diff --git a/Tribler/Core/Modules/restapi/downloads_endpoint.py b/Tribler/Core/Modules/restapi/downloads_endpoint.py
index 0c6f1c824c8..1a9e47a6ded 100644
--- a/Tribler/Core/Modules/restapi/downloads_endpoint.py
+++ b/Tribler/Core/Modules/restapi/downloads_endpoint.py
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 import os
 
 import logging
+from urllib import unquote_plus
+
 from twisted.web import http, resource
 from twisted.web.server import NOT_DONE_YET
 from Tribler.Core.DownloadConfig import DownloadStartupConfig
@@ -290,7 +292,7 @@ def on_error(error):
             request.finish()
 
         download_deferred = self.session.start_download_from_uri(
-            unicode(parameters['uri'][0], 'utf-8'), download_config)
+            unquote_plus(unicode(parameters['uri'][0], 'utf-8')), download_config)
         download_deferred.addCallback(download_added)
         download_deferred.addErrback(on_error)
 
diff --git a/Tribler/Core/Modules/restapi/torrentinfo_endpoint.py b/Tribler/Core/Modules/restapi/torrentinfo_endpoint.py
index 91fc9d207ca..622c7403753 100644
--- a/Tribler/Core/Modules/restapi/torrentinfo_endpoint.py
+++ b/Tribler/Core/Modules/restapi/torrentinfo_endpoint.py
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ def on_lookup_error(failure):
         uri = unicode(request.args['uri'][0], 'utf-8')
         if uri.startswith('file:'):
             try:
-                filename = url2pathname(uri[5:])
+                filename = url2pathname(uri[5:].replace("+", " "))
                 metainfo_deferred.callback(bdecode(fix_torrent(filename)))
             except TypeError:
                 request.setResponseCode(http.INTERNAL_SERVER_ERROR)
diff --git a/TriblerGUI/tribler_window.py b/TriblerGUI/tribler_window.py
index 66acd680cb1..90bbe060c9e 100644
--- a/TriblerGUI/tribler_window.py
+++ b/TriblerGUI/tribler_window.py
@@ -540,7 +540,7 @@ def on_add_torrent_browse_dir(self):
     def on_confirm_add_directory_dialog(self, action):
         if action == 0:
             for torrent_file in self.selected_torrent_files:
-                escaped_uri = quote_plus((u"file:%s" % torrent_file).encode('utf-8'))
+                escaped_uri = u"file:%s" % quote_plus((torrent_file).encode('utf-8'))
                 self.perform_start_download_request(escaped_uri,
                                                     get_gui_setting(self.gui_settings,
                                                                     "default_anonymity_enabled", True, is_bool=True),