diff --git a/Logs/Web.hs b/Logs/Web.hs
index 38993c33c7..b2935f1a0b 100644
--- a/Logs/Web.hs
+++ b/Logs/Web.hs
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ removeTempUrl key = Annex.changeState $ \s ->
 	s { Annex.tempurls = M.delete key (Annex.tempurls s) }
 
 data Downloader = WebDownloader | QuviDownloader | OtherDownloader
-	deriving (Eq)
+	deriving (Eq, Show)
 
 {- To keep track of how an url is downloaded, it's mangled slightly in
  - the log. For quvi, "quvi:" is prefixed. For urls that are handled by
diff --git a/Remote/External.hs b/Remote/External.hs
index 0579400edb..7dd1736e45 100644
--- a/Remote/External.hs
+++ b/Remote/External.hs
@@ -223,6 +223,10 @@ handleRequest' lck external req mp responsehandler
 		setUrlPresent (externalUUID external) key url
 	handleRemoteRequest (SETURLMISSING key url) =
 		setUrlMissing (externalUUID external) key url
+	handleRemoteRequest (SETURIPRESENT key uri) =
+		withurl (SETURLPRESENT key) uri
+	handleRemoteRequest (SETURIMISSING key uri) =
+		withurl (SETURLMISSING key) uri
 	handleRemoteRequest (GETURLS key prefix) = do
 		mapM_ (send . VALUE . fst . getDownloader)
 			=<< getUrlsWithPrefix key prefix
@@ -242,6 +246,9 @@ handleRequest' lck external req mp responsehandler
 		}
 	  where
 		base = replace "/" "_" $ fromUUID (externalUUID external) ++ "-" ++ setting
+			
+	withurl mk uri = handleRemoteRequest $ mk $
+		setDownloader (show uri) OtherDownloader
 
 sendMessage :: Sendable m => ExternalLock -> External -> m -> Annex ()
 sendMessage lck external m = 
diff --git a/Remote/External/Types.hs b/Remote/External/Types.hs
index d0fb2ff7af..c7a28a3599 100644
--- a/Remote/External/Types.hs
+++ b/Remote/External/Types.hs
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ import Utility.Url (URLString)
 import qualified Utility.SimpleProtocol as Proto
 
 import Control.Concurrent.STM
+import Network.URI
 
 -- If the remote is not yet running, the ExternalState TMVar is empty.
 data External = External
@@ -182,6 +183,8 @@ data RemoteRequest
 	| GETSTATE Key
 	| SETURLPRESENT Key URLString
 	| SETURLMISSING Key URLString
+	| SETURIPRESENT Key URI
+	| SETURIMISSING Key URI
 	| GETURLS Key String
 	| DEBUG String
 	deriving (Show)
@@ -202,6 +205,8 @@ instance Proto.Receivable RemoteRequest where
 	parseCommand "GETSTATE" = Proto.parse1 GETSTATE
 	parseCommand "SETURLPRESENT" = Proto.parse2 SETURLPRESENT
 	parseCommand "SETURLMISSING" = Proto.parse2 SETURLMISSING
+	parseCommand "SETURIPRESENT" = Proto.parse2 SETURIPRESENT
+	parseCommand "SETURIMISSING" = Proto.parse2 SETURIMISSING
 	parseCommand "GETURLS" = Proto.parse2 GETURLS
 	parseCommand "DEBUG" = Proto.parse1 DEBUG
 	parseCommand _ = Proto.parseFail
@@ -288,3 +293,7 @@ instance Proto.Serializable [(URLString, Size, FilePath)] where
 	  where
 		go c (url:sz:f:rest) = go ((url, readish sz, f):c) rest
 		go c _ = reverse c
+
+instance Proto.Serializable URI where
+	serialize = show
+	deserialize = parseURI
diff --git a/debian/changelog b/debian/changelog
index 315bd8055a..05e2cadb9c 100644
--- a/debian/changelog
+++ b/debian/changelog
@@ -29,6 +29,8 @@ git-annex (5.2015022) UNRELEASED; urgency=medium
     that contain unicode characters.
   * sync: Fix committing when in a direct mode repo that has no HEAD ref.
     (For example, a newly checked out git submodule.)
+  * Added SETURIPRESENT and SETURIMISSING to external special remote protocol,
+    useful for things like ipfs that don't use regular urls.
 
  -- Joey Hess <id@joeyh.name>  Thu, 19 Feb 2015 14:16:03 -0400
 
diff --git a/doc/design/external_special_remote_protocol.mdwn b/doc/design/external_special_remote_protocol.mdwn
index cc3bfce96b..0746a7be12 100644
--- a/doc/design/external_special_remote_protocol.mdwn
+++ b/doc/design/external_special_remote_protocol.mdwn
@@ -274,10 +274,19 @@ in control.
   Gets any state that has been stored for the key.  
   (git-annex replies with VALUE followed by the state.)
 * `SETURLPRESENT Key Url`  
-  Records an url (or uri) where the Key can be downloaded from.
+  Records an URL where the Key can be downloaded from.
 * `SETURLMISSING Key Url`  
   Records that the key can no longer be downloaded from the specified
-  url (or uri).
+  URL.
+* `SETURIPRESENT Key Uri`  
+  Records a special URI where the Key can be downloaded from.  
+  For example, "ipfs:ADDRESS" is used for the ipfs special remote;
+  its CLAIMURL handler checks for such URIS and claims them. Setting
+  it present as an URI makes `git annex whereis` display the URI
+  as belonging to the special remote.
+* `SETURIMISSING Key Uri`  
+  Records that the key can no longer be downloaded from the specified
+  URI.
 * `GETURLS Key Prefix`  
   Gets the recorded urls where a Key can be downloaded from.
   Only urls that start with the Prefix will be returned. The Prefix
diff --git a/doc/special_remotes/external/git-annex-remote-ipfs b/doc/special_remotes/external/git-annex-remote-ipfs
index fc91aefc81..c8d97ef5c8 100755
--- a/doc/special_remotes/external/git-annex-remote-ipfs
+++ b/doc/special_remotes/external/git-annex-remote-ipfs
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ while read line; do
 					if [ -z "$addr" ]; then
 						echo TRANSFER-FAILURE STORE "$key" "ipfs add failed"
 					else
-						echo "SETURLPRESENT" "$key" "$(addresstourl "$addr")"
+						echo "SETURIPRESENT" "$key" "$(addresstourl "$addr")"
 						echo TRANSFER-SUCCESS STORE "$key"
 					fi
 				;;
diff --git a/doc/special_remotes/ipfs.mdwn b/doc/special_remotes/ipfs.mdwn
index 42e92fde7a..5a31a2528f 100644
--- a/doc/special_remotes/ipfs.mdwn
+++ b/doc/special_remotes/ipfs.mdwn
@@ -7,8 +7,7 @@ keep your data safe while you're using ipfs.
 
 ## prerequisites
 
-* git-annex version 5.20141219 or newer, which has [[external]] special remote
-  support.
+* git-annex version 5.20150305 or newer.
 * Install [[external/git-annex-remote-ipfs]] somewhere in PATH
   and `chmod +x` the script.
 * Install [go-ipfs](https://github.com/jbenet/go-ipfs) somewhere in PATH.