diff --git a/core/commands/files/files.go b/core/commands/files/files.go
index f159e56c9..ae082e08b 100644
--- a/core/commands/files/files.go
+++ b/core/commands/files/files.go
@@ -87,6 +87,7 @@ var FilesStatCmd = &cmds.Command{
 			fmt.Fprintf(buf, "Size: %d\n", out.Size)
 			fmt.Fprintf(buf, "CumulativeSize: %d\n", out.CumulativeSize)
 			fmt.Fprintf(buf, "ChildBlocks: %d\n", out.Blocks)
+			fmt.Fprintf(buf, "Type: %s\n", out.Type)
 			return buf, nil
 		},
 	},
@@ -115,11 +116,22 @@ func statNode(ds dag.DAGService, fsn mfs.FSNode) (*Object, error) {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
+	var ndtype string
+	switch fsn.Type() {
+	case mfs.TDir:
+		ndtype = "directory"
+	case mfs.TFile:
+		ndtype = "file"
+	default:
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("unrecognized node type: %s", fsn.Type())
+	}
+
 	return &Object{
 		Hash:           k.B58String(),
 		Blocks:         len(nd.Links),
 		Size:           d.GetFilesize(),
 		CumulativeSize: cumulsize,
+		Type:           ndtype,
 	}, nil
 }
 
@@ -187,6 +199,7 @@ type Object struct {
 	Size           uint64
 	CumulativeSize uint64
 	Blocks         int
+	Type           string
 }
 
 type FilesLsOutput struct {