diff --git a/aiohttp/web_urldispatcher.py b/aiohttp/web_urldispatcher.py
index 10fbf6ebf52..6fe5bfc183c 100644
--- a/aiohttp/web_urldispatcher.py
+++ b/aiohttp/web_urldispatcher.py
@@ -174,6 +174,80 @@ def url(self, *, filename, query=None):
         url = self._prefix + filename
         return self._append_query(url, query)
 
+    def _sendfile_cb(self, fut, out_fd, in_fd, offset, count, loop):
+        loop.remove_writer(out_fd)
+        try:
+            n = os.sendfile(out_fd, in_fd, offset, count)
+        except (BlockingIOError, InterruptedError):
+            n = 0
+        except Exception as exc:
+            fut.set_exception(exc)
+            return
+
+        if n < count:
+            loop.add_writer(out_fd, self._sendfile_cb, fut, out_fd, in_fd,
+                            offset + n, count - n, loop)
+        else:
+            fut.set_result(None)
+
+    @asyncio.coroutine
+    def _sendfile_system(self, req, resp, fobj, offset, count):
+        """
+        Write `count` bytes of `fobj` to `resp` starting from `offset` using
+        the ``sendfile`` system call.
+
+        `req` should be a :obj:`aiohttp.web.Request` instance.
+
+        `resp` should be a :obj:`aiohttp.web.StreamResponse` instance.
+
+        `fobj` should be an open file object.
+
+        `offset` should be an integer >= 0.
+
+        `count` should be an integer > 0.
+        """
+        yield from resp.drain()
+
+        loop = req.app.loop
+        out_fd = req.transport.get_extra_info("socket").fileno()
+        in_fd = fobj.fileno()
+        fut = asyncio.Future(loop=loop)
+
+        loop.add_writer(out_fd, self._sendfile_cb, fut, out_fd, in_fd, offset,
+                        count, loop)
+
+        yield from fut
+
+    @asyncio.coroutine
+    def _sendfile_fallback(self, req, resp, fobj, offset, count):
+        """
+        Mimic the :meth:`_sendfile_system` method, but without using the
+        ``sendfile`` system call. This should be used on systems that don't
+        support the ``sendfile`` system call.
+
+        To avoid blocking the event loop & to keep memory usage low, `fobj` is
+        transferred in chunks controlled by the `chunk_size` argument to
+        :class:`StaticRoute`.
+        """
+        fobj.seek(offset)
+        chunk_size = self._chunk_size
+
+        chunk = fobj.read(chunk_size)
+        while chunk and count > chunk_size:
+            resp.write(chunk)
+            yield from resp.drain()
+            count = count - chunk_size
+            chunk = fobj.read(chunk_size)
+
+        if chunk:
+            resp.write(chunk[:count])
+            yield from resp.drain()
+
+    if hasattr(os, "sendfile"):
+        sendfile = _sendfile_system
+    else:
+        sendfile = _sendfile_fallback
+
     @asyncio.coroutine
     def handle(self, request):
         filename = request.match_info['filename']
@@ -200,20 +274,12 @@ def handle(self, request):
         resp.last_modified = st.st_mtime
 
         file_size = st.st_size
-        single_chunk = file_size < self._chunk_size
 
-        if single_chunk:
-            resp.content_length = file_size
+        resp.content_length = file_size
         resp.start(request)
 
         with open(filepath, 'rb') as f:
-            chunk = f.read(self._chunk_size)
-            if single_chunk:
-                resp.write(chunk)
-            else:
-                while chunk:
-                    resp.write(chunk)
-                    chunk = f.read(self._chunk_size)
+            yield from self.sendfile(request, resp, f, 0, file_size)
 
         return resp
 
diff --git a/tests/test_web_functional.py b/tests/test_web_functional.py
index 8493bdeec2c..3340ffe6b48 100644
--- a/tests/test_web_functional.py
+++ b/tests/test_web_functional.py
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import asyncio
 import gc
 import json
+import os
 import os.path
 import socket
 import unittest
@@ -10,7 +11,7 @@
 from aiohttp.streams import EOF_MARKER
 
 
-class TestWebFunctional(unittest.TestCase):
+class WebFunctionalSetupMixin(unittest.TestCase):
 
     def setUp(self):
         self.handler = None
@@ -48,6 +49,9 @@ def create_server(self, method, path, handler=None):
         self.addCleanup(srv.close)
         return app, srv, url
 
+
+class TestWebFunctional(WebFunctionalSetupMixin):
+
     def test_simple_get(self):
 
         @asyncio.coroutine
@@ -312,209 +316,6 @@ def go():
 
         self.loop.run_until_complete(go())
 
-    def test_static_file(self):
-
-        @asyncio.coroutine
-        def go(dirname, filename):
-            app, _, url = yield from self.create_server(
-                'GET', '/static/' + filename
-            )
-            app.router.add_static('/static', dirname)
-
-            resp = yield from request('GET', url, loop=self.loop)
-            self.assertEqual(200, resp.status)
-            txt = yield from resp.text()
-            self.assertEqual('file content', txt.rstrip())
-            ct = resp.headers['CONTENT-TYPE']
-            self.assertEqual('application/octet-stream', ct)
-            self.assertEqual(resp.headers.get('CONTENT-ENCODING'), None)
-            resp.close()
-
-            resp = yield from request('GET', url + 'fake', loop=self.loop)
-            self.assertEqual(404, resp.status)
-            resp.close()
-
-            resp = yield from request('GET', url + '/../../', loop=self.loop)
-            self.assertEqual(404, resp.status)
-            resp.close()
-
-        here = os.path.dirname(__file__)
-        filename = 'data.unknown_mime_type'
-        self.loop.run_until_complete(go(here, filename))
-
-    def test_static_file_with_content_type(self):
-
-        @asyncio.coroutine
-        def go(dirname, filename):
-            app, _, url = yield from self.create_server(
-                'GET', '/static/' + filename
-            )
-            app.router.add_static('/static', dirname, chunk_size=16)
-
-            resp = yield from request('GET', url, loop=self.loop)
-            self.assertEqual(200, resp.status)
-            body = yield from resp.read()
-            with open(os.path.join(dirname, filename), 'rb') as f:
-                content = f.read()
-                self.assertEqual(content, body)
-            ct = resp.headers['CONTENT-TYPE']
-            self.assertEqual('image/jpeg', ct)
-            self.assertEqual(resp.headers.get('CONTENT-ENCODING'), None)
-            resp.close()
-
-            resp = yield from request('GET', url + 'fake', loop=self.loop)
-            self.assertEqual(404, resp.status)
-            resp.close()
-
-            resp = yield from request('GET', url + '/../../', loop=self.loop)
-            self.assertEqual(404, resp.status)
-            resp.close()
-
-        here = os.path.dirname(__file__)
-        filename = 'software_development_in_picture.jpg'
-        self.loop.run_until_complete(go(here, filename))
-
-    def test_static_file_with_content_encoding(self):
-
-        @asyncio.coroutine
-        def go(dirname, filename):
-            app, _, url = yield from self.create_server(
-                'GET', '/static/' + filename
-            )
-            app.router.add_static('/static', dirname)
-
-            resp = yield from request('GET', url, loop=self.loop)
-            self.assertEqual(200, resp.status)
-            body = yield from resp.read()
-            self.assertEqual(b'hello aiohttp\n', body)
-            ct = resp.headers['CONTENT-TYPE']
-            self.assertEqual('text/plain', ct)
-            encoding = resp.headers['CONTENT-ENCODING']
-            self.assertEqual('gzip', encoding)
-            resp.close()
-
-        here = os.path.dirname(__file__)
-        filename = 'hello.txt.gz'
-        self.loop.run_until_complete(go(here, filename))
-
-    def test_static_file_directory_traversal_attack(self):
-
-        @asyncio.coroutine
-        def go(dirname, relpath):
-            self.assertTrue(os.path.isfile(os.path.join(dirname, relpath)))
-
-            app, _, url = yield from self.create_server('GET', '/static/')
-            app.router.add_static('/static', dirname)
-
-            url_relpath = url + relpath
-            resp = yield from request('GET', url_relpath, loop=self.loop)
-            self.assertEqual(404, resp.status)
-            resp.close()
-
-            url_relpath2 = url + 'dir/../' + filename
-            resp = yield from request('GET', url_relpath2, loop=self.loop)
-            self.assertEqual(404, resp.status)
-            resp.close()
-
-            url_abspath = \
-                url + os.path.abspath(os.path.join(dirname, filename))
-            resp = yield from request('GET', url_abspath, loop=self.loop)
-            self.assertEqual(404, resp.status)
-            resp.close()
-
-        here = os.path.dirname(__file__)
-        filename = '../README.rst'
-        self.loop.run_until_complete(go(here, filename))
-
-    def test_static_file_if_modified_since(self):
-
-        @asyncio.coroutine
-        def go(dirname, filename):
-            app, _, url = yield from self.create_server(
-                'GET', '/static/' + filename
-            )
-            app.router.add_static('/static', dirname)
-
-            resp = yield from request('GET', url, loop=self.loop)
-            self.assertEqual(200, resp.status)
-            lastmod = resp.headers.get('Last-Modified')
-            self.assertIsNotNone(lastmod)
-            resp.close()
-
-            resp = yield from request('GET', url, loop=self.loop,
-                                      headers={'If-Modified-Since': lastmod})
-            self.assertEqual(304, resp.status)
-            resp.close()
-
-        here = os.path.dirname(__file__)
-        filename = 'data.unknown_mime_type'
-        self.loop.run_until_complete(go(here, filename))
-
-    def test_static_file_if_modified_since_past_date(self):
-
-        @asyncio.coroutine
-        def go(dirname, filename):
-            app, _, url = yield from self.create_server(
-                'GET', '/static/' + filename
-            )
-            app.router.add_static('/static', dirname)
-
-            lastmod = 'Mon, 1 Jan 1990 01:01:01 GMT'
-            resp = yield from request('GET', url, loop=self.loop,
-                                      headers={'If-Modified-Since': lastmod})
-            self.assertEqual(200, resp.status)
-            resp.close()
-
-        here = os.path.dirname(__file__)
-        filename = 'data.unknown_mime_type'
-        self.loop.run_until_complete(go(here, filename))
-
-    def test_static_file_if_modified_since_future_date(self):
-
-        @asyncio.coroutine
-        def go(dirname, filename):
-            app, _, url = yield from self.create_server(
-                'GET', '/static/' + filename
-            )
-            app.router.add_static('/static', dirname)
-
-            lastmod = 'Fri, 31 Dec 9999 23:59:59 GMT'
-            resp = yield from request('GET', url, loop=self.loop,
-                                      headers={'If-Modified-Since': lastmod})
-            self.assertEqual(304, resp.status)
-            resp.close()
-
-        here = os.path.dirname(__file__)
-        filename = 'data.unknown_mime_type'
-        self.loop.run_until_complete(go(here, filename))
-
-    def test_static_file_if_modified_since_invalid_date(self):
-
-        @asyncio.coroutine
-        def go(dirname, filename):
-            app, _, url = yield from self.create_server(
-                'GET', '/static/' + filename
-            )
-            app.router.add_static('/static', dirname)
-
-            lastmod = 'not a valid HTTP-date'
-            resp = yield from request('GET', url, loop=self.loop,
-                                      headers={'If-Modified-Since': lastmod})
-            self.assertEqual(200, resp.status)
-            resp.close()
-
-        here = os.path.dirname(__file__)
-        filename = 'data.unknown_mime_type'
-        self.loop.run_until_complete(go(here, filename))
-
-    def test_static_route_path_existence_check(self):
-        directory = os.path.dirname(__file__)
-        web.StaticRoute(None, "/", directory)
-
-        nodirectory = os.path.join(directory, "nonexistent-uPNiOEAg5d")
-        with self.assertRaises(ValueError):
-            web.StaticRoute(None, "/", nodirectory)
-
     def test_post_form_with_duplicate_keys(self):
 
         @asyncio.coroutine
@@ -926,3 +727,235 @@ def go():
             client.close()
 
         self.loop.run_until_complete(go())
+
+
+class TestStaticFileSendfileFallback(WebFunctionalSetupMixin):
+
+    def patch_sendfile(self, add_static):
+        def f(*args, **kwargs):
+            route = add_static(*args, **kwargs)
+            route.sendfile = route._sendfile_fallback
+            return route
+        return f
+
+    @asyncio.coroutine
+    def create_server(self, method, path):
+        app, srv, url = yield from super().create_server(method, path)
+        app.router.add_static = self.patch_sendfile(app.router.add_static)
+
+        return app, srv, url
+
+    def test_static_file(self):
+
+        @asyncio.coroutine
+        def go(dirname, filename):
+            app, _, url = yield from self.create_server(
+                'GET', '/static/' + filename
+            )
+            app.router.add_static('/static', dirname)
+
+            resp = yield from request('GET', url, loop=self.loop)
+            self.assertEqual(200, resp.status)
+            txt = yield from resp.text()
+            self.assertEqual('file content', txt.rstrip())
+            ct = resp.headers['CONTENT-TYPE']
+            self.assertEqual('application/octet-stream', ct)
+            self.assertEqual(resp.headers.get('CONTENT-ENCODING'), None)
+            resp.close()
+
+            resp = yield from request('GET', url + 'fake', loop=self.loop)
+            self.assertEqual(404, resp.status)
+            resp.close()
+
+            resp = yield from request('GET', url + '/../../', loop=self.loop)
+            self.assertEqual(404, resp.status)
+            resp.close()
+
+        here = os.path.dirname(__file__)
+        filename = 'data.unknown_mime_type'
+        self.loop.run_until_complete(go(here, filename))
+
+    def test_static_file_with_content_type(self):
+
+        @asyncio.coroutine
+        def go(dirname, filename):
+            app, _, url = yield from self.create_server(
+                'GET', '/static/' + filename
+            )
+            app.router.add_static('/static', dirname, chunk_size=16)
+
+            resp = yield from request('GET', url, loop=self.loop)
+            self.assertEqual(200, resp.status)
+            body = yield from resp.read()
+            with open(os.path.join(dirname, filename), 'rb') as f:
+                content = f.read()
+                self.assertEqual(content, body)
+            ct = resp.headers['CONTENT-TYPE']
+            self.assertEqual('image/jpeg', ct)
+            self.assertEqual(resp.headers.get('CONTENT-ENCODING'), None)
+            resp.close()
+
+            resp = yield from request('GET', url + 'fake', loop=self.loop)
+            self.assertEqual(404, resp.status)
+            resp.close()
+
+            resp = yield from request('GET', url + '/../../', loop=self.loop)
+            self.assertEqual(404, resp.status)
+            resp.close()
+
+        here = os.path.dirname(__file__)
+        filename = 'software_development_in_picture.jpg'
+        self.loop.run_until_complete(go(here, filename))
+
+    def test_static_file_with_content_encoding(self):
+
+        @asyncio.coroutine
+        def go(dirname, filename):
+            app, _, url = yield from self.create_server(
+                'GET', '/static/' + filename
+            )
+            app.router.add_static('/static', dirname)
+
+            resp = yield from request('GET', url, loop=self.loop)
+            self.assertEqual(200, resp.status)
+            body = yield from resp.read()
+            self.assertEqual(b'hello aiohttp\n', body)
+            ct = resp.headers['CONTENT-TYPE']
+            self.assertEqual('text/plain', ct)
+            encoding = resp.headers['CONTENT-ENCODING']
+            self.assertEqual('gzip', encoding)
+            resp.close()
+
+        here = os.path.dirname(__file__)
+        filename = 'hello.txt.gz'
+        self.loop.run_until_complete(go(here, filename))
+
+    def test_static_file_directory_traversal_attack(self):
+
+        @asyncio.coroutine
+        def go(dirname, relpath):
+            self.assertTrue(os.path.isfile(os.path.join(dirname, relpath)))
+
+            app, _, url = yield from self.create_server('GET', '/static/')
+            app.router.add_static('/static', dirname)
+
+            url_relpath = url + relpath
+            resp = yield from request('GET', url_relpath, loop=self.loop)
+            self.assertEqual(404, resp.status)
+            resp.close()
+
+            url_relpath2 = url + 'dir/../' + filename
+            resp = yield from request('GET', url_relpath2, loop=self.loop)
+            self.assertEqual(404, resp.status)
+            resp.close()
+
+            url_abspath = \
+                url + os.path.abspath(os.path.join(dirname, filename))
+            resp = yield from request('GET', url_abspath, loop=self.loop)
+            self.assertEqual(404, resp.status)
+            resp.close()
+
+        here = os.path.dirname(__file__)
+        filename = '../README.rst'
+        self.loop.run_until_complete(go(here, filename))
+
+    def test_static_file_if_modified_since(self):
+
+        @asyncio.coroutine
+        def go(dirname, filename):
+            app, _, url = yield from self.create_server(
+                'GET', '/static/' + filename
+            )
+            app.router.add_static('/static', dirname)
+
+            resp = yield from request('GET', url, loop=self.loop)
+            self.assertEqual(200, resp.status)
+            lastmod = resp.headers.get('Last-Modified')
+            self.assertIsNotNone(lastmod)
+            resp.close()
+
+            resp = yield from request('GET', url, loop=self.loop,
+                                      headers={'If-Modified-Since': lastmod})
+            self.assertEqual(304, resp.status)
+            resp.close()
+
+        here = os.path.dirname(__file__)
+        filename = 'data.unknown_mime_type'
+        self.loop.run_until_complete(go(here, filename))
+
+    def test_static_file_if_modified_since_past_date(self):
+
+        @asyncio.coroutine
+        def go(dirname, filename):
+            app, _, url = yield from self.create_server(
+                'GET', '/static/' + filename
+            )
+            app.router.add_static('/static', dirname)
+
+            lastmod = 'Mon, 1 Jan 1990 01:01:01 GMT'
+            resp = yield from request('GET', url, loop=self.loop,
+                                      headers={'If-Modified-Since': lastmod})
+            self.assertEqual(200, resp.status)
+            resp.close()
+
+        here = os.path.dirname(__file__)
+        filename = 'data.unknown_mime_type'
+        self.loop.run_until_complete(go(here, filename))
+
+    def test_static_file_if_modified_since_future_date(self):
+
+        @asyncio.coroutine
+        def go(dirname, filename):
+            app, _, url = yield from self.create_server(
+                'GET', '/static/' + filename
+            )
+            app.router.add_static('/static', dirname)
+
+            lastmod = 'Fri, 31 Dec 9999 23:59:59 GMT'
+            resp = yield from request('GET', url, loop=self.loop,
+                                      headers={'If-Modified-Since': lastmod})
+            self.assertEqual(304, resp.status)
+            resp.close()
+
+        here = os.path.dirname(__file__)
+        filename = 'data.unknown_mime_type'
+        self.loop.run_until_complete(go(here, filename))
+
+    def test_static_file_if_modified_since_invalid_date(self):
+
+        @asyncio.coroutine
+        def go(dirname, filename):
+            app, _, url = yield from self.create_server(
+                'GET', '/static/' + filename
+            )
+            app.router.add_static('/static', dirname)
+
+            lastmod = 'not a valid HTTP-date'
+            resp = yield from request('GET', url, loop=self.loop,
+                                      headers={'If-Modified-Since': lastmod})
+            self.assertEqual(200, resp.status)
+            resp.close()
+
+        here = os.path.dirname(__file__)
+        filename = 'data.unknown_mime_type'
+        self.loop.run_until_complete(go(here, filename))
+
+    def test_static_route_path_existence_check(self):
+        directory = os.path.dirname(__file__)
+        web.StaticRoute(None, "/", directory)
+
+        nodirectory = os.path.join(directory, "nonexistent-uPNiOEAg5d")
+        with self.assertRaises(ValueError):
+            web.StaticRoute(None, "/", nodirectory)
+
+
+@unittest.skipUnless(hasattr(os, "sendfile"),
+                     "sendfile system call not supported")
+class TestStaticFileSendfile(TestStaticFileSendfileFallback):
+
+    def patch_sendfile(self, add_static):
+        def f(*args, **kwargs):
+            route = add_static(*args, **kwargs)
+            route.sendfile = route._sendfile_system
+            return route
+        return f