diff --git a/lib/core/config.js b/lib/core/config.js
index 1f65c2b37..6180f26d0 100644
--- a/lib/core/config.js
+++ b/lib/core/config.js
@@ -187,7 +187,7 @@ Config.prototype.loadContractOnTheWeb = function (directory, contract) {
         return reject(new Error(err));
       }
       const url = this.getExternalContractUrl(contract);
-      const localFile = utils.joinPath(process.cwd(), `${directory}/${path.basename(url)}`);
+      const localFile = utils.joinPath(process.cwd(), directory, path.basename(url));
       request(url)
         .on('response', function (response) {
           if (response.statusCode !== 200) {
@@ -203,15 +203,16 @@ Config.prototype.loadContractOnTheWeb = function (directory, contract) {
   });
 };
 
-Config.prototype.loadExternalContractsFiles = function() {
+Config.prototype.loadExternalContractsFiles = async function() {
   let contracts = this.contractsConfig.contracts;
+  let downloadPromises = [];
   for (let contractName in contracts) {
     let contract = contracts[contractName];
     if (!contract.file) {
       continue;
     }
     if (contract.file.startsWith('http') || contract.file.startsWith('git')) {
-      this.loadContractOnTheWeb(contract);
+      downloadPromises.push(this.loadContractOnTheWeb('.embark/contracts', contract));
     } else if (fs.existsSync(contract.file)) {
       this.contractsFiles.push(new File({filename: contract.file, type: "dapp_file", basedir: '', path: contract.file}));
     } else if (fs.existsSync(path.join('./node_modules/', contract.file))) {
@@ -220,6 +221,18 @@ Config.prototype.loadExternalContractsFiles = function() {
       this.logger.error("contract file not found: " + contract.file);
     }
   }
+
+  if (downloadPromises.length) {
+    try {
+      const downloadedFiles = await Promise.all(downloadPromises);
+      this.contractsFiles = this.contractsFiles.concat(downloadedFiles);
+    } catch (err) {
+      // TODO ad url?
+      this.logger.error('Error while downloading one of the contracts.' +
+        'Is the url correct? Refer to out contracts download guide');
+      this.logger.error(err);
+    }
+  }
 };
 
 Config.prototype.loadStorageConfigFile = function() {
diff --git a/test/config.js b/test/config.js
index 5f5c78777..e50ca4a19 100644
--- a/test/config.js
+++ b/test/config.js
@@ -130,7 +130,7 @@ describe('embark.Config', function () {
   });
 
   describe('#loadContractOnTheWeb', function () {
-    it('should get the right url for a https://github file', async function () {
+    it('should download the file correctly', async function () {
       const filePath = await config.loadContractOnTheWeb(
         'test_apps/test_app/.embark/contracts',
         {file: 'https://github.com/embark-framework/embark/blob/master/test_app/app/contracts/simple_storage.sol'}
@@ -139,4 +139,24 @@ describe('embark.Config', function () {
         path.normalize('C:/dev/embark/test_apps/test_app/.embark/contracts/simple_storage.sol'));
     });
   });
+
+  describe('#loadExternalContractsFiles', function () {
+    it('should create the right list of files and download', async function () {
+      config.contractsFiles = [];
+      config.contractsConfig.contracts = [
+        {
+          file: 'https://github.com/embark-framework/embark/blob/master/test_app/app/contracts/simple_storage.sol'
+        },
+        {
+          file: 'github.com/status-im/contracts/contracts/identity/ERC725.sol'
+        }
+      ];
+      await config.loadExternalContractsFiles();
+      assert.deepEqual(config.contractsFiles,
+        [
+          path.normalize('C:/dev/embark/.embark/contracts/simple_storage.sol'),
+          path.normalize('C:/dev/embark/.embark/contracts/ERC725.sol')
+        ]);
+    });
+  });
 });