diff --git a/modules/swagger-codegen/src/main/java/io/swagger/codegen/languages/RubyClientCodegen.java b/modules/swagger-codegen/src/main/java/io/swagger/codegen/languages/RubyClientCodegen.java
index c3c78710682..3e1929b7485 100644
--- a/modules/swagger-codegen/src/main/java/io/swagger/codegen/languages/RubyClientCodegen.java
+++ b/modules/swagger-codegen/src/main/java/io/swagger/codegen/languages/RubyClientCodegen.java
@@ -61,6 +61,7 @@ public class RubyClientCodegen extends DefaultCodegen implements CodegenConfig {
         typeMapping.put("List", "Array");
         typeMapping.put("map", "Hash");
         typeMapping.put("object", "Object");
+        typeMapping.put("file", "File");
 
         // remove modelPackage and apiPackage added by default
         cliOptions.clear();
diff --git a/modules/swagger-codegen/src/main/resources/ruby/swagger/configuration.mustache b/modules/swagger-codegen/src/main/resources/ruby/swagger/configuration.mustache
index e9a8af9c162..fe341f1ced4 100644
--- a/modules/swagger-codegen/src/main/resources/ruby/swagger/configuration.mustache
+++ b/modules/swagger-codegen/src/main/resources/ruby/swagger/configuration.mustache
@@ -3,6 +3,18 @@ module {{moduleName}}
     class Configuration
       attr_accessor :format, :api_key, :api_key_prefix, :username, :password, :auth_token, :scheme, :host, :base_path, :user_agent, :logger, :inject_format, :force_ending_format, :camelize_params, :user_agent, :verify_ssl
 
+      # Defines the temporary folder to store downloaded files
+      # (for API endpoints that have file response).
+      # Default to use `Tempfile`.
+      #
+      # @return [String]
+      attr_accessor :temp_folder_path
+
+      # Defines the headers to be used in HTTP requests of all API calls by default.
+      #
+      # @return [Hash]
+      attr_accessor :default_headers
+
       # Defaults go in here..
       def initialize
         @format = 'json'
@@ -14,6 +26,11 @@ module {{moduleName}}
         @force_ending_format = false
         @camelize_params = true
 
+        @default_headers = {
+          'Content-Type' => "application/#{@format.downcase}",
+          'User-Agent' => @user_agent
+        }
+
         # keys for API key authentication (param-name => api-key)
         @api_key = {}
         # api-key prefix for API key authentication, e.g. "Bearer" (param-name => api-key-prefix)
diff --git a/modules/swagger-codegen/src/main/resources/ruby/swagger/request.mustache b/modules/swagger-codegen/src/main/resources/ruby/swagger/request.mustache
index 99b58d58be8..9c3e25caff9 100644
--- a/modules/swagger-codegen/src/main/resources/ruby/swagger/request.mustache
+++ b/modules/swagger-codegen/src/main/resources/ruby/swagger/request.mustache
@@ -10,27 +10,22 @@ module {{moduleName}}
       # All requests must have an HTTP method and a path
       # Optionals parameters are :params, :headers, :body, :format, :host
       def initialize(http_method, path, attributes={})
-        attributes[:format] ||= Swagger.configuration.format
-        attributes[:params] ||= {}
+        @http_method = http_method.to_sym
+        @path = path
 
-        # Set default headers
-        default_headers = {
-          'Content-Type' => "application/#{attributes[:format].downcase}",
-          'User-Agent' => Swagger.configuration.user_agent
-        }
+        attributes.each do |name, value|
+          send("#{name.to_s.underscore.to_sym}=", value)
+        end
 
-        # Merge argument headers into defaults
-        attributes[:headers] = default_headers.merge(attributes[:headers] || {})
+        @format ||= Swagger.configuration.format
+        @params ||= {}
+
+        # Apply default headers
+        @headers = Swagger.configuration.default_headers.merge(@headers || {})
 
         # Stick in the auth token if there is one
         if Swagger.authenticated?
-          attributes[:headers].merge!({:auth_token => Swagger.configuration.auth_token})
-        end
-
-        self.http_method = http_method.to_sym
-        self.path = path
-        attributes.each do |name, value|
-          send("#{name.to_s.underscore.to_sym}=", value)
+          @headers.merge!({:auth_token => Swagger.configuration.auth_token})
         end
 
         update_params_for_auth!
diff --git a/modules/swagger-codegen/src/main/resources/ruby/swagger/response.mustache b/modules/swagger-codegen/src/main/resources/ruby/swagger/response.mustache
index b621110935a..6e898255b87 100644
--- a/modules/swagger-codegen/src/main/resources/ruby/swagger/response.mustache
+++ b/modules/swagger-codegen/src/main/resources/ruby/swagger/response.mustache
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ module {{moduleName}}
     class Response
       require 'json'
       require 'date'
+      require 'tempfile'
 
       attr_accessor :raw
 
@@ -31,8 +32,11 @@ module {{moduleName}}
       def deserialize(return_type)
         return nil if body.blank?
 
+        # handle file downloading - save response body into a tmp file and return the File instance
+        return download_file if return_type == 'File'
+
         # ensuring a default content type
-        content_type = raw.headers_hash['Content-Type'] || 'application/json'
+        content_type = raw.headers['Content-Type'] || 'application/json'
 
         unless content_type.start_with?('application/json')
           fail "Content-Type is not supported: #{content_type}"
@@ -82,6 +86,28 @@ module {{moduleName}}
         end
       end
 
+      # Save response body into a file in (the defined) temporary folder, using the filename
+      # from the "Content-Disposition" header if provided, otherwise a random filename.
+      #
+      # @see Configuration#temp_folder_path
+      # @return [File] the file downloaded
+      def download_file
+        tmp_file = Tempfile.new '', Swagger.configuration.temp_folder_path
+        content_disposition = raw.headers['Content-Disposition']
+        if content_disposition
+          filename = content_disposition[/filename=['"]?([^'"\s]+)['"]?/, 1]
+          path = File.join File.dirname(tmp_file), filename
+        else
+          path = tmp_file.path
+        end
+        # close and delete temp file
+        tmp_file.close!
+
+        File.open(path, 'w') { |file| file.write(raw.body) }
+        Swagger.logger.info "File written to #{path}. Please move the file to a proper folder for further processing and delete the temp afterwards"
+        return File.new(path)
+      end
+
       # `headers_hash` is a Typhoeus-specific extension of Hash,
       # so simplify it back into a regular old Hash.
       def headers
diff --git a/modules/swagger-codegen/src/main/resources/ruby/swagger_client.mustache b/modules/swagger-codegen/src/main/resources/ruby/swagger_client.mustache
index 0be00aaec95..5bf57a642dd 100644
--- a/modules/swagger-codegen/src/main/resources/ruby/swagger_client.mustache
+++ b/modules/swagger-codegen/src/main/resources/ruby/swagger_client.mustache
@@ -22,5 +22,6 @@ require '{{importPath}}'
 
 module {{moduleName}}
   # Initialize the default configuration
-  Swagger.configuration ||= Swagger::Configuration.new
+  Swagger.configuration = Swagger::Configuration.new
+  Swagger.configure { |config| }
 end
diff --git a/samples/client/petstore/ruby/lib/swagger_client.rb b/samples/client/petstore/ruby/lib/swagger_client.rb
index 42380927f82..eff88be2ebd 100644
--- a/samples/client/petstore/ruby/lib/swagger_client.rb
+++ b/samples/client/petstore/ruby/lib/swagger_client.rb
@@ -22,5 +22,6 @@ require 'swagger_client/api/store_api'
 
 module SwaggerClient
   # Initialize the default configuration
-  Swagger.configuration ||= Swagger::Configuration.new
+  Swagger.configuration = Swagger::Configuration.new
+  Swagger.configure { |config| }
 end
diff --git a/samples/client/petstore/ruby/lib/swagger_client/api/pet_api.rb b/samples/client/petstore/ruby/lib/swagger_client/api/pet_api.rb
index 4a421faef86..f20f89bc584 100644
--- a/samples/client/petstore/ruby/lib/swagger_client/api/pet_api.rb
+++ b/samples/client/petstore/ruby/lib/swagger_client/api/pet_api.rb
@@ -286,7 +286,7 @@ module SwaggerClient
     # @param pet_id ID of pet to update
     # @param [Hash] opts the optional parameters
     # @option opts [String] :additional_metadata Additional data to pass to server
-    # @option opts [file] :file file to upload
+    # @option opts [File] :file file to upload
     # @return [nil]
     def self.upload_file(pet_id, opts = {})
       
diff --git a/samples/client/petstore/ruby/lib/swagger_client/swagger/configuration.rb b/samples/client/petstore/ruby/lib/swagger_client/swagger/configuration.rb
index a2d4fe0e291..c8c2220a5f9 100644
--- a/samples/client/petstore/ruby/lib/swagger_client/swagger/configuration.rb
+++ b/samples/client/petstore/ruby/lib/swagger_client/swagger/configuration.rb
@@ -3,6 +3,18 @@ module SwaggerClient
     class Configuration
       attr_accessor :format, :api_key, :api_key_prefix, :username, :password, :auth_token, :scheme, :host, :base_path, :user_agent, :logger, :inject_format, :force_ending_format, :camelize_params, :user_agent, :verify_ssl
 
+      # Defines the temporary folder to store downloaded files
+      # (for API endpoints that have file response).
+      # Default to use `Tempfile`.
+      #
+      # @return [String]
+      attr_accessor :temp_folder_path
+
+      # Defines the headers to be used in HTTP requests of all API calls by default.
+      #
+      # @return [Hash]
+      attr_accessor :default_headers
+
       # Defaults go in here..
       def initialize
         @format = 'json'
@@ -14,6 +26,11 @@ module SwaggerClient
         @force_ending_format = false
         @camelize_params = true
 
+        @default_headers = {
+          'Content-Type' => "application/#{@format.downcase}",
+          'User-Agent' => @user_agent
+        }
+
         # keys for API key authentication (param-name => api-key)
         @api_key = {}
         # api-key prefix for API key authentication, e.g. "Bearer" (param-name => api-key-prefix)
diff --git a/samples/client/petstore/ruby/lib/swagger_client/swagger/request.rb b/samples/client/petstore/ruby/lib/swagger_client/swagger/request.rb
index 4cd5d84b0b9..e4ce431e108 100644
--- a/samples/client/petstore/ruby/lib/swagger_client/swagger/request.rb
+++ b/samples/client/petstore/ruby/lib/swagger_client/swagger/request.rb
@@ -10,27 +10,22 @@ module SwaggerClient
       # All requests must have an HTTP method and a path
       # Optionals parameters are :params, :headers, :body, :format, :host
       def initialize(http_method, path, attributes={})
-        attributes[:format] ||= Swagger.configuration.format
-        attributes[:params] ||= {}
+        @http_method = http_method.to_sym
+        @path = path
 
-        # Set default headers
-        default_headers = {
-          'Content-Type' => "application/#{attributes[:format].downcase}",
-          'User-Agent' => Swagger.configuration.user_agent
-        }
+        attributes.each do |name, value|
+          send("#{name.to_s.underscore.to_sym}=", value)
+        end
 
-        # Merge argument headers into defaults
-        attributes[:headers] = default_headers.merge(attributes[:headers] || {})
+        @format ||= Swagger.configuration.format
+        @params ||= {}
+
+        # Apply default headers
+        @headers = Swagger.configuration.default_headers.merge(@headers || {})
 
         # Stick in the auth token if there is one
         if Swagger.authenticated?
-          attributes[:headers].merge!({:auth_token => Swagger.configuration.auth_token})
-        end
-
-        self.http_method = http_method.to_sym
-        self.path = path
-        attributes.each do |name, value|
-          send("#{name.to_s.underscore.to_sym}=", value)
+          @headers.merge!({:auth_token => Swagger.configuration.auth_token})
         end
 
         update_params_for_auth!
diff --git a/samples/client/petstore/ruby/lib/swagger_client/swagger/response.rb b/samples/client/petstore/ruby/lib/swagger_client/swagger/response.rb
index f560006de6d..045d200d205 100644
--- a/samples/client/petstore/ruby/lib/swagger_client/swagger/response.rb
+++ b/samples/client/petstore/ruby/lib/swagger_client/swagger/response.rb
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ module SwaggerClient
     class Response
       require 'json'
       require 'date'
+      require 'tempfile'
 
       attr_accessor :raw
 
@@ -31,8 +32,11 @@ module SwaggerClient
       def deserialize(return_type)
         return nil if body.blank?
 
+        # handle file downloading - save response body into a tmp file and return the File instance
+        return download_file if return_type == 'File'
+
         # ensuring a default content type
-        content_type = raw.headers_hash['Content-Type'] || 'application/json'
+        content_type = raw.headers['Content-Type'] || 'application/json'
 
         unless content_type.start_with?('application/json')
           fail "Content-Type is not supported: #{content_type}"
@@ -82,6 +86,28 @@ module SwaggerClient
         end
       end
 
+      # Save response body into a file in (the defined) temporary folder, using the filename
+      # from the "Content-Disposition" header if provided, otherwise a random filename.
+      #
+      # @see Configuration#temp_folder_path
+      # @return [File] the file downloaded
+      def download_file
+        tmp_file = Tempfile.new '', Swagger.configuration.temp_folder_path
+        content_disposition = raw.headers['Content-Disposition']
+        if content_disposition
+          filename = content_disposition[/filename=['"]?([^'"\s]+)['"]?/, 1]
+          path = File.join File.dirname(tmp_file), filename
+        else
+          path = tmp_file.path
+        end
+        # close and delete temp file
+        tmp_file.close!
+
+        File.open(path, 'w') { |file| file.write(raw.body) }
+        Swagger.logger.info "File written to #{path}. Please move the file to a proper folder for further processing and delete the temp afterwards"
+        return File.new(path)
+      end
+
       # `headers_hash` is a Typhoeus-specific extension of Hash,
       # so simplify it back into a regular old Hash.
       def headers
diff --git a/samples/client/petstore/ruby/spec/request_spec.rb b/samples/client/petstore/ruby/spec/request_spec.rb
index 49bbc5cdd1e..9d9e61afcc5 100644
--- a/samples/client/petstore/ruby/spec/request_spec.rb
+++ b/samples/client/petstore/ruby/spec/request_spec.rb
@@ -19,10 +19,15 @@ describe SwaggerClient::Swagger::Request do
   end
 
   describe "initialization" do
+
     it "sets default response format to json" do
       @request.format.should == 'json'
     end
 
+    it "sets default headers correctly" do
+      @request.headers.should == {'Content-Type' => 'application/json', 'User-Agent' => 'ruby-swagger-1.0.0'}
+    end
+
     it "allows params to be nil" do
       @request = SwaggerClient::Swagger::Request.new(@default_http_method, @default_path, :params => nil)
       @request.query_string.should == ""