    $this->drupalGet('node/' . $nid . '/edit');
 
     // Check that the default formatter is displaying with the file name.
     $node = node_load($nid, TRUE);
@@ -69,5 +70,13 @@ class FileFieldDisplayTest extends FileFieldTestBase {
 
     $this->assertNoRaw($default_output, t('Field is hidden when "display" option is unchecked.'));
 
+    // Add a description and make sure that it is displayed.
+    $description = $this->randomName();
+    $edit = array(
+      $field_name . '[' . LANGUAGE_NOT_SPECIFIED . '][0][description]' => $description,
+      $field_name . '[' . LANGUAGE_NOT_SPECIFIED . '][0][display]' => TRUE,
+    );
+    $this->drupalPost('node/' . $nid . '/edit', $edit, t('Save and keep published'));
+    $this->assertText($description);
   }
 }
diff --git a/core/modules/file/lib/Drupal/file/Tests/FileFieldWidgetTest.php b/core/modules/file/lib/Drupal/file/Tests/FileFieldWidgetTest.php
index 28a5d5d268c..05b0cadd95d 100644
--- a/core/modules/file/lib/Drupal/file/Tests/FileFieldWidgetTest.php
+++ b/core/modules/file/lib/Drupal/file/Tests/FileFieldWidgetTest.php
@@ -285,7 +285,7 @@ class FileFieldWidgetTest extends FileFieldTestBase {
     $this->drupalLogin($user);
 
     $comment = comment_load($cid);
-    $comment_file = file_load($comment->{'field_' . $name}[LANGUAGE_NOT_SPECIFIED][0]['fid']);
+    $comment_file = $comment->{'field_' . $name}->entity;
     $this->assertFileExists($comment_file, t('New file saved to disk on node creation.'));
     // Test authenticated file download.
     $url = file_create_url($comment_file->uri);
diff --git a/core/modules/file/lib/Drupal/file/Tests/FileItemTest.php b/core/modules/file/lib/Drupal/file/Tests/FileItemTest.php
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..be275f1df15
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/modules/file/lib/Drupal/file/Tests/FileItemTest.php
@@ -0,0 +1,103 @@
+<?php
+
+/**
+ * @file
+ * Contains \Drupal\file\Tests\FileItemTest.
+ */
+
+namespace Drupal\file\Tests;
+
+use Drupal\Core\Entity\Field\FieldItemInterface;
+use Drupal\Core\Entity\Field\FieldInterface;
+use Drupal\field\Tests\FieldItemUnitTestBase;
+
+/**
+ * Tests the new entity API for the file field type.
+ */
+class FileItemTest extends FieldItemUnitTestBase {
+
+  /**
+   * Modules to enable.
+   *
+   * @var array
+   */
+  public static $modules = array('file');
+
+  /**
+   * Created file entity.
+   *
+   * @var \Drupal\file\Plugin\Core\Entity\File
+   */
+  protected $file;
+
+  public static function getInfo() {
+    return array(
+      'name' => 'File field item API',
+      'description' => 'Tests using entity fields of the file field type.',
+      'group' => 'File',
+    );
+  }
+
+  public function setUp() {
+    parent::setUp();
+
+    $this->installSchema('file', 'file_managed');
+    $this->installSchema('file', 'file_usage');
+
+    $field = array(
+      'field_name' => 'file_test',
+      'type' => 'file',
+      'cardinality' => FIELD_CARDINALITY_UNLIMITED,
+    );
+    field_create_field($field);
+    $instance = array(
+      'entity_type' => 'entity_test',
+      'field_name' => 'file_test',
+      'bundle' => 'entity_test',
+      'widget' => array(
+        'type' => 'options_select',
+      ),
+    );
+    field_create_instance($instance);
+    file_put_contents('public://example.txt', $this->randomName());
+    $this->file = entity_create('file', array(
+      'uri' => 'public://example.txt',
+    ));
+    $this->file->save();
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Tests using entity fields of the file field type.
+   */
+  public function testFileItem() {
+    // Create a test entity with the
+    $entity = entity_create('entity_test', array());
+    $entity->file_test->fid = $this->file->id();
+    $entity->file_test->display = 1;
+    $entity->file_test->description = $description = $this->randomName();
+    $entity->name->value = $this->randomName();
+    $entity->save();
+
+    $entity = entity_load('entity_test', $entity->id());
+    $this->assertTrue($entity->file_test instanceof FieldInterface, 'Field implements interface.');
+    $this->assertTrue($entity->file_test[0] instanceof FieldItemInterface, 'Field item implements interface.');
+    $this->assertEqual($entity->file_test->fid, $this->file->id());
+    $this->assertEqual($entity->file_test->display, 1);
+    $this->assertEqual($entity->file_test->description, $description);
+    $this->assertEqual($entity->file_test->entity->uri, $this->file->uri);
+    $this->assertEqual($entity->file_test->entity->id(), $this->file->id());
+    $this->assertEqual($entity->file_test->entity->uuid(), $this->file->uuid());
+
+    // Make sure the computed files reflects updates to the file.
+    file_put_contents('public://example-2.txt', $this->randomName());
+    $file2 = entity_create('file', array(
+      'uri' => 'public://example-2.txt',
+    ));
+    $file2->save();
+
+    $entity->file_test->fid = $file2->id();
+    $this->assertEqual($entity->file_test->entity->id(), $file2->id());
+    $this->assertEqual($entity->file_test->entity->uri, $file2->uri);
+  }
+
+}
diff --git a/core/modules/file/lib/Drupal/file/Type/FileItem.php b/core/modules/file/lib/Drupal/file/Type/FileItem.php
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..e1c7d24e33e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/modules/file/lib/Drupal/file/Type/FileItem.php
@@ -0,0 +1,93 @@
+<?php
+
+/**
+ * @file
+ * Contains \Drupal\file\Type\FileItem.
+ */
+
+namespace Drupal\file\Type;
+
+use Drupal\Core\Entity\Field\FieldItemBase;
+
+/**
+ * Defines the 'file_field' entity field item.
+ */
+class FileItem extends FieldItemBase {
+
+  /**
+   * Property definitions of the contained properties.
+   *
+   * @see FileItem::getPropertyDefinitions()
+   *
+   * @var array
+   */
+  static $propertyDefinitions;
+
+  /**
+   * Implements \Drupal\Core\TypedData\ComplexDataInterface::getPropertyDefinitions().
+   */
+  public function getPropertyDefinitions() {
+    if (!isset(static::$propertyDefinitions)) {
+      static::$propertyDefinitions['fid'] = array(
+        'type' => 'integer',
+        'label' => t('Referenced file id.'),
+      );
+      static::$propertyDefinitions['display'] = array(
+        'type' => 'boolean',
+        'label' => t('Flag to control whether this file should be displayed when viewing content.'),
+      );
+      static::$propertyDefinitions['description'] = array(
+        'type' => 'string',
+        'label' => t('A description of the file.'),
+      );
+      static::$propertyDefinitions['entity'] = array(
+        'type' => 'entity',
+        'constraints' => array(
+          'EntityType' => 'file',
+        ),
+        'label' => t('File'),
+        'description' => t('The referenced file'),
+        // The entity object is computed out of the fid.
+        'computed' => TRUE,
+        'read-only' => FALSE,
+        'settings' => array('id source' => 'fid'),
+      );
+    }
+    return static::$propertyDefinitions;
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Overrides \Drupal\Core\Entity\Field\FieldItemBase::setValue().
+   */
+  public function setValue($values) {
+    // Treat the values as property value of the entity field, if no array
+    // is given.
+    if (!is_array($values)) {
+      $values = array('entity' => $values);
+    }
+
+    if (isset($values['display'])) {
+      $this->properties['display']->setValue($values['display']);
+    }
+    if (isset($values['description'])) {
+      $this->properties['description']->setValue($values['description']);
+    }
+
+    // Entity is computed out of the ID, so we only need to update the ID. Only
+    // set the entity field if no ID is given.
+    if (isset($values['fid'])) {
+      $this->properties['fid']->setValue($values['fid']);
+    }
+    elseif (isset($values['entity'])) {
+      $this->properties['entity']->setValue($values['entity']);
+    }
+    else {
+      $this->properties['entity']->setValue(NULL);
+    }
+    unset($values['entity'], $values['fid'], $values['display'], $values['description']);
+    if ($values) {
+      throw new \InvalidArgumentException('Property ' . key($values) . ' is unknown.');
+    }
+  }
+
+}