diff --git a/examples/file-sharing.rs b/examples/file-sharing.rs
index 492eee11eeb..b90246e0b4f 100644
--- a/examples/file-sharing.rs
+++ b/examples/file-sharing.rs
@@ -84,6 +84,7 @@ use futures::prelude::*;
 use libp2p::core::{Multiaddr, PeerId};
 use libp2p::multiaddr::Protocol;
 use std::error::Error;
+use std::io::Write;
 use std::path::PathBuf;
 
 #[async_std::main]
@@ -134,8 +135,9 @@ async fn main() -> Result<(), Box<dyn Error>> {
                     // Reply with the content of the file on incoming requests.
                     Some(network::Event::InboundRequest { request, channel }) => {
                         if request == name {
-                            let file_content = std::fs::read_to_string(&path)?;
-                            network_client.respond_file(file_content, channel).await;
+                            network_client
+                                .respond_file(std::fs::read(&path)?, channel)
+                                .await;
                         }
                     }
                     e => todo!("{:?}", e),
@@ -158,12 +160,12 @@ async fn main() -> Result<(), Box<dyn Error>> {
             });
 
             // Await the requests, ignore the remaining once a single one succeeds.
-            let file = futures::future::select_ok(requests)
+            let file_content = futures::future::select_ok(requests)
                 .await
                 .map_err(|_| "None of the providers returned file.")?
                 .0;
 
-            println!("Content of file {}: {}", name, file);
+            std::io::stdout().write_all(&file_content)?;
         }
     }
 
@@ -337,7 +339,7 @@ mod network {
             &mut self,
             peer: PeerId,
             file_name: String,
-        ) -> Result<String, Box<dyn Error + Send>> {
+        ) -> Result<Vec<u8>, Box<dyn Error + Send>> {
             let (sender, receiver) = oneshot::channel();
             self.sender
                 .send(Command::RequestFile {
@@ -351,9 +353,16 @@ mod network {
         }
 
         /// Respond with the provided file content to the given request.
-        pub async fn respond_file(&mut self, file: String, channel: ResponseChannel<FileResponse>) {
+        pub async fn respond_file(
+            &mut self,
+            file: Vec<u8>,
+            channel: ResponseChannel<FileResponse>,
+        ) {
             self.sender
-                .send(Command::RespondFile { file, channel })
+                .send(Command::RespondFile {
+                    file: file,
+                    channel,
+                })
                 .await
                 .expect("Command receiver not to be dropped.");
         }
@@ -367,7 +376,7 @@ mod network {
         pending_start_providing: HashMap<QueryId, oneshot::Sender<()>>,
         pending_get_providers: HashMap<QueryId, oneshot::Sender<HashSet<PeerId>>>,
         pending_request_file:
-            HashMap<RequestId, oneshot::Sender<Result<String, Box<dyn Error + Send>>>>,
+            HashMap<RequestId, oneshot::Sender<Result<Vec<u8>, Box<dyn Error + Send>>>>,
     }
 
     impl EventLoop {
@@ -476,7 +485,7 @@ mod network {
                 )) => {}
                 SwarmEvent::NewListenAddr { address, .. } => {
                     let local_peer_id = *self.swarm.local_peer_id();
-                    println!(
+                    eprintln!(
                         "Local node is listening on {:?}",
                         address.with(Protocol::P2p(local_peer_id.into()))
                     );
@@ -500,7 +509,7 @@ mod network {
                     }
                 }
                 SwarmEvent::IncomingConnectionError { .. } => {}
-                SwarmEvent::Dialing(peer_id) => println!("Dialing {}", peer_id),
+                SwarmEvent::Dialing(peer_id) => eprintln!("Dialing {}", peer_id),
                 e => panic!("{:?}", e),
             }
         }
@@ -625,10 +634,10 @@ mod network {
         RequestFile {
             file_name: String,
             peer: PeerId,
-            sender: oneshot::Sender<Result<String, Box<dyn Error + Send>>>,
+            sender: oneshot::Sender<Result<Vec<u8>, Box<dyn Error + Send>>>,
         },
         RespondFile {
-            file: String,
+            file: Vec<u8>,
             channel: ResponseChannel<FileResponse>,
         },
     }
@@ -650,7 +659,7 @@ mod network {
     #[derive(Debug, Clone, PartialEq, Eq)]
     struct FileRequest(String);
     #[derive(Debug, Clone, PartialEq, Eq)]
-    pub struct FileResponse(String);
+    pub struct FileResponse(Vec<u8>);
 
     impl ProtocolName for FileExchangeProtocol {
         fn protocol_name(&self) -> &[u8] {
@@ -689,13 +698,13 @@ mod network {
         where
             T: AsyncRead + Unpin + Send,
         {
-            let vec = read_length_prefixed(io, 1_000_000).await?;
+            let vec = read_length_prefixed(io, 500_000_000).await?; // update transfer maximum
 
             if vec.is_empty() {
                 return Err(io::ErrorKind::UnexpectedEof.into());
             }
 
-            Ok(FileResponse(String::from_utf8(vec).unwrap()))
+            Ok(FileResponse(vec))
         }
 
         async fn write_request<T>(