diff --git a/examples/add.js b/examples/add.js
index 3a449e712..f34d87fee 100644
--- a/examples/add.js
+++ b/examples/add.js
@@ -2,8 +2,8 @@
 
 var ipfs = require('../')('localhost', 5001)
 
-var f1 = 'Hello',
-  f2 = 'World'
+var f1 = 'Hello'
+var f2 = 'World'
 
 ipfs.add([new Buffer(f1), new Buffer(f2)], function (err, res) {
   if (err || !res) return console.log(err)
diff --git a/index.js b/index.js
index 7999a0415..91e87ad28 100644
--- a/index.js
+++ b/index.js
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 'use strict'
 
 var fs = require('fs')
+var path = require('path')
 var http = require('http')
 var qs = require('querystring')
 var multiaddr = require('multiaddr')
@@ -9,10 +10,11 @@ var MultipartDir = require('./multipartdir.js')
 var stream = require('stream')
 var streamifier = require('streamifier')
 
+var pkg
 try {
-  var pkg = JSON.parse(fs.readFileSync(__dirname + '/package.json'))
+  pkg = JSON.parse(fs.readFileSync(__dirname + '/package.json'))
 } catch(e) {
-  var pkg = { name: 'ipfs-api-browserify', version: '?' }
+  pkg = { name: 'ipfs-api-browserify', version: '?' }
 }
 
 var API_PATH = '/api/v0/'
@@ -31,7 +33,8 @@ module.exports = function (host_or_multiaddr, port) {
   if (!port) port = 5001
 
   function send (path, args, opts, files, buffer, cb) {
-    var query, stream, contentType = 'application/json'
+    var query, stream, contentType
+    contentType = 'application/json'
 
     if (Array.isArray(path)) path = path.join('/')
 
@@ -64,7 +67,8 @@ module.exports = function (host_or_multiaddr, port) {
       },
       withCredentials: false
     }, function (res) {
-      var data = '', objects = []
+      var data = ''
+      var objects = []
       var stream = !!res.headers['x-stream-output']
       var chunkedObjects = !!res.headers['x-chunked-output']
 
@@ -127,7 +131,14 @@ module.exports = function (host_or_multiaddr, port) {
 
       file = files[i]
 
-      if (Buffer.isBuffer(file)) {
+      if (typeof file === 'string') {
+        file = new File({
+          cwd: path.dirname(file),
+          base: path.dirname(file),
+          path: file,
+          contents: fs.createReadStream(file)
+        })
+      } else if (Buffer.isBuffer(file)) {
         file = new File({
           cwd: '/',
           base: '/',
diff --git a/multipartdir.js b/multipartdir.js
index aa852a54f..941c71718 100644
--- a/multipartdir.js
+++ b/multipartdir.js
@@ -53,6 +53,10 @@ function constructPath (curr, path) {
 }
 
 function addFile (root, file) {
+  if (!file.base || !file.path) {
+    throw new Error('addFile takes vinyl files')
+  }
+
   var relative = Path.relative(file.base, file.path)
   var relative_dir = Path.dirname(relative)
   var folder, info
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 7f9effb0d..8ac5d144e 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@
   },
   "scripts": {
     "test": "node_modules/.bin/mocha",
-    "lint": "git diff --name-only --cached --relative | egrep .js$ | xargs --no-run-if-empty node_modules/.bin/standard"
+    "lint": "git diff --name-only --cached --relative | egrep .js$ | xargs node_modules/.bin/standard"
   },
   "pre-commit": [
     "lint"
diff --git a/test/test.js b/test/test.js
index d2f45e370..ce6cce9ae 100644
--- a/test/test.js
+++ b/test/test.js
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ describe('ipfs node api', function () {
       cwd: path.dirname(fileName),
       base: path.dirname(fileName),
       path: fileName,
-     contents: fs.createReadStream(fileName)
+      contents: fs.createReadStream(fileName)
     })
     ipfs.add(file, function (err, res) {
       if (err) throw err
@@ -62,6 +62,19 @@ describe('ipfs node api', function () {
     assert.equal(bufferAdded[0].Hash, 'Qma4hjFTnCasJ8PVp3mZbZK5g2vGDT4LByLJ7m8ciyRFZP')
   })
 
+  var filePathAdded
+  before(function (done) {
+    ipfs.add(fileName, function (err, res) {
+      if (err) throw err
+      filePathAdded = res
+      done()
+    })
+  })
+
+  it('add path', function () {
+    assert.equal(filePathAdded[0].Hash, 'Qma4hjFTnCasJ8PVp3mZbZK5g2vGDT4LByLJ7m8ciyRFZP')
+  })
+
   var catted
   before(function (done) {
     ipfs.cat('Qma4hjFTnCasJ8PVp3mZbZK5g2vGDT4LByLJ7m8ciyRFZP', function (err, stream) {