diff --git a/src/cli/commands/files/cat.js b/src/cli/commands/files/cat.js
index 34737439ae..e2be436765 100644
--- a/src/cli/commands/files/cat.js
+++ b/src/cli/commands/files/cat.js
@@ -14,23 +14,17 @@ module.exports = {
 
   handler (argv) {
     const path = argv['ipfs-path']
+
     utils.getIPFS((err, ipfs) => {
       if (err) {
         throw err
       }
-      if (utils.isDaemonOn()) {
-        ipfs.cat(path, (err, res) => {
-          if (err) {
-            throw err
-          }
-          console.log(res.toString())
-        })
-        return
-      }
+
       ipfs.files.cat(path, (err, file) => {
         if (err) {
           throw (err)
         }
+
         file.pipe(process.stdout)
       })
     })
diff --git a/test/cli/test-files.js b/test/cli/test-files.js
index a9a5bf68cb..572c6fffec 100644
--- a/test/cli/test-files.js
+++ b/test/cli/test-files.js
@@ -80,6 +80,7 @@ describe('files', () => {
         .run((err, stdout, exitcode) => {
           expect(err).to.not.exist
           expect(exitcode).to.equal(0)
+          expect(stdout[0]).to.equal('hello world')
           done()
         })
     })