diff --git a/src/vs/platform/extensionManagement/common/extensionManagement.ts b/src/vs/platform/extensionManagement/common/extensionManagement.ts
index fea9dd07dca..3163de80013 100644
--- a/src/vs/platform/extensionManagement/common/extensionManagement.ts
+++ b/src/vs/platform/extensionManagement/common/extensionManagement.ts
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ import { TPromise } from 'vs/base/common/winjs.base';
 import Event from 'vs/base/common/event';
 import { IPager } from 'vs/base/common/paging';
 import { createDecorator } from 'vs/platform/instantiation/common/instantiation';
+import { IRequestContext } from 'vs/base/node/request';
 
 export interface IExtensionManifest {
 	name: string;
@@ -99,6 +100,7 @@ export interface IExtensionGalleryService {
 	isEnabled(): boolean;
 	query(options?: IQueryOptions): TPromise<IPager<IGalleryExtension>>;
 	download(extension: IGalleryExtension): TPromise<string>;
+	getAsset(url: string): TPromise<IRequestContext>;
 }
 
 export type InstallExtensionEvent = { id: string; gallery?: IGalleryExtension; };
diff --git a/src/vs/platform/extensionManagement/node/extensionGalleryService.ts b/src/vs/platform/extensionManagement/node/extensionGalleryService.ts
index f53eeaca413..812a300558a 100644
--- a/src/vs/platform/extensionManagement/node/extensionGalleryService.ts
+++ b/src/vs/platform/extensionManagement/node/extensionGalleryService.ts
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ import { assign, getOrDefault } from 'vs/base/common/objects';
 import { IRequestService } from 'vs/platform/request/common/request';
 import { ITelemetryService } from 'vs/platform/telemetry/common/telemetry';
 import { IPager } from 'vs/base/common/paging';
-import { download, asJson } from 'vs/base/node/request';
+import { IRequestOptions, IRequestContext, download, asJson } from 'vs/base/node/request';
 import { IConfigurationService } from 'vs/platform/configuration/common/configuration';
 import pkg from 'vs/platform/package';
 import product from 'vs/platform/product';
@@ -340,13 +340,21 @@ export class ExtensionGalleryService implements IExtensionGalleryService {
 				const zipPath = path.join(tmpdir(), extension.id);
 
 				return this.getCommonHeaders()
-					.then(headers => this.requestService.request({ url, headers }))
+					.then(headers => this._getAsset({ url, headers }))
 					.then(context => download(zipPath, context))
 					.then(() => zipPath);
 			});
 		});
 	}
 
+	getAsset(url: string): TPromise<IRequestContext> {
+		return this._getAsset({ url });
+	}
+
+	private _getAsset(options: IRequestOptions): TPromise<IRequestContext> {
+		return this.requestService.request(options);
+	}
+
 	private getLastValidExtensionVersion(extension: IRawGalleryExtension, versions: IRawGalleryExtensionVersion[]): TPromise<IRawGalleryExtensionVersion> {
 		if (!versions.length) {
 			return TPromise.wrapError(new Error(localize('noCompatible', "Couldn't find a compatible version of {0} with this version of Code.", extension.displayName || extension.extensionName)));
diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/parts/extensions/electron-browser/extensionEditor.ts b/src/vs/workbench/parts/extensions/electron-browser/extensionEditor.ts
index c05768571a4..395aeb43e14 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/parts/extensions/electron-browser/extensionEditor.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/parts/extensions/electron-browser/extensionEditor.ts
@@ -18,8 +18,6 @@ import { IViewlet } from 'vs/workbench/common/viewlet';
 import { IViewletService } from 'vs/workbench/services/viewlet/common/viewletService';
 import { ITelemetryService } from 'vs/platform/telemetry/common/telemetry';
 import { IInstantiationService } from 'vs/platform/instantiation/common/instantiation';
-import { asText } from 'vs/base/node/request';
-import { IRequestService } from 'vs/platform/request/common/request';
 import { IExtensionGalleryService } from 'vs/platform/extensionManagement/common/extensionManagement';
 import { IThemeService } from 'vs/workbench/services/themes/common/themeService';
 import { ExtensionsInput } from './extensionsInput';
@@ -71,7 +69,6 @@ export class ExtensionEditor extends BaseEditor {
 		@IExtensionGalleryService private galleryService: IExtensionGalleryService,
 		@IConfigurationService private configurationService: IConfigurationService,
 		@IInstantiationService private instantiationService: IInstantiationService,
-		@IRequestService private requestService: IRequestService,
 		@IViewletService private viewletService: IViewletService,
 		@IExtensionsWorkbenchService private extensionsWorkbenchService: IExtensionsWorkbenchService,
 		@IThemeService private themeService: IThemeService,
@@ -176,8 +173,7 @@ export class ExtensionEditor extends BaseEditor {
 		if (extension.readmeUrl) {
 			promise = promise
 				.then(() => addClass(this.body, 'loading'))
-				.then(() => this.requestService.request({ url: extension.readmeUrl }))
-				.then(asText)
+				.then(() => this.extensionsWorkbenchService.getReadmeContents(extension))
 				.then(marked.parse)
 				.then<void>(body => {
 					const webview = new WebView(
diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/parts/extensions/electron-browser/extensions.ts b/src/vs/workbench/parts/extensions/electron-browser/extensions.ts
index 8b6d89d0080..7ddb3aaef9a 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/parts/extensions/electron-browser/extensions.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/parts/extensions/electron-browser/extensions.ts
@@ -56,4 +56,5 @@ export interface IExtensionsWorkbenchService {
 	canInstall(extension: IExtension): boolean;
 	install(extension: IExtension): TPromise<void>;
 	uninstall(extension: IExtension): TPromise<void>;
+	getReadmeContents(extension: IExtension): TPromise<string>;
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/parts/extensions/electron-browser/extensionsWorkbenchService.ts b/src/vs/workbench/parts/extensions/electron-browser/extensionsWorkbenchService.ts
index 1b8871da0e6..3bcd3338121 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/parts/extensions/electron-browser/extensionsWorkbenchService.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/parts/extensions/electron-browser/extensionsWorkbenchService.ts
@@ -18,6 +18,8 @@ import { IExtensionManagementService, IExtensionGalleryService, IExtensionTipsSe
 import * as semver from 'semver';
 import * as path from 'path';
 import URI from 'vs/base/common/uri';
+import { readFile } from 'vs/base/node/pfs';
+import { asText } from 'vs/base/node/request';
 import { IExtension, ExtensionState, IExtensionsWorkbenchService } from './extensions';
 
 interface IExtensionStateProvider {
@@ -415,6 +417,21 @@ export class ExtensionsWorkbenchService implements IExtensionsWorkbenchService {
 		this.telemetryService.publicLog(eventName, assign(data, { success, duration }));
 	}
 
+	getReadmeContents(extension: IExtension): TPromise<string> {
+		if (!extension.readmeUrl) {
+			return TPromise.as('');
+		}
+
+		const uri = URI.parse(extension.readmeUrl);
+
+		if (uri.scheme === 'file') {
+			return readFile(uri.fsPath, 'utf8');
+		}
+
+		return this.galleryService.getAsset(extension.readmeUrl)
+			.then(asText);
+	}
+
 	dispose(): void {
 		this.disposables = dispose(this.disposables);
 	}