diff --git a/addons/base/controllers/main.py b/addons/base/controllers/main.py
index 36575f504c7..6df4287e071 100644
--- a/addons/base/controllers/main.py
+++ b/addons/base/controllers/main.py
@@ -191,18 +191,16 @@ class Database(openerpweb.Controller):
                 return {'error': e.faultCode, 'title': 'Drop Database'}
         return {'error': 'Could not drop database !', 'title': 'Drop Database'}
 
-    @openerpweb.jsonrequest
-    def backup_db(self, req, fields):
-        password, db = operator.itemgetter(
-            'backup_pwd', 'backup_db')(
-                dict(map(operator.itemgetter('name', 'value'), fields)))
-
+    @openerpweb.httprequest
+    def backup_db(self, req, backup_db, backup_pwd, token):
         try:
-            res = req.session.proxy("db").dump(password, db)
-            if res:
-                cherrypy.response.headers['Content-Type'] = "application/data"
-                cherrypy.response.headers['Content-Disposition'] = 'filename="' + db + '.dump"'
-                return base64.decodestring(res)
+            db_dump = base64.decodestring(
+                req.session.proxy("db").dump(backup_pwd, backup_db))
+            cherrypy.response.headers['Content-Type'] = "application/octet-stream; charset=binary"
+            cherrypy.response.headers['Content-Disposition'] = 'attachment; filename="' + backup_db + '.dump"'
+            cherrypy.response.cookie['fileToken'] = token
+            cherrypy.response.cookie['fileToken']['path'] = '/'
+            return db_dump
         except xmlrpclib.Fault, e:
             if e.faultCode and e.faultCode.split(':')[0] == 'AccessDenied':
                 return {'error': e.faultCode, 'title': 'Backup Database'}
diff --git a/addons/base/static/src/js/chrome.js b/addons/base/static/src/js/chrome.js
index 1c5f9f05e1f..cf3e9b1ef2b 100644
--- a/addons/base/static/src/js/chrome.js
+++ b/addons/base/static/src/js/chrome.js
@@ -787,30 +787,51 @@ openerp.base.Database = openerp.base.Controller.extend({
             }
         });
     },
-    
+
+    wait_for_file: function (token, cleanup) {
+        var cookie_name = 'fileToken',
+            cookie_length = cookie_name.length;
+        var timer = setInterval(function () {
+            var cookies = document.cookie.split(';');
+            for(var i=0; i<cookies.length; ++i) {
+                var cookie = cookies[i].replace(/^\s*/, '');
+                if(!cookie.indexOf(cookie_name) === 0) { continue; }
+                var cookie_val = cookie.substring(cookie_length + 1);
+                if(parseInt(cookie_val, 10) !== token) { continue; }
+
+                // clear waiter
+                clearInterval(timer);
+                // clear cookie
+                document.cookie = _.sprintf("%s=;expires=%s;path=/",
+                    cookie_name, new Date().toGMTString());
+
+                if (cleanup) { cleanup(); }
+            }
+        }, 100);
+    },
     do_db_backup: function() {
         var self = this;
        	self.$option_id.html(QWeb.render("BackupDB", self));
 
         self.$option_id.find("form[name=backup_db_form]").validate({
             submitHandler: function (form) {
-                var fields = $(form).serializeArray();
+                // need to detect when the file is done downloading (not used
+                // yet, but we'll need it to fix the UI e.g. with a throbber
+                // while dump is being generated), iframe load event only fires
+                // when the iframe content loads, so we need to go smarter:
+                // http://geekswithblogs.net/GruffCode/archive/2010/10/28/detecting-the-file-download-dialog-in-the-browser.aspx
+                var $target = $('#backup-target'),
+                      token = new Date().getTime();
+                if (!$target.length) {
+                    $target = $('<iframe id="backup-target" style="display: none;">')
+                        .appendTo(document.body);
+                }
+                $(form).find('input[name=token]').val(token);
+                form.submit();
 
-                self.rpc("/base/database/backup_db", {'fields': fields}, function(result) {
-                    if (!result.error) {
-                        self.notification.notify("Backup Database", "Backup has been created for the database");
-                    } else {
-                        $('<div>').dialog({
-                            modal: true,
-                            title: result.title,
-                            buttons: {
-                                Ok: function() {
-                                    $(this).dialog("close");
-                                }
-                            }
-                        }).html(result.error);
-                    }
-                });
+                // TODO: implement cleanup function when request-in-flight UI added
+                var cleanup = null;
+                self.wait_for_file(token, cleanup);
             }
         });
     },
diff --git a/addons/base/static/src/xml/base.xml b/addons/base/static/src/xml/base.xml
index 0e3d9c9a19c..4187f1faf9c 100644
--- a/addons/base/static/src/xml/base.xml
+++ b/addons/base/static/src/xml/base.xml
@@ -149,7 +149,9 @@
     </form>
 </t>
 <t t-name="BackupDB">
-    <form name="backup_db_form" method="POST">
+    <form name="backup_db_form" method="POST" target="backup-target"
+          action="/base/database/backup_db">
+        <input type="hidden" name="token"/>
         <table width="100%">
             <tr>
                 <td class="option_string">