diff --git a/config/speechConfig_example.js b/config/speechConfig_example.js
index d10745a3..f485fb34 100644
--- a/config/speechConfig_example.js
+++ b/config/speechConfig_example.js
@@ -19,4 +19,7 @@ module.exports = {
   session: {
     sessionKey: null,  // enter a secret key to be used for session encryption
   },
+  files: {
+    uploadDirectory: null,  // enter file path to where uploads/publishes should be stored
+  },
 };
diff --git a/routes/api-routes.js b/routes/api-routes.js
index edcc6cb7..e8e28b71 100644
--- a/routes/api-routes.js
+++ b/routes/api-routes.js
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 const logger = require('winston');
 const multipart = require('connect-multiparty');
-const multipartMiddleware = multipart({uploadDir: '/home/lbry/test/'});
+const config = require('../config/speechConfig.js');
+const multipartMiddleware = multipart({uploadDir: config.files.uploadDirectory});
 const db = require('../models');
 const { publish } = require('../controllers/publishController.js');
 const { getClaimList, resolveUri } = require('../helpers/lbryApi.js');
diff --git a/speech.js b/speech.js
index 19253e10..7e7a4e5f 100644
--- a/speech.js
+++ b/speech.js
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 // load dependencies
 const express = require('express');
 const bodyParser = require('body-parser');
-const siofu = require('socketio-file-upload');
 const expressHandlebars = require('express-handlebars');
 const Handlebars = require('handlebars');
 const handlebarsHelpers = require('./helpers/handlebarsHelpers.js');
@@ -32,7 +31,6 @@ app.use(helmet()); // set HTTP headers to protect against well-known web vulnera
 app.use(express.static(`${__dirname}/public`)); // 'express.static' to serve static files from public directory
 app.use(bodyParser.json()); // 'body parser' for parsing application/json
 app.use(bodyParser.urlencoded({ extended: true })); // 'body parser' for parsing application/x-www-form-urlencoded
-app.use(siofu.router); // 'socketio-file-upload' router for uploading with socket.io
 app.use((req, res, next) => {  // custom logging middleware to log all incoming http requests
   logger.verbose(`Request on ${req.originalUrl} from ${req.ip}`);
   logger.debug('req.body:', req.body);
@@ -76,7 +74,7 @@ db.sequelize
   .then(hostedContentPath => {
     // add the hosted content folder at a static path
     app.use('/media', express.static(hostedContentPath));
-    // require routes & wrap in socket.io
+    // require routes
     require('./routes/auth-routes.js')(app);
     require('./routes/api-routes.js')(app);
     require('./routes/page-routes.js')(app);
diff --git a/views/index.handlebars b/views/index.handlebars
index 09c01c0e..0b09d8a6 100644
--- a/views/index.handlebars
+++ b/views/index.handlebars
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 <div class="row row--tall flex-container--column">
     <form>
-        <input class="input-file" type="file" id="siofu_input" name="siofu_input" accept="video/*,image/*" onchange="publishFileFunctions.previewAndStageFile(event.target.files[0])" enctype="multipart/form-data"/>
+        <input class="input-file" type="file" id="file_input" name="file_input" accept="video/*,image/*" onchange="publishFileFunctions.previewAndStageFile(event.target.files[0])" enctype="multipart/form-data"/>
     </form>
-    <div id="primary-dropzone" class="dropzone row row--margined row--padded row--tall flex-container--column flex-container--center-center" ondrop="drop_handler(event);" ondragover="dragover_handler(event);" ondragend="dragend_handler(event)" ondragenter="dragenter_handler(event)" ondragleave="dragexit_handler(event)" onclick="publishFileFunctions.triggerFileChooser('siofu_input', event)">
+    <div id="primary-dropzone" class="dropzone row row--margined row--padded row--tall flex-container--column flex-container--center-center" ondrop="drop_handler(event);" ondragover="dragover_handler(event);" ondragend="dragend_handler(event)" ondragenter="dragenter_handler(event)" ondragleave="dragexit_handler(event)" onclick="publishFileFunctions.triggerFileChooser('file_input', event)">
         <div id="primary-dropzone-instructions">
             <p class="info-message-placeholder info-message--failure" id="input-error-file-selection" hidden="true"></p>
             <p>Drag & drop image or video here to publish</p>
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@
             <div class="column column--5 column--sml-10" >
                 <!-- preview -->
                 <div class="row row--padded">
-                    <div id="asset-preview-holder" class="dropzone" ondrop="drop_handler(event);" ondragover="dragover_handler(event);" ondragend="dragend_handler(event)"  ondragenter="preview_onmouseenter_handler()" ondragleave="preview_onmouseleave_handler()" onmouseenter="preview_onmouseenter_handler()" onmouseleave="preview_onmouseleave_handler()" onclick="publishFileFunctions.triggerFileChooser('siofu_input', event)">
+                    <div id="asset-preview-holder" class="dropzone" ondrop="drop_handler(event);" ondragover="dragover_handler(event);" ondragend="dragend_handler(event)"  ondragenter="preview_onmouseenter_handler()" ondragleave="preview_onmouseleave_handler()" onmouseenter="preview_onmouseenter_handler()" onmouseleave="preview_onmouseleave_handler()" onclick="publishFileFunctions.triggerFileChooser('file_input', event)">
                         <div id="asset-preview-dropzone-instructions" class="hidden">
                             <p>Drag & drop image or video here</p>
                             <p class="fine-print">OR</p>