diff --git a/src/components/post_status_form/post_status_form.js b/src/components/post_status_form/post_status_form.js
index 1f0df35a0f..c5f30ca643 100644
--- a/src/components/post_status_form/post_status_form.js
+++ b/src/components/post_status_form/post_status_form.js
@@ -296,6 +296,8 @@ const PostStatusForm = {
     },
     paste (e) {
       if (e.clipboardData.files.length > 0) {
+        // prevent pasting of file as text
+        e.preventDefault()
         // Strangely, files property gets emptied after event propagation
         // Trying to wrap it in array doesn't work. Plus I doubt it's possible
         // to hold more than one file in clipboard.