diff --git a/apps/common/utils.py b/apps/common/utils.py
index 3905be558c..d21f6b6e72 100644
--- a/apps/common/utils.py
+++ b/apps/common/utils.py
@@ -392,3 +392,38 @@ def encapsulate(function):
 
 def id_generator(size=6, chars=string.ascii_uppercase + string.digits):
     return ''.join(random.choice(chars) for x in range(size))
+
+
+def get_descriptor(file_input, read=True):
+    try:
+        # Is it a file like object?
+        file_input.seek(0)
+    except AttributeError:
+        # If not, try open it.
+        if read:
+            return open(file_input, 'rb')
+        else:
+            return open(file_input, 'wb')
+    else:
+        return file_input
+
+
+#http://stackoverflow.com/questions/123198/how-do-i-copy-a-file-in-python
+def copyfile(source, destination, buffer_size=1024 * 1024):
+    """
+    Copy a file from source to dest. source and dest
+    can either be strings or any object with a read or
+    write method, like StringIO for example.
+    """
+    source_descriptor = get_descriptor(source)
+    destination_descriptor = get_descriptor(destination, read=False)
+
+    while True:
+        copy_buffer = source_descriptor.read(buffer_size)
+        if copy_buffer:
+            destination_descriptor.write(copy_buffer)
+        else:
+            break
+
+    source_descriptor.close()
+    destination_descriptor.close()
diff --git a/apps/converter/utils.py b/apps/converter/utils.py
index 1544db04ee..d85157ff2b 100644
--- a/apps/converter/utils.py
+++ b/apps/converter/utils.py
@@ -4,29 +4,6 @@ from django.core.exceptions import ImproperlyConfigured
 from django.utils.importlib import import_module
 
 
-#http://stackoverflow.com/questions/123198/how-do-i-copy-a-file-in-python
-def copyfile(source, dest, buffer_size=1024 * 1024):
-    """
-    Copy a file from source to dest. source and dest
-    can either be strings or any object with a read or
-    write method, like StringIO for example.
-    """
-    if not hasattr(source, 'read'):
-        source = open(source, 'rb')
-    if not hasattr(dest, 'write'):
-        dest = open(dest, 'wb')
-
-    while 1:
-        copy_buffer = source.read(buffer_size)
-        if copy_buffer:
-            dest.write(copy_buffer)
-        else:
-            break
-
-    source.close()
-    dest.close()
-
-
 def _lazy_load(fn):
     _cached = []
 
diff --git a/apps/documents/utils.py b/apps/documents/utils.py
index 32658d5f43..cae8b87a5f 100644
--- a/apps/documents/utils.py
+++ b/apps/documents/utils.py
@@ -2,30 +2,6 @@ import os
 
 from common.conf.settings import TEMPORARY_DIRECTORY
 
-
-#http://stackoverflow.com/questions/123198/how-do-i-copy-a-file-in-python
-def copyfile(source, dest, buffer_size=1024 * 1024):
-    """
-    Copy a file from source to dest. source and dest
-    can either be strings or any object with a read or
-    write method, like StringIO for example.
-    """
-    if not hasattr(source, 'read'):
-        source = open(source, 'rb')
-    if not hasattr(dest, 'write'):
-        dest = open(dest, 'wb')
-
-    while True:
-        copy_buffer = source.read(buffer_size)
-        if copy_buffer:
-            dest.write(copy_buffer)
-        else:
-            break
-
-    source.close()
-    dest.close()
-
-
 def document_save_to_temp_dir(document, filename, buffer_size=1024 * 1024):
     temporary_path = os.path.join(TEMPORARY_DIRECTORY, filename)
     return document.save_to_file(temporary_path, buffer_size)