diff --git a/src/__phutil_library_map__.php b/src/__phutil_library_map__.php
--- a/src/__phutil_library_map__.php
+++ b/src/__phutil_library_map__.php
@@ -1009,6 +1009,7 @@
     'FileAllocateConduitAPIMethod' => 'applications/files/conduit/FileAllocateConduitAPIMethod.php',
     'FileConduitAPIMethod' => 'applications/files/conduit/FileConduitAPIMethod.php',
     'FileCreateMailReceiver' => 'applications/files/mail/FileCreateMailReceiver.php',
+    'FileDeletionWorker' => 'applications/files/worker/FileDeletionWorker.php',
     'FileDownloadConduitAPIMethod' => 'applications/files/conduit/FileDownloadConduitAPIMethod.php',
     'FileInfoConduitAPIMethod' => 'applications/files/conduit/FileInfoConduitAPIMethod.php',
     'FileMailReceiver' => 'applications/files/mail/FileMailReceiver.php',
@@ -5253,6 +5254,7 @@
     'FileAllocateConduitAPIMethod' => 'FileConduitAPIMethod',
     'FileConduitAPIMethod' => 'ConduitAPIMethod',
     'FileCreateMailReceiver' => 'PhabricatorMailReceiver',
+    'FileDeletionWorker' => 'PhabricatorWorker',
     'FileDownloadConduitAPIMethod' => 'FileConduitAPIMethod',
     'FileInfoConduitAPIMethod' => 'FileConduitAPIMethod',
     'FileMailReceiver' => 'PhabricatorObjectMailReceiver',
diff --git a/src/applications/files/controller/PhabricatorFileDeleteController.php b/src/applications/files/controller/PhabricatorFileDeleteController.php
--- a/src/applications/files/controller/PhabricatorFileDeleteController.php
+++ b/src/applications/files/controller/PhabricatorFileDeleteController.php
@@ -25,7 +25,11 @@
     }
 
     if ($request->isFormPost()) {
-      $file->delete();
+      PhabricatorWorker::scheduleTask(
+        'FileDeletionWorker',
+        array('fileID' => $id),
+        array('priority' => PhabricatorWorker::PRIORITY_DEFAULT));
+
       return id(new AphrontRedirectResponse())->setURI('/file/');
     }
 
diff --git a/src/applications/files/worker/FileDeletionWorker.php b/src/applications/files/worker/FileDeletionWorker.php
new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/applications/files/worker/FileDeletionWorker.php
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+<?php
+
+final class FileDeletionWorker extends PhabricatorWorker {
+
+  private $file;
+
+  private function loadFile() {
+    if ($this->file) {
+      return $this->file;
+    }
+
+    $id = idx($this->getTaskData(), 'fileID');
+    if (!$id) {
+      throw new PhabricatorWorkerPermanentFailureException(
+        pht('No "%s" in task data.', 'fileID'));
+    }
+
+    $file = id(new PhabricatorFileQuery())
+      ->setViewer(PhabricatorUser::getOmnipotentUser())
+      ->withIDs(array($id))
+      ->executeOne();
+
+    if (!$file) {
+      throw new PhabricatorWorkerPermanentFailureException(
+        pht('File "%s" does not exist.', $id));
+    }
+
+    $this->file = $file;
+    return $file;
+  }
+
+  public function doWork() {
+    $file = $this->loadFile();
+    $file->delete(); // Requiescat in pace
+  }
+}