diff --git a/electron/index.js b/electron/index.js
index 2c28a5a61..da43fdc6c 100644
--- a/electron/index.js
+++ b/electron/index.js
@@ -307,7 +307,7 @@ app.on('before-quit', () => {
 // const file = new File([result.buffer], result.name);
 // NOTE: if path points to a folder, an empty
 // file will be given.
-ipcMain.handle('get-file-from-path', (event, path) => {
+ipcMain.handle('get-file-from-path', (event, path, readContents = true) => {
   return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
     fs.stat(path, (error, stats) => {
       if (error) {
@@ -327,6 +327,15 @@ ipcMain.handle('get-file-from-path', (event, path) => {
         });
         return;
       }
+      if (!readContents) {
+        resolve({
+          name,
+          mime: mime.getType(name) || undefined,
+          path,
+          buffer: new ArrayBuffer(0),
+        });
+        return;
+      }
       // Encoding null ensures data results in a Buffer.
       fs.readFile(path, { encoding: null }, (err, data) => {
         if (err) {
diff --git a/ui/component/common/file-selector.jsx b/ui/component/common/file-selector.jsx
index 47d2e651e..9e6403185 100644
--- a/ui/component/common/file-selector.jsx
+++ b/ui/component/common/file-selector.jsx
@@ -16,12 +16,14 @@ type Props = {
   disabled?: boolean,
   autoFocus?: boolean,
   filters?: Array<{ name: string, extension: string[] }>,
+  readFile?: boolean,
 };
 
 class FileSelector extends React.PureComponent<Props> {
   static defaultProps = {
     autoFocus: false,
     type: 'file',
+    readFile: true,
   };
 
   fileInput: React.ElementRef<any>;
@@ -75,7 +77,7 @@ class FileSelector extends React.PureComponent<Props> {
       .then((result) => {
         const path = result && result.filePaths[0];
         if (path) {
-          return ipcRenderer.invoke('get-file-from-path', path);
+          return ipcRenderer.invoke('get-file-from-path', path, this.props.readFile);
         }
       })
       .then((result) => {
diff --git a/ui/component/fileDrop/view.jsx b/ui/component/fileDrop/view.jsx
index bd946aa32..52acea07b 100644
--- a/ui/component/fileDrop/view.jsx
+++ b/ui/component/fileDrop/view.jsx
@@ -80,9 +80,6 @@ function FileDrop(props: Props) {
           navigateToPublish();
           updatePublishForm({
             filePath: selectedFile.path || selectedFile.name,
-            fileDur: 0,
-            fileSize: 0,
-            fileVid: false,
           });
         }, NAVIGATE_TIME_OUT);
       }, HIDE_TIME_OUT);
diff --git a/ui/component/publishFile/view.jsx b/ui/component/publishFile/view.jsx
index 3879a9d94..0eafc2641 100644
--- a/ui/component/publishFile/view.jsx
+++ b/ui/component/publishFile/view.jsx
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 import type { Node } from 'react';
 import * as ICONS from 'constants/icons';
 import React, { useState, useEffect } from 'react';
+import { ipcRenderer } from 'electron';
 import { regexInvalidURI } from 'util/lbryURI';
 import PostEditor from 'component/postEditor';
 import FileSelector from 'component/common/file-selector';
@@ -91,6 +92,27 @@ function PublishFile(props: Props) {
     }
   }, [currentFileType, mode, isStillEditing, updatePublishForm]);
 
+  // Since the filePath can be updated from outside this component
+  // (for instance, when the user drags & drops a file), we need
+  // to check for changes in the selected file using an effect.
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (!filePath) {
+      return;
+    }
+    async function readSelectedFile() {
+      // Read the file to get the file's duration (if possible)
+      // and offer transcoding it.
+      const readFileContents = true;
+      const result = await ipcRenderer.invoke('get-file-from-path', filePath, readFileContents);
+      const file = new File([result.buffer], result.name, {
+        type: result.mime,
+      });
+      const fileWithPath = { file, path: result.path };
+      processSelectedFile(fileWithPath);
+    }
+    readSelectedFile();
+  }, [filePath]);
+
   useEffect(() => {
     const isOptimizeAvail = currentFile && currentFile !== '' && isVid && ffmpegAvail;
     const finalOptimizeState = isOptimizeAvail && userOptimize;
@@ -197,7 +219,7 @@ function PublishFile(props: Props) {
     }
   }
 
-  function handleFileChange(fileWithPath: FileWithPath, clearName = true) {
+  function processSelectedFile(fileWithPath: FileWithPath, clearName = true) {
     window.URL = window.URL || window.webkitURL;
 
     // select file, start to select a new one, then cancel
@@ -259,17 +281,17 @@ function PublishFile(props: Props) {
       setPublishMode(PUBLISH_MODES.FILE);
     }
 
-    const publishFormParams: { filePath: string, name?: string, optimize?: boolean } = {
-      filePath: fileWithPath.path,
-    };
-    // Strip off extention and replace invalid characters
-    let fileName = name || (file.name && file.name.substring(0, file.name.lastIndexOf('.'))) || '';
-
+    // Strip off extension and replace invalid characters
     if (!isStillEditing) {
-      publishFormParams.name = parseName(fileName);
+      const fileWithoutExtension = name || (file.name && file.name.substring(0, file.name.lastIndexOf('.'))) || '';
+      updatePublishForm({ name: parseName(fileWithoutExtension) });
     }
+  }
 
-    updatePublishForm(publishFormParams);
+  function handleFileChange(fileWithPath: FileWithPath) {
+    if (fileWithPath) {
+      updatePublishForm({ filePath: fileWithPath.path });
+    }
   }
 
   const showFileUpload = mode === PUBLISH_MODES.FILE;
@@ -317,6 +339,7 @@ function PublishFile(props: Props) {
                 onFileChosen={handleFileChange}
                 // https://stackoverflow.com/questions/19107685/safari-input-type-file-accept-video-ignores-mp4-files
                 placeholder={__('Select file to upload')}
+                readFile={false}
               />
               {getUploadMessage()}
             </>