diff --git a/lib/core/config.js b/lib/core/config.js
index 26743320c..09c01ffb5 100644
--- a/lib/core/config.js
+++ b/lib/core/config.js
@@ -1,8 +1,9 @@
-var fs = require('./fs.js');
-var File = require('./file.js');
-var Plugins = require('./plugins.js');
-var utils = require('../utils/utils.js');
-var path = require('path');
+const fs = require('./fs.js');
+const File = require('./file.js');
+const Plugins = require('./plugins.js');
+const utils = require('../utils/utils.js');
+const path = require('path');
+const request = require('request');
 
 var Config = function(options) {
   this.env = options.env;
@@ -142,6 +143,48 @@ Config.prototype.loadContractsConfigFile = function() {
   this.contractsConfig = this._mergeConfig(configFilePath, configObject, this.env);
 };
 
+Config.prototype.getExternalContractUrl = function (contract) {
+  let url;
+  const RAW_URL = 'https://raw.githubusercontent.com/';
+  const MALFORMED_ERROR = 'Malformed Github URL for ';
+  if (contract.file.startsWith('https://github')) {
+    const match = contract.file.match(/https:\/\/github\.[a-z]+\/(.*)/);
+    if (!match) {
+      this.logger.error(MALFORMED_ERROR + contract.file);
+      return '';
+    }
+    url = `${RAW_URL}${match[1].replace('blob/', '')}`;
+  } else if (contract.file.startsWith('git')) {
+    // Match values
+    // [0] entire input
+    // [1] git://
+    // [2] user
+    // [3] repository
+    // [4] path
+    // [5] branch
+    const match = contract.file.match(
+      /(git:\/\/)?github\.[a-z]+\/([a-zA-Z0-9_\-.]+)\/([a-zA-Z0-9_\-7]+)\/([a-zA-Z0-9_\-\/.]+)#?([a-zA-Z0-1_\-.]*)?/
+    );
+    if (!match) {
+      this.logger.error(MALFORMED_ERROR + contract.file);
+      return '';
+    }
+    let branch = match[5];
+    if (!branch) {
+      branch = 'master';
+    }
+    url = `${RAW_URL}${match[2]}/${match[3]}/${branch}/${match[4]}`;
+  } else {
+    url = contract.file;
+  }
+  return url;
+};
+
+Config.prototype.loadContractOnTheWeb = function (contract) {
+  const url = this.getExternalContractUrl(contract);
+  request(url).pipe(fs.createWriteStream('doodle.png'));
+};
+
 Config.prototype.loadExternalContractsFiles = function() {
   let contracts = this.contractsConfig.contracts;
   for (let contractName in contracts) {
@@ -149,7 +192,9 @@ Config.prototype.loadExternalContractsFiles = function() {
     if (!contract.file) {
       continue;
     }
-    if (fs.existsSync(contract.file)) {
+    if (contract.file.startsWith('http') || contract.file.startsWith('git')) {
+      this.loadContractOnTheWeb(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))) {
       this.contractsFiles.push(new File({filename: path.join('./node_modules/', contract.file), type: "dapp_file", basedir: '', path: path.join('./node_modules/', contract.file)}));
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index ff6c94ef6..fd8a1d65c 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -24,11 +24,11 @@
     "async": "^2.0.1",
     "babel-core": "^6.26.0",
     "babel-loader": "^7.1.2",
+    "babel-plugin-webpack-aliases": "^1.1.3",
     "babel-preset-es2015": "^6.24.1",
     "babel-preset-es2016": "^6.24.1",
     "babel-preset-es2017": "6.24.1",
     "babel-preset-react": "^6.24.1",
-    "babel-plugin-webpack-aliases": "^1.1.3",
     "blessed": "^0.1.81",
     "chokidar": "^1.6.0",
     "colors": "^1.1.2",
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@
     "parse-json": "^4.0.0",
     "promptly": "^2.1.0",
     "propose": "0.0.5",
+    "request": "^2.85.0",
     "serve-static": "^1.11.1",
     "shelljs": "^0.5.0",
     "solc": "0.4.17",
diff --git a/test/config.js b/test/config.js
index eb04d9709..79660f841 100644
--- a/test/config.js
+++ b/test/config.js
@@ -1,17 +1,19 @@
 /*globals describe, it*/
-let Config = require('../lib/core/config.js');
-let Plugins = require('../lib/core/plugins.js');
-let assert = require('assert');
+const Config = require('../lib/core/config.js');
+const Plugins = require('../lib/core/plugins.js');
+const assert = require('assert');
+const TestLogger = require('../lib/tests/test_logger.js');
 
-describe('embark.Config', function() {
+describe('embark.Config', function () {
   let config = new Config({
     env: 'myenv',
     configDir: './test/test1/config/'
   });
   config.plugins = new Plugins({plugins: {}});
+  config.logger = new TestLogger({});
 
-  describe('#loadBlockchainConfigFile', function() {
-    it('should load blockchain config correctly', function() {
+  describe('#loadBlockchainConfigFile', function () {
+    it('should load blockchain config correctly', function () {
       config.loadBlockchainConfigFile();
       let expectedConfig = {
         "enabled": true,
@@ -32,30 +34,97 @@ describe('embark.Config', function() {
     });
   });
 
-  describe('#loadContractsConfigFile', function() {
-    it('should load contract config correctly', function() {
-        config.loadContractsConfigFile();
-        let expectedConfig = {
-          versions: { 'web3.js': '1.0.0-beta', solc: '0.4.17' },
-          deployment: { host: 'localhost', port: 8545, type: 'rpc' },
-          dappConnection: [ '$WEB3', 'localhost:8545' ],
-          "gas": "auto",
-          "contracts": {
-            "SimpleStorage": {
-              "args": [
-                100
-              ],
-              "gas": 123456
-            },
-            "Token": {
-              "args": [
-                200
-              ]
-            }
+  describe('#loadContractsConfigFile', function () {
+    it('should load contract config correctly', function () {
+      config.loadContractsConfigFile();
+      let expectedConfig = {
+        versions: {'web3.js': '1.0.0-beta', solc: '0.4.17'},
+        deployment: {host: 'localhost', port: 8545, type: 'rpc'},
+        dappConnection: ['$WEB3', 'localhost:8545'],
+        "gas": "auto",
+        "contracts": {
+          "SimpleStorage": {
+            "args": [100],
+            "gas": 123456
+          },
+          "Token": {
+            "args": [200]
           }
-        };
+        }
+      };
 
-        assert.deepEqual(config.contractsConfig, expectedConfig);
+      assert.deepEqual(config.contractsConfig, expectedConfig);
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe('#getExternalContractUrl', function () {
+    it('should get the right url for a https://github file', function () {
+      const url = config.getExternalContractUrl(
+        {file: 'https://github.com/embark-framework/embark/blob/master/test_app/app/contracts/simple_storage.sol'}
+      );
+      assert.strictEqual(url,
+        'https://raw.githubusercontent.com/embark-framework/embark/master/test_app/app/contracts/simple_storage.sol');
+    });
+
+    it('should fail for a malformed https://github file', function () {
+      const url = config.getExternalContractUrl(
+        {file: 'https://github/embark-framework/embark/blob/master/test_app/app/contracts/simple_storage.sol'}
+      );
+      assert.strictEqual(url, '');
+    });
+
+    it('should get the right url for a git:// file with no branch #', function () {
+      const url = config.getExternalContractUrl(
+        {file: 'git://github.com/status-im/contracts/contracts/identity/ERC725.sol'}
+      );
+      console.log(url);
+      assert.strictEqual(url,
+        'https://raw.githubusercontent.com/status-im/contracts/master/contracts/identity/ERC725.sol');
+    });
+
+    it('should get the right url for a git:// file with a branch #', function () {
+      const url = config.getExternalContractUrl(
+        {file: 'git://github.com/status-im/contracts/contracts/identity/ERC725.sol#myBranch'}
+      );
+      assert.strictEqual(url,
+        'https://raw.githubusercontent.com/status-im/contracts/myBranch/contracts/identity/ERC725.sol');
+    });
+
+    it('should fail when the git:// file is malformed', function () {
+      const url = config.getExternalContractUrl(
+        {file: 'git://github.com/identity/ERC725.sol#myBranch'}
+      );
+      assert.strictEqual(url, '');
+    });
+
+    it('should get the right url with a github.com file without branch #', function () {
+      const url = config.getExternalContractUrl(
+        {file: 'github.com/status-im/contracts/contracts/identity/ERC725.sol'}
+      );
+      assert.strictEqual(url,
+        'https://raw.githubusercontent.com/status-im/contracts/master/contracts/identity/ERC725.sol');
+    });
+
+    it('should get the right url with a github.com file with branch #', function () {
+      const url = config.getExternalContractUrl(
+        {file: 'github.com/status-im/contracts/contracts/identity/ERC725.sol#theBranch'}
+      );
+      assert.strictEqual(url,
+        'https://raw.githubusercontent.com/status-im/contracts/theBranch/contracts/identity/ERC725.sol');
+    });
+
+    it('should fail with a malformed github.com url', function () {
+      const url = config.getExternalContractUrl(
+        {file: 'github/status-im/contracts/contracts/identity/ERC725.sol#theBranch'}
+      );
+      assert.strictEqual(url, '');
+    });
+
+    it('should succeed with a generic http url', function () {
+      const url = config.getExternalContractUrl(
+        {file: 'http://myurl.com/myFile.sol'}
+      );
+      assert.strictEqual(url, 'http://myurl.com/myFile.sol');
     });
   });